Hi, I stumbled across your site, read quite a lot and decided to ask for your advice as I cant find anything similar to my idea!
I am British from the UK if any of this sounds confusing.
I have mum and 3 feral kittens at mine. I have provided a home now for 12 months. Mum adopted my garden shed and I started feeding outside the shed. Now a year on, all 4 are neutered and wormed (done age 3 months) and mum before she got pregnant again, within weeks of her arriving at my garden. It was clear from day 1 mum had never been touched.
Once winter started kicking in I had a cat flap installed and they still now feed and sleep and chill out in a side room of my house with access to the whole house should they wish. I chat to them constantly whilst im in the kitchen and during their food prepararations particularly. My ginger tom miaows back to me and my calico girl brushes past my legs. this bit is lovely but I want more! I still have not touched any of them. I desperately want loving relationships with them and am getting impatient.
So here is where I would appreciate your advice...
I am thinking of adopting another cat, a cat that has been socialised already and is loving and friendly. I am wondering if when my ferals see me petting and loving the new cat they might trust me and allow me to do that to them?? Or would the new cat become as timid and fearful as they are and im then feeding 5 mouths with nothing in return? I think mum cat kept them feral and now she doesn't bother with them at all, they keep each other feral because at times, my calico really wants to love me but my ginger darts so she does.
Any advice greatly appreciated. I've been so so patient as I know its all about trust but the anniversary of their arrival is coming up and I've not made much progress in ages!
I am British from the UK if any of this sounds confusing.
I have mum and 3 feral kittens at mine. I have provided a home now for 12 months. Mum adopted my garden shed and I started feeding outside the shed. Now a year on, all 4 are neutered and wormed (done age 3 months) and mum before she got pregnant again, within weeks of her arriving at my garden. It was clear from day 1 mum had never been touched.
Once winter started kicking in I had a cat flap installed and they still now feed and sleep and chill out in a side room of my house with access to the whole house should they wish. I chat to them constantly whilst im in the kitchen and during their food prepararations particularly. My ginger tom miaows back to me and my calico girl brushes past my legs. this bit is lovely but I want more! I still have not touched any of them. I desperately want loving relationships with them and am getting impatient.
So here is where I would appreciate your advice...
I am thinking of adopting another cat, a cat that has been socialised already and is loving and friendly. I am wondering if when my ferals see me petting and loving the new cat they might trust me and allow me to do that to them?? Or would the new cat become as timid and fearful as they are and im then feeding 5 mouths with nothing in return? I think mum cat kept them feral and now she doesn't bother with them at all, they keep each other feral because at times, my calico really wants to love me but my ginger darts so she does.
Any advice greatly appreciated. I've been so so patient as I know its all about trust but the anniversary of their arrival is coming up and I've not made much progress in ages!