Feral cat body language, help!

jhouse

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Sep 30, 2013
Messages
14
Purraise
5
Hi,

My husband and I had a female -- probably feral -- living in our garage with 3 kittens, about 5-6 weeks old. We trapped the kittens and a friend is socializing them, that's going pretty well.

we also trapped the female with the intent to spay and release her, and she seemed fairly quiet so we thought perhaps she was a stray, not feral. We kept her in a dog crate for a day or two after, I reached in to change her food and water, she hunkered down against the far side of the cage but didn't hiss or act aggressively.

We put her in a spare room and let her out of the cage -- it's been 4 days since the spay. She stayed hidden in a corner most of the time, but last night she remained in sight, about 15 feet away, and hissed and growled when I went in to leave her some food. Today, she was in the the same place, in plain sight, and while she didn't hiss or growl, she meowed and made direct eye contact as I placed some food on the floor.

I think we may have gotten in over our heads with this, I'm beginning to think she's really feral and she may be aggressive. Perhaps releasing her would be the best option? We don't have experience with ferals, and I don't want to get injured. I don't feel safe or comfortable going into the room with her not "backing down", to be honest.

Any advice from those more experienced would be greatly appreciated!

J. House
 

katluver4life

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 4, 2012
Messages
1,211
Purraise
65
Location
Pennsylvania
Hello and welcome to TCS. Thank you so much for saving her and her kittens!

She may be in pain. Spaying is more involved then neutering and she just needs time to heal. That she is out when you enter the room is a good sign. Means she feels relatively safe. That she meowed at you is another good sign, she greeted you. Hissing is a cats way of telling you they are not ready to be approached. She shouldn't attack you if you give her the space she needs and allow her to come to you when she is ready. I think your doing great. It's just a matter of some patience and a bit more time for her to start feeling better.  IMO she is not acting like a feral.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

jhouse

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Sep 30, 2013
Messages
14
Purraise
5
thanks KatLuver, appreciate the info! If you have time to reply a bit more, how do you think a feral would be acting vs stray? I'm not sure she came out of hiding as much as maybe got caught in a part of the room and didn't want to try to get back to her corner.
 

shadowsrescue

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Apr 27, 2011
Messages
7,022
Purraise
5,083
Location
Ohio
A feral would probably not come out for days even for food.  Is she eating?  Ferals would also not make direct eye contact.  Meowing to greet you is such a good happy sign.  I would get a feliway plug in to help her feel calm.  You can also try Rescue remedy drops in her food.  Playing classical soft music is another option.  Make sure she has a place to hide.  You can use an old box if needed.  When you go into the room, speak softly to her.  I would avoid eye contact.  Give her time and patience.  You have no idea how long she has been living on her own.  She also may not feel too well after her spay.  Give her plenty of food (wet if possible) and fresh water daily.  Do you have any toys out for her?  Once she starts to feel better, she will let you know.  If you feel unsafe, you could set up a baby gate or two and sit on the other side.  You also could put up a screen door so she could see out and see and hear you.  I bought a cheap one from Lowes ($20) and instead of taking my door off the frame, I just attached it with tension rods.  I just place it over the door frame and attach the tension rods to the wall.  I have a picture of it, if you would like to see.

What a wonderful thing you did in rescuing this mom and kittens.  Time and patience is the key.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

jhouse

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Sep 30, 2013
Messages
14
Purraise
5
thanks again!
your reply is making me possibly reconsider keeping instead of releasing her. . .have to admit getting growled at unnerved me, I realized for the first time her actions might be unpredictable and if she feels threatened she could even attack. She has never lunged though. I made a cardboard "shield" just in case, felt kind of silly but the hiss/growl was totally unexpected. In her defense, I did go into the dark room (we had to be gone for the day and I wanted to give her some food) and while I talked to her before going in, turning the light on may have upset or startled her.

As far as meowing, not sure if it's greeting as she usually keeps it up for quite awhile after entering the room,  I thought it could be stress but I'm not experienced enough to know. She starts out kind of loud and gradually gets softer and stops. Her ears were forward today when she was out in the room.

I put the dog crate back into the room with some fabric draped over it to create a cave. She is eating just fine, wet and dry. Pooping and using the litter box as well.

As luck would have it, we have to leave town for 3 days this week, starting tomorrow, so our only option is to leave plenty of dry food and water. Or release her, if that's what we do -- we would  still feed outdoors though & she can continue to use the garage for shelter. My husband may be the deciding factor in that decision.

I'll let you know what happens -- in the whole process I did manage to find a few affordable spay/neuter places, so any other ferals or strays in our back yard can be fixed -- hopefully no more kittens, our area shelters are flooded with cats/kittens, even in the fall season this year. They said they would have just euthanized these.
 
 

sivyaleah

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Dec 16, 2011
Messages
6,255
Purraise
5,213
Location
New Jersey
While I'm no expert in ferals, I do know that cats typically do not meow to humans unless they have been around them at some point.  It is their way of communicating with us, not other cats.  This, as others mentioned, is a very positive sign from her, and probably means she is a stray, not feral - although one who may have been out for some time and has become wary of humans along the way.  Given time and patience, and tender loving care I think she'll come around.  Great job you're doing, thank you for caring so much about her and the kittens.
 

ondine

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Nov 20, 2008
Messages
5,312
Purraise
780
Location
Burlington, North Carolina
Another sign that she may be more stray than feral is that she used the litter box.  Ferals don't usually know what that's for - they are used to using leaves or dirt.

I think at the end of three days, you should be able to tell whether she wants to stay inside or not.  I would definitely provide her with a big enough litter box so that it doesn't get too full before you get back.

Thank you for helping her - and all the other kitties!
 

judygb

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Sep 21, 2013
Messages
30
Purraise
10
Location
New Jersey
I can totally relate to what you are going through.  Read my post "Info regarding feral/stray cat.  Its been 3 weeks today that we took in Buddy.  I was not sure if he was feral or stray so I was a little freaked out just like you.  I am still unable to touch him but he plays with me now and meows at me occasionally.  I never leave food in room I always bring food and wait for him to eat it.  He has hiding places in the room. I also was wondering if we did the right thing by bringing him in but he seems fine indoors.  I am letting him be the guide.  I will not touch him until he nudges me or approaches me.  This weekend he sat right next to me about 12 inches away. Good Luck! Either way at least you had her spayed and are socializing the kittens.  Thanks for that.
 

feline03

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
106
Purraise
13
Hi, my name is Carla.  I forgot to look at the date when you posted, but if it is cold out, PLEASE DO NOT let her back out.  Outdoor cats loose their winter coat within 24 hours and if you put her back outside she will be at risk of frost bite and getting sick.  That is what I was told when I asked a women who runs a shelter.  She also told me ferals do not meow or make eye contact/blink at you .   

I am feeding a feral/stray TNR cat twice a day now for 4 weeks and will eventually bring it in when he gets used to me more.  I now have him/her eating less than an arms length away from me.  Patience is NOT one of my virtues but it will be in this case.  I have 3 cats of my own and need to be careful of taking it in because I cannot put it back you again in the winter.  If I see him/her getting sick, I will try to trap and take it in before spring.  Good luck and please keep her she sounds very promising and will give you much love in the future.
 

shadowsrescue

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Apr 27, 2011
Messages
7,022
Purraise
5,083
Location
Ohio
 
Hi, my name is Carla.  I forgot to look at the date when you posted, but if it is cold out, PLEASE DO NOT let her back out.  Outdoor cats loose their winter coat within 24 hours and if you put her back outside she will be at risk of frost bite and getting sick.  That is what I was told when I asked a women who runs a shelter.  She also told me ferals do not meow or make eye contact/blink at you .   

I am feeding a feral/stray TNR cat twice a day now for 4 weeks and will eventually bring it in when he gets used to me more.  I now have him/her eating less than an arms length away from me.  Patience is NOT one of my virtues but it will be in this case.  I have 3 cats of my own and need to be careful of taking it in because I cannot put it back you again in the winter.  If I see him/her getting sick, I will try to trap and take it in before spring.  Good luck and please keep her she sounds very promising and will give you much love in the future.
The statement that ferals do not meow is absolutely false.  My feral boy began meowing to me after I had been feeding him for about 3 months.  I was so shocked, but once he started he never stopped!!!  My boy will be spending his 4th winter outside.  He has a wonderful shelter and grows a very thick coat for winter.  I call him my rollie pollie boy as it's amazing how big he gets.  My feral likes to come inside for short visits, but is very unhappy when he has to stay against his will.  I hope that someday he will make the choice, but for now he is outside with another stray.  I also have 2 indoor boys as well as a dog. 

I hope you are providing a winter shelter for you feral/stray.  There are so many options and such great resources here. 

Nothing is impossible when it comes to working with ferals.  It is just a very slow process that takes so much patience.  Patience is not my strong suit either, but working with my feral and other outside kitties, I have become so much better.  I want the best for them so I need to take things slowly and let it all happen at their pace.
 

feline03

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
106
Purraise
13
Thanks for your reply.  It makes me worry a LITTLE less about Blacky knowing your bow has spent 5 winters out doors.  Where do they sleep at night?  I built a shelter for Blacky but he won't stay in it.  I think he is afraid of being trapped in their.  I am worried that he won't be happy as an indoor cat either and if I take him in now I can't let him back outside because of him loosing his winter coat.  Does anyone know if that is true; after 48 hours they shed their winter coat?  I am so confused of what the right thing to do is.  Try to trap and take him in or keep feeding him and let him stay out.  I'll never stop feeding him but worry about him not surviving the winter or getting hit by a car.  I fed him twice today at about 6 am and 3 pm  and when I got home about 6;45 tonight, he wasn't around and didn't come when I called him like he usually does.  

It make make a difference you having 2 ferals out their because they can help keep each other warm.  When he comes in the house are you concerned about fleas and ear mites possibly giving them to your other 2 cats?

Thanks.
 

feline03

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
106
Purraise
13
I am not Jhouse.  Did you mean to ask someone else and not felineo3
 

ondine

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Nov 20, 2008
Messages
5,312
Purraise
780
Location
Burlington, North Carolina
JHouse started the thread and we hadn't heard from her.

Feline03: you can cut a second opening in the shelter. That might help Blacky feel more comfortable about using it. If you trap him, have him vet checked and neutered or spayed if needed, plus vaccinations. You may be able to gauge then whether to let him back out or not. As long as he has a warm shelter and food, he should be OK outside.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #15

jhouse

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Sep 30, 2013
Messages
14
Purraise
5
Hi all, 

I'm sorry for such a late update, but here it is 1 year later. . .

Our "feral", now named Shadow, has had quite the adventure with us. I began this thread when she growled & hissed at me when I startled her by opening the door to "her" room, after we trapped her & had her spayed. I was struggling with the decision to release her outdoors, or keep her inside.

We wound up releasing her, since she seemed so miserable being kept indoors. I left her food in the back yard -- she would eat it, but would not come within many yards of us. I worried about the winter coming, so we installed a pet door to our basement and left it open, and with a bit of training she learned to come inside for her food. I sat on the opposite side of the basement and read aloud to get her used to my voice. She still wouldn't come within 30 feet of us. 

Eventually I made the tough decision to close the pet door, thinking that this cat would have a free but probably short life, with our busy road out front and coyotes, disease etc out back. She got used to being in the house and got comfortable being close to us, but we couldn't touch her. then one day, I actually was able to pet her. She learned to really enjoy being petted and asks for attention.

We tried adopting a companion cat for her 5 months ago, but as it turned out, she is extremely timid. I picked a 7 month old  cat (neutered male), and I soon realized that she wasn't putting him in his place, but defending herself. He began to dominate her & she was miserable, we had to give up and take him back after he began chasing her around the house with her screaming. I think the initial incident of her growling & hissing at me was just her being terrified, not aggressive. 

Fast forward to Sept 2014, she is a very affectionate cat, loves being petted (tho not being picked up), and recently has begun to enjoy my lap. She's a great pet and we're glad we took a chance with her. 


Jan H. 
 
Top