I've been on the sight giving advice myself, on my feral cat which I am trying to tame. She has been coming along pretty good but its been a slow process. But just recently she is swatting at me and she has claws, so she is scratching me. I have been just holding my hand out and she rubs on it, then I pet her head and around her neck and then down her back. She turns around and comes back for more. Just recently she has let me use two hands, one on each side of her. She will just keep rubbing and rubbing back and forth and then all of a sudden she will swat at me like I did something. Then she is skid-dish and doesn't want to come back. So I call her and eventually she will come back. But what could be the problem that she is doing this? I feel like we are having a set back. For as long as it has been and for as young as she was I feel she is taking such a long time to be tamed. She is just so cautious of everything and everyone. I had so many feral kittens and cats that I adopted that never were like this one. Within no time I could pick them up. I wouldn't even attempt to do that to this one. Any advise would be appreciated.
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my feral is swatting at me
- Thread starter buffy2011
- Start Date
She perhaps gets too much. Sometimes it begins to itch.
I see it on my oldest resident (who by the way is himself very shy to strangers although home raised, and his behavior has learned me much about the behavior of shy cats).
In easier cases when he gets enough he starts to lick himself where I petted him. So this is why I think it itches...
Sometimes he pretends he is going to bite me. He never does, but the warning; stop it, this is enough for now, is clear.
And sometimes, if our other resident is near, he attacks the innocent other quite furiously, swatting and hissing at him... A sort of redirected agression, that is.
Earlier in his life he simply walked away when the pettings and darlings become uncomfortable. Now he is almost always laying still, but as said - sometimes he gets too much and reacts.
The remedy? Look on the body language. If the tail begins to move impatiently, its time to let go...
Also, the sweeping shows the development is processing. Now she does dare to say no, its enough now. It shows she is feeling more comfortable, more at home.
The only problem is she isnt swatting with soft paw, but apparently with claws out.
But it is no vicious clawing - in that casy you would know for sure it was clawing for real.
Good luck!
I see it on my oldest resident (who by the way is himself very shy to strangers although home raised, and his behavior has learned me much about the behavior of shy cats).
In easier cases when he gets enough he starts to lick himself where I petted him. So this is why I think it itches...
Sometimes he pretends he is going to bite me. He never does, but the warning; stop it, this is enough for now, is clear.
And sometimes, if our other resident is near, he attacks the innocent other quite furiously, swatting and hissing at him... A sort of redirected agression, that is.
Earlier in his life he simply walked away when the pettings and darlings become uncomfortable. Now he is almost always laying still, but as said - sometimes he gets too much and reacts.
The remedy? Look on the body language. If the tail begins to move impatiently, its time to let go...
Also, the sweeping shows the development is processing. Now she does dare to say no, its enough now. It shows she is feeling more comfortable, more at home.
The only problem is she isnt swatting with soft paw, but apparently with claws out.
But it is no vicious clawing - in that casy you would know for sure it was clawing for real.
Good luck!
StefanZ has given you good advice!
I have seen this behavior not with a human+feral, but with two of my cats. One is semi-feral and the other is your typical fat, lazy farm cat. However they are what I like to call "kitty soul mates", always grooming each other and cuddling etc. Sometimes the female will do just that, rub against the male over and over and over then turn around and swats him in the face. (Poor guy always getting beat up by his woman
) I believe it has something to do with over-stimulation. If she is a true feral like you explained she still may not be used to human touch and this is the only way she knows how to tell you "that's enough".
I have seen this behavior not with a human+feral, but with two of my cats. One is semi-feral and the other is your typical fat, lazy farm cat. However they are what I like to call "kitty soul mates", always grooming each other and cuddling etc. Sometimes the female will do just that, rub against the male over and over and over then turn around and swats him in the face. (Poor guy always getting beat up by his woman
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #4
That could very well be true, but she is the one that keeps rubbing against my hands. Sometimes I will just have my hands out and be looking the other way at something and all of a sudden I get clawed. Its like I did something to her by the way she looks at me. Then she is hesitant to come near me. I have been wanting to pick her up but I am afraid. She use to come out of the room and look around the house, now she kinda stays back in the room. My one cat does chase her so that might be why. I wish she would get over that and start to stand her ground, without claws. That is my only worry that she will claw my other cats up.
Something is making her nervous, so she lashes out. It may be the other cats or other changes in the household. Something as innocuous as a new chair can send some cats into a tizzy. I had a friend who wore cologne that my cat simply did not like. When she visited, my cat went bonkers. One day, she arrived but happened not to wear the cologne. The cat approached her and allowed pets. We were amazed until I noticed she wasn't wearing her cologne, which was unusually powerful. (I never blamed my cat because I thought it stank, too! LOL)
The kitty is a newby in the household, so it may take her awhile to feel confident enough to stand up to the residents. We have a cat with a chronic autoimmune issue - she overproduces wax in her ears. Every six months or so, I have to take her to the vet to have them cleaned out. I can tell when she needs it done because a) she gets timid (she usually does not suffer any nonsense from the other cats) and b) one of our other cats begins to bully her. Its almost like he knows she's not feeling good and he takes advantage of it.
It will definitely help if you can pinpoint the cause.
Once suggestion - when she lashes out at you, withdraw your hands immediately and hiss at her. As sharp "NO!" right after that will help her understand this is unacceptable behavior. Hissing is how her siblings would have to her to knock it off.
The kitty is a newby in the household, so it may take her awhile to feel confident enough to stand up to the residents. We have a cat with a chronic autoimmune issue - she overproduces wax in her ears. Every six months or so, I have to take her to the vet to have them cleaned out. I can tell when she needs it done because a) she gets timid (she usually does not suffer any nonsense from the other cats) and b) one of our other cats begins to bully her. Its almost like he knows she's not feeling good and he takes advantage of it.
It will definitely help if you can pinpoint the cause.
Once suggestion - when she lashes out at you, withdraw your hands immediately and hiss at her. As sharp "NO!" right after that will help her understand this is unacceptable behavior. Hissing is how her siblings would have to her to knock it off.
Lots of good advice given already. I don't have experience of ferals and claws out paws but one word of caution is on how cats can interpret you withdrawing from them. If you withdraw a hand or foot quickly the movement is likely to be misinterpreted by cats as an aggressive move. It can be hard to control your responses if you feel an attack is iminent but a quick, sharp hiss but holding yourself still, and then making a slow and smooth wthdrawl is less likely to trigger a hit than a sharp movement. Worth trying if you can.
True, true. When I said withdraw your hand, I should have made it clear - don't jerk it. Just either remove it from her swiping reach or hold still, as MServant said. Thanks, MServant, for clarifying that!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #8
Thanks everyone for the advice. I will try the hiss thing.
Something just occurred to me. Make sure when she approaches you that you "greet her" with your fist closed. It will look like a cat wanting a head bump. If you have been trying to pet her with an open hand, she may be intimidated and be swatting it away. For some reason open hands frighten some cats. You can gradually open your hand for pets once she accepts your fist greeting.
Good luck and thank you for your patience!
Good luck and thank you for your patience!
As people, I think we rely on touch a little too much. Animals who are less tame, just don't feel comfortable with it. Sometimes a little bit of human contact is way too much way too fast! However, it sounds like to me is that you're doing a fantastic job being patient with this cat and letting her go at her own pace. That is great and kudos to you for taking in a feral feline. She seems to be letting you know that she is not vulnerable! This only means she is not completely comfortable with you! I'd say if you're letting her into your house that you give her lots and lots of places up high that she can watch you from. Being calm and relaxed when you socialize her is very important too. Try to use your voice at a very mellow, soothing, quite, tone. Getting used to your voice is very important too. I've dealt with feral cats at home and in shelters for a long time and I can tell you that all cats can be tame but many cats take longer than others. They are kind of like a neglected child, they aren't going to trust people so easily. Ferals definitely feel overwhelmed when given so much attention so fast that they may forget to "remind" you that they aren't ready to go belly-up lap cat yet hahaha.
Another circumstance is something is making the cat feel threatened. Maybe you're feeling anxious inside and she knows it or you're hovering over her rather than being passively beside her. Lots of things humans do instinctively out of affection are very scary to cats who aren't accustomed to being with humans.
Either way keep doing what you are doing in terms of socializing with touch. Stay in her comfort zone and let her open up to you. Make sure she has places to be with high points of view. Try introducing toys to her as well. Don't forget that you could bond during playtime too!
Another circumstance is something is making the cat feel threatened. Maybe you're feeling anxious inside and she knows it or you're hovering over her rather than being passively beside her. Lots of things humans do instinctively out of affection are very scary to cats who aren't accustomed to being with humans.
Either way keep doing what you are doing in terms of socializing with touch. Stay in her comfort zone and let her open up to you. Make sure she has places to be with high points of view. Try introducing toys to her as well. Don't forget that you could bond during playtime too!
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The way she suddenly lashes out and then is skittish and won't come back to you makes me wonder of she has some kind of pain. Take note of where you're touching her when she lashes out - if it's often the same area, perhaps she has some kind of injury or pain and the way you're touching her is making it hurt. For her, it would be like she was enjoying a fuss and suddenly you pinched her for no reason, so naturally she'd get upset and be a little wary afterwards. Pay some close attention and perhaps experiment with touching her in difference places or in different ways and see if one consistently elicits this hostile response.
My grandmother has a semi-feral cat who is a bit funny and skittish but loves her pats. One day, they were having a nice fuss when my grandmother accidentally gave the cat an electric shock because of the jumper she was wearing; the cat turned around and sunk her teeth into my grandma's hand, hard, like she was trying to break it. Because whlie my grandmother didn't intentionally do anything wrong, the cat was hurt by someone she trusted while she was letting her guard down, and it upset her very very much.
Or like others said, she might be getting overstimulated. My mother's cat gets that way if you give her a long fuss. She gets over-excited and starting scratching and biting while asking for more attention.
My grandmother has a semi-feral cat who is a bit funny and skittish but loves her pats. One day, they were having a nice fuss when my grandmother accidentally gave the cat an electric shock because of the jumper she was wearing; the cat turned around and sunk her teeth into my grandma's hand, hard, like she was trying to break it. Because whlie my grandmother didn't intentionally do anything wrong, the cat was hurt by someone she trusted while she was letting her guard down, and it upset her very very much.
Or like others said, she might be getting overstimulated. My mother's cat gets that way if you give her a long fuss. She gets over-excited and starting scratching and biting while asking for more attention.
Wow almost to the letter you have a mirror of my situation here. Mom was found at my back door pregnant about 5 months ago and although never tried to pick her up she warmed up to petting and brushing. Long story short, kittens gone at 8 and 14 weeks and had her fixed nearly a week ago after which brought her in and kept her in a front room but usually give her free roam of the house when I'm home. The closed fist to her nose greeting happens often, and her pre feeding ritual of rubbing and walking around me 4-5 times; taking a sniff at her new food each pass continues to grow longer. She started doing that pre-surgery when still outside.
A few days ago she did take a swat at me, the result of that was shutting her in the room the rest of the day and evening and although that was the only time other then once when still outdoors, I still see a front paw start to lift now and then as preceding a swat but at that point I up and walk away. I'm guessing her huge adjustment will just take time. She's starting to play with toys some but I guess compared to all the birds & lizards in her previous out door world these are second rate at best. One other thing; when outside neither she nor any of the kittens showed any purring; now it happens with her all the time pre and during eating.
A few days ago she did take a swat at me, the result of that was shutting her in the room the rest of the day and evening and although that was the only time other then once when still outdoors, I still see a front paw start to lift now and then as preceding a swat but at that point I up and walk away. I'm guessing her huge adjustment will just take time. She's starting to play with toys some but I guess compared to all the birds & lizards in her previous out door world these are second rate at best. One other thing; when outside neither she nor any of the kittens showed any purring; now it happens with her all the time pre and during eating.
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- #13
Almost to the letter like you said. She hasn't swatted at me for awhile but the other day when I was petting her I saw her paw start to come up and she put it back down. She is so friendly now, coming out and wanting to rub on me and my hands and purrs so loud. She still is scared to completely come out of the bathroom, but she does have the run of the house if she wants to. Mine really isn't that interested in toys, she is more interested in me petting her. But we still have alot ot time to put in with her, she isn't tame yet, but we have made much progress over 8 months
When the kittens where around 8 weeks I picked up one of those little lazar toys. They used to chase the light all around my back yard at night while mom never as much lifted a paw even when it was on her tail so I always gave her credit for being such a smart cat. Nearly a week indoors now and last night I tried the lazar. She chased it like she used to chase the out door lizards. She's also "playing soccer" with a couple of those little plastic with the bell in the center, cat toy balls so whether the new to her playing is a result of the move indoors, no longer being pregnant, or getting spayed, I don't know but she's like a different cat. Although she used to some times hiss at me when getting too close to the kittens, other times she appeared to be trying to bring them closer to me; especially when they were getting older and she had begun walking away when they tried nursing; she is now continuing to show that early sign of swatting me I hope to see end in the not too distant future. For now I'm wondering how I'll get her back into the carrier for the vet visit to remove the stitches, and I'm thinking while she's there also have her claws trimmed.
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- #15
I'm in a similar situation like that. I need to get my feral to the vets for a claw trim and another rabies shot, and I was thinking the same thing. How to get her in the carrier. But here is what my thought was. Just drop a small towel over her fast and squeeze it tight and put her in, towel and all. The vet can deal with her when we get there.
