Any advice on how to capture a feral cat and train him to be an indoor pet

dana17

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The feral in not a year old yet and very afraid of humans and everything!
Any help is appreciated
Thank u
 

shadowsrescue

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The first step is to trap the cat with a humane trap.  You can often rent/borrow one from Humane Societies or ASPCA's in your area.  Otherwise you will need to purchase one.  They usually start around $40.  Once you have trapped the cat, it needs to be taken immediately for spay/neuter, check up, vaccines and tests.  Be sure to have an appointment or find a clinic that doesn't require appointments for feral cats.  In my area, the low cost spay/neuter clinics do not require appointments for feral cats as long as they are in humane traps.  It is best to trap the feral on the morning of the appointment or the night before.  Once in the trap, you do not want to let the cat out.  Cover the trap with a light sheet or towel to calm him and then transport to the clinic.  If you catch the night before, bring the cat into a safe location.  Possibly a basement or bathroom that is quiet and away from humans and other pets.  After the spay/neuter, the cat will need to stay in the trap overnight in your home.  They need to be in a temperature controlled environment as after anesthesia their bodies have a hard time warming.  Here is a video on how to trap:

https://www.alleycat.org/page.aspx?pid=555

If you are looking to socialize the cat, it takes lots and lots of time and patience.  Here are some guidelines.

1. Make sure the room is completely cat proofed. If you are using a spare bedroom, pick the bed up or place it flat on the floor. Under a bed is the first place the cat will run to hide. It is next to impossible to then get the cat out. Also block behind all large furniture. Cats can squeeze into very small places and get themselves stuck. Get on the floor and think like a cat. Make sure closets are closed tightly. You do want to have appropriate hiding places. A cat tree with a hiding box is a great idea. Even an old cardboard box with a cozy blanket works well. I like to turn the box so it is facing the wall. This gives the cat a bit of privacy. Do watch for windows, blinds and curtains. Keep windows tightly closed. Put the blinds up and hide the cords/strings. Also watch for curtains.
2 . Be sure to watch direct eye contact. If this bothers or frightens your cat, have your gaze down or over the top of the cats head.

Sit on the floor so that you are not looming over the cat. It can really frighten cats when you sit above them or stand in front of them.

3. When you enter the room, announce your presence. Come in with a special treat. Try to make it something extra special such as plain cooked chicken or canned tuna or salmon. It doesn't have to be much just a small piece. Offer this to the cat once you are sitting. The cat may choose not to eat it in your presence at first. This is ok. You want him/her to associate you with something good.

4. Another food tip is to try Gerber Stage 2 Baby food. It comes in a small glass jar with a blue label ( in the US). You want to use the chicken or turkey. This contains no added spices or sugar, just meat and water. You can try offering some on a plate. Most cats love this and as you progress, you can have the cat move towards eating off a spoon and then eating off your fingers. Remember this is only a training tool and should not be used as a meal replacement.

5. Make your visits short at first, but frequent. I like to visit for 5-10 minutes, then return again in a hour or so. Sit on the floor and talk to your cat. You can even read aloud from a book or magazine. If the cat approaches, remember to keep your gaze down. You can offer a closed fist (knuckles pointing towards the cat). This represents the shape of a cats head. Cats like to head butt other cats or humans to show affection or acceptance.

6. Try playing music for your cat. You can leave it on a radio station that also has some talk. This will continue to allow the cat to get used to human voices. Just have the music calming. I like to leave the music on almost all of the time at first.

7. Try using Feliway plug in diffusers. The phermones are calming to cats. You also can try Composure calming treats or Composure liquid max. Both are nonsedating calming supplements that help a cat to feel more calm. The liquid is easy to mix into wet food.

8. When you are ready to start petting your cat, try making a petting wand. I like to use an old sturdy wand toy (a dowel rod will work too). I take off the toy at the end or just cover it with an old sock. I wrap it around a few times and secure with duct tape. I then cover the sock eith a piece of soft flannel. I can use this to entice the cat with a bit of play and then gently start to touch the cat with the end. I often find it's easier to use when the cats back is to me as they don't see it coming at them. Many cats like to have their rear ends rubbed to it's a good place to start. It often takes a few days and many attempts for the cat to learn to be ok with the wand. Sometimes you will find that it is too soon and you will need to try again in a week or two. After the cat has adjusted to being touched with the petting wand and seems to really enjoy it, you can start to replace your hand with the wand. I like to start with the petting wand and gradually pull it towards my body while my hand is moving to replace it. Start slowly. You can always move back to the wand if it's too soon.

9. I found a lot of good tips in the video called “Tough Love”. It's a 3 part video series on the rescue and socialization of feral kittens. http://www.urbancatleague.org/TamingVideo

Here is a link to another great article

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/handling-feral-cats
 
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dana17

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Thank you for all this amazing info. What if we both work and not home during the day
 

shadowsrescue

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Thank you for all this amazing info. What if we both work and not home during the day
That is even better as you can spend lots and lots of time with the cat.  I work from home too and when I brought my feral boy inside, it made it easier to sneak upstairs and spend 5-10 minutes with him every hour or so. 
 
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dana17

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Me and my boyfriend don't work from home, I would love if we did!!' actually during the week I'm in NJ and come on weekends and he is a fireman in the Bronx and has his own electrical business and flips houses and not home a lot so that concerns me that the cat would be alone a lot. Do you think we should try I feel and for him outside and lonely
 

shadowsrescue

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I misread what you wrote.  Is your boyfriend willing to spend time with the cat during the week?  It is not an ideal situation for the cat to be left alone in a room for a week at a time without human interaction.  Yet if you think the cat is able to be socialized then it is worth a try.

What type of relationship do you have with the cat right now?  Are you feeding the cat?  Are you able to pet the cat?  If you provide some more information it might be helpful.
 
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dana17

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Thank you for answering my questions you are helpful!!! we made the cat a house in the backyard by a fence. And he will come right out after we feed him but only if we start walking away. I will look behind our fence to see him and he wont run away just stare but if you try and go near him the cat runs
 

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I had a feral cat that was very similar and found that they often need to be the ones to approach you, not vice versa. The best way to a cat's heart (and a man's heart as well!) is thru his stomach. If you have already made the association between food and your presence, you have most of the battle won. I would make sure the cat firmly associated me with the food, then slowly, over a period of a few weeks, move the food bowl a little closer to you, making him come a little closer each time. I find it important to "baby talk" to the cat while he is eating...sometimes I also give a few "meows" similar to what a cat would make when encountering another friendly cat...sort of a chirp. The goal is to get the cat closer to you each day while it eats and eventually touching or petting him.

   Once you can touch or pet him, the next struggle is to get him to come inside voluntarily. My feral will come inside, but flips out if I close the door behind him. Ferals are typically very skittish and many will never make "great" pets as they weren't socialized with people. My feral male, Callie (a calico...imagine that!) enjoys getting petted and rolls around but only if he initiates it...after 2 years I still can't walk up to him (he runs away) unless he walks up to me. My feral Callie also is very specific about where I can pet him...unless he is on the front porch, he will usually not come to you.

   Ferals are great but they take a lot of patience and some never really adapt to being a pet. Some of my best cats were feral and they seem to appreciate whatever you do for them. Good luck and take your time...ferals work on their own time schedule and rushing it doesn't do any good.

Jim M -
 
 
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dana17

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Smokey is sitting by his house! I went outside to get his bowl and bring inside to fill with food and milk, when I was inside he came out looking for his food and then sat by the house waiting. Of course he ran off when he saw me walk towards his house and came out once I back inside. Do you think he was just saying on food or wants to come In and get out of cold
Thank you for your help!
 
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StefanZ

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Smokey is sitting by his house! I went outside to get his bowl and bring inside to fill with food and milk, when I was inside he came out looking for his food and then sat by the house waiting. Of course he ran off when he saw me walk towards his house and came out once I back inside. Do you think he was just saying on food or wants to come In and get out of cold
Thank you for your help!
If he doesnt try to come inside your house, just his own shelter house, he is probably contend with it at the moment.

If he actively tries to come inside your house,  he is ripe for taking him in.

Of course, if you wish to foster and socialize him inside, you can trap him and take him inside anyway, even if he is contend with his shelter house.  But its more work to do, than when he himself demonstrates he is now ready for socialization.

I hope I understood your question, and gave you an adequate answer.
 
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dana17

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Thank you so much and yes you did answer my question!
 

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I think he does want to come in... cats are curious that way... this guy really does seem to like you and if he is trying to come in.. I think he is trying to say that he wants to be around you more... the feral cat I was working with was always trying to get in and when I allowed it one day.. it got even more comfortable with me...
 
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dana17

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I so wanted to hear that, that you think he wants to come in!!! I hope your feral is doing great. Mine won't come close to the house he just stares at our house from the backyard fence
 

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@dana17... you have asked me a very crazy question.... the feral female I was working with (pepper) was around for over a month.. I got her to super comfortable with me... would sleep on my lap... eat from hand... and even walk around with me in my community... I decided to get her spayed and once I got her home from surgery she escaped and did not show up for 2 days then came for a short while.. ate some food and left again... it's been two days since she has not come... I have been looking out for her and waiting like crazy... I hope she eventually come back..coz I wanted to her in... I feel like I betrayed her trust... she left a kitten behind who is now getting a little comfortable with me.. but much more difficult to work with..
 

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We have a feral cat that basically lives on our front porch.  She had a litter of kittens over the summer which we trapped and successfully adopted out (one by us!). We trapped her as well and had her spayed.   She has her food and heated water bowl, and "cat condo" , and has become pretty friendly, also looking through my front glass do as though she wants to come inside.  She will purr and rub against us when we come and go, but any attempt to coax her inside is a no go (we also have two other rescues and two big dogs who are great with cats, but outside kitty wants no part of this community!).  I have tried to pick her up, but she bolts.  She seems content with the human interaction outside, but has no desire to come inside.  With the weather being very very cold this weekend in the Northeast, I really wanted to bring her in, but I think she will freak out if I force it, so I'll just watch things and hopefully the weather will get a bit warmer.  I think they would come in if they really wanted to.
 
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dana17

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I feed smokey on our back yard, he hides behind the fence and I peek over to talk to him and see if he will come near me. And he sits there and stares at me and closes his eyes. Little blinks and closes his eyes alot, do you think he is sick! Any advise? He still runs away when I try and come closer but he looked cold and his eyes close alot. do u think he is a ok!
Also, I hear different things about catching ferals and bringing them inside. This site tells me yes, do it but have patience and you all so supportive but if i talk to a shelter or non profit neuter and spay place they say it won't work if bring him as a house cat
 

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Not seeing Smokey, I can't say for sure if the blinking is his way of telling you he means no harm and he is trying to be friendly or not, but I suggest that you try repeating it to him when he does it to you.  When you make eye contact, just very slowly close your eyes and open them back up.  Direct eye contact between animals is often a challenge.  It says "I am watching your every move - I don't trust you".  Animals have little clues in their body language to try and tell you what they are thinking and how they are feeling. With ferals, you just have to take babysteps - but it sounds like Smokey is trying to work with you. Do you think Smokey was born a feral or do you think he is an abandoned pet?. 
 

sunnykew

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I agree with mollyblue.... blinking is a way of communication in their way.. of course it can mean so many other things too... I'd too say trying blinking after he does.. and then wait for the next move he makes...
 

ginny

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I feed smokey on our back yard, he hides behind the fence and I peek over to talk to him and see if he will come near me. And he sits there and stares at me and closes his eyes. Little blinks and closes his eyes alot, do you think he is sick! Any advise? He still runs away when I try and come closer but he looked cold and his eyes close alot. do u think he is a ok!
Also, I hear different things about catching ferals and bringing them inside. This site tells me yes, do it but have patience and you all so supportive but if i talk to a shelter or non profit neuter and spay place they say it won't work if bring him as a house cat
The shelter probably tell people that because you can't domesticate a wild animal in 5 minutes and most people don't have the patience for it.  It CAN be done, but patience is a must.  I brought mine indoors, but it was quite an adjustment for both me and the kitties.  

I don't know why the kitty blinks a lot.  Usually wild cats stare.  But if they've become accustomed to you they may not stare quite as much.  Is there something else about his behavior that makes you think he's sick?  
 
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dana17

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We are going to try and trap our feral soon, he is getting attacked by another cat and im stressed. But im scared to catch him and bring him inside bc I don't want him to be scared or hate us. What if he hates being inside. Is he going to attack us or bite us? Do you think taking him in is good or bad. I need honest replies bc we are so confused what to do or how to do it and if it's best for him
 
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