Feral kitten and hands

kalynnda13

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Oct 14, 2011
Messages
67
Purraise
37
Location
Cedar Rapids, IA, USA
Getting Coconut into the bedroom from the large cage was both good and bad. She's much happier and can run around, being a kitten. She will get close to us when playing, but she does not approach us of her own free will. If we approach close to her, she runs and hides (though only for a short time). But if she sees a hand close to her...she moves quickly away. Because of that, we aren't able to pet her. She seemed to like it in the cage (or at least tolerate it).

Any ideas on how to make hands less scary? I'm getting her to eat tuna off my fingers, but that doesn't translate into hands/petting being OK. I can't approach her when she's asleep, because I never see that. If she was sleeping when I enter the room, she's awake. And if she's eating...she'll back away if the hand moves even a little closer to her.

Is it just a matter of keep doing what I'm doing and giving it time? Is there anything else we can try?  I know she needs time, but it is getting frustrating. It doesn't help that I don't get enough sleep now, with all the other cats wanting in or out of the bedroom.

Coco is somewhere between 4 and 6 months. We've had her now for about 5 weeks. She's getting spayed on Tuesday. I'm hoping she will be groggy enough to let us pet her when she's home...but I'm not counting on it.

Thanks for your advice and support.
 

ondine

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Nov 20, 2008
Messages
5,312
Purraise
780
Location
Burlington, North Carolina
When you approach her, make sure you are on her level.  Also, when you reach out an hand, make it a fist at first.  It will look like another cat wanting a head bump.  Once she lets you touch her cheek or chin, you can work you way slowly up to her head.

This may take a while, so patience, patience, patience.

Sometimes, just sitting quietly in the room helps.  Read out loud to her or tell her about your day.
 

shadowsrescue

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Apr 27, 2011
Messages
7,023
Purraise
5,084
Location
Ohio
Have you tried making a homemade pet petter?  It's basically an old wand toy that you make into a petter.  I took an old sock and wrapped it around the end and secured with duct tape.  I then wrapped a piece of old flannel around it to make it soft.  You can begin to even use it as a toy with a touch of catnip on it. 

Here is a picture of one I made for one of my ferals last summer.

 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

kalynnda13

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Oct 14, 2011
Messages
67
Purraise
37
Location
Cedar Rapids, IA, USA
Thanks for the great idea of the "petter". We have been running the wand toy over her back when we can, and she seems to be better with that. But the petter wand sounds like the next step up.

We are spending as much time as we can with her. Sometimes just sitting on the bed "being there" and talking to her softly. Other times running her around with the red dot or the wand toys. And of course she gets to hear me snore at night.

I have to keep reminding myself to be patient. She may not be ready to be petted, but she is not afraid of us like she was originally. Progress is being made...just at her pace.

Thanks for the ideas and support.
 

shadowsrescue

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Apr 27, 2011
Messages
7,023
Purraise
5,084
Location
Ohio
You are doing so well with her.  Patience is your friend.  You have come so far with her and even though it seems like forever, in "feral time", she's moving quickly! 

All of my feral boys have done well with the petter.  At first they like to play with it like a wand toy and then they except pets with it.  I sometimes find that it's easiest to try it when there back is to me.  That way they don't see it looming over their head.  Once she gets a feel for the touch, she should respond quicker.  My boys love it on the rump and also under the chin and top of the head. 

Keep up the good work and all of the updates too!!
 

mzkitty1971

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Feb 28, 2016
Messages
14
Purraise
1
I may have to try a petter with these males. I can pet Boots, sometimes like if he isn't paying attention when he's eating but as soon as he sees it is my hand he quickly turns around. Maybe the petter would work for Nugget. He seems like he wants to get close but is very skittish. Any more advice?
 

StefanZ

Advisor
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Sep 18, 2005
Messages
25,999
Purraise
10,648
Location
Sweden
Many cats dont like to be petted standing on the floor. Its often easier to do it, when they are comfortably lying on a sofa or a chair.  The niveu difference is also smaller.

A variation of the petter mentioned, is a wooden spoon, or similiar.   Its not living hand, but wood feels soft and warm, so sometimes they do accept this better than being petted by a hand.
 
Top