Advice re: feral kitten. How long should I try?

Hello,

Disclaimer: please forgive the length of this post - just want to be sure that I'm providing all of the important details!

For several months, my husband has talked about a litter of feral kittens at his work site. He wanted to rescue one, but I declined since we already have a 10 YO grumpy old man cat and 2 dogs (both labs, who are very respectful of cats). Our existing cat has been absolutely miserable since his sister died a few months ago, so I was wary of introducing a new cat with him already so agitated.

About two weeks ago, hubby informed me that the feral cat situation was out of control. Someone was feeding them, and they'd formed a good sized colony. This started drawing in huge raccoons, and they began fighting for the food and even hunting the smaller kittens. In response, his company trapped all of the cats and employees were given two options:

* the company would pay to have the cats spayed/neutered IF employees would adopt them
* if nobody stepped up to adopt, the company would euthanize them all

Sooo, now we have a kitten. A very feral, totally unsocialized kitten. Vet says that she's around 6 mo, and she was given a clean bill of health (no FIV etc). She appears to be a Russian Blue mix with a very timid and shy personality - but her glare is fierce! We've been keeping her in the bathroom to start, and she is making slow but guarded progress. She uses the litter box, and has not shown any significant aggression beyond the aforementioned glare, and hissing if I get TOO close. She lives behind the toilet, though I also supplied a little box with a blanket, where she curls up often. I sit with her at least twice a day, and we have progressed to the point that she will now come out and eat in front of me. Every day I move the food bowl a little bit closer, and now she is eating about one foot away from me ... but when the food's gone, she rushes back to her safe spot and glares at me with seething hatred.

This has been just over 2 weeks, and I am feeling pretty discouraged. For one thing, I'd kind of like my bathroom back ... but also, I just feel like I am torturing a small animal. I'd love for her to be happy here, and to become part of the family - but based on her behavior now, I don't have much hope.  Even if we can get her to trust us, she still has to meet (and accept)  Grumpy OldMan cat + the two big stupid dogs. I've heard that kittens past 3-4 months are simply beyond the window of time where they can imprint/become socialized to humans.

The other option is to just let her be a barn cat. We have a bit of land out in the country, and it'd be great to have a little mouser patrolling my garden.... but I do worry about predators. There's a large, active coyote population with a den very close by, and we have an abundance of owls, hawks and eagles. Something - most likely coyotes -  came through last fall and took out my other cat + several of the neighbor's barn cats. So while it IS an option for her to be an outdoor cat, her odds of survival are exponentially better inside.

If you're still reading, I would be very grateful for input as to how long I should keep her in the bathroom like this, or if it is better/kinder to move her outdoors? We have an area under our deck that is not 100% predator proof, but is relatively safe and dry - perhaps she'd be happier down there? Is there anything else that I can do to help her transition and build trust? Are there any signs that might indicate whether she is progressing toward trust, or whether she'd be happier outdoors? We've set a tentative deadline of July 5th, since the 4th of July is just crazy out here (everyone around us shoots off fireworks, terrifying pets and local wildlife) but if this is normal/typical progress, I might be willing to keep trying to keep her inside.

Any thoughts or ideas are welcome - this is very new (and unexpected) territory for us!


PS. I expected GrumpyOldMan Cat to be furious about our little guest, but he seems surprisingly open to her! He is clearly aware of her presence and he didn't pitch a fit like I thought he would. He even goes to the bathroom door and chatters to her sometimes! I don't speak cat, but it sounds curious and even welcoming. I think he is actually open to a new companion.
 

Thank you for rescuing this sweet kitty.  First off 2 weeks is not nearly enough time.  It may take her 6 months to year.  When working with feral cats, it's always a work in progress.  They need work each and every day as much as you can give. 

Is there any other room, you can give her that would be her own?  If it is a bedroom, the bed needs to be picked up or flat on the floor as she will just run and hide under the bed.  If this is not possible, many people have luck using a large dog crate.  It would be best to have one with 2 doors to make cleaning the litter box easier.  Yet, this would only be a short time thing as you wouldn't want her in a cage too long.  Ideally she needs a room of her own that is completely cat proofed.  That means getting on the floor and seeing things from her view.  Kittens can get into very small small spaces.

For now, keep her separate from your other cat.  You want her to have a bit of socialization under her wings first.  Introducing cats can be easy or hard depending on the tempermant of the cats and the humans living in the house.  Give her time to adjust first.

She may never be a cuddly lap kitty and she may always be scared of others, but she is off the streets and that is what is best.  Celebrate the small steps.  She has come so far in the 2 weeks you have had her.  I wasn't able to touch my feral for over 7 months.  Just give it time.  I hope that you can make it work.

Here is a great video series on the rescue of feral kittens.  Even though your kitty is about 6 months, the tips can work.  I used many of them on a 7 month old feral kitten. 

http://www.urbancatleague.org/TamingVideo

Also her are some other tips.  You really need to immerse her in human contact.  The more the better.  If food is the way to her heart, use it to your advantage.

1.  The first tip is to have a room that is dedicated to the cat.  If possible this should be a room where the cat will be confined for a period of time.  You can use a spare bedroom or even a small bathroom.  If using a bedroom or other room of your home, be sure that the room is cat proofed.  Remove mattress and box springs or place them directly on the floor.  Hiding under a bed is the first place the cat will run and it is almost impossible to get them out.  Also block behind dressers or book cases.  Cats can fit into very small spaces.  You do want to have an appropriate hiding spot for the cat.  This can be an old box turned on its side or a hiding box found on a cat tree.  Also make sure all windows are tightly closed and blinds are up with the cords hidden.  Do not be surprised if the cat throws himself against the window in an attempt to escape.

2.  If you do not have an empty room available or the cat is very wild,  you can use a large dog crate or fasten two smaller crates together.  Just be sure there is enough room for a small litter pan and food.  If you need to use a crate, I would suggest keeping the crate covered with a sheet or towel  when the cat is alone.  This will help to calm the cat.  Eventually you will need a cat proofed space where you can move the cat.

3.  You will want to start with 2 litter boxes.  Many feral cats are not used to urinating and defecating in the same location. When choosing a  litter, you can use fresh clean potting soil mixed with non clumping litter or you can try Dr. Elsey’s Litter Attract.  I have found the Litter Attract to work very well.  If the cat has an accident on the floor, sop up the urine with a paper towel and bury it into the litter box.  Do the same with any stool.  Make sure you clean the area very well with a good enzymatic cleaner to remove all traces of odor.  Place the litter boxes away from the food and water.

4.  Feliway plugins are a great way to help a nervous cat adjust.  Most cats find the product soothing.  You can find Feliway at most pet stores as well as on Amazon.

5.  Another product I found helpful was Composure treats or Composure Liquid Max.  The first few nights inside are very stressful.  The cat will often yowl and cry all night.  The Composure is very useful in calming the cat at night.  I first tried the treats, but after a week or so, the cat no longer liked the treat.  I then switched to the liquid as it was very easy to mix into wet food.  Composure is available at the best price on Amazon.

6.  No direct eye contact.  Feral cats find this very threatening.  Keep your gaze over the top of their head or look down.

7.  Talk softly.  You want them to get used to your voice.  Carry on a conversation or even read aloud from a book or magazine.  Put a radio in the room and allow her to get used to music or talk radio. 

8.  Sit on the ground so you are not looming over the cat.  You also want to keep your movements slow.

9.  Food rewards are the way to a ferals heart.  Find a special yummy treat such as plain cooked chicken or turkey, salmon, tuna or sardines.  I would start by giving them a very small plate with some of the special treat.  I would then have small pieces beside me and begin to toss the treat towards the cat.  Each toss I would get the treat a little closer to me.  I would do this activity each day.  After a few weeks, the cats are often getting quite close as long as you keep your movements slow and gaze down.

A very special food reward I stumbled across is Gerber Stage 2 baby food.  Cats love the chicken or turkey.  The jar is very small with a blue label.  The ingredients are chicken or turkey and water, no added spices.  I started with a bit on a plate and as time went by, I  offered it on a spoon.  When working with young ferals or kittens, they can often be coaxed to lick this off your fingers.  Just remember this is a treat reward and not a meal replacement.

10.  Remember that when working with ferals it is often 1 step forward and 2 steps back.  Just take it slow and steady.  Also celebrate the small advancements.

11.  Jackson Galaxy of Animal Planets, “My Cat From Hell” series is the cat guru.  He has a line of flower essences that are specially designed for cat behaviors.  He even has one for feral cats.  I have used this essence with great success on all of my feral cats.  

Luna: I trapped a female Russian blue mix 6 months ago and she was 5 months at the time. It took the full 6 months for her to evolve from being an insanely scared little one into a loving little creature. If you would like some tips from my situation, let me know. I'd be glad to share what I have learned. Bottom line, it can work but it takes time and patience. Definitely worth the effort. [emoji]128156[/emoji]

@LunaAzul  I don't have time for a long, detailed post now. (You've already had some excellent advice from Shadow's Rescue) I just wanted to say that I care for a large group of former feral cats, some of them were a couple of years old when I first met them but they're all friendly now. It is possible to make a feral cat into a house cat, even if you don't bring them in when they are tiny. I think 6 months to a year is a pretty accurate estimate of how long it will take.

The fact that you are seeing her at all and that she is eating in front of you after only 2 weeks is huge. That's much more than some of mine would do after two months.

Please keep us posted.

I agree with the others that giving her a room to herself that is larger than a bathroom is a good idea. If you can afford to do so, I suggest ordering a 6 foot cat tree from Amazon or Ebay, one with cubby holes where your kitty could hunker down in, but still be in full sight of yourself. You can purchase one for just under a hundred dollars. Cats love height and feel safe in those things, and it would be something all her own (until the time  comes to share it with your other cat). The last feral kitten I took in 3 months ago absolutely loves her cat tree, in fact I bought a second one for downstairs for all the cats to share.


I also suggest providing her with catnip toys in her room and perhaps also a plastic donut hole toy. You'll discover that at night, she'll play with these toys. Also get a wand toy you can use to begin to initiate interactive play with her.

I advise against putting her into a crate or cage. That type of confinement will cause her a lot of stress, and it will be a step backwards. Cats need space of their own, some independence, and to be able to play. Young feral kittens handle cages better than older cats.

I'm also going to go against the tide of popular opinion and suggest that you allow some supervised interaction between this new kitty and your kitty, preferable when she has a room of her own and a wand toy. The 4-5 month old feral kitten I brought into my home a little over 3 months ago immediately bonded with my other cats, especially her bigger brother from a different litter. I hadn't intended for her to meet them quite so soon, but she somehow pawed open the closed door to the room AND jumped the locked baby gate. She got along well with my other four cats from the start. Feral cats are used to interacting with other cats and are more comfortable around them than they are with humans. You may be VERY surprised to see the two cats getting along, and this will pave the way for her to interact with you.

You've made amazing progress for two weeks. It will take several months to socialize an older kitten, but it can be done--I've done it a few times. Even if she doesn't become a cuddly lap cat, you'll have a friend for life and the satisfaction of knowing you saved her life.