- Joined
- Sep 3, 2016
- Messages
- 7
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Hi all- I am hoping this group of saints can help a newcomer to the feral cat socialization process. My partner and I adopted a six month old from our base shelter, and although she hissed a bit when we first met her, she tolerated being held and petted. Since we brought her home, she really despises both of those things, and we only manage to pet her when she is eating. We've had her for 2.5 weeks now. I've checked out straypetadvocacy.org as well as various threads on here. We weren't really expecting such feralness when we adopted her, nor did we have any idea what taming her would entail, but we are committed and not going to give her up. (Her name is Gertrude, Gertie for short).
Advice I've taken so far:
1. She lives in our bedroom; all the cracks and hiding spots are plugged except for her cat carrier, where she retreats when she feels threatened (which seems like constantly). She also crawls under our comforter to escape. We live in a Japanese house, and only a few of our rooms are air conditioned- this is the smallest and most private we could manage.
2. We have her on a regular feeding schedule- morning and evening food, and in the late morning (about 11) and mid-afternoon (about 2:30) we feed her some snacks- greenies and ground chicken baby food.
3. We try to make all of our interactions with her positive, and incentivize with food. At worst, we leave on a stalemate, if she decides she's had enough and we bother her into hissing.
4. She plays easily with us- she has a mouse toy on a string/rod and comes out to play as soon as she hears the bell.
5. We leave her alone when she's sleeping, and try to come back soon afterward until she shows herself to be awake.
Concerns I have that I'm hoping someone might allay or advise:
1. She still hides the second we come in the room. She can hear us coming up the stairs and is usually hidden by the time we enter the room, but sometimes runs to hide after we enter. She knows who we are, I think, and that we are bringers of food and fun, so this is confusing. We can usually persuade her to come out with food sounds and her toy.
2. We haven't really made any progress toward voluntary interaction for the past week and a half. It feels like a stalemate. She will tolerate us for food and play, but does not really want our company. She ducks and runs the first couple times I try to pet her while she is eating, and once she settles in she wolfs her food, seemingly so she can end the torture. It has been like this, unchanged, since she started tolerating touch while she eats.
3. She absolutely spits and hisses when I try to get her used to my hand under her belly- I've been working toward petting her in a way that will get her accustomed to the pre-touches of picking up, but she knows exactly what I'm about and is having none of it.
Hopes:
1. She runs around the room freely at night while we're sleeping. She even walks right up to us sometimes, including when I'm reading, to sniff and examine.
2. She made fast progress to eating from our hands and playing.
Questions:
1. It seems like there are two methods for taming kittens- forced and cultured. So far we have tried to find a middle ground, but I wonder if, since she is a six month old female, I should treat her more as if she were a grown cat and not a kitten, and take a longer view toward her training. I have the patience, just need a better idea of milestones.
Thanks for any help!
Advice I've taken so far:
1. She lives in our bedroom; all the cracks and hiding spots are plugged except for her cat carrier, where she retreats when she feels threatened (which seems like constantly). She also crawls under our comforter to escape. We live in a Japanese house, and only a few of our rooms are air conditioned- this is the smallest and most private we could manage.
2. We have her on a regular feeding schedule- morning and evening food, and in the late morning (about 11) and mid-afternoon (about 2:30) we feed her some snacks- greenies and ground chicken baby food.
3. We try to make all of our interactions with her positive, and incentivize with food. At worst, we leave on a stalemate, if she decides she's had enough and we bother her into hissing.
4. She plays easily with us- she has a mouse toy on a string/rod and comes out to play as soon as she hears the bell.
5. We leave her alone when she's sleeping, and try to come back soon afterward until she shows herself to be awake.
Concerns I have that I'm hoping someone might allay or advise:
1. She still hides the second we come in the room. She can hear us coming up the stairs and is usually hidden by the time we enter the room, but sometimes runs to hide after we enter. She knows who we are, I think, and that we are bringers of food and fun, so this is confusing. We can usually persuade her to come out with food sounds and her toy.
2. We haven't really made any progress toward voluntary interaction for the past week and a half. It feels like a stalemate. She will tolerate us for food and play, but does not really want our company. She ducks and runs the first couple times I try to pet her while she is eating, and once she settles in she wolfs her food, seemingly so she can end the torture. It has been like this, unchanged, since she started tolerating touch while she eats.
3. She absolutely spits and hisses when I try to get her used to my hand under her belly- I've been working toward petting her in a way that will get her accustomed to the pre-touches of picking up, but she knows exactly what I'm about and is having none of it.
Hopes:
1. She runs around the room freely at night while we're sleeping. She even walks right up to us sometimes, including when I'm reading, to sniff and examine.
2. She made fast progress to eating from our hands and playing.
Questions:
1. It seems like there are two methods for taming kittens- forced and cultured. So far we have tried to find a middle ground, but I wonder if, since she is a six month old female, I should treat her more as if she were a grown cat and not a kitten, and take a longer view toward her training. I have the patience, just need a better idea of milestones.
Thanks for any help!
