The Truth About Ferals

I have been trying to help a new member gain the trust of a new feral that has appeared in her shed. As I wrote this out to Tara this morning in email, it occurred to me that it might help someone else, so I am printing it out in the hopes that it does, right here.




Let me try and explain to you about feral cats. Most of the time, they have been seriously hurt, sometimes maimed, abused, even tortured by humans. They may even remember a time when they were warm, and cared for, then unceremoniously taken to a strange location and dumped out in the middle of nowhere. Now they are on their own, and their comfort station (if they ever even had one is now gone) They are cold, scared, hungry, without a regular means of food so now their survival mode kicks in and they begin to hunt for small mice, bugs, they eat grass, dead critters, small birds, whatever they can find. Everytime they hear a human voice, they flinch, they run, they hide, or they attack. This is how they live and it is a very hard life. Kids find them and throw rocks at them, adults see them and shout at them or throw things at them, or sic the family pet on them. Then cat stumbles onto a place that he can stay and not be threatened. He smells others of his kind (your Persian) even if Persian is an inside kitty, the scents are strong and they linger on the grounds. He finds a place to get out of the weather, (the shed) someone notices him, doesn't chase him and gives him food! He is now in a dilemma, however long he has been on the earth, he has to reprogram his survival mode and trust a human again. It isn't easy for some ferals to do this. Many people see ferals in a light they shouldn't really be viewed in. They see them as a wonderful furry lap creature, and they figure that because they feed kitty one time, kitty will automatically love them and jump into their laps and become "super puurer." They tend to forget that this cat, however old or young it may be, has had to fight for every scrap of food and every place of shelter it could find. A feral is a wild cat, and until it can be sure it can trust you, it will not. It is attacking you when you bring food in, because it has "finally" found a safe place to hang, and it is bound and determined that no one will take that from him again.

What you need to do is limit your expectations here and try to understand his world for a minute or two. He is absolutly certain in his suspicious mind right now that he will once again be hurt. You mentioned his face is caved in so he's probably been kicked, or even glanced off a car, or beaten with a stick, so he could also be brain damaged to some extent. All the more reason for him to cling to this safe haven and get all the food he can, and chances are if you are feeding him dry food, he is burying the pellets somewhere to eat later in case they vanish on him.

If you want him to like you, and he will IN TIME, but it takes time, it is not a miracle where suddenly you appear and he leaps on your lap. It will come at a moment you are least expecting it to, and all it will be is a first tentative contact, a nudge of your fingers, or a quick swipe of your legs with his body and he will be gone. But let me tell you, when that day comes, your body will feel warm and there will be a smile as big as the River Thames.

Ok, here is what I would do. I would provide kitty with a nice soft blanket or two, or rags, or towels whatever you have for warmth. But make sure it is a big enough pile that he won't even feel the cold of the floor. I would find a big cardboard box similiar to one that had a microwave oven or appliance in it. Flip the box over, cut a hole in one of the sides, big enough for kitty to get into and feel "safe" Line the floor with the blankets, flip the box over the blankets and weight the top down some way to keep it in one place as he is bound to jump on top of it, and set it in the shed. Now, take an old sweatshirt of yours that you could care less what happens to it, and put it on right next to your skin and do the workout of your life. Get this shirt so sweaty with your scent that you have to wring it out. Take it off, and put it in the box with the blankets. What does this accomplish? This allows Mink to get used to your scent on his terms. Though it smells like a human, it doesn't reach out and slap, kick or beat him, and he can settle down into it and be comforted.

I would also leave a small radio playing very softly, classical music. I have one Bach CD I have worn out almost, because I put it in my CD player, leave in on endless play barely audible (cats have a keen sense of hearing) and it soothes the ferals down. I would also visit him without food in hand, (but wear many layers of clothes) and I would walk in without fear (because they can smell it) and I would just sit down on the floor and NOT look at him or look for him. I would just sit and read a book out loud, softly for just a few minutes, then turn around and leave.

Tara, I am not there to access the situation. I can't see if this feral is truly hostile or just scared. I am going on scared and not diseased, though he probably does have worms, ear mites, fleas and other things going on. Ok, maybe not fleas not when it is snowing outside. But if he is aggressively attacking you or your husband, making contact, then it is up to you to decide if you want to continue this. A cat scratch from a feral is nothing to be taken lightly, anytime I am scratched by my colony (and yes, I get scratched almost daily) I just grit my teeth and pour bleach on the scratch. But if you are wounded, you need to wash the scratch out immediately, apply an antispectic wash and antibiotic cream and watch that small red lines don't start appearing around the scratch site (blood poisoning) and if that happens RUN don't walk to the nearest hospitall!

As far as your other cat goes, I would isolate them until the day Mink has decided to trust you and you can get him neutered and vetted. Once he has been neutered, his behaviour will improve and his aggression will abate (more than likely) I would give Mink different kinds of food to eat, mix baby food (chicken or turkey) with dry food, give him canned food, buy a small bottle of cod liver oil and dribble it over his dry, make sure he has plenty of water and a warm place to sleep, and let time go on and see if he trusts me. Then introducing him to your other cat will be another challenge, but please deal with only one challenge at a time.

I had a Mink once in my life, and I called her the Queen Mother,(sorry no disrepect intended to your country) she was a feral, an older calico who used to not allow anyone near her. She would even lay on our stairs (she had climbed up a tree and through an open window one night to our second floor) I know you are English, but this cat was so angry and possessed, the Queen Mother fit her to a tee. She would actually lay on our stairs and not allow us access to the second floor. She would rush and attack us and drive us back like a professional border collie does a herd of sheep, except hers was hostile intent only. I ended up using a cardboard shield against her. I found a box that a freezer had been shipped in, cut off one entire side, using duct tape, I made a handle of sorts for my hand and as I walked up the stairs and she charged me, I lowered my shield and she bounced right off it. It was effective, because she was able to charge me in her aggression, I was protected and the cardboard did not hurt her, it just startled her and she backed off. It was 2 months before she decided we could all (cats included) come upstairs, but it was a long and frustrating challenge to face for all. One night, I went upstairs, there was a hole in our screen and she was gone. I do not know where she went or what happened to her, but she was here for 8 months and moved on.

So Tara, I am sorry this got so long, but I hope I have helped you and if you have any questions, you know where to find me.

I am really proud of your efforts. Do you realize that you are the first human this cat has been able to trust? Do you know how many others would of either hurt him, chased him off, given up or killed him by now? No, it will not be easy to gain Mink's trust, but when it comes, something happens to you inside, and you will never be the same person again. Just ask Lotsofcats, and Debra Meyers or Donna about the trust of ferals and they will tell you, it will change your life. Best of luck!


__________________
In giving advice seek to help, not to please, your friend. ~Solon

M.A. This actually brought a tear to my eye when I read it. It is sound and good advice and I am printing it off and putting it on the refrig to read over again when I get frustrated with Goldie. I have been caring for her for a year now, and am closer that ever in gaining her trust. I look at her sometimes and marvel at her abilities to be such a good mother and loving to her kits she has had. I know that Tara will make out fine with Minky. She has to - she has a good heart! I am looking at little Scooter now, all ensconced on hubbys ratty old chair, purring softly and kneading her paws into the fabric. It is a good day! Ripley and Smudgie are wonderful additions to our family, so curious and eager to please. They are 8 months old now. I cannot imagine my little cat house without them. I feel comforted sometimes just knowing that Goldie is outside my home - watching and feeling safe here. I wonder what her story was before coming here and I just know in my heart that someday she will tell me!

This is very worthwhile information and I am copying it into the feral forum.

If this cat is 2nd, 3rd or even 4th generational feral, it has never been in contact with humans and its instincts are going to make this cat view all humans as dangerous predators. Think of it this way -- it would be like trying to tame a weasel, possum, or fox. But with time and patience, it can be done.

I'm just about to post a new topic about how we took in some of our feral family. They were never hurt or abused. We've known them since birth. They were just wild and nobody's, but they stayed on our property because we gave them food, water, and shelter, and to the friendly ones, rubs and playtime.

The ones who aren't friendly are not mean. They are just scared. Not because they have a bad history with humans - they have no history with humans! They are just naturally not as open and trusting, just like some people. The ones that are trusting got trust from us, and the ones that are not trusting we just avoid closer contact.

HOWEVER, one of the scaredy not trusting cats was healing from her spaying with our upstairs neighbour. She let Xerox out of her cage, and said that she was GREAT. She wanted to be touched, which had never happened before, and she wanted to play. This was the same cat who our town's shelter said they would put to death immediately because she hid, hissed, and spat when they looked at her. Xerox is back outside for now, but the woman upstairs can walk outside, pick her up, and cuddle her. She is thinking about taking her in for good.

I personally believe that cats reflect your own energy back to you very efficiently. If you are nervous, you will see one nervous cat! If you are fearful, you will see a magnification of fear and anxiety in the cat. If you are trusting, you will see trust and love sent back to you.

I don't know what the response is to - I'd be happy to throw in my 2 cents if anybody wants to present the original problem/issue (sorry I haven't been around the forum as much!). Otherwise, here was my 2 cents!

Debbie

Thought I should bump this up after getting an email from a member about this issue.

Amazing to see a thread from nearly 2 yrs ago resurrected. Let me update some people on these cats.

Xerox lives full time with the woman who was upstairs.

Mona and Henry, who weren't part of this thread but were part of other threads I posted, still live with my sister. They are now around 2, and they are the most amazing kitties ever. I remember the day we brought them in from outside... they weren't scared. We bathed them, combed the bugs off them, and held them all wrapped up and close to our chests while they dried. They have been chatty cuddlers ever since. Nobody at my sister's vet's office can believe they were wild outside kittens.

Mason and Junior, two more from the outside family that we had brought in, ended up going with my ex in our divorce. I do not know how they are, but I know they are survivors. Junior lived as an outside feral for nearly the first 2 years of her life. She nearly died from an ear infection, and became very friendly when she realised we all loved and cared for her. Mason was around 9 months when we had him neutred and took him in. It took him a few weeks to get used to everything, but he was quite happy. The secret to his happiness was that he had to be with Junior. He was crying and depressed without her... it was really something. Junior is really his half-sister, but raised him and gave him her milk from the time Mason was around 2.5 months old (their Mom had another litter and wanted the other kittens away from the new babies). Junior had let her babies die so that she could give her milk to Mason and his sister.

"Little Cat," the mother of all the ferals we knew, was spayed, ear notched, and put back outside. She was way too wild to ever be anybody's pet. But I saw her in August when I went back to the old house to pick up the last of my own belongings that I managed to negotiate for (don't ask). She looked great. Her weight was good, she seemed healthy, and it was really kinda neat to see her... like she knew I was coming after being gone around a year by then. So she's obviously still OK... anybody who thinks that once you spay a cat and put it back out that it's done for, they are not necessarily right. I don't know how a male would do, but Little Cat is just fine and obviously eating.

Each cat/kitten has had a different experience. Some have had problems with humans, some have problems with other animals, and some have problems with their own cat families. Some are very frightened, and some fall at your feet and want their bellies rubbed. Who can say why a kitten has either disposition, but they do. Cats are very adaptable, and I think the trick is to treat them like they can do it. They are not as delicate as you think. The people downstairs from where I am now just adopted a kitten who someone didn't want, and threw out of the window of a moving car. The kitten is TOTALLY fine, and not afraid of humans AT ALL. Some may always be afraid or act out, but I think many are more adaptable than we think.

I hope this helps!

M.A. this is great information for a lot of people , even for me . There are some things you wrote I was not aware off , wow . Those poor cats . Anywho I try to print it and my darn printer is not working . I wanted to print that page for my friend Iris , she has a small colonie of ferals she is taking care of at her beauty shop she own . I did give her many atvise what I have learnt already in here from all of your posts , she ddon't have a computer . Now she knows she cant look at the cats and was suprised how it work in great ways an they starting to trust her ... slowly ... So thanks for posting all those wonderfull info in here and is a great help for many people

All but 4 of my cats are feral or kittens of ferals. Empsy is the oldest and is now almost 8 years old. Shadows, Tabitha Tubs and Miss Claudia are her babies. It took me 10 months to a year to tame them. Empsy believes it her right to come in and sleep on my bed when the temperature gets below 30. Shadows love to be loved and petted, but not to be picked up or brought into the house. Tabitha Tubs moved in at the age of 10 months and is now one of my in and outs. She is also the most dominant. Miss Claudia will never really be tamed but she had her newest babies on my front porch and allowed me to touch them from day one. If she decides she wants to be petted, she will run by me a few times so I can reach down and pet her as she passes but that is all. Niobe, Tansy and Fergus are her kittens and are all in and out cats. Tansy is the one that really likes to stay out. 2 of my others are Hairball Harry McDoughal and My Sweet Emma who is a purebred Siamese. McDoughal goes in and out and Emma is permantly in. Mcdoughal got lost for 34 days, but finally came home in appalling shape and nearly dead. He is now back to normal but he refuses to leave the yard. LOL I have recently acquired 2 more cats. Buddy is a Siamese/Maine Coon mix and has an attitude, and his friend is Morris, a large furry gray. They were to board with me, but their parents are having marital problems and while one is to go to Iraq, the other is going to Korea so I believe that I will have to adopt them as far as I know. One thing I have to say is that all are fixed. My ferals do not live here but twice a day they come to eat and they know their names. I do have shelters on my porch and sometimes they stay there. I love them all.

Beverly

Hissy,

Hi, I wrote to you once before about ferals. Unfortunately we had to take them back to P.A.C.T. We are fostering 4 kittens now, they were born to a feral cat. They have no hereditary signs of feral as we can see. They are the cutest kittens. I fell in love with them and last nite we had some bad news about Dustina, we like to call her Dusty, she was sick for the last 4 days with a fever of 106 and she had fluid in her abdomen which was diagnosed from a sonogram. The vet had made a diagnosis of F.I.P. which they tell me is fatal, and cannot actually be detected by a test of any kind. Little Dusty wouldn't eat or play with her brothers and sister so I knew something wasn't right. They told me that she would suffer if we brought her home. They put her to slep around midnite. Please forward this message on to others at the cat site. If anyone has any information about this terrible fatal disease F.I.P. please email it to me at my personal email address.
[email protected]
Also, I want to add that the kittens were born with the Herpes Virus which they will continue to carry thru there adult lives.

Originally Posted by aswas

one of the scaredy not trusting cats was healing from her spaying with our upstairs neighbour. She let Xerox out of her cage, and said that she was GREAT. She wanted to be touched, which had never happened before, and she wanted to play. This was the same cat who our town's shelter said they would put to death immediately because she hid, hissed, and spat when they looked at her. Xerox is back outside for now, but the woman upstairs can walk outside, pick her up, and cuddle her. She is thinking about taking her in for good.

Click to expand...

Im not surprised at all. The big window to socialize is when kittens are small, say 2-7 weeks. In this time it is fairly easy to socialize even feral kittens. - Possible, but more difficult later.

But. The next window is if they are sick - and we do help them. It is like theirs being helpless - and being taken care off = they kittens anew, and therefore the windows opens again...
Here they can be tame and socialized astonishing quickly.

Originally Posted by StefanZ

Im not surprised at all. The big window to socialize is when kittens are small, say 2-7 weeks. In this time it is fairly easy to socialize even feral kittens. - Possible, but more difficult later.

But. The next window is if they are sick - and we do help them. It is like theirs being helpless - and being taken care off = they kittens anew, and therefore the windows opens again...
Here they can be tame and socialized astonishing quickly.

Click to expand...

You know, I've found this to be true as well. JinJin (the girl in my signature), was socializing slooowly. When I got her, she was pregnant, delivered her kittens, and they were placed at about 14weeks. Due to her low weight & so-so health, she wasn't spayed until after they left. At the time of the spay, she was found to have an abcessed tooth, which was pulled, and a broken tooth, also pulled. They must have been causing her great pain. She came back from the vets a new woman. Although she's no lap kitty, when she feels safe she cannot get enough petting, plays with me, and purrs furiously.