Now that I know what I have to do as far as care and feeding, and I have a shelter up, I want to know what to do to make the cat and her kittens more people friendly in case I find someone who wants them. The mother allows people to pet her, but not pick her up, and if you walk fast she gets scared thinking your chasing her, but she sits on my back steps. The kittens dont allow me to pet them, but they approach me when it's food time, and meow at me to feed them. They both sit on my doorstep, but only when there mom is not in the yard. I gave them a catnip toy with feathers, they loved it, but it quickly got dirty and they lost it in the neighborhood somewhere. Will they be more friendly after they are fixed, or is that just a rumor? Anything else I should do, I feed them when they are about a foot away from me, would holding a piece of turkey in my hand make them come up to me? Any advice would be helpful.
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Getting strays more friendlier.
- Thread starter keith p
- Start Date
Fixing them will help their health and it will reduce if not eliminate spraying and other behaviors associated with mating (such as fighting). Please do this whether you can find them a home or not. Feeding without neutering/spaying is simply asking for an increase in strays.
Hissy would be the best person to ask about socializing feral/stray kittens...but because you cannot take them indoors...the process may take longer.
Katie
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3
Ok thanks i'll contact Hissy.
You might try sitting on the step at feeding time & putting the food dish down at your feet. Just ignore them if they come close, be sure that the kittens don't see you looking at them. Canned cat food on top might help entice them. It sounds like their mom has given them some cues that her rules don't allow them to approach humans. Bless you for taking care of these precious babies! The skills that you are learning while caring for strays and ferals are going to be so valuable
If you ever go into the service industry, or sales, you will be amazed at how interpreting & reacting to body language can easily make you the most successful member of the team. I'll check again for updates from you! Susan
Give them food as often as possible - ie in small portions so you interact with them as often as possible. Do play with them whenever possible. Dont look at them, look at the side. IF you look at them; only a short second OR with half closed eyes - like friendly cats do.
Dont try to touch heads at first - but do touch backs or necks.
No raised hands.
Staring and raised paws are threatening in the cats world - and as hostile people also do it - it is reinforced in ferals and semiferals.
Frankly, I do believe a big part of domestication is to learn cats that humans are funny people, looking at them and raising hands to stroke = friendly gestures.
If possible, good is also to only sit there and not looking at them. Talking or even reading aloud...
Dont try to touch heads at first - but do touch backs or necks.
No raised hands.
Staring and raised paws are threatening in the cats world - and as hostile people also do it - it is reinforced in ferals and semiferals.
Frankly, I do believe a big part of domestication is to learn cats that humans are funny people, looking at them and raising hands to stroke = friendly gestures.
If possible, good is also to only sit there and not looking at them. Talking or even reading aloud...
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #6
Most of this I have been doing but I now realize I must look away, I have been looking into there eyes. I also sit by the back door with my 2 cats, watching the strays eat, so they see my 2 cats trust me. One of the strays copied my cat flash, now it "pretends" to cover it's food. Thanks for the help!
I like StephanZ's idea about being entertaining. You could try slowly dragging a string or teaser slowly back & forth, and take advantage of a kitten's natural instinct to chase a string.
