Need Help With Star

jcribbs

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Hello,

I have a problem with Star kitty. I think she is trying to revert back to being totally feral. Is that possible? Do ferals ever do that?

I had a problem recently where she did not want to come indoors. I had to trick her to get her in. I tricked her today with Sardines to get her inside. But now, she is hiding from me and acts totally different where I am concerned. Two months ago, I could slowing approach her and pet her. She runs like a new feral now.

The only thing different in her life is I gave her medicine. But after the med series was over, she was ok and then she just has slowly regressed into a wild cat again.

When she is outside she sleeps on the porch in a box shelter with another cat of mine. But she is resisting human contact totally like when I first met her. She is under the washing machine now...

Does anyone have any suggestions or any advice to this? Are there different stages in a feral and the taming process? What does it mean when they try to regress?

I am nearly tempted to think she is suffering from post kitty traumatic stress syndrome from the meds........

She is even avoiding most of the cats. She sits by herself in the corner when she is on the porch unless it is Mama or Toe. She is very close toi them.

Help!! She is my number 1 kitty and I love her so much. What can I do to help her?

Jenn
 

jeanw

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I'm sorry I don't know the answers to your question. I'm sending happy kitty vibes your way and hope Star will go back to being more friendly. Please keep us posted. {{{{{jcribbs & star kitty}}}}}
 

hissy

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Jenn

You cannot tame a feral, you can socialize them, there is a big difference. Star is acting perfectly normal, allow her to hide, do not pursue her. Set up a schedule with her and keep to it- food/water at certain parts of the day, same place, same bowls, don't deviate. Don't meet her eyes if she does come out, IGNORE IGNORE IGNORE see to her needs, scoop her litter pans on schedule- take a look at my article in the behavior section Handling Feral Cats and see if you can adapt this procedure to your life and Star. Take the pressure off her, don't expect her to do anything for you, just ignore her. They hate to be ignored and they come around quite quickly. Do a search for Cyclone in the forums (a feral cat) read Pengy's thread and also Lucky. Working with ferals is two steps forward three steps back- Have patience, it does work, but it works in their time, not ours
 
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jcribbs

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Thanks Hissy. That's makes perfect sense...... I will do it..... I will read the article this afternoon. I can't right now as I am getting ready to go get Jimmy. But as soon as I return I will.

IGNORE IGNORE IGNORE.........

Thanks so much.......Jenn
 
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jcribbs

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I have totally ignored Star like Hissy said to do. She finally came out from under the washing machine and is back in her old spot under the glass table. I never saw her come in this part of the house. She was just there all at once. She is laying with her back to us all... I did catch her turning her head toward me a couple times and I made no eye contact with her at all.

She has been laying there hrs and I am just ignoring her.... It's hard to do.......

Jenn
 
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jcribbs

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Star has finally made it to the back of the couch out in the open. She is watching me all the time wanting out or wanting something. I am totally ignoring her. Her litter is clean and she has food and water but no petting and no looking at her. She is sitting on the window sill now watching me type.... I can see her out of the corner of my eye. She probably wonders why the change in me but she seems relaxed for the first time in a week.....

Jenn

Oh my god...........I am an adult cat now!!!!!!! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.....
 
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jcribbs

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Star kitty is now hanging out on one chaise lounge chair while I am on the other. She sits on the back of hers staring at me.... I am still ignoring her.. The other cats lay on the body of the lounge and I really pet them laying it on thick while she watches...... So far she has not approached me but she is back to being a living room kitty and not an under the washer kitty.....
 
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