How to help my new feral cat

[Toomanypets]

It's been a week since we brought home Freya, a feral rescued by the town animal control officer. We put her in my son's bedroom since we did not have another safe place for her. He is 24 and loves animal, so I knew I could trust him to follow the rules: give her space, don't look her in the eye, don't make loud noises. Still, she is extremely scared, to the point that she trembles when we look at her from at least 4 feet away. We have a Feliway difuser in the room and have put two cardboard boxes with blankets in the room, but she still prefers to hide in a corner, between his bed and the wall. I am wondering what else we can do to help her feel safe. My husband and my son are eager to have her join the rest of the family (a dog who's lived with at least 4 cats and a cat who we adopted from a rescue two years ago). I keep reminding them we need to give her time, but still wonder if there is anything else we could do.

 

[Elphaba09]

It will take more time and a lot of patience. A week is not much to a feral rescue, or almost any cat for that matter who has been moved.

Do you know Freya's history? How old is she? Was she a stray or an actual feral? How long was she with the animal control? Was she around other animals?

All of my cats were on the street at one point or other, and a couple were true ferals, including our Freya!

 

[Toomanypets]

According to the vet she is around 2 years old. She is a feral, part of a colony that lives neat the mill in town. She was in a crate with animal control for a little over two weeks.

As I said, I am aware we need to give her a lot more time and be patient (I need to keep reminding the other members of the house about this). I was just wondering if there is anything else we could do to help her not be so afraid. Although I've had cats all my life I've never had a true feral one.

And we thought we were being original naming her Freya!!

 

[Elphaba09]

The fact that she was in a crate for two weeks after her rescue has made the corner a "safe" place for her. The reason I asked about her being a feral is because she is able to be around people without a great deal of aggression. Ferals, especially non-kitten ferals tend to be aggressive and take some time to acclimate if they ever do. She must have had some exposure to humans if she can be handled at all. She might have been a young stray who ended up in the colony or has just been around people as a feral.

Our Freya was a true feral. She was a violent little thing at 4 months! It took her nearly 4 years to become somewhat affectionate, although she formed an attachment to our daughter within the first month or so. Now, she actively seeks out my husband.She still scares me when I cut her nails.

Our Fennimore and his sister Willow (she lives with my son), were also feral kittens. They were 3 months old when we got them, and they adjusted faster and easier than Freya. After a couple of months, it was impossible to tell that they were once ferals! Especially, Fennimore, who is a lovebug. The rest of our cats were strays of various ages, including a 5-week-old who had been dumped.

I think my Iroh, Cassian, and Xanthippe are similar to your Freya in that they were kept in a container. Of course, given that yours was kept in a crate by the animal control and mine were kept in a small cage with many other cats, yours was better off! That is a good thing! But the situation is similar in that my three felt safer in an enclosed space, as does yours. Mine even slept in a heap together in the litter box.

Is there a way to set up a crate or put a bigger box with an entryway that gives her a stronger sense of security?

 

[fionasmom]

Stress in Cats – The Ultimate Guide – TheCatSite Articles
How To Safely Introduce A Cat And A Dog – TheCatSite Articles

My cats have only ever been feral or strays. While it can vary, some of them have adapted to the life of house cats to the point where it is hard to believe they were ever ferals. Her background sounds as if she was living the life of a true feral and being crated by AC for two weeks might or might not have done anything to help. Was the colony cleared out? Did they take the cats who appeared to be friendlier?

One of the best strategies is to sit with the cat or interact, but not in an overly friendly way. Huge friendly advances make you into a predator; in fact, not looking directly at the cat or trying to force an interaction will probably get you a lot further.

 

[tabbytom]

Still, she is extremely scared, to the point that she trembles when we look at her from at least 4 feet away. We have a Feliway difuser in the room and have put two cardboard boxes with blankets in the room, but she still prefers to hide in a corner, between his bed and the wall. I am wondering what else we can do to help her feel safe.

As I said, I am aware we need to give her a lot more time and be patient (I need to keep reminding the other members of the house about this).

and welcome to TCS!

Thank you for taking Freya in and for giving her a warm and fur-ever loving home and a safe sanctuary to live out her life

I agree with the above posters and what you've been doing to help Freya gain confidence. I just want to add a few more points to speed up the socialization so that Freya can get out of it and enjoy her new home and family members.

Apart from what you've been doing and what others have said, get some clean, unwashed non perfume garments that you and your family have been wearing and lace it near and around where Freya is. This is to let her get use to the scents so that whenever you guys approach her, it is the same familiar scent as the garments.

Talking about approaching her, each time any of you enter the room where she is, always approach quietly before entering the room but announcing your arrival with calling out he name in a soft loving tone and do not just walk right in. As you enter, squad down and look in while still calling her name with the same loving tone and see where she is and stay here for a moment to observe her. Always repeat this and each time just progress into the room little by little and sit a distance away from her ad talk to her and have a cat toy or cat wand to entice her to play or have some food a hand. And do not wave the toy especially he cat wand furiously so annoy to scare her. Just place it on the floor and slowly move it right and left and do this only for a minute or so then stop. She may not be interested or she may be afraid of it.

Don't look directly into her eyes. Look way and peek from he corner of your eye. And if you do want to look at her, always squint your eyes and keep slow blinking at her and at the same time talk to her sweetly saying things like 'Mommy loves you, don't be afraid' and whisper to her by saying 'blink eyes'

Repeat several times a day and each time move a little close while sitting on he floor. By sitting on the floor makes you look smaller and less intimidating. Also when you guys pend time with her, you may want to leave some soft soothing music and read a book to her. This way, she gets used to the voices and sounds around the house. Try to reduce any loud sound in the house like sudden shouting, screaming, talking, music and banging of stuffs.

What Freya needs now is total trust. As we do not know her past, it may take awhile before winning her heart and also she needs to gain confidence. Remember these 3 things - Patience (lots of it), Love (lots of it) and Routine. It may tale weeks or months but just don't give up. Many thing are going through her mind right now as she had gone through quite a bit herself and make this time a last time for her to go through any unpleasant transition so that she knows this is her true home that loves her.

Feel free to ask questions and many others may share their experiences with with you so that Freya may lead a happy life living with you guys.

Don't give up!