Hello, I’m new here, first time cat owner and need some advice please on my feral:
Cliff Notes Version:
I have a feral I adopted just over 2 years ago who doesn’t seem to get acclimated to me. Need advice if I should get a second cat, try to bring her to some behavior specialist, accept that’s the way she will always be, or give up and release her.
Rambling Version:
I took in a feral cat from my backyard just over 2 years ago. At the time she was relatively young- just been TNRd (ear clipped, stomach was still shaved). I immediately got her to the vet who checked and tested her. At the time I thought I would be able to get her friendlier, but to this day I have never petted her and she still seems skittish of me. She spends most of her time in the basement when I’m home but I do know she ventures upstairs when I’m not there. She has full access to my whole house (it’s not huge, about 1000 sq ft per level- basement with removed door and main level) but is not locked in a room by any means.
I put her water and food about 12 feet from my couch in my kitchen area, she will come up and eat while I’m there but if I start to move towards her she runs away. When it’s meal time and I open a can of food, I can see her in the basement floor looking up- as she’s familiar with that sound, once I move away then she comes up and eats. She has a favorite perch spot in the rafters of my unfinished basement, if I get close she will start hissing. While she’s never scratched or bit me she still seems uncomfortable if I get too close. In order to get her to the vet I have to put food into a crate and “trap” her with the door. Her litter box is in the basement and she’s always been good with using it. She is not declawed and only scratches the back of a rolled up area rug- she’s never destroyed any furniture or bedding. She seems of good health and energy- to get to her favorite perch she has to jump from my couch, so the basement window, then crawls up.
My main point is I would have thought after 2 years she would have opened a little more, if I didn’t work hard enough to get her trusting me or if I’ll just have to accept that as an adopted feral she will never be a cuddly cat. Or am I doing her a disservice by keeping her alone and should either get a second cat or even release her? I’d get a second cat from the local humane society.
A friend (who has 2 cats herself) who took care of feeding her while I’ve been on vacation and believes this cat is lonely and sad, and needs a companion and absolutely adamant that I get a second cat, which I’m not opposed to. Before I do this- I hope I don’t open a can of worms especially if they do not get along. I do not feel like she’s lonely or bored but I am not a cat expert.
This is my first cat so I figure I’ll ask here. I am open to any suggestion, even releasing her back into the wild. I’d prefer not to- as she’d most likely be dead by now in the wild as I’ve read most ferals don’t last more than a year or two due to disease, fights, getting hit by cars etc. I should also mention I live alone so there’s no one else in the house and I work a full time job, so it is true I only see her for a few hours a day.
Thanks,
Eric
Cliff Notes Version:
I have a feral I adopted just over 2 years ago who doesn’t seem to get acclimated to me. Need advice if I should get a second cat, try to bring her to some behavior specialist, accept that’s the way she will always be, or give up and release her.
Rambling Version:
I took in a feral cat from my backyard just over 2 years ago. At the time she was relatively young- just been TNRd (ear clipped, stomach was still shaved). I immediately got her to the vet who checked and tested her. At the time I thought I would be able to get her friendlier, but to this day I have never petted her and she still seems skittish of me. She spends most of her time in the basement when I’m home but I do know she ventures upstairs when I’m not there. She has full access to my whole house (it’s not huge, about 1000 sq ft per level- basement with removed door and main level) but is not locked in a room by any means.
I put her water and food about 12 feet from my couch in my kitchen area, she will come up and eat while I’m there but if I start to move towards her she runs away. When it’s meal time and I open a can of food, I can see her in the basement floor looking up- as she’s familiar with that sound, once I move away then she comes up and eats. She has a favorite perch spot in the rafters of my unfinished basement, if I get close she will start hissing. While she’s never scratched or bit me she still seems uncomfortable if I get too close. In order to get her to the vet I have to put food into a crate and “trap” her with the door. Her litter box is in the basement and she’s always been good with using it. She is not declawed and only scratches the back of a rolled up area rug- she’s never destroyed any furniture or bedding. She seems of good health and energy- to get to her favorite perch she has to jump from my couch, so the basement window, then crawls up.
My main point is I would have thought after 2 years she would have opened a little more, if I didn’t work hard enough to get her trusting me or if I’ll just have to accept that as an adopted feral she will never be a cuddly cat. Or am I doing her a disservice by keeping her alone and should either get a second cat or even release her? I’d get a second cat from the local humane society.
A friend (who has 2 cats herself) who took care of feeding her while I’ve been on vacation and believes this cat is lonely and sad, and needs a companion and absolutely adamant that I get a second cat, which I’m not opposed to. Before I do this- I hope I don’t open a can of worms especially if they do not get along. I do not feel like she’s lonely or bored but I am not a cat expert.
This is my first cat so I figure I’ll ask here. I am open to any suggestion, even releasing her back into the wild. I’d prefer not to- as she’d most likely be dead by now in the wild as I’ve read most ferals don’t last more than a year or two due to disease, fights, getting hit by cars etc. I should also mention I live alone so there’s no one else in the house and I work a full time job, so it is true I only see her for a few hours a day.
Thanks,
Eric