Need advice on taming a feral cat

[alexandrajames]

Good evening all!

Nothing new to report on Luna. Haven't seen her out all day. I sat with her most of morning and a little this afternoon.

Her room is in the middle of our house and is also the warmest. Spring is here and the weather is getting a lot warmer and so is her room. Especially since I have to keep her door closed for now. So I put a fan in her room. Just a small one and I sat it on the floor because I was afraid she might knock it off.

She hasn't been out all day, even when I wasn't in room. Not to eat or use litter box. I think she might be afraid of the fan. I've just now turned it off and just the regular house fan on to cool off the room a little. Also she has her nightly wet food, so maybe she will come on out.

Hope everyone has a nice evening!

 

[feralvr]

I bet the fan did it! Anything new will be a big event for her. As more trust comes so will her confidence. Now Magilla comes directly to me when she is unsure about something. I am now her safety

Love the updates and hope you have a nice evening

 

[alexandrajames]

Luna came out as soon as the fan went off! Still hiding her food too.

Didn't hear as much activity, but all treats were gone and mice back under the closet door. Plus I was really tired, so probably slept a litter harder.

Today when I leave I'm just gonna leave the house fan on. Its getting warmer, but not warm enough to turn the air on. I love opening windows, but can't do that when I'm not here, plus don't want Luna to get any ideas of escaping.

Maybe, I hope, when I get home she may decide to come on out! I haven't seen her in a bit and no meowing or hissing either.

I can see her when I open up the door. There is a little space between wall and mirror. Maybe 2-3 inches. She can see me entering and exiting. Thats the only way to look at her unless you sit down beside mirror. The mirror is also on opposite side so I'm about 5-7 feet away from her. She just looks at me.

Does anyone know what it means when cats are licking their lips? I've seen her doing this a few times and again last night.

Hope everyone is well!

 

[hissy]

It can mean two things- they are nauseated and soon to throw up, or they are stressed. I haven't read all your posts, just the last few, but hiding is perfectly normal. You can help her out with the hot weather by going out and buying a extra large chopping board- they make them out of anything these days. I was lucky enough to find a marble one years ago at Home Depot that I could afford. You want something like tile or some of the plastic ones so she can use that to lie on when it gets so hot.

Also if you can- measure the door to the room and see if you can install a screen door with pet-proof screen. That way, you can leave the solid door open and she can get used to the house and the rhythms quicker. My husband built these screen doors of our rooms out of PVC pipe and small mesh chicken wire. They work great and are pretty cheap to make.

Also recommend www.harpofhope.com and Diane's CD to help calm her. You don't want to play it continuously (like I first thought you had to) just once or twice in the day to help them relax and calm down. Enter the room on a strict schedule and always bring treats with you. Let her know that when that door opens, good things happen. No one is going to pull her out of hiding, but after you leave, she can come out and find tasty things in the room for her to eat. Keep to the schedule faithfully and she will relax quicker. If she comes out, avoid making eye contact- just ignore her- they hate to be ignored. But talk all the time you are in there, in soft tones just tell her about your day.

Go in the room all the time either barefoot or with sweaty socks. This leaves your scent all around the room and she will adjust quicker. Also give her two litter pans not just one and be sure the pans are far away from the food and water as litter sure can fly.

Good luck!

 

[alexandrajames]

Thanks for the advice.

I try to stay on schedule as far as food, water, changing litter. She is in my office so I do spend a lot of time in the room. I am gone in the a.m. until around 12 or 1 p.m. And I sit with her usually until 4-5p sometimes later if nothing else is going on. I'm taking an online class, so I'm usually just working online minding my own business.

Her litter box is on opposite side of the room. And I have been leaving treats out for her. I've been putting them all over my office. I think she is becoming more comfortable in her room as she finds all of them. Also she is playing with her toys. She normally only ventures out once she knows I'm not gonna return anytime soon, though. But this past week, especially during the first visit of the day, she was starting to come out a little and talk more. But I didn't see her all weekend.

Around 7p I leave her wet food, turn on night light and let her be for the night.

I have thought about visiting one last time before bed (around 10-11) since she is so active at night. Not sure if that's a good idea or not.

We have wood floors and I think they stay cool, there is just no air circulating. She has also moved all blanets out from behind mirror, so I figured she liked lying on wood better, but I will look into something tile-like. Only problem is how to put it in her safe spot as she is always there. About week and half ago I entered room and she was in a different spot so I was able to sweep up excess litter and put something for her to lay on back there. Since then, I haven't spotted her anywhere else.

I stay barefoot and also leave the shirt I have slept in or wore the day before in her room. We are renting a house so I don't think they would like the idea of installing a screen door, but that is a great idea.

I would love for her to be able to see out, but remain inside the room. My husband loves to build things so maybe he could come up with something that we could remove easily. Our lease is up in Jan 2012 and we will me moving.

I hope she isn't sick. My daughter has had friends over all weekend (loud friends) so maybe that does have her a little bit more stressed. Of course her room is a no kid zone, but daughter's room is right next door. I will try the music as I haven't done so yet.

Thanks again! I don't know what I would do without this site

Thank you all sooo much!!!!

 

[alexandrajames]

Just one more quick note:

The reason for the one last visit at night also was because I did see her out when getting a sleeping bag out of closet in my office on Sat. She was under my desk, probably had just used litter box. She didn't run off quick and did give a quick meow, also walked out from under my desk, there was only my office chair between us.

But that is off schedule so I wasn't sure if I should start now, but I thought maybe she might come out and let me sit with her being as I'm thinking she is a night owl.

Sorry for such long posts!!

Hope everyone is well!

 

[hissy]

I would make one addition to your schedule and visit her right before bedtime with either www.nekoflies.com or Da Bird in hand. Give her 15 minutes of chasing, pausing, pouncing on the toy. Then let her chew on if for a few minutes before withdrawing the toy. Leave a nice, big tasty treat behind for her- her reward for catching the prey.

Make this supervised only as cats will snatch both toys quickly if you let go and take them off and eat the whole thing-string and all. Talk about an expensive vet bill!

make sure the toy is locked up somewhere that she can't get to.

This will help her sleep through the night and will also bond the two of you together quicker.

 

[jtbo]

If you can, 10-11pm might be good time, as cats are nocturnal and I have found out with my cats that it is now around 10pm where they start to be enough courage for little play, but 7pm is still too early, they will just hide, of course even they hide they keep still eye on me, but without me seeing it.

When I have no early wakeup, I can visit them even at 1-2am, but best seem to be that 10-11pm, it is around darkest time as darkness comes around 7pm now and darkness goes away around 5-6 am here.

I don't know about daytime visits, well if I take nap during the day that seem to help them be more relaxed at night when I visit again, but other than that, I don't really know, there seem to be less effect from daytime visits, maybe it is even better to let cats sleep during the day, don't know.

 

[alexandrajames]

So I have been a busy girl this afternoon.

Thank you JTbo for being my inspiration to create a more cat friendly room for Luna

First off my office is a really small room, 10x9 I think. Plus there is a lot of furniture in it. Not a lot of floor space. My desk, filing cabinets, 1 small table, a giant fish tank which houses a chinese water dragon and some frogs, a big cat tree my husband built for Luna, and the mirror in which Luna is hiding behind are all crammed inside. There really isn't a lot of room for me to sit and interact with Luna, or really where she can see me, only where she can hear me.

So I decided to do some rearranging.

I now have her cat tree up against the opposite wall. It is right next to a shelf that is hanging on the wall. She now has more spots to get up high. Also arranged filing cabinets and some other chairs for exta things to climb up on. I also made the room more cat proof. When I brought Luna home it was all unexpected so I did not have time to move things.

I moved my desk so that now she has to look at from behind the mirror. This also gives me more room to play and interact with her on the floor. She can still hide so that I cannot see her, but she can still see me at all times.

I wasn't feeling like I was really interacting with her. So maybe this will help some. I want her to know that I am of no threat to her.

I have also put treats in all the new climbing spots.

She did not like the moving of furniture and doesn't look very happy right now. A little unsure of what is going on.

Plus my husband was just in here, as I am typing this right now, and has really made her mad. I don't know why he won't listen to me. I tell him not to do something and he does it anyway. He just got the "get away from me now or I'm gonna get you" hiss. So that probably isn't good.

He makes me so mad sometimes.

I'm going to go ahead and give Luna her wet food, so maybe that will make up a little for moving furniture and dummy of a husband.

I hope so anyway.

I think I'm probably just going to leave her alone for the rest of the night.

Hope everyone has a great night!!!

 

[feralvr]

Good for you making Luna's room more comfortable for both of you. I think making room to play on the floor at her level is a great idea.

You go girl with the DH

I wish we had a HISS smiley icon. How funny, my hubby also knows that hiss look. Just yesterday, he was stomping around upstairs (well walking, but it sounds like stomping) right when I feed the cats their morning wet meal. And Perla, gets scared and frightened when there is noise upstairs and then runs off and won't eat. So I go up the stairs, calmly, and walk over to my DH and give him the hiss look.

. He goes....... "WHAT" I calmly say, for the hundreth time, please no noise up here when I am feeding. The poor guy

 

[ldg]

A hiss smiley!

I suspect Luna won't hold hubby's transgression against you, and will figure out all the noise was just for her.

 

[alexandrajames]

Just now I had to go into Luna's room, she did eat her wet food and food bowl covered with my shirt, as usual. I think she is ok.

I will let her be for the rest of the night to explore her new room.

We do also have a dog, Jazz. He is an airedale terrier. Big baby, really. I hadn't mentioned him before because I wasn't really worried about the whole introducing dog/cat. I kind of figured Luna would be in bedroom for a while. You know one step at a time.

She has known him from before she was trapped. It was actually really funny all the cats and Jazz. They knew exactly how long his leash was and pretty much have always ran things. He didn't really even seem to phase them. They would just prance right along, not paying one bit of attention to the big barking dog!

Well, since Luna has been inside the house, I think he has known something was up but didn't really know what. He has been lying in front of her door almost always from day 1. Being such the guard dog that he is, I think that his bark doesn't even really scare her, as he barks at everything (he can be very loud). He has been in her room some, but only for brief moments. I read somewhere that it was not good to introduce a feral with another animal because they would bond to the other animal and not human. Not sure if that one is true or not, though.

Anyway, today also when hubby entered room, Jazz got a good look at Luna for the first time. Not sure if that's the reason for the "Get away now" hiss. I hope that that won't interfere with the two of them getting along. Like I said she has shown no fear of Jazz over the past weeks that she has been here. Didn't even mind him being in room, also she knew of him before she was trapped.

I just wish I could let her explore everything.

Hubby did say he was sorry for not listening. It's not the first time that he as done opposite of what I have said, probably not the last and maybe I over reacted a little. I just don't want to frighten Luna any more than I have to. Hubby has never been a cat guy and never has had cats. This is his first experience and I don't think he understood the difference between feral, semi-feral, and the typical house cat. He is beginning to though. So this is a learning experience for him as well as for me.

Again, sorry for such a long post. I just feel so much better when I can come here and learn and get advice from all of you guys!!!

Thank you all again!

 

[ldg]

You might actually want to post in the Cats & Other Animals (or behavior?) forum about the introduction to Jazz. The only thing I know about it is that the dog needs to be controlled during the initial introductions. I know there's an article on it.... here, found it!

http://www.thecatsite.com/Behavior/5...s-to-Dogs.html

But really... sounds like they've already met.

 

[alexandrajames]

Thanks! I will definately check out the other forums.

Like I said I wasn't too worried about it right now, I thought I would just go one step at a time and cross that bridge when I got there and of course Jazz's visits and interactions will and have been supervised.

That was one reason why I got so mad at hubby. He wasn't listening to me. That was the closest Jazz had ever ventured. He stuck his nose right behind the mirror, just a little ways, but just enough to get a good rise out of Luna.

I was soooo mad at hubby.

For now Jazz won't go back into her room, and hubby better start paying attention. Jazz is a good dog and is just curious. Most of his time is spent lying in front of Luna's door. He never did that before she came inside to live with us. I'm sure that they have smelled each other and know who is on the opposite side of door.

We once had a ferret that Jazz just fell in love with. I was worried about Jazz pouncing on him and hurting him at first, but they turned out to be best buds.

I was totally amazed with how well they took to each other. Especially considering the size of each.

I just hope it will be that way with Luna someday once we actually get to the point where they can be introduced, which I think is still quite a ways away.

When the time comes that I can open her bedroom door, I was also going to block it from opening all the way so that only she would fit through. Her room is going to be her room only. Jazz won't have access to it. I thought it would be important for her to have her own space, somewhere where Jazz could no enter. We may also have to put him in a different bedroom during the day at the beginning so that she will be able to get used to everything and not have to worry about Jazz, but that point is still a ways away.

I know she hears us all, and I think she is getting used to all the sounds. We have a very small house and sounds travel easily through walls.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day for us all, and I hope she enjoys her new room tonight and is not to scared to explore.

Hope everyone has a nice evening and thank you all sooooo much for everything.

 

[alexandrajames]

Last night Luna didn't explore all that much. Treats left out in old spots where gone, new spots the treats were left alone. Instead of the mice being under closet door they were out in hallway. I blocked the closet so they couldn't slide under the door as easily. It may take her a few days to get comfortable again.

I'm not sure she is liking the new position of my desk. She gets a better view of me.

I can't see her unless she wants to be seen, but I think she can get a good view of me at all times, though. I'm hoping that she will see that I mean her no harm, just minding my own business.

Hope it all works out.

Hope you all have a lovely day!

 

[ldg]

Maybe she actually likes hiding her toys.

I guess it'll take her a few days to get used to the new arrangement.

 

[feralvr]

Aw poor Luna. I would not even attempt to bring the dog in that room anytime soon. To me, Luna sounds just a little more insecure (Magilla was this way too with new things) and a real scaredy cat and it might just be her personality. Then you know you have to take things extra, extra slow with her. I say this only because when you move something or add something new she takes an extra day or so to come back around. And as time goes on she might get more confident and less worried, but might always have that tendency. Some cats, feral or not, just have a more skittish personality in general. My Perla is like that. She gets her "feathers" ruffled very easily and she is one cat who puts her hair on end for almost everything she doesn't understand. Just a worry wart

. Luna, on top of being feral, might have that type of personality as well.

I have dogs too. They are older though and so used to cats that a new cat to them really isn't anything to get all worked up about anymore. I don't know your Jazz, but if Jazz has a b-line for the cat, that will not be good. Even if she is leashed (and she should be, when you first introduce) and is pulling or staring down where the cat is, that is not good for Luna. Jazz sounds like a very sweet dog, especially loving a ferret

. Jazz will love Luna too, but Luna doesn't know this, yet.....

. So Jazz, just needs to be taught to be calm and just sit (yeah right) by you when you eventually allow the dog in Luna's room. But I would wait quite awhile. Not until Luna totally trusts you, do you have a chance at Luna accepting Jazz. That is what I did too for Magilla's room. I made it so she could run back to her room for safety and the dogs couldn't even go into her room. That is a great idea to make it so Jazz can't get into her room, once you open up that room that is....

Keep up the great reports and you are on the right path for a wonderful friendship with Luna...

 

[alexandrajames]

This afternoon has been a good one, I think.

I thought that maybe I could play with Luna a little bit with the feather wand I had bought for her. I grow catnip, so I picked a little and rubbed it all over the feathers thinking that that might make a difference. I haven't really tried playing with her before.

I sat down next to her mirror and just started moving the wand slowly on the ground in front of her. She was watching me and then she just started to completely focus on the feathers and little bell at the end of the wand.

I started slowly moving it up and down and side to side. Her eyes and head following every movement. She batted at it several times, claws and all, so I'm not really sure if she was liking it or thinking "now what is this monster with a pokey thing doing to me". So I quit. Only last a few minutes. I didn't want to scare her. Not sure if I was though, as she was following it with her head and eyes and wasn't a bit focused on me.

She does play with all of her toys so maybe this is a good sign. I hope so. When I got home this afternoon mice were again in hallway. After what happened yesterday, I don't want to do too much too soon.

Maybe it is best to just let her be, but then how will she know I'm not going to eat her if I don't attempt to interact with her?

I'm so confused.

Anyhow, that's all I have to report. Hope everyone is well!

 

[alexandrajames]

One more question, I leave a lamp on in Luna's room during the day because it is not so bright in there, is it better for the room to be darker when I'm not in there? I turn it off at night at leave a little nightlight on.

I just don't know what to do anymore.

Feeling sad

Between husband and Jazz I feel like I've let Luna down.

 

[jtbo]

If it has any help, my mother cat does use her claws and attacks with incredible strength and speed when playing, but kittens are bit more cautious, they do play first without claws, but when getting more excited they do get also claws into play.

Growling and hissing, batting just to push toy away would be what cat does when she would not want to play.

But when she grabs / stops the toy without hissing it is more of play.

That is what I think at least.

Did you see her tail? Was tail's tip moving? Tip of tail moves when they get interested of something / playing. If whole tail is swinging from side to side, then it is better to back off as it is annoyed/dislike gesture as far as I know.

Cat does not require much of light, amount of 1 candle is plenty for a cat, they have also other senses, one being whiskers, they can feel disturbances of air currents so small that they can make a picture of room with their whiskers to their mind, also their sight even being very good at low light is not very accurate and cat can't see things that are very close too well, they use whiskers and smell for things very close to them, of course hearing too.

Try to play so that Luna have to come bit away from hiding, it can take few times without much of gain, but she will eventually come to play even it might be very briefly first.
Proceeding by cat's pace is also letting cat decide to come and play, putting toy to front of cat's nose at cat's hiding place might not be best way, however they probably are not much irritated if thing is very interesting to them and there is already some trust between Luna and you, so I don't think even that would be really harmful.

Remember that she is still very scared, she might not be yet enough brave to play and it was a new thing, it might just take little time to get used to it, so I would say keep playing 3-6 foot from her hiding place so that she can see the toy and when she gets used to this new interesting looking ritual, she might decide to come and play.

With mother cat it took over 6 months to get her to play (even she saw me playing with kittens) and it was really only few seconds at first, it is still bit uncertain if she will play or hide, but of course as mother cat has full freedom to leave too so cat captured indoors should come and play quicker. It took months to have mother cat stay at warehouse when I gave them food, even kittens did eat from hand, mother cat did run off, but eventually she found out it is ok to stay at warehouse when I put food into bowl, it can take a really long time with cat that is afraid, so hang in there and let time do the work, even there would be no progress or even visible signs of cat, things are still proceeding, every time when cat sees humans, cat is learning to trust more as she is not getting hurt or eaten.

Well, I might be of course wrong too about these things, but my current understanding is like that.