Need advice on taming a feral cat

[alexandrajames]

Well it almost happened last night right before I went to bed!!!!! (Luna letting me touch her) And I did almost faint

I was watching a movie (hubby went to bed early) and it was getting a little late. All the sudden I started hearing Luna playing. I could hear her jumping around and all, so I thought I'm just going to open the door and see what happens.

As soon as I opened the door, she just starts walking straight over to where I am standing. I just sit down on the floor and hold my hand out to her.

She was meowing, tail straight in the air.

My heart almost stopped!!! I was in shock because I wasn't expecting her to come on over to me.

I really thought she was going to come and sniff my hand, but at the last moment she turned and slowly walked back behind the mirror.

Today I haven't seen her and she didn't greet me with meows when I came into her room this morning.

Gray mouse's tail did come off last night. 3 mice were in the hallway this morning and 2 are MIA. I think she has those with her behind the mirror.

Anyway I have a busy afternoon today so it will be late when I get home.

But when I do, I might see if Luna wants to play a little!!!

Hope everyone is well!!!

 

[dunnyboy69]

Fantastic - she's a gorgeous looking cat, bet you can't wait to get her all loved up!

 

[feralvr]

I KNEW this was coming soon for you

just to hear that Luna is walking towards you and approaching now is a fantastic sign

. That is what Magilla started doing and then she would realize what she was doing and get scared

like telling herself, WAIT, I shouldn't be doing this... Your patience and calmness is paying off with Luna. Great job

. Once you are able to start petting her things will progress even faster

. There might still be some setbacks, but the forward strides will be coming faster then...

 

[malibustacy]

Oh, what awesome news! I know how long you've waited for a sign of warming from Luna. You just never know when the breakthroughs are going to come, but you know to be patient and let Luna lead the way. Your story gives me so much hope for Charley and makes it easier to bear his fearful behavior.

I'm so happy for you!

 

[alexandrajames]

Luna hasn't shown herself since the other night.

However, she did enjoy watching me play with one of her mice yesterday afternoon.

I tied its tail to a string so that I could swing it into where Luna was and make it move around a little. She was totally focused on it, sat up straight and just watched, never batting at it or anything.

I was able to find gray mouse, but there are still 2 MIA. Hopefully Jazz didn't eat them!

Last night I was a little late with dinner. She let me know as soon as I brought it into her. She was very talkative. I think she was letting me know that I shouldn't be late again. It was funny!!!

Hope everyone is well!!

 

[ldg]

I know it's disappointing when they don't repeat those "breakthrough" steps, but I was busting with smiles when I read about her little "tail up" stroll toward you! Her defenses are beginning to crumble!

 

[alexandrajames]

Oh my gosh!!!! Oh my gosh!!!!!!

After being gone most of the early afternoon and after picking up my daughter from school, I decided maybe I should try to play with Luna some more. When I first sit down, she gives me a nice hiss and then a couple of meows. I just sit and talk to her. Wasn't really sure if she wanted to play and talk, but I decided I just need to stay where I am and try to play a little with her.

I found a longer string (as other string was short and would not go very far into her hiding spot), rubbed fresh catnip all over mouse, and then tied mouse to string.

For the first time Luna starts playing with me!!!!

Pawing at it gently, and putting it in her mouth. I was soooo excited, couldn't believe it!!!

She did keep an eye on my hands though. I think she was seeing that I was playing with her, so I don't think she was too worried about me doing anything else.

So we continue to play and I thought I'm just going to stick my hand out to her, as she was closer to me than normal, and see what happens.

Oh my!!! She came and sniffed my hand!!!!!!!

I mean her nose touched my fingers!!!!!

I sat there for a little longer. She backed up some, but was really really wanting to come on out I think. She was looking all around, she would come a little closer, but then change her mind.

I left her some treats at the entrance and also the mouse we were playing with. I thought I probably shouldn't press my luck so I will do the same thing tomorrow and see what happens.

I tell you this has been such an amazing journey with Luna. I hope all continues to move forward, but its ok if we still take things slow. I'm in no hurry. When Luna thinks its time to take another step, then it will be time. I'm probably going to pass out the first time she lets me touch her!!!!

Just her coming and sniffing my hand, her nose to my fingers, as almost done it!!! I came (quietly) running out of her room and as soon as I saw my hubby I just started jumping up and down!!! He didn't know what had just happened!!!! It was kind of funny!

Hope everyone is well!!

 

[ldg]

Oh she is so on the edge and ready to tip the scales!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[krz]

That is great news!! Soon you will see that someone will be posting here about bringing in a stray and what to do, and you will have tons of advice to share. Your experiences with Luna will help and encourage someone else.

 

[feralvr]

Originally Posted by LDG

Oh she is so on the edge and ready to tip the scales!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TIP THE SCALES!!! This is very true!!! You are having a HUGE HUGE breakthrough

. See we all get excited reading these wonderful, positive update

 

[jtbo]

That is really nice progress, that is what my kittens started to do when I played with them at warehouse, little after that they were not much of scared, they really started to except playing and hand feeding too bit after that, before that I had started also to offer them food from spoon which they did accept happily.

I did put wet food to bowl so that I took one spoonful from can, very slowly, filling it by scraping the food (wet food in jelly), then saying something like yummy food and slowly 'flied' it to bowl, like some do for little kids that refuse to eat, of course making funny sounds too, then tossed food to bowl and tapped edge of bowl few times, this ritual for every spoon, so it takes time to fill the bowl and cat has time to make it's mind to come closer, also flying part seem to interest them a lot, all heads turning keeping focus on the spoon, it looks really silly with 3 cats, hard not to laugh.
I did not took many times of filling their bowls that they already started to come eat before bowl was full, then eating from the spoon.

After that I did introduce a fish, that they did chew from other end and my hand kept on place from other end.

Maybe that has some information that may be useful for you too

 

[alexandrajames]

No new news about Luna today.

I did just now play a little with her with the mouse and string. She did bat it around a little, but was more concerned with what I was doing with my end of the string. I don't know if it is because the string is white and thicker or what.

I did again rub fresh catnip all over it. The plant in her room is almost gone. I have more planted, but I think I'm just going to go buy a whole bunch so that I can put it in several larger pots all over over the house.

Also I need to get another scratch post. She has one, but I think I should go ahead and get another.

This may be a stupid question, but when I took Luna to the vet he gave her a flea treatment and also something for worms, shots, etc. She has been inside and we don't have a flea problem so I wasn't too concerned about that, but I was wondering about the worm medicine. I think he said it was only for 1 month. I haven't seen anything strange or moving in her litter box, so is the worm medicine something I need to give her again?? If so, how? Is it something that can be mixed with food?

Hope everyone is well and I hope all have a beautiful evening!!!

 

[ldg]

Worm med... unfortunately, the meds for worms only treat the adult worm. Some vets say to administer it every three weeks, some say every month. But the point is that you have to allow the time for the eggs to mature into adults, then kill the adults. You have to do this for several cycles, to ensure there are no more eggs and you've killed all the adults.

I really don't know what to suggest. There is a topical, and that's what we use. It's called Profender, and you squeeze it onto their skin at the base of their neck/inbetween their shoulder blades (by parting the hair with your fingers). It can be done quickly, but it does require your physical presence. This works for cats that trust you to touch them while they're eating. Otherwise, you need someone to hold the cat still for long enough while you part the hair with one hand and squeeze the little bottle with the other.

There are liquid treatments. I know of Panacur and Strongid-T. Our cats wouldn't eat them mixed in with food. I don't know if that means no cats will.

I think Drontal, which is a pill, is also SUPPOSED to treat for round worm. It's standard for tapeworm, but the round worm up our way is resistant to it. I don't know if there are other pill options, but if there are, maybe a pill pocket would work?

But she does need the follow-up treatment. You can basically count on rescue cats having round worm. Of course, you can put it off until she's socialized at least to you touching her while she eats. Then you can use Profender. If you decide to wait, I'd do three cycles, three weeks apart. Round worm is not a pleasant thought... but the "load" she's carrying is probably minimal having already had one treatment, and with a healthy immune system, she's probably not building up a health-threatening load too quickly. It's not urgent, just something you have to decide when and how to manage.

The last alternative that pops to mind... If you think it would be less of a "trust barrier" breaker, you could take her back to the vet just to have them apply Profender (especially if you think getting her in a carrier would be easier than applying a topical yourself).

 

[alexandrajames]

I wasn't able to have her spayed on the first visit to vet. I was thinking I might be able to do that next month. So if the worm meds can wait another month that would be great. I really only want to have to get her into a carrier 1 more time. If at all possible I don't want to have to use a trap.

I was thinking since there is no where for her to run out the back of the mirror, it might be easy to get her into a carrier. Set it at entrance and cover it with a blanket and kind of nudge her into it???? Do you think this might be to traumatic for her???

Maybe if I'm lucky, she will be to the point where I can touch her and the whole getting into carrier won't be so bad. But I'm guessing once we return from vet we might be back to square 1 with the whole trust thing and I might need to make her a new place to hide, as mirror might not be so safe to her anymore. I don't think she will fall for the same trick twice!

If it can wait a month or so too, maybe I will be able to apply it to her if she has reached the point to where she will allow me to touch her.

I would much rather wait than freak her out again. We've come so far!

If she does get worms, I will be able to see them in litter, right? I don't think I have ever seen what worms look like, but I imagine they would be moving and all and easy to reconize?

Sorry for silly questions, but I'm new to all this.

 

[feralvr]

No question is ever too silly or too small

!! Luna would really need to be wormed three weeks apart so two doses. Profender is one of the BEST on the market and is the spot-on treatment. Although, you need to be able to touch her

... and that is not likely at this time. So the worming that was done a month ago won't really help because a follow-up worming needed to be done to kill the newly hatched eggs. You cannot see worms of all kinds visually in the cat's poop, maybe just rounds. Tape worms (are the only worm that can be killed in one dosage) will be seen around the cat's anus and look like pieces of rice. When dried, they are a yellowish color and the size of a grain of rice or smaller and can be seen in the cat's bed. So, what I would do is when you take her in for her spay, get her wormed. Then, in another three weeks you might have to trap her again (sorry) to get her to the vet for the second dosage. Or

if you are able at that point to touch her, you can apply the Profender on the back of her head just above where a collar would sit. If you apply it too low, she will just lick it all off.

Hope you have a very nice evening with Luna

 

[alexandrajames]

Well I know I won't be able to get her to vet any sooner than 1 month. There is a clinic here in my town that does low cost spay/neuter, but I'm not sure if they do anything else.

Tomorrow I will call and find out.

I really only want to have to trap/or get her into carrier 1 time. Maybe by
2nd time she will be trusting enough of me I can either do it myself or at least not have to force her into anything.

What do you all think about the carrier at entrance of mirror and then kind of nudging her into it type thing? Or would it be best to set trap in room away from mirror so that way when we return from vet she still has the mirror for safety, as I am sure she will be more than a little upset???

I guess I should have thought about this before now!!

Thank you all soooooo much!!!! You guys are the best!!!!

 

[jtbo]

Originally Posted by alexandrajames

Well I know I won't be able to get her to vet any sooner than 1 month. There is a clinic here in my town that does low cost spay/neuter, but I'm not sure if they do anything else.

Tomorrow I will call and find out.

I really only want to have to trap/or get her into carrier 1 time. Maybe by
2nd time she will be trusting enough of me I can either do it myself or at least not have to force her into anything.

What do you all think about the carrier at entrance of mirror and then kind of nudging her into it type thing? Or would it be best to set trap in room away from mirror so that way when we return from vet she still has the mirror for safety, as I am sure she will be more than a little upset???

I guess I should have thought about this before now!!

Thank you all soooooo much!!!! You guys are the best!!!!

When she realizes she is about to be trapped, she will launch towards gate with incredible force, I could not hold off Miuku it was such strong and sudden launch and when cat gets it's head even a bit between gate and frame there is nothing keeping him from escaping then.

With trap there is also such good point that cat does not necessarily think you being her trapper, but more of her saviour or hero.

I can't see easy way to trap cat into carrier at least if it has lived free life, or even born free, they ignore all the pain when trying to get away and there is none a bit of self preservation used then, so I doubt that plastic carrier would really hold up too well either, if halves are not bolted together.

I did try that carrier method as I did read about poking gently cat into it etc, but it is not so with these that do not trust to humans yet, at least so I think, because poking device was quickly put to pieces and cat was not moved where I wanted, only from some other even tiny bit of cover, with trap, there was no issue at all, suddenly cat was just in a trap and did know that he can't do a thing about it.

Maybe using carrier method is easier for those who are very used dealing with ferals and semi-ferals, but for beginner like me, that is really not an option.

Also at the vet it is easier to put sleeping drug in if cat is in a trap than if it is in a carrier and at least in here they don't take cat out from trap as it is very risky for cats and humans.

So based on these findings I must recommend a trap method over carrier method.

 

[ldg]

Yeah, the problem with the deworming meds is that the need to be three weeks apart and given at least twice. But I was thinking that as she had one treatment, her parasite load will be pretty minimal, so maybe not worry about de-worming her right now, and start the cycles when she's a little more social. Even at a low cost clinic, they'll apply a topical while she's under anesthesia.

You may want to find out if you need to bring it with you though.

And if she won't eat in the room with you... I have to agree with JTBO. Probably best to use the trap.

It can be darn hard to get the door to the crate closed.

 

[alexandrajames]

Thanks for the tips JTbo and LDG!!

I was thinking the trap was going to be the best option, even though I don't want to do it.

I think I'm just going to wait and see what happens in a month. Luna is starting to make some progress and its only been 1 1/2 months. So maybe if I give her another month, she may be a little more trusting!!

This morning right before I left my house, I forgot something in Luna's room so I had to go back. I'd been out of her room for about 10-15 minutes, so I really think she thought I'd left already.

I knock on door and open it and there she is running back from litter box. She ran behind the mirror, but then decided she would poke her head out and tell me all about how I'd just interrupted her!!!

It was kind of funny, because she was doing the whole meow/hiss combo. I think she may have been using some bad language as well.

Since I've been home I haven't seen or heard from her. When I get back from picking up my daughter from school, I'll see if she might want to play some.

Hope everyone is well!!!!

 

[ldg]

Yes, there are some kitties with dirty mouths.

I totally forgot to answer your question about seeing parasites in the stool. As Feralvr explained, it's normal to see the little rice-like tapeworm segments on their butts or their bedding. But it's gone with one treatment.

Roundworm or hookworm you usually don't see in their stool, even if they have them. If they're full of worms, they'll usually vomit, and you'll see them in the throw up. But if they "just have" worms, you would have no way of knowing. In fact, fecal exams FREQUENTLY indicate there's no internal parasites when, in fact, there are. We took in a stool sample that had a worm in it, and it came back negative.

If they've been living outside, or even if inside and caught a mouse, you just have to assume they've got them and treat them for it.

But if there's not other health issues, and there's not a big load, it's not an emergency.