Hi my mother has copd and was told to get rid of her cats. The one I was asked to take is about 2 years old and she seems to act like a feral cat. I am not sure how to get her to become a sweet cat. I have her in my bathroom away from my other two cats. She will not let me touch her, she growls, spits, and smacks when I approach her. It's very hard to even get to her food bowls without possibly getting scratched or even bitten. I noticed she hardly eats. I bring in wet food each day while I talk to her but the rest of the day she has her dry food and water bowl. I've only been able to get her to eat from my hand once and when I go to touch her she becomes afraid and starts shaking. I keep going in at times and sit on the bathroom floor in hopes she will start to come around but no luck. She stays hidden under my sink so I've made sure to move everything out of there and now have her litter box and food under sink with her. What's weird is at my moms there was a day that she jumped on bed and was just allowing me to pet her non stop and wanting attention but now it's back to the hissing, spitting and stay away attitude. She's very pretty and would love to see a sweet cat. Can't throw a towel over her to capture her as I've tried and it frightens her too much and makes her worse. I really need some help with taming her and calming her down. She's been with me since Christmas Day. Not sure if fixing her will help but the vet refuses to touch her out of fear of being injured by her. Can anyone tell me what I can do to tame her and get her to socialize with me.
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Need help with a possible feral cat
- Thread starter legend78
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I'm sorry about your mother's health problems but good for you taking on her cat. The cat is probably still very scared and confused since you've only had her with you for four days. It might even take a couple of weeks for her to adjust to the shock of being away from her human, in a new home, and smells of strange cats. Could you give us anymore background information about her life before you took her in? How did she interact with your mother? Is she current on vet care?
And I would say since your vet seems like a big of a "scaredy cat" him/herself, I would look for a new vet. Even very social cats can go wild and be aggressive at the vets and you want a vet and staff who are well trained and prepared for that kind of thing. Also handy to know them in case you need to bring in a real feral as well. As for trying aggressively to catch her (throwing a towel over her etc.) - I'd suggest holding off on that unless there's an urgent need for immediate medical care. There are many ways to attempt to catch her as she begins to trust you that will be easier on you and her such as feeding her in an open carrier every day so she's trained to go in when you need her to.
And I would say since your vet seems like a big of a "scaredy cat" him/herself, I would look for a new vet. Even very social cats can go wild and be aggressive at the vets and you want a vet and staff who are well trained and prepared for that kind of thing. Also handy to know them in case you need to bring in a real feral as well. As for trying aggressively to catch her (throwing a towel over her etc.) - I'd suggest holding off on that unless there's an urgent need for immediate medical care. There are many ways to attempt to catch her as she begins to trust you that will be easier on you and her such as feeding her in an open carrier every day so she's trained to go in when you need her to.
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Hello and thanks for replying. The only background I have for her is that my little brother found her as a kitten living at Walmart. He trapped her and brought her home to live indoors. According to my mom she has never been social with anyone and only comes to eat with hert other cats. We just happen to be sitting around one day when she jumped on my moms bed and started letting me pet her and wanted attention. The SPCA where I volunteer told he throw towel over her to get her to socialize so I can pet her but that makes things much worse. She's never seen a vet from what my mom said and I wanted to get her fixed to see if that may help. She won't come out from under my sink so I keep food under sink. I been leaving bathroom light on day and night but my ex says turn it off at night. She just growls, hisses, smacks, etc. my cats want to be friends but she will not allow it. I live in a studio apartment so not sure wheat her or not to just open bathroom door and let her wonder out when she's ready or not. My mom says at times she would sneak to sleep on bed. I go in the bathroom several times a day to just sit with her and sometimes she take food out my hand but that's the closest I can get before she hisses, etc. she's not into toys at all and never has been. No rescue would tAke her and SPCA said they would put her down cause she's unfriendly so I took her for my mom. Not sure how I will get her to go into the carrier for vet but my vet won't touch her. Trying to find a vet that is willing to see her and help. On my end I don't know how to get her to realize humans are loving and there's no need to be afraid. I'm guessing it could be months of patience before shes come around but all the help I can get is appreciated and I will work with her as long as it's needed.
Try with a Feliway diffuser or Feliway spray. Relaxing music is also useful, best is classical harp music, but almost any will do. There are also Flower essences, begin to look them up at "Jackson Galaxy".
Talk a lot with a friendly voice. Make friendly noises. Compare: an aggressive territorial tom takes what he wants. A friendly tom do courts, making lotsa of friendly noises. So friendly noises is an universal language for cats - especially fertile females!
Be sure she understands its YOU who comes with her food... Dont hurry with touching her. Using the towel is a useful trick when necessary, but its too early yet. Dont look straight on her with open eyes. Look slghtly aside. Or look on with semiclosed eyes, blink slowly. You can also yawn, and strech on you = all these are friendly gestures for cats.
I agree try with finding another vet who is more used to handle cats.
Her being SO friendly at your mothers place was probably she was in heat at that time. Also, there she was more relaxed, of course.
Ah, one thing more. Make sure she has a legal hiding place, like a cat igloo. Where she cat hide a little, but yet, you can easily find her if need be. Dont disturb her unnecessary when she is there.
Time is your ally!
Good luck!
Talk a lot with a friendly voice. Make friendly noises. Compare: an aggressive territorial tom takes what he wants. A friendly tom do courts, making lotsa of friendly noises. So friendly noises is an universal language for cats - especially fertile females!
Be sure she understands its YOU who comes with her food... Dont hurry with touching her. Using the towel is a useful trick when necessary, but its too early yet. Dont look straight on her with open eyes. Look slghtly aside. Or look on with semiclosed eyes, blink slowly. You can also yawn, and strech on you = all these are friendly gestures for cats.
I agree try with finding another vet who is more used to handle cats.
Her being SO friendly at your mothers place was probably she was in heat at that time. Also, there she was more relaxed, of course.
Ah, one thing more. Make sure she has a legal hiding place, like a cat igloo. Where she cat hide a little, but yet, you can easily find her if need be. Dont disturb her unnecessary when she is there.
Time is your ally!
Good luck!
A plug in feliway diffuser will help to calm her. You can also try Composure feline treats or Composure liquid. It will help her to settle in and calm her down a bit. You might want to play quiet soothing music for her. I like to keep a night light on as well. I would also make numerous visits to see her. You can just sit and quietly talk to her without making direct eye contact. When you enter bring a yummy treat. It can be plain cooked chicken, a bit of tuna, a tasty treat or cats go crazy for Gerber stage 1 chicken or turkey. It's in the very small jar and the only ingredients are chicken or turkey and water. Cats just love it. Just set the treat or snack down when you enter and leave it for her. You can then leave another treat when you leave. Even if she doesn't eat them in your presence once she eats them, she will associate you with good things. You can also just go into the room and read quietly aloud to her. This will get her used to your voice. Just allow her to adjust and calm down. It may take awhile since she is now in a new surround. I would keep her isolated from your other cats for quite some time. You want her to feel safe and calm first. Also you will want to get her vet checked as well as spayed. It will help her to calm down as when her hormones are raging she will not be able to control herself. You also want to be sure she is free of worms and other parasites that she could pass along to your other cats. She will need some vaccines as well. Finding a new vet who will work with you is a must. I brought a feral/stray into my house in late May. I was able to pet him, but not pick him up in any way. I was able to lure him into a cat carrier to bring inside the house. Before I could safely have him around my other pets, he needed a vet visit. I purchased a large soft side cat carrier that was large enough to feed him in. I started feeding him right at the entrance and each day I moved it back a few inches until it was way in the back. He got used to eating inside. On the morning of the vet visit I put a tiny amount of food in the back and waited for him to go inside. Once inside I blocked the exit with a firm chair pad and zipped him up. I then covered the carrier with a sheet to help calm him. I told my vet that if needed he could be sedated. Once at the vet, he was so scared that he allowed whatever was needed.
Once you have her vetted and spayed you can think of introducing her to your other cats. There are great resources here. You want to keep in mind that baby steps are best. She may need weeks to feel safe and calm.
Thank you for rescuing her and taking such good care of her.
Once you have her vetted and spayed you can think of introducing her to your other cats. There are great resources here. You want to keep in mind that baby steps are best. She may need weeks to feel safe and calm.
Thank you for rescuing her and taking such good care of her.
