Progress with Mama- tips?

[tabbytom]

Way to go! :blobmir: We are so happy that she made the move and claimed you. Do continue to give her lots of love and praises.
Looks like her confidence has grown and hopefully in a short while she'll be able to venture out the room and check out the house.

 

[simonschuster]

Update and I need some guidance:

Background: Mable is an almost 3 year old once feral mama cat whose kittens I found on my deck in my grill cabinet last June. We trapped and have kept the kittens and TNR Mama (now Mable) and I spent almost 7 months feeding her outside and slowly building her trust. I lured her inside with chicken in January after a big snow storm. She has been in a spare room ever since as I work to domesticate her.

Mabel is no longer hiding under her table at all! She is out in the room and comes as soon as I enter to meow and greet me and she craves attention! She has pretty long claws, and has NO interest in scratching. I have two different flat cardboard scratchers, have tried catnip on them, and also have a small cat tree with rope covered supports, so a vertical scratching option. She has ignored it completely. She also has just started to show interest in play. I have seen some "damage" to the toy mice in the mornings. She still is not much of an eater- refuses any wet can food, but eats well overnight her dry kibble and is a good water drinker- output in the litter box is normal and regular.  Maybe she's not used to eating much and only at night is a hard habit to break?

My issue- still have not gotten her to the vet (I did have her vaccinated and spayed when she was TNR on my property last June and Capstar 3 hours before I got her inside and Frontline after had had her inside 2 weeks.)  I can get a good look at her ears, and they were pretty dirty, but now look quite clean. The vet is the next major step so I can begin to introduce her back to her 3 babies, now almost a year old and my 2 other resident cats. BUT... she loves affection on her own terms and can be Jekyll/Hyde and swats with her very sharp claws. I did go about 10 days without a feliway when it ran out and I didn't get another quickly. The refill has been in 5 days now.  I have had the cat carrier open in the room for a few weeks and put treats in it (she is some times interested in treats). So the carrier is familiar, but I cannot pick her up and she is not going in it in my presence ever for me to be able to close the door- never mind on a schedule for an appointment! How do I get her to the vet?

She is 9 weeks inside. I know we have made HUGE progress together so far. She really goes crazy for attention when I come in,loves her rear scratched and head and chin vigorously rubbed and she very much doesn't like for me to leave. I spend about 2-3 hours a day with her in 3-4 time periods. Not as much as I'd like, but I have a full time job and kids to shuttle to evening activities every day.

What should my next steps be?  I want to keep doing right by my girl. We are on our way to bestie status

 

[tabbytom]

Update and I need some guidance:

May I know what is the visit to the vet for?

It is good that she's peeing and pooping normally. And also eating and drinking lots of water since she is on kibbles.
Maybe you can leave some wet out and see if she takes it.

Cats are attracted to certain scratch surfaces. I bought my boy 2 scratch post made of sea grass and also cardboard scratch boards and he ignored it totally. He uses only the cat tree sisal scratch posts and not to mention my 2 single seater sofa :lol3:

Maybe she did use the cat tree scratch post? Have you notice any frays on them?

 

[simonschuster]

May I know what is the visit to the vet for?

It is good that she's peeing and pooping normally. And also eating and drinking lots of water since she is on kibbles.
Maybe you can leave some wet out and see if she takes it.

Cats are attracted to certain scratch surfaces. I bought my boy 2 scratch post made of sea grass and also cardboard scratch boards and he ignored it totally. He uses only the cat tree sisal scratch posts and not to mention my 2 single seater sofa

Maybe she did use the cat tree scratch post? Have you notice any frays on them?

Thanks @TabbyTom

She needs the combo test (Vet said b/c the kittens were negative and she was not part of a colony and avoided other cats outside (was not a fighter) the chances she's positive is slim, but she still needs to be tested before we mix her in with the resident crew. She also needs a distemper booster and she's never had a physical. I want her ears checked and I desperately need help to trim her nails.

I have left out can food often, it usually sits and goes crusty. Rarely will she eat a small bit.

I can't see any signs of use- I've been inspecting pretty closely. Maybe a bit- can't know for sure.

I just left her for the night. She knows the routine. Radio off, nightlight on. She tried to nip me as I stood up. We had a good 30 min of solid purring and kitty massage first though!

 

[tabbytom]

Thanks @TabbyTom

Guess you have to do the same way as you did the first time when you got her to the vet since she does not allowed to be carried at the moment.

Was she calm when she was at the vet the other time? If she is, you can get them to clip her nails for you while she's there. And later when she's more comfortable with you at home and allows you to carry her, then you can start to try cutting her nails yourself.

 

[shadowsrescue]

I might suggest getting a larger carrier.  One that she can easily and comfortable go inside.  I have one of my former feral guys that has been in the house now for almost 4 years.  He is still next to impossible to get into a carrier.  Last year I tried using a regular carrier and I ended up scratched to pieces.  I learned my lesson.  The large carrier is cumbersome and very big, but that's just the way it goes.  

I had my feral guy in the house for about 3-4 weeks before I could get him to the vet.  I started to feed him right outside the carrier and each day moved it further back.  On the morning of the appointment, I put just a small amount in the carrier.  I sat down beside him and once he went inside, I used a sturdy board to block the entrance and zipped him shut.  I then quickly put a blanket over the carrier.

You might have to end up tossing a blanket over her and getting her into a carrier that way.  You certainly could try to trap her, but my guess is that there is no way she will go near it.

Here is the carrier I use.  It is the 25" orange one