Unbelievable Progress with Feral

[emma's friend]

HOORAY!

 

[babygirl]

Yay I'm glad she came back!

 

[friend4life]

Originally Posted by CDM

I just have to share my progress with people who understand. I've read about how some ferals can be tamed and that you should never give up. I have to admit that I figured it would never apply to my skittish big male feral. I just knew he was wild forever and I'd never get near him. After TNR, he disappeared for 3 weeks and it's taken months for him to stay within 20' of me when I feed him. All of a sudden yesterday, he ran right over to the food bowl as I set it down and began to eat. I reached out, touched him, and he rubbed against my leg! Same thing this morning. I've been feeding him for only 5-1/2 months, but I know he's been on his own for well over 2 years. I would talk to him but never sit down while he ate. Looks like that ignoring trick worked great on him.

Caroline

Caroline..

ALL my cats are outside cats and with group of 18 (6 new ones born yesterday, yeh, I know BIG problem) I have one male tom that will actually tolerate me holding him and carrying him around, hes beautiful. I have another female that is very affectionate with me and the other cats and even the dogs here (the new puppy is like "bug off Kid" LOL.) She loves me to pet her and will let me hold her briefly. The rest of them follow me around, because they have become familiar with me because I am the only one who feeds them. I havent tried but I dont think too many of the others will tolerate being held.

I have problems when someone asks me if my cats are ferral. While they all stay outside, they have different personalities... out of the kittens that were born 5 months ago, one of those will let me hold it too. I DO believe that, if given the opportunity that about half if not more of them could be trained to be house cats.

Its so great to hear about your kitty

 

[zinc]

<<I have problems when someone asks me if my cats are ferral.>>

Feral doesn't mean completly hostile, it's their lifestyle. Are your cats altered?
They should be (I bet you know that but every time I hear there were kittens born I feel like I must tell people it dosn't have to be that way, ferals, barn/farm, outdoor or indoor cats) The cat nation will be all the happier for it.

 

[momofmany]

Originally Posted by gargoyle

I just keep in mind all the stories I've read on this site (like Pengy's) and am patiently waiting for them to change their minds....

NEVER give up on them. My Larry (cross-eyed red tabby) was born to a feral mom almost 11 years ago. I caught him young and had him neutered but he has never let me touch him.....that is, until recently. I lost another one close to his age in December and since that time, Larry allows me to pet him each morning at the feeding platform. I can only guess that Blackie, being the territorial cat that she was, stressed the members of the colony and kept the others from bonding with me.

11 years of feeding and caring for this boy has brought him to the point that I can pet him while he eats. Needless to say I do the happy dance each morning.

I am glad to hear that your girl is back. Larry used to wander off on a regular basis but always found his way back home.

 

[cdm]

I have even more progress to report. The male feral, Sandy, is coming closer and closer. He hangs out just outside my screen door and will come to me to be petted even if I have no food. When he's not at the door, he's usually in the backyard under our boat and seldom leaves the yard anymore. Yesterday he actually let me comb him so I could get rid of at least 2 years of flea dirt. I think it's just a matter of time before he's in the house and on my lap. Now if I could just figure out how to stop him from giving me love nips, I'd be much happier!

Caroline

 

[emma's friend]

 

[zinc]

And Sandy is really a feral??? He sounds more like a tame stray or Porch Pet (Porch Pet is what I call those cats whose owners make them live in porchs or all over the neighborhood, still they say the kitty is theirs)
He really acts like it, happy to be loved, congratulations and best wishes for a complete bonding

 

[cdm]

I have to admit, I am really ignorant when it comes to cats. I've never had one before now and didn't begin to learn about ferals/strays until a few months ago. But I guess you're most likely right that Sandy isn't feral. All I know is that he was on his own for over 2 years, snatching food from the neighbors' cats to live. He was terribly thin when we first saw him. For over a year after we moved here, he was so skittish that all we had to do was look his way and he was gone. That's why I thought he was feral. But you're probably right--there's a good chance he was just abandoned. The kitten is actually more wild than he is and most likely was born here in the neighborhood and left to fend for herself. Unfortunately, our area of town is where people like to dump off their unwanted (and mostly un-neutered) animals. Nearly all our neighbors have outdoor cats and the overwhelming majority are ones that just wandered in to stay.

Caroline

 

[wellingtoncats]

Awesome!