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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / October 2004Adopting a feral cat
Hi -- just moved to Cairo, am looking to take on a cat or two. There are lots of litters of stray cats about, so i'll probably take one of them in. But i understand socialization is important. Any advice on the right age to take them and if there are any ways to figure out the age of a kitten in a litter (i'm guessing this is very difficult). If they're already incredibly wary of people and fast enough that they're hard to catch is it too late? Thanks Dan http://muttcats.com/articles/taming_ferals.htm This is one of many articles on taming feral kittens. The older a kitten or cat is, the harder it is to tame them. Please note that even adult feral cats can be tamed and make wonderful, loyal pets. For more articles, go to google and type in taming feral kittens. Gail > Hi -- just moved to Cairo, am looking to take on a cat or two. There > are lots of litters of stray cats about, so i'll probably take one of [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Thanks > Dan Hi, I've just spent a good afternoon on this muttcats.com website! Absolutely excellent reading! Thankyou for the reference to it. Iain >http://muttcats.com/articles/taming_ferals.htm This is one of many articles >on taming feral kittens. The older a kitten or cat is, the harder it is to >tame them. Please note that even adult feral cats can be tamed and make >wonderful, loyal pets. For more articles, go to google and type in taming >feral kittens. >Gail ... >'o'< Rescued Cats & Kittens Needing Homes >'o'< www.celiahammond.org >'o'< > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > >feral kittens. > >Gail I wanted to add that one of my cats was a pregnant feral when picked up by the shelter. After four months of loving care there, including socialization with other cats and humans, she is the most affectionate, loving cat I have ever had. She *still* runs from my husband and I almost every time we approach her, like it is an old habit. But she comes to us for affection and sleeps with us, and in her special room (our bedroom) allows us to pick her up etc. > http://muttcats.com/articles/taming_ferals.htm This is one of many > articles on taming feral kittens. The older a kitten or cat is, the > harder it is to tame them. Please note that even adult feral cats can > be tamed and make wonderful, loyal pets. For more articles, go to > google and type in taming feral kittens. > Gail I'm very interested in this subject. Squeaky is feral but is becoming increasingly habituated to us and will at least come in the house for petting and eating and a little play sometimes. But so far I have not been able to keep him in. He cries and beseeches to get out so hard that I melt. I just tried for an hour and gave in. Then we had a long petting session outdoors that was sort of mutual reassurance before he left for his haunts, which I figure tracking the bird calls is about 1/4 mile away. muttcats.com says that ferals over a year sometimes cannot become homebodies. It's just too wrenching. I'm leaning that way with Squeaky. He is well adapted to the wild from what I can tell, but I'm not easy about him with coyotes around. If it weren't for coyotes I'd be content with Squeaky staying an outdoor cat. Still, any and all ideas, disagreements, etc., are welcome. -- Dick We have taken in at least a few stray outdoor cats, and one 10 year-old former mouser. The older one adjusted to inside living the quickest, in fact, he settled right on the couch and didn't move! The hardest was the young adult. He would cry and beg at the door. We had to be tough. We had made a decision and we were bigger than him. :) He eventually settled in the house wonderfully. He was a great cat. I bought one of those kitty carriers that is like a baby carrier you strap on, without the leg holes. He loved it! Every day I'd put it on and we'd go for a walk around the yard. Neighbors probably thought we were nuts. Good luck, Rhonda >> http://muttcats.com/articles/taming_ferals.htm This is one of many >> articles on taming feral kittens. The older a kitten or cat is, the [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > Still, any and all ideas, disagreements, etc., are welcome. Thank you Rhonda. How long did you have to be "tough" before your young adult gave up crying and begging at the door, and settled in? Squeaky knows the litter box and has used it a couple of times. We have vinyl pads to keep him out of the living and dining rooms (he would love the Persian rug for sharpening his claws!) And I can get him a tree no problem. So far Squeaky has been inducing me to go outside. We had a relaxed petting session this morning but on Squeaky's terms outside. He even rewarded me by climbing onto my lap which is quite unusual for him. He simply doesn't understand why I don't move outside with him! It's getting hard to say who's boss here. -- Dick > We have taken in at least a few stray outdoor cats, and one 10 > year-old former mouser. The older one adjusted to inside living the [quoted text clipped - 38 lines] >> >> Still, any and all ideas, disagreements, etc., are welcome. > Thank you Rhonda. How long did you have to be "tough" before your young > adult gave up crying and begging at the door, and settled in? [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > simply doesn't understand why I don't move outside with him! It's > getting hard to say who's boss here. Dick, once you get that tree for him to sharpen his claws on, you are going to let him into all the rooms of your home, aren't you? It seems kind of mean to me to require him to stay inside but shut him out of some of the rooms. You might also want to be aware that some cats prefer one kind of surface over another for claw work. Some like sisal, some carpet, some cardbooard. Some prefer horizontal, some vertical. You might want to determine which he prefers before sinking money and emotional investment in one solution. Priscilla Hi Dick, It was probably a couple of months before the worst of it was over -- the yowling and walking restlessly through the house. After that, he settled in, with an occasional pathetic meow at the back door. Those were taken care of with our "backpack" trips around the yard. You know your cat is getting good at training you. You are also reinforcing his idea that outside is a great place by giving him lots of attention and petting sessions as a reward for going outside (how he sees it in his cat-mind.) It's hard not to bend to their will, isn't it? :) Maybe when you are able to let him into the other rooms, he'll settle in quicker. He probably sees you and others in the living room and is frustrated that he can't come and get pets and attention, and be part of the family. When you're able to let him in the other rooms, I think he'll be happier inside. Good luck with your little manipulator... (aren't they all?) Rhonda > Thank you Rhonda. How long did you have to be "tough" before your young > adult gave up crying and begging at the door, and settled in? [quoted text clipped - 51 lines] >>> >>> Still, any and all ideas, disagreements, etc., are welcome. > Hi Dick, > > It was probably a couple of months before the worst of it was over -- > the yowling and walking restlessly through the house. After that, he > settled in, with an occasional pathetic meow at the back door. Those > were taken care of with our "backpack" trips around the yard. Ugh! snip > Maybe when you are able to let him into the other rooms, he'll settle > in quicker. He probably sees you and others in the living room and is > frustrated that he can't come and get pets and attention, and be part > of the family. When you're able to let him in the other rooms, I think > he'll be happier inside. For you and Patricia: Letting him into all rooms is not going to be easy. There was difficult diplomacy between my wife and me to get Squeaky in the house at all. One of my cat books recommended that the cat have no enemies in the household, and that no-nos be negotiated and clearly understood among the humans. I think the book is right. If it was just me, Squeaky would have the run of the place. The wife is warming up to Squeaky, so that at least the no-enemy rule has been met. Eventually I expect I can negotiate increased privileges for him. Hey, you know, the Kyoto Treaty is still under negotiations. You can't expect better here on so difficult a subject. One good thing, we seldom use the formal rooms. As I see it, Squeaky's problem with the house is that it just plain isn't that interesting to him. > Good luck with your little manipulator... (aren't they all?) I just love the little thing. Dick >> Hi Dick, >> [quoted text clipped - 36 lines] > > Dick She'd better be careful. Cats often attach themselves firmly to those most opposed to them. She may end up bonded for life if she stays too stiff bottomed about "That Stray". Which rooms *can* he be in? If they are the ones you are in, it will most likely not be a problem. My cats almost never stay in a room I am not in. Highly unusual anyway. > For you and Patricia: Letting him into all rooms is not going to be > easy. There was difficult diplomacy between my wife and me to get Squeaky in the house at all. One of my cat books recommended that the cat have no enemies in the household, and that no-nos be negotiated and clearly understood among the humans. I think the book is right. > If it was just me, Squeaky would have the run of the place. > > The wife is warming up to Squeaky, so that at least the no-enemy rule has been met. Eventually I expect I can negotiate increased privileges for him. Hey, you know, the Kyoto Treaty is still under negotiations. You can't expect better here on so difficult a subject. > One good thing, we seldom use the formal rooms. > > As I see it, Squeaky's problem with the house is that it just plain isn't that interesting to him. > I just love the little thing. > > Dick You sound like a smart guy--I bet your wife will eventually relent, and I think you are betting on that too! Be sure to get him those really great horizontal scratchers--like the Alpine Scratcher--with catnip. My cats are not interested in scratching the furniture since I got those. Yes and the Turbo Scratcher which is another horizontal scratcher. All of my cats have loved it. Gail >> For you and Patricia: Letting him into all rooms is not going to be >> easy. There was difficult diplomacy between my wife and me to get [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > horizontal scratchers--like the Alpine Scratcher--with catnip. My cats are > not interested in scratching the furniture since I got those. > Yes and the Turbo Scratcher which is another horizontal scratcher. All of my cats have loved it. I just love the fact that they are no longer interested in the furniture!! No scratching post did that. I guess mine are horizontal scratchers. >From: Rhonda san-toki@attremovethis.net >He eventually settled in the house wonderfully. He was a great cat. I >bought one of those kitty carriers that is like a baby carrier you strap >on, without the leg holes. He loved it! Every day I'd put it on and we'd >go for a walk around the yard. Neighbors probably thought we were nuts. I'd love to see a pic if you have one :) ________ See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html Declawing Info: http://www.wholecatjournal.com/articles/claws.htm Thanks, I'll see if I do! Rhonda >>From: Rhonda san-toki@attremovethis.net > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html > Declawing Info: http://www.wholecatjournal.com/articles/claws.htm Heh. I am picturing you now. If you are thinking of catching a kitten with your bare hands, I would go for one under 4-6 weeks old and then be prepared to give it some special care for the first few weeks. Also be prepared for some scatches and bites. I recall a restaurant somewhere in Cairo that specialized in squab. The pigeons were caged on the premises, except for those that had escaped and were flapping around the rafters. And of course the Cats of Cairo were tempted (and tolerated, by the cat-loving Egyptians) and also frequented the rafters. I was never sure what was going to end up in my lap, cat or bird. You may find a cat rescuer in Cairo, who knows? I know there is a sanctuary for abused draft animals; you might start with them. You might just possibly save yourself some nips and scratches or at least find someone who can advise you on-site. Campus Cats has blurbs on orphan kitten care and socializing that you might find useful. Whatever you do, try to find a vet for shots and worming and whatever else needs to be done. Good luck! Keep me posted if you feel like it. I am always pleased when someone decides to give a feral cat a home. My home email is sharon@campuscats.org. Sharon Talbert Friends of Campus (feral) Cats www.campuscats.org > Hi -- just moved to Cairo, am looking to take on a cat or two. There > are lots of litters of stray cats about, so i'll probably take one of [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Thanks > Dan |
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