Some cats just don't like to be picked up.  My Benjamin was beautifully
socialized when I adopted him and his sister at 12 weeks, but he Doesn't
Want To Be Picked Up.  No ifs ands or buts about it!  At age 6+ he's
gotten a lot better about my face being near him, and he'll drape
himself across my lap, but no picking up.

I'd suggest maximizing what is tolerated and let the rest come with
time.  Don't push the poor critter.

Priscilla

Sounds like your doing everything right, I've delt with ferals and semi
feral cats for years, and I've learned it just takes time. Once they get
to trust you, they get better, but they will ONLY trust you. Or people
in your home that give them simlar attention, so when you do take her to
the vet, don't be surprised when she becomes a wild cat for your vet.
Don't worry about it though, it's not like the vet hasn't seen this
before.

Hang in there, they are worth all the time it takes to totally tame them
And God Bless you for taking the time to give a home to the sweetie.

Aimee

My cat is three yrs old now and is a full blown ferral, he has just started
sitting on the sofa near me {but not too near}He'll lay across me for 15
minutes or so in bed as long as there is no bare skin,and Purr and kneed but
then its away to the bottom of the bed.he will now let me cuddle him which I
do often,
but not for too long at  time, but will not let anyone else pick him up
he'll
rub up to my two small Grand-Daughters but not my Grand-Sons, they are
too lively for him to trust although they love him. If any car stops outside
my window he knows instantlyif they are coming to our unit if its my family,
he'll come in from the veranda and sit in the hall, in my bedroom doorway,
if its strangers, e.g. workmen, he bolts in like a rocket, into my b-room
and under the bed, and there he remains till they've gone. I just let him be
himself, I did once hear that it takes three generations for the ferral to
finally become socialised.dont know if thats true or not.  Jean.P.

My Bonnie is now a semi-feral (totally feral when I trapped her last
year when she was roughly 5-6 months old).  I still can not pick her
up, though she loves being pet. She snuggles with me when I'm
sleeping, and sometimes sits next to me when I'm watching TV. I get
the feeling that she'll never be ok with being picked up, and I can
live with that. When it comes time for vet visits, I can always rely
on her following me in the bathroom, and I put a carrier in there
about a week before her appt so it isn't new on the day I need to get
her in there. Bonnie is now probably close to two years old. Yes, I
once had to catch her for a vet visit when she exhibitted signs of
UTI and didn't have the luxury of time to desensitise her to the
carrier in the bathroom, and had to actually chase her down to get
her to the vet. Sometimes it has to be done.

Patience, and technique.  The cat may never come to like it, but the point
is to make the experience tolerable and non-threatening.

1.  Know how to pick up a cat.  (Amazing how many people get this wrong,
typically picking the cat up by its midriff, like a towel.)  With the cat
facing away, you want one hand from behind a foreleg cradling the chest,
and the other under the haunches or butt.  The idea is to use the front
hand to lever the cat backwards onto the back hand.  The heaviest part of
the anatomy (the pelvis) is firmly supported, and there is no discomfort.

2.  Accustom the cat to your hands.  The cat should associate your hands
with petting, and this should apply to all parts of the body.  So, try
scritching the chest from behind a foreleg from time to time.  This is
preparation for the front hand of the two-handed pickup.

3.  Develop the chest petting into occasional upward pressure (preparing
for the levering backwards).  Try for just enough to lift the forelegs
momentarily off the floor.  Since this is part of a petting session, the
cat should get accustomed to it as "part of the game".

4.  Eventually try the two handed pickup, again for only a moment.  They
will panic, just keep your cool, and keep on interacting with them.

5.  When, later, the panic reaction subsides, the idea should be short
lifts where the cat is put down somewhere pleasant, e.g. in front of a
food bowl, into its favorite napping spot, etc.  The point is to make the
experience something the cat should not fear, because something "nice"
always happens.

6.  Be prepared for this to take a year or more before you can carry the
cat across the room.

Shana, 7 months isn't a very long time at all.   A semi-feral I rescued
in 2001  still doesn't like being picked up or held in my arms.   He has
gotten a little more gracious about it in the last year... as long as I
don't hold him for more than 20-30 seconds.

That only came about because I took him outside in my fenced-in back
yard for 'walks'.   After 5-10 minutes ourside, I would gently pick him
up and carry him in.  At first he struggled in my arms, but after 2-3
times, he got the hint that we had to go back inside and while he never
relaxed, he tolerated my holding him until we got to the door.

He also fights going into the carrier.   I bought one where the top
unsnaps and comes off.  I take the carrier top off, place him on a towel
inside the carrier bottom,  then quickly pop the top on and snap it up.
Be sure that your cats head is facing the back of the carrier so you can
get the door put back on and latched.

Good luck... I think you're doing spendidly with your semi-feral.   Time
will win out and I hope she ends up snuggling with you.   :)

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