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Cat Forum / Rescue / March 2005litter box training a ferel
we "trapped" a ferrel in our house, it came in out of the cold, we shut the door and he ran and hid. we put a litter box and his food dish were he would find it. he hasn't eaten yet(3rd day) but did dirty on the floor. any ideas on how to train him or is it possible. we know he's a year old Well, first if he's going on the floor, he must have eaten... Do you have a bowl of water in there as well> You might try putting some dirt in the litter from where he used to go when he was outside. Cats are pretty smart about that but the scent should draw him to the box. They don't usually like to go where they can't scratch. Also, don't put the food/water right next to litter box as they don't like to eat where they go. Finally, use a litter tray rather than covered box for a while.... > we "trapped" a ferrel in our house, it came in out of the cold, we shut > the > door and he ran and hid. we put a litter box and his food dish were he > would find it. he hasn't eaten yet(3rd day) but did dirty on the floor. > any > ideas on how to train him or is it possible. we know he's a year old Chris and Priscilla: thank you for your input on my ferrel "in the house" and litter box training. I ended up buying a large dog cage, got her from under the bed and into the bathroom. closed the door, set up the cage outside the door way and then went in and "guided her into the cage. I had one angry cat! I put in a small litter box and as suggested put in her "thankyou" she left on the bathroom floor. This morning I noticed she had used the litter box. I had put too much litter in it and she spread all over, one big mess. she's a calico and very pretty i only hope she can be tamed, I really don't want to let her out in the wilds again or take her to the shelter and have her put down. Thanks again for your help. > Chris and Priscilla: thank you for your input on my ferrel "in the house" > and litter box training. I ended up buying a large dog cage, got her from [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > tamed, I really don't want to let her out in the wilds again or take her to > the shelter and have her put down. Thanks again for your help. Patience is the key. Patience and giving her time. Oh, and being willing to wait. Patiently. ;-) Priscilla Glad to hear things are going well... Just another thought for you... If you have a large cage, you might try leaving her in there for a couple of days with food/water & some little toys (balls, etc)(it gets a little messy). Put the crate somewhere where she can see you a good deal of the time (but throw a sheet over it so maybe she can see only out of one side). Try putting crate on some boxes or something so that you're not towering over her. Just putting your hands in & out to clean litter, change food/water, will give her a sense that you're not going to hurt her. THen I would try leaving the gate open & gradually moving the food to just below the crate so she can jump in & out... I did this with an adult stray and now he is the most affectionate guy in the world! It really only took a couple of weeks for him to slowly discover the couch & bed & decide it was better than the towel in the crate..... I think what did it was that he could see & hear all the routines of 'indoor' life and still feel safe in his little den. At first he would only come out to explore at night or when he thought I wasn't looking. The other thing I did right away was bring him in the crate to the vet for exam/shots. It avoided having to chase her in there later on. Vet gave me some pills, ace ? which sort of kept him reasonably calm but no matter what, be prepared for rough time at the vet. Whatever you do, do not open the gate except in your home... Have you given her a name? How old do you think she is? She's a real lucky little one! Just be patient and go at her own pace but let her see you and everyone in your home as much as possible.... > Chris and Priscilla: thank you for your input on my ferrel "in the house" > and litter box training. I ended up buying a large dog cage, got her from [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > to > the shelter and have her put down. Thanks again for your help. > Glad to hear things are going well... Just another thought for you... If > you have a large cage, you might try leaving her in there for a couple of [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > his little den. At first he would only come out to explore at night or when > he thought I wasn't looking. When I was socializing Sebastian, after a while I got a cage I'd put him in and put him in various rooms with me and the (then) other two cats. At the beginning I'd shroud part of the cage as Chris suggests above. That way Sebbie got to interact with Caley and Benjamin without their being able to tangle, and he got to size up the house. He visited every major room multiple times. He got to see me cooking, eating, watching TV, doing computer stuff, and so on. When it finally got to be time to release Sebbie into the general population, at first he didn't want to leave the guestroom where he'd been living for 2.5 months, but then, when he did leave, there was no slinking around the perimeters of rooms. He walked right down the middle of each one like he owned it. He knew the house already, because he'd already been everywhere. Hope this helps. Priscilla > This morning I noticed she had > used the litter box. I had put too much litter in it and she spread all > over, one big mess. If the dog crate is large enough, put a smaller cat-size carrier inside the dog crate. Most feral cats will hide inside the smaller carrier, especially when you come around. It's easy to close the door on the smaller carrier (If necessary, use a long wooden dowl.). This way, you can remove the cat in the carrier and give the larger crate a good cleaning. It's also helpful to use pellet litter, like Feline Pine or Cat Country. This type of litter is not as messy as clay or clumping and does not pose a health danger if accidentally ingested. > she's a calico and very pretty i only hope she can be > tamed, I really don't want to let her out in the wilds again or take her to > the shelter You've forgotten what is most often the best option for true ferals. Spay her, release her and maintain her as an outdoor cat. Longterm confinement of adult ferals is not a kindness to these proud, resiliant, competent animals. T-N-R for adult ferals is certainly preferable to "taking her to a shelter" where she will, undoubtedly, be destroyed as "unadoptable". > we "trapped" a ferrel in our house, it came in out of the cold, we shut the > door and he ran and hid. we put a litter box and his food dish were he > would find it. he hasn't eaten yet(3rd day) but did dirty on the floor. any > ideas on how to train him or is it possible. we know he's a year old Put the "dirty" he did on the floor into the litter box. That'll "prime' it and let himknow what the box is for. As the other respondent said, also separate the litter and food/water. Maybe put some dirt over the litter in the litter box. Good luck! Priscilla  Signature"And what's this crap about Sodomites? It's always Sodomites this and Sodomites that. What about us Gomorrahians? We were there too; we deserve some mention. Sodom always gets the credit, and Gomorrah always does the work." - JohnN in alt.religion.christian.episcopal much appreciation to all. This is the 4th day that our ferrel has been caged. She is using the litter box( advice from you has worked), she has stopped meowing at 5 am, the vacum cleaner, television are no longer a concern to her, she is more relaxed, watchs me play with our two shitzsues and our other cat. our plan is to get her to the vet next week for shots/checkup etc. patience is certainly the key. I really do not want to turn her loose since i feed many different birds and would prefer her not feeding on them. Thanks again to all, your advice has been right on! happy to report our new cat, formerly a ferel, has adapted thanks to the help everyone gave . a little worried, took her to the vet and he tells me she has a "touch of feline leukemia" and wanted to know if i "wanted to keep her". I,m keeping her. Can't touch her but she walks around without fear, eats, butt heads the dogs, ignores the other cat we have, lays in the middle of the floor ignoring the pillows and uses the litter box. she was kept in the dog crate for ten days, slept under a bed for two . it was tricking getting her into the cat carrier for the vet visit, in 30 days she goes back for another blood test and to be spayed. thanks again to all the good advise, appreciated. bill Did the vet suggest against her being with your cat? I thought even though there is a shot for prventing feline leukemia that there was a small chance of getting it. Did you have her tested for FIP and FIV? I'm sorry I just worry, I foster and do not let any of my fosters into my population without all the testing. Shadow Walker > happy to report our new cat, formerly a ferel, has adapted thanks to the > help everyone gave . a little worried, took her to the vet and he tells me [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > goes back for another blood test and to be spayed. thanks again to all the > good advise, appreciated. bill > happy to report our new cat, formerly a ferel, has adapted thanks to the > help everyone gave . a little worried, took her to the vet and he tells me [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > goes back for another blood test and to be spayed. thanks again to all the > good advise, appreciated. bill Uh, I've never heard of having "a touch" of feline leukemia. Is your other cat vaccinated? Priscilla Priscilla, Shadow walker: the vet gave her fvrcp, rabies and did the felv/fiv test. the only one I understand is the rabies. no idea what fvrcp is. he showed me the test, an instrument which had what i assumed was a test strip. on it was a very small blue spot at the side which he said indicated a "touch of feline luekemia". he said some cats can "throw the virus off" and to bring her back in 30 days for retesting. Our other cat has had her shots is due again in May. "Cali" , our ferrel, is adapting to inside living, sleeps in the living room, likes to watch our canaries, uses the litter box, eats and when in the mood head butts the dogs. as yet we can't touch her. I'm concerned about her and don't feel i could have her "put down" . really dont know what to do. thank you for your advice. Bill > Priscilla, Shadow walker: > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > luekemia". he said some cats can "throw the virus off" and to bring her > back in 30 days for retesting. OK. Gotcha. Yes, with good nutrition and care she could knock the virus out. False positives are also possible. > Our other cat has had her shots is due again > in May. "Cali" , our ferrel, is adapting to inside living, sleeps in the > living room, likes to watch our canaries, uses the litter box, eats and > when in the mood head butts the dogs. as yet we can't touch her. I'm > concerned about her and don't feel i could have her "put down" . really > dont know what to do. thank you for your advice. Bill Sounds like you're doing fine. Patience. Get her associating you with food, and watch out she doesn't bond to the other animals and not to you. I would recommend isolation away from all non-human wildlife until she's adjusted more to you. (Try treats like bits of chicken or sardines in a saucer which each day you move closer to yourself.) When I socialized Sebbie the expression "Stockholm syndrome" kept going through my mind, because in a sense I had kidnapped him and was holding him hostage while I got him to associate me with the source of all good things. An evil thing to do to a person, but a good thing when done to a feral. Life isn't simple, is it? ;-) Priscilla Signature"And what's this crap about Sodomites? It's always Sodomites this and Sodomites that. What about us Gomorrahians? We were there too; we deserve some mention. Sodom always gets the credit, and Gomorrah always does the work." - JohnN in alt.religion.christian.episcopal
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