Question for people with experience with feral cats?
Thursday, March 11th, 2010 at
9:10 am
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You might check with a vet to find out whether a mild sedative is in order while she gets socialized. I believe there is even something made from a poison ivy derivative that you can add to their water (sounds crazy, I know, but another friend who works with ferals told me about it). I had one cat who, after after being tranked for travel, came out of it with a whole new outlook and a lot less fear. It’s almost like she saw things that would normally freak her out, but the meds took the response mechanism away from her, and afterward she was far less spooked – about everything. There’s also a mild sedative called "rescue remedy" that is for precisely the kinds of problems you are having.
Also, I don’t know I would allow the other cats to be around her en masse. Maybe just one at a time – it’s worth a try.
Finally, GET SOME FELIWAY!!! This stuff can be bought a Petsmart OR a vet, or you can order online. It is a synthetic cat hormone spray that people can’t smell, but it mimics a cat’s "happy" pheremones to make them feel more at ease with their surroundings. You can get either the spray or an air freshener type electric diffuser. I can swear by this stuff. You might even want to spray your clothes with it when you are handling this cat.
Finally, do not be afraid to resort to plain and sheer bribery with food treats to get the cat near to you.
Be aware, however, that sedative use is only for the SHORT TERM, (though you can use feliway indefinitely) and that there are some ferals, who, even after extensive work and effort is made with them, will at BEST only tolerate you and /or the other cats.
I wish you the best of luck. Finally, here’s one more thought. If this cat cannot be socialized, and is simply too wild to be kept, you may want to consider the "catch, neuter, release" philosophy. At the very least, you will be preventing the cruel overpopulation of unwanted kittens.
Well unfortunately not all farrel cats will mesh with others but the thing to do is handle her several times a day. I usually start off wearing welding gloves but I also have to catch them in live trap cuz they are so wild here, but handle her 4 to 5 times a day not exceeding 30 min at a time after a wekk you can do it less often for longer periods of time once she has gotten real used to you then slowly introduce her to other cats one at a time in the tent start with a 30 min session a few times a day till you can get them to stay all day together safely.
Good luck. Remember it takes persistance and lots of love.
Well putting her away in a tent where she cant see the others isn’t going to fix your problem. What you need to do is get a crate for her so she can clearly see the others and get used to them. Also since there are so many other cats its probely overwhelming for her which is why she is so scared. Try intorducing her to the cats one at a time so she wont feel so threatened. Also if you can I would get her fixed. Is there a chance maybe that she is in heat? She will probely calm down after the surgery since she will no longer have a strong hormonal drive to attack other cats.
This has worked well for me in the past and I hope it does for you aswell! Best of luck!
REMOVE her from that environment
she will probably always be
loathed…can you find her a good
home or bring her to a no kill shelter..??
I ADOPTED A FERAL CAT…
it takes a while for them to
trust you…..but eventually they will..
How old is she approximately? The older she is, the harder it will be. Start gradually, just walking around and dropping goodies for her. When she doesn’t seem so afraid, kneel down very slowly and attempt to pet her. If she doesn’t respond, walk away. Don’t force yourself on her. Get some toys you can play with her but don’t expect her to jump on the chance. It will take a long time, again, depending on her age. I’ve seen cats that never respond. Your goal should be to make her less afraid before you attempt to make her your friend. While you have her in the mesh tent, go in and just sit there with her, if it’s big enough. No attempt to pet, let her get used to you being there.
I read your question but I have no answer…
I just want to say that I think you are marvelous person for rescuing a colony of feral cats
you are going to have to supervise her very closely and slowly let her out of the tent for a little bit of time, longer each time, and if you see her beginning to get into trouble with the other kitties you will have to put her back into the tent…i have a cat who was feral and i have had her for 3 years and she still doesnt let my daughter near her however i have built a trust with her and she does let me hold her and such. so it just takes alot of time and patience and supervision…good luck
Have you tried Rescue Remedy in her water and using Feliway. Where is the tent located? Maybe keep it covered so she doesn’t feel so threatened.