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Old 08-25-2011, 06:17 PM
 
Location: Orlando, FL
214 posts, read 754,320 times
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There's a skinny little tortie that I've seen on occasion dashing through the carport. I would guess that she's maybe 4-5 months old. We've been feeding her for about two weeks and she is getting more used to seeing us around, and we are starting to see her around a lot more. I think she may have set up camp in the carport [I live in a duplex and the neighbors side of the carport is filled to the brim with piles of random crap. There are lots of places to hide over there]. She is extremely skittish. She won't run away when we come outside if she is outside of a reasonable distance from us, but she will dash if we get too close. If we are doing something in the carport, she will sometimes sit and watch. She will follow a trail of food into the house.

We would love this girl to come and live inside our house and enjoy our air conditioning.

Is this a completely unreasonable desire? Is there any hope in taming a wild cat?

Since she is a she [I'm assuming.. torties are girls right?] I want to get this girl spayed before she starts having babies all over the place. We were trying to be patient and build up her trust, but I wonder if I just need to trap her and take her in.

Any input on any of this?
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Old 08-25-2011, 06:51 PM
 
Location: Cody, WY
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When I moved into my last house there was an adult black cat living under the porch. He'd come out and look at me; he'd eat food that I left out; but he wouldn't come near me. I wanted to bring him in but wondered how to handle it. Then I began to heat Great Horned Owls at night. I knew that there was a colony of them not far away and I knew that he was in danger.

I put a live trap on the porch with his food in it; he was in the trap within five minutes. At this point I should have taken him right to the vet but instead put him in a room away from my other cat and my dogs. He was ferocious, snarling at me everytime I went near him. I called several people in feral cat rescue. They all told me it couldn't be done, that feral cats could never adjust, that I should have left him or trapped, neutered, and released.

But I didn't give up; I trapped him again (not so quickly this time) and took him to my vet. He examined him, neutered him, and guessed that he was about five years old. I was moving to Cody so left him there about a week since I doubted I could catch him again. When we got to the new house I decided to put him into his own room for a few days to let him become accustomed to the smells. That night he zipped out of the room and disappeared. I left food under things and it disappeared but I never saw him. Six months later I went into the kitchen one morning and saw him on the counter. Having been slashed a few times before I started to move my hand towards him with great trepidation; I needn't have worried. That night he slept in the bed and has slept there ever since. He's fine with my dogs. He'll never be their playmate as my other one was who died at this time; but there are no problems. It's been almost four years.

It can be done and I guarantee he'll enjoy life, a much longer life as your pet, than he would the life of a feral. I should mention that he never wants to go out. Lying in a window well satisfies his craving for the outdoors.

You can do it; don't listen to the naysayers.
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Old 08-25-2011, 07:07 PM
 
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It can be done, my Mom has tamed several ferals. But, don't expect it to be over night. You are doing everything correctly. I would get a trap, and take her in for a spay, otherwise you will have kittens. Her ferals, she has had some for years in her home, they pretty much hug the wall, and skitter around the house, not the most friendly of creatures, mostly they hide under the bed. They don't like to be pet, but they can get there, it just takes alot of time. We had one feral, after we tamed him, he was funny, you would pick him up, he would go completely stiff, like..."what is happening to me?" but he became the most lovable cat. He craved attention...it was about a three year project with him
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Old 08-25-2011, 07:10 PM
 
Location: Orlando, FL
214 posts, read 754,320 times
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Thanks so much for your responses!

After I trap her and take her to the vet, do you think I should bring her into the house and let her get pissy or should I let her back out into the wild, and wait until she's a little more personable before bringing her inside?
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Old 08-25-2011, 07:11 PM
 
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I would bring her in, she will go in a box, our ferals had no problem figuring that out. She will just probably be your "invisible" cat for a long time.
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Old 08-25-2011, 07:19 PM
 
Location: Cody, WY
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alixjack View Post
Thanks so much for your responses!

After I trap her and take her to the vet, do you think I should bring her into the house and let her get pissy or should I let her back out into the wild, and wait until she's a little more personable before bringing her inside?
She won't get "personable" outside; she'll still be feral. It's imperative to keep her inside at all times
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Old 08-25-2011, 07:30 PM
 
Location: Philaburbia
41,710 posts, read 74,645,479 times
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Definitely trap her, take her to the vet, and then keep her inside permanently. That's how I got two lap cats, LOL.

She'll adjust, but it will be slow. After we brought our cats in, we kept them in one room in the basement, and spent time down there with them, just talking and watching TV, playing games, etc. It took a few months, but they eventually let us touch them. When we were convinced they weren't going to wreck the place, we let them in a second basement room. Gradually they got the run of the house.

Now they own the danged place, LOL.

Good luck to you! Be patient, and you too will have a great pet!
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Old 08-25-2011, 07:40 PM
 
Location: Orlando, FL
214 posts, read 754,320 times
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Thanks so much, all of you! I really appreciate the input!
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Old 08-25-2011, 07:47 PM
 
Location: NW Las Vegas - Lone Mountain
15,756 posts, read 38,050,066 times
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Our home in Las Vegas came with a feral. She lived on the back porch and used us for comps. Over 8 or 9 years my wife reached the status of being allowed to stroke her. She would sometimes stroll into the family room....but never let anyone between her and the door. She actually had an arrangement with the dog that allowed mutual respect and three feet.

She eventually got ill and we fed her a mickey from the vet. She went to sleep over her food and we took her in.

She remained feral and looked very proud in her cage with the bright red sticker warning she was dangerous.

Over the next six months she failed and we eventually had to do the right thing. Her ashes are scattered next to her porch...

We think in total she did fifteen years in that back yard. The terror of the birds..and a free spirit...

RIP Biffer.

Last edited by olecapt; 08-25-2011 at 09:00 PM..
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Old 08-26-2011, 05:21 AM
 
Location: state of confusion
2,088 posts, read 2,976,157 times
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Ferals can be tamed. I trapped Dolly about 6 or 7 years ago. I had to use a can of tuna to get her. My house smelled like rotten tuna fish for three weeks. Ugh! She finally got herself cleaned up and lived in my bathroom for almost 6 months. Her choice. Finally she scooted under my bed and lived there, mostly, for 3 years. One night I felt something moving on the bed. I snuck a peek to see her lying on the far end. After another couple of years she got to the point where she would let me touch her. She nows lives outside with 8 other cats. Occasionally she wants to come in for a little bit but she is content. I still can't walk straight up to her or she'll run. But if I'm real slow towards her she lets me pet her for quite a while. Ferals are the cats that never had the love and affection that they so well deserve. It takes a lot of patience but well worth it.
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