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Old 01-12-2012, 04:23 PM
 
Location: Business ethics is an oxymoron.
2,347 posts, read 3,308,775 times
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I live out out on the edge of town in a semi-rural area. I've seen a fair number of critters. Including cats. Except that they appear to be abandoned and/or wild. Naturally, me being a sucker for the kitties, I've taken a liking to one that's been hanging around my house. And silly me, I made the mistake of giving him/her some food. Of course once you feed that cat, like it or not, you own that cat. But will this kitty ever become fully domesticated?

At first, I couldn't get less than 8-10 feet from him before he'd scamper off. But gradually, he'd let me get closer and closer as I earned his trust by feeding him. Now, if he sees me outside, he will follow me-but from a distance. Now, I can get about 2 feet from him before he takes off. The closest I've come to actual contact with him was when I dangled a piece of turkey cold cut in front of him hoping he'd take it from my hand. Instead, he lashed out with a paw (quicker than lightning) to get the meat. One of his claws got me on a finger drawing blood. I don't think he meant to attack per se; he was just after the food. He then grabs it and runs away before eating it.

So you think kitty will ever let me pet him or even hold him? Or is getting a couple of feet away-and having him follow me around until *I* turn around (and he takes a defensive two steps back) as tame as he's going to get?
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Feed A Cat, Own A Cat. But Will He Ever Be Tame?-kittycat.jpg  
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Old 01-12-2012, 05:12 PM
 
499 posts, read 578,495 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Des-Lab View Post
I live out out on the edge of town in a semi-rural area. I've seen a fair number of critters. Including cats. Except that they appear to be abandoned and/or wild. Naturally, me being a sucker for the kitties, I've taken a liking to one that's been hanging around my house. And silly me, I made the mistake of giving him/her some food. Of course once you feed that cat, like it or not, you own that cat. But will this kitty ever become fully domesticated?

At first, I couldn't get less than 8-10 feet from him before he'd scamper off. But gradually, he'd let me get closer and closer as I earned his trust by feeding him. Now, if he sees me outside, he will follow me-but from a distance. Now, I can get about 2 feet from him before he takes off. The closest I've come to actual contact with him was when I dangled a piece of turkey cold cut in front of him hoping he'd take it from my hand. Instead, he lashed out with a paw (quicker than lightning) to get the meat. One of his claws got me on a finger drawing blood. I don't think he meant to attack per se; he was just after the food. He then grabs it and runs away before eating it.

So you think kitty will ever let me pet him or even hold him? Or is getting a couple of feet away-and having him follow me around until *I* turn around (and he takes a defensive two steps back) as tame as he's going to get?
Well, you are obviously feeding him/her well! The cat looks well nourished so good on you I have tried befriending wild animals too, badgers, foxes and hedgehogs. Managed to get to the stage that I could call them down for supper, one fox even brought her three very young cubs down and watched as I put food down for them (that really touched me as she obviously trusted me) but have never yet managed to get to the stage where I could actually touch them. Keep trying! Cats might be different but now that you have startd feeding the cat, please don't stop! It will have come to rely on you for food, it looks a really gorgeous cat, I really wish you luck in taming it
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Old 01-12-2012, 05:45 PM
 
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I'm adopting a cat tomorrow who looks just like that cat, except she is much smaller (6 pounds). The people I am getting her from got her from outside (not sure if she was feral or abandoned, but she was very young). It took months of outdoor feeding until they finally got her inside---and then some months to acclimate her to indoor living. She is now the cuddliest cat in the world and shows no desire to go outside. The problem is that she still doesn't get along with their other three cats, so that's why they are giving her up.

But that shows it can be done, over several months. Good luck!
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Old 01-12-2012, 06:14 PM
 
Location: Monadnock region
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sometimes yes, sometimes no. depends on the cat, and how long it has been feral. If you leave it outside on its own but feeding it regularly, maybe - but probably not (unless the cat remembers having lived with people and enjoying them). If you take it in, sequester it until it stops being so afraid and gets used to you.. sure.
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Old 01-14-2012, 08:03 PM
 
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We bought our house with a feral that lived on the back patio. The prior owner had fed it for a couple of years when we moved in.

It was a medium sized cat with huge fur standing out. We called it BFer for Big Fluff.

We fed here and coaxed her to civilize for many years. after about 5 or 6 my wife was allowed to touch her. After about 8 years my wife could actually handle her very carefully. Kind of like petting a loaded gun.

As she got old she began to tolerate me. I could touch her and even stroke her a little when feeding her.

As she got to 15 yo or so she begin to have trouble. We slipped her a mickey and took her to our vet. She sat there very proudly with this red sticker on her cage that she was feral and only to be handled with gloves.

She died within the year and we scattered her ashes in the yard.

She was never civilized but did agree to tolerate us.

Miss ole BFer...even thought about trapping a feral and trying to convince it to stay with us. But it is the wrong thing. If it does not happen naturally it just is not right.
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Old 01-14-2012, 08:29 PM
 
Location: Pittsburgh area
9,912 posts, read 24,527,214 times
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Well there could be a law that says you "own" a cat if you feed it, but it sure doesn't work that way. Do we really ever own a cat?

You may eventually be able to interact more closely with him. They younger he is, the more likely that might be. Presumably this guy is actually feral. If instead he was abandoned, he should warm up pretty quickly I would think as he would have had earlier contact with people. I don't know what quickly is, though. If it's been a long time, that might be weeks or months I suppose. If feral, though, if you really want him to do something like come inside the house or whatever, that's going to be years or perhaps forced a bit at first (you'd have to pick him up and bring him in at some point, most likely).

Either way it wouldn't be a bad idea to trap him and get him a medical checkup at some point and have him neutered during that time if he isn't already.
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Old 01-14-2012, 09:24 PM
 
Location: Philaburbia
41,699 posts, read 74,634,436 times
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What a pretty face!

Give the kitty time. He may or may not ever become a lap cat, or he might tolerate one pat on the head and that's it. Be patient, let him get used to you being close by, talk to him.

Are you planning to bring him into your house, or leave him as an outside cat?
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Old 01-15-2012, 12:14 AM
 
Location: Metromess
11,798 posts, read 25,075,985 times
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I've been feeding two semi-ferals for about three years, and it took about two years before they would allow me to touch them. Now they are quite affectionate, although still skittish and easily startled. But that is what keeps them alive. Just give it time. I doubt that he'll ever be a lap cat, but he'll gradually warm to you if you don't push it.
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Old 01-16-2012, 11:08 AM
 
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I agree with catman...if you trap them like greg42 suggests..after you let them go, you may never see them again.
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Old 01-16-2012, 01:07 PM
 
Location: Pittsburgh area
9,912 posts, read 24,527,214 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by purehuman View Post
I agree with catman...if you trap them like greg42 suggests..after you let them go, you may never see them again.
OP suggests this isn't the only feral/stray in the area. They multiply fast. It's true that neutering just the one may not slow that progression much. If it were me, I would trap and neuter/spay as many as I could of a known feral population near my house. If that meant that the personable one decided to change his mind at that point and stop coming around, I'd have to live with it.

If others are not inclined to be so involved, that's fine, but don't be surprised when a few cats hanging around turns into dozens in just a couple years, unless someone else is removing them.

You can attempt to take the cat in of course after trapping. That would take a lot of patience and work, but it can be done perhaps. Easier if they're younger.

The interesting thing is if there are several cats around but just one comes up to the house, perhaps it is just a stray that's been out there a long time after all. If that's the case, then reintroducing to a house environment wouldn't be as difficult as with a true feral.
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