Feral Cat Taming
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So, for the past couple weeks, a young cat has been hanging around my backyard. He's gorgeous, black with a white chest, underbelly and paws, and the most beautiful mint green eyes I've ever seen. He's pretty much an exact copy of the older cat (we assume to be his father) who used to reside in the woods next to my house. I've decided to name him Dexter, and I've been attempting to tame him recently. Unless it's raining (which it's starting to do a lot) he's pretty much always hanging out inside our fence. He's gotten along well with our dog, and has exchanged a few interested glances with my cat from behind the pool cage.
He is, however, very shy with people. I've been leaving cat food out on our deck for him which he never fails to find and inhale. I talk to him, try to acclimate him to sudden noises and movement, and he's gotten a little better. But he still doesn't like me close.
He has been feral his whole life. When he was a very small kitten he visited us a few times. He is now getting older and I think it would be in his best interest if he was domesticated, fixed, brought to a vet and brought into a home.
I've considered setting up an elaborate trap including a dog kennel and a piece of string, but would rather have him approach me first rather than cause him undue stress and force him into something -- potentially causing more skittishness.
Does anyone here have any tips on how to make domesticating a cat quicker and easier?
He is, however, very shy with people. I've been leaving cat food out on our deck for him which he never fails to find and inhale. I talk to him, try to acclimate him to sudden noises and movement, and he's gotten a little better. But he still doesn't like me close.
He has been feral his whole life. When he was a very small kitten he visited us a few times. He is now getting older and I think it would be in his best interest if he was domesticated, fixed, brought to a vet and brought into a home.
I've considered setting up an elaborate trap including a dog kennel and a piece of string, but would rather have him approach me first rather than cause him undue stress and force him into something -- potentially causing more skittishness.
Does anyone here have any tips on how to make domesticating a cat quicker and easier?
WildOracle (#1383)
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06-29-2011 at 4:07 PM
When you feed him hang around the bowl and spend loads of time outside around him. Thats what I had to do for my cat:) She is still really shy but around me she isn't since I spent the entire summer feeding her, staying around her and eventually petting her.
PitBull (SmSK Breeding - Side Account) (#14586)
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06-29-2011 at 12:23 AM
My friend adopted a very shy kitten from a shelter, and one day he got out of the house. He was too scared to come back, since he had no human contact for his whole life. He's been living feral for about a year now, and I started feeding him around October. During the cold winter nights you could hear him crying, so we put some food close to the door and slowly and gradually moved it inwards the house until he could step in and we could close the doors. His brother was my kitten, Cody, who died last February, but his other brother, Sweety, owned by the same person as Bosco (the feral one) helped him out a little bit by coaxing him in. x3 Sweety is properly socialized and LOVES people. Then, in December, I got 2 dogs, and Bosco was scared off. Now he doesn't even come near my house. :( He stays up the street now, and eats the food my friend leaves out for her outdoor cats.
Steaks (#5484)
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06-28-2011 at 11:28 PM
Feral cats don't trust people naturally. Trapping him will make him freak out and never come around you again.<br>I say, just feed him and talk to him and after a while he may let you pet him.