Feral Cat

[moosmom]

Just let her be. Eventually she'll come around once she feels safe. I had a feral kitty, LilEli, who wouldn't let me hold or touch him. I let him be and eventually he started coming up on my bed (the supine position is the least threatening to a cat) looking for pets. It took 3 years and he was still skittish.

It takes alot of patience to socialize a feral kitty, especially one who is 8 months old and feral. When she flops on the floor and exposes her belly, that is a sign that she trusts you, but not enough for you to touch her. When she does that, sit on the floor with her and toss her treats, speaking softly to her and slowly blinking your eyes.

You COULD get a crate and try to crate her. Take her out and wrap her in a towel with only her head exposed (it helps protect you from getting bitten and scratched) kissing and whispering to her. Keep doing it. She may come around sooner.

I hope she eventually DOES comes around. Be patient. It won't happen overnight or even in 6 months. It may not even happen at all. But ya know what?? That's okay. Cuz she's got you to care for her and she's safe. That's what counts.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[Freedom]

Very much like my Cuddles. Just let her progress at her own pace. It takes time for them to learn humans can be trusted. Cuddles has been with me for 14 months. She still wants to be invisible. We can't look directly at her, as she dashes off, terrified. As suggested in another post, Cuddles first started coming to me at night, about 2 AM. I am lying in bed, half asleep, can't really see her. And I do try NOT to look at her, even then. She now lets me pet her. In the past 2 or 3 weeks, if I waken and pet another cat, she makes a little mew and comes over to get her share. She started sleeping on my bed after about 4 months. She likes to be on my feet. She gets along with all the other cats fine.

Over time, I became aware of a certain toy she really enjoyed. (a catnip mouse, no surprise) I took to picking it up and delivering it to her, without looking at her, of course. At first I could only wave it in her direction and put it an inch closer than it was. Then I could give it an underhand toss towards her. Just don't throw it at her!

And I talk to her often, so she learns her name, the sound of my voice. Things that I do routinely, I started "singing" or "chanting," so she would be used to that. For example, each evening I clean litter boxes. So I announce, "I am scooping the poops now. Now I am scooping the poops." On and on, nonsense chatter really. But she stopped running and hiding under a bed when I am cleaning boxes. I was no longer moving randomly and posing a threat to her. I was announcing exactly where I was going.

Each time I fed them, she would run and hide and only come out to eat after I left the room. So first I started announcing "I'm putting the food in the dish, kibble for kitties," and so forth. Because she had a lot of adjustment issues, she eats in my bedroom. Once she seemed to relax a bit at feeding times, I would lie down on the bed after putting food in her dish. First time I did that, I stayed 10 minutes and she stayed under the bed. Over time, she now will eat with me in the room.

As you see what frightens her and what doesn't, you can make use of that information. As I have done with Cuddles. And as long as she makes progress, even though it be so slow you could scream, you have to let her do things at her pace and in her time. Perhaps her past, her background, may not have let her learn to trust people. In the extreme, like Cuddles, her past actually taught her people CAN'T be trusted.

One thing I have noticed with Cuddles: whatever her thoughts about us, she does know she has luxuries here. In 14 months, she has NEVER tried to slip out an open door, approach a window, or escape in any way. She has no interest in getting the bird out the window, or watching the squirrel. She enjoys her comforts. She just wishes these PEOPLE would go away, ha ha.

Rejoice in the little steps she takes!