Taming Stray Cats
@twistedangelwings (350)
Australia
September 23, 2007 6:48am CST
We've currently got two cats (approx 6 months old) locked in our catery that are well and truly strays. Me being me I've completely and utterly fallen head over heals with their cuteness and little personalities.
These little guys understandably don't particularly like people, actually terrified would be a better word. You can barely even get close to them let alone touch them. I never planned on keeping them (already have 4 of our own, which requires a council permit as it is) once I rescued them from a relatives place, but was hoping I could humanise them a bit to enable us to rehome them. We've had strays before which we have both kept and rehomed elsewhere without any problem, but these guys are quite determined.
My mother phoned around to the shelters here, all of which said 'no hope, need to get them put down.' So last week while I was at work, she phoned the local council and has arranged for them to be collected (there was a waiting list of about a week which means pick up could be any day this coming week.)
I'm officially being extremely optomistic that I'm suddenly going to win them over (while deep down knowing the worse will be). Needless to say I'm fighting against time and have run out of ideas.
Anyone have any success stories (and therefore ideas) on getting stray, anti people cats tamed?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@aweaver4 (138)
• United States
23 Sep 07
yeah i've heard that if they get past 12 weeks being feral, theres probably no hope changing that. the best thing for them is probably to get them fixed and then let them loose again. maybe they can be outside cats? my friend just recently took in a feral kitten about 6 weeks old and it still took weeks before she came around. and shes still not good with strangers yet after two months. kittens need interaction at a super young age and if they miss that, then they're pretty much going to be feral. sorry :( hopefully you can find a safe place for them to be outside strays
@ElicBxn (63643)
• United States
23 Sep 07
I'm afraid at 6 months, there really isn't any hope. The best you could do is to get them to not run when you feed them. I have 3 that were caught between 5-8 weeks. They are now between 7-3 yrs old. The 3 yr old will decided to come for pets, the 4 yr old will tollerate being pet if she's feeling trapped & the 7 yr old, if caught, will lay there & try to escape without hurting us. I'm afraid that at 6 months there really is no hope. The group I'm working with says that they can be flipped, with a lot of work, up to 8 weeks, but after that its too late.
@rosie_123 (6113)
•
23 Sep 07
Yes - I've done it loads of times over the years. It just needs time and patience - loads of both. My Clarence (in photo) was totally wild when he turned up in my neighbourhood - he was terrified of people, and had obviously been abused. He was mangy, straggly, un-neutered, and a bit of a disaster! But I fell in love with him, and it took me 9 months to get him to even sleep on a blanket in my garage at night, and a further 6 until he came into my house. Even now I would bw lying if I said he was the friendliest of cats - he will let me pick him up and stroke him, - but no one else can come near him. I would never part with him though - I have 5 others who he gets on well with - why not have him as well! About the Shelters - well I know it is different here in England - no animal - no matter how wild would ever be put down. We have loads of charities here that make sure they are looked after for life - even if they can't be rehomed. Euthaniasia is never an option unless the animal is sick and has no quality of life. It would break my heart to think of your poor little souls dying so young when time would help them, but I know different countries have different lawa and rules.
@isaiah12 (416)
• United States
23 Sep 07
We have taken in a few strays. Some have been more timid then others. My parents took in a stray once. The neighbor had a female cat that was always out and he never fixed her. She had a few litters while we lived next door. And the kittens became strays. We took some of them in. There was one that was real timid. There was a storm and the mother cat took two of the kittens with her to shelter, but left the last one outside. My parents were afraid it would not last out the storm. We had tried to get near it in the past with no success. So my father propped the back door open and my mother put a can of cat food in the backroom. My father hide out back by the door and waited until the kitten came in for the food then shut the door. The cat has not left since. It took them along time to tame him. He would not let you touch him or pick him up. He spent alot of time under the bed. But they never pushed it. They just gave him time to come to them. Now when my father sits in his chair at night to watch TV the cat will curl up in his lap. I know it is hard, but some just need alot of love and time.
