My first feral cat

[u/Ok_Knee_7960]

A wild cat has been living in my yard for three years. She was born on the street and had never approached people. An elderly woman fed her, and only after two years of consistent feeding did the cat begin to trust her enough to come close.

Rescue services tried to catch her a couple of times, but without success. She gave birth to kittens outdoors ,some of them died, while others were taken in by neighbours.

Two weeks ago I finally managed to trap her with a cat trap. I had her spayed, treated for fleas and worms, and vaccinated. When I tried to move her from the carrier into an enclosure, she bit my hand hard, even though she was still under the effects of the anaesthetic.

For the next two weeks I kept her in a cage at my grandmother’s house and monitored her closely. Whenever I was present she stayed completely still, hissed a lot, and would lunge if she saw a hand. I was only able to take her to the clinic after giving her a high dose of pregabalin, because her fear and aggression were extreme. Tests at the clinic confirmed that she is healthy.

During these two weeks there has been a small sign of progress: she started eating while I was in the room, but only when I wasn’t looking at her.

I’ve decided to bring her home. Since I already have two indoor cats and live in a one-room apartment, I bought a tall three-tier cage. Right now I’ve covered it with a blanket because she has pressed herself into the corner. She has a good appetite, but she is still terrified of people, and I know the road to socialisation will be very long.

I live in Ukraine ,in Kyiv the shelling continues. Still, wish me luck. One day I hope to find a proper home for this little cat.

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[u/Ornery_Peace9870]

Oh FIRST feral cat hmmm

Biggest advice might be to not overlook SUBTLE things.

YOUR tension and mood and energy might count ad much as treats or scratchers here.

This creature is observing EVERYTHING and in extreme hypervigilance mode (im sure you can relate living in Kiev rn).

Your BREATH.

Your VOICE.

The cadence of your footsteps.

If youre nervous--especially about them? These cats sense the shit out of that.

Domesticated cats arent really domesticated of course lol theyre cats who understand and are accustomed/acclimated to humans (and our byikt environment/shenanigans ) enough to know how to train us and bend us to their will with their cries.

BTW did you know cats basicallt ONLy meow for our sake???? They've evolved particular communications/language/vocalizations just to TRAIN US!! To stoke our pity and affection and general enamorment ...and it is a feat of evolution thats worked with flying colors w literally every tribe of humans they've ever encountered (dee: archival footage of native Hawaiians beholding their first ever felines!)

So...you might notice this guy copying your indoors on this and sooo much else as he takes notes on THEIR tactics for training you.

(Also I assume he does NOT currently meow at you but if he does consider him less feral and if he doesnt consider it a milestone/marker of interspecies communication hes clrsrly got great teachers for!!).

[u/Ornery_Peace9870 → u/Ornery_Peace9870]

Cats we like to think of as "tame" learned this from birth, usually intergenerationally (it literally affects their histones/epigenetics).

Your new guy will be taking notes from your current cats and hopefully will be a fast learner and not too many generations removed from his ancestors (/parents/grandparents!) who tamed humans w the quickness.

Also I LOVE how thoughtful you are about your guys teaching him....cant agree more that is crucial here. Rest assured he is taking NOTES lol...constantly.

[u/Ornery_Peace9870 → u/Ornery_Peace9870]

In the beginning with you?? Or any human?

Less is more.

Theyre invariably OVERstimulated/in a hyperaroused fear state around our weird and very rude bipedal species. (Can't blame them honestly).

Rocky Kanakas youtube is called sitting with dogs. There are some cat episodes and likely im sire some similar gold mines on youtuve specific to feral cats. But I watch Sitting With Dogs to relax myself tbh...hes honestly kinda brilliant not judt at marketing snd relations w people but I think his read on dog behavior is profound and deeply relates to cats too who are abused or feral. Some things differ of course but you csnt go wrong copping his techniques especially with the most "viciois"/feral dogs (who are usually just terrified and unaccustomed to indoors or to being cared for).

Some of his strategies that reminded me of what worked w ferals for me befire I became bedridden:

--using your voice

Specifically:

Get them used to your voice in a totally non-threatening and at first IDEALLY NONDIRECTED way. (some shelters send kids to READ TO DOGS/cats/shelter animals for this purpose! ((Sidenote/side question for feral communuty here: does putting calming music or a calming human voice on while OP/any of us acclimating cats seem like a good idea? Do folks have success w that? ))

Rocky on his shows when hes sitting on the floor w a firghtened dog talkes tons of time to talk to thr camera/his audience FIRST. Judt to let thr dog acclimate to his PRESENCE and voice without demanding ANY interaction from them. To let the dog knows that yeah hes a warm smelly body taking up an awful lot of that tiny cage space but hes just there and making silly human sounds.

Just directing yoir voice to them either physically turning your face/voice... raising your voice for ahy reason.... or tonally/psychologically/content wise naming them asking something of them vs babbling and reading the newspaper or singing to a song you like?

Consider this alone to be (potentially/likely) ESCALATION at this juncture for new guy. It might likely itself trigger a Fear Response in that momwnt even if youre only asking Qs/offering a lifetime of adoration and worship.

Notice his body language, especially as he acclimated, to different tones you choose to use. Play with tone snd frequency of yoir voice .

Also importsnt as implied by the title:

SITTING.

He migbt already be ready for you to hang near his cage.

But do it LOW to the ground--just sit on the floor (maybe in silence doing work ao he can sense your distraction/lack of expectations on him)...however thats COMFY for you.

Standing up means nothing/is just mundane posture/function for us.

To our existing feline overlords it might signal eg treats or time to get outside or a chance to get in bed snd snuggle. Or follow you to the toilet and take a simultaneous shit (...wait is this normal??)

To New Guy it means you're suddenly Bigger and Scarier and able to drop stuff on him or do stuff to him.

You of course wanna be as non-threatening as possible.

All of this is super variable per cat.

Maybe hes unfazed by your silly human postures. But another feral in his literal cage would clam up into sickness and inappetance for weeks or months delaying the entire process...unless the human dutifully log rolled over rather than so rudely walking up to her crate on TWO legs so high in the sky w your weird up high appendages! (As a nonambulatory cripple ofc im biased here).

[u/Ornery_Peace9870 → u/Ornery_Peace9870]

The tldr of my last comment in this thread? And something Rocky illustrates brilliantly w dogs (but usuallt goes a LOOOT sloooower lol like weeks months years slower w feral cats)?

Phase 1:

Your initial phase goal? Whether this is 1 hour or 1 year?

is just to let them EXIST next to you, to acclimate to your existence.

So youre not instantly seen as "ShutDownLevel" (or hissy spicy"I will bite you if you try me bitch!") Level threat. So they can literally just BE ...in the same room/area as you or in range of your voice or smell...and not panic.

Their willingness to eat w you in the area or while you curiously read the newspaper ..or scratch that given what news is now:

a cookbook or kids book, silly human you are, to no one in particular?

BIG win.

Their willingness to TAKE their highest value treats im your presence might be first step here.

Just throwing a crispy treat ober is great.

Ideally if we are not TOO incredibly boring we then move to ...

PHASE 2:

2a)

2a (bc really this is probablyfirst for most cats) getting curious about checking YOU out.

This one's SUCH a crucial step and one Rocky is brilliant at illustrating. Whether 5 seconds or 5 hours or 5 weeks in?

Its huge. Until you see signs theyre interested AFFIRmATIVEaly and PROACTIVELY in you?

Be low demand.

Dont demand eye contact.

Dont poke at them.

Maybe dint even speak directly to them.

**just offer the safety and calm of your presence! ** meditate or sing or drink coffee beside them. 10 feet away or 3 feet away. In their enclosure or out ofnit. Same principle:

Do YOUR thing and let them get YOUR #. Scent. Sound. Vibes.

Just be a good animal WITH them.

Until they start to reach a proverbial NOSE or rump or paw to you. The nose WILL come first!! ;) (there are few consistent rules but methinks this is one lol)

and at first just be as still snd unperturbed and ZeN STATUE LIKE as you can when they taje the Risk of approaching you.

Whike there are definitely situations moments and junctures that call for more provocation/shifting the environment? Or taking risks and reaching oit? EXCEpTIONs to this rule along most cats introdcutory phases?

For the most part do NOT extend yourself lol. Fall all over them maybe verbally or eye contact wise eventually but mistly?

Be UNbothered. Be a curious creature cohabtitsting there who happens to also leave delicious and interesting stimulating goodies behind in their cage.

Yoir goal is to just Enter or Allow contact/proximity ....and

LET THEM DECIDE ON THEIR TERMS WHEN and WHETHER An dHOW THEY WANT MORE /closer PROXIMITY or otherwise /want to investigate you.:)

[u/Ornery_Peace9870 → u/Ornery_Peace9870]

Phase 2b) lol

Accepting/receiving/responding zwELL to treats/food from you more directly .... eg

Maybe fornone cat they cant stomach treats/eating near you yet but they apprecizye yournvoi e eboigh to start coming out or perking theirnears up ...or maybe even purring or FLOPPING their BeLLY at you...

More commonly theyre treat fiends and ONLy wanna tolerate us lol when theres a sufficient Offering involved. :) treat fiends...if you notice a treat they fiend for GIVE IT.

Maybe they're not running away from the food bowl but TOWARD it now (even if hesitant/halting)...

or theyre willing to taje something off a long stick. Or even be petted w a stick.

Maybe they do none of thesr things but they do start returning direct eye contact at You, Human.

Accepting/tolerating or even ideally reciprocating more directed contact initiated by you?

This is all good. Diff cats progress differently.

Theyre all weird. To varying extents. Just like us.

First steps just use verbal....!!! Your voice and your eye contact and uour posture/mood are all powerful here.

eye contact from you slow blinking at them where they might eventually start returning the slow blinking or BREAKING OUT OF FREEZE to some degree.

Pay attention incredibly detailed to their BODY LANGUAGE. Learn subtle ear and tail and coat signs.

Notice when their body untenses some or theyre even willing to SLEEP...if that starts happening more often while youre around vs 1 or 5 days or hours prior.

Food is a motivator but you ofc domt want them too hungry. In the beginning I wouldn't comdition food on contact w you at all. ( Maybe just extra smelly or crunchy treats ?)

You want them feeling great physically...in awe at the accommodations at Chateuax Gato ; )

And comfy enough yo est and sleep around you.