Feral cats have almost or no direct contact with humans. Many feral cats are born in the wild, some are abandoned or stray cats. Regardless of their origin, feral cats are generally afraid of interacting with humans, and are more likely to scratch or bite you instead of sitting on your lap (at least in the beginning). Because of this fear, taming feral cats can be difficult. Once you've made up your mind to tame a stray cat, it's going to take a lot of time and patience.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Bringing a Stray Cat Home
Step 1. Prepare a space for the stray cat
He should be placed in an enclosed space until he gets used to you and his new environment. Set up a small, quiet room, such as a bathroom, away from people and other pets. Have a litter box (a place to go to the toilet), a food bowl, a water bowl, and some toys in the room.
- Make sure the windows and doors of the room are closed to prevent them from escaping. Also check to see if the room has a hole through which to escape.
- If there are shelves in the room, get rid of anything he could drop.
- Create a number of hiding places in the room (for example, an inverted cardboard with holes in it).
- For at least a few days, use organic soil as a place to defecate – feral cats will be more familiar with the soil than the sand used for pet cats.
- Light up the room with a table lamp instead of a headlight on the ceiling. Low-light conditions will help feral cats feel more secure in their new environment.
- To get him used to human smells, place old clothes (e.g. socks, sweaters) in the room.
- Stray cats will need at least a few hours to get used to it.
Step 2. Place the animal basket complete with the trap cage in the room
You will need to take the stray cat to the veterinarian to give it the care it needs (eg vaccinations, deworming, testing for feline viral diseases such as FeLV and FIV). Moving stray cats is easier to do in a pet basket than a direct trap cage.
- Leave the pet basket door open and have blankets and pet treats inside to make it more comfortable.
- Cover the cage with a towel to create another safe hiding place for the stray cat.
Step 3. Catch the stray cat
Don't be surprised if a stray cat immediately runs away when you try to approach it. Setting up a humane trap for live animals is the only safe way to catch and bring stray cats into your home. Such traps have been designed so that the door will close when the cat steps on a panel at the base of the cage.
- To lure him into the cage, place some tasty treats near the back wall of the cage.
- The cat may be afraid of the sound of the door closing when he steps on the enclosure panel but he won't be hurt.
- You can buy humane trap cages at online stores. Also consider contacting the nearest animal shelter and inquire about the possibility of borrowing the trap cage they have.
- Cover the base of the cage with comfortable bedding (towels or blankets).
Step 4. Feed the stray cat outside
Taming a stray cat must be done in your home. However, stray cats' fear of dealing with humans can be problematic when you bring them into your home. Feeding him outside the home can help him begin to trust you or most believe that you will feed him.
Feed him at the same time every day
Method 2 of 3: Touching a Stray Cat
Step 1. Accompany the stray cat for a few moments without touching it
Once the cat has had enough time to get used to it, start interacting with it to get used to dealing with humans. To prevent scratches and bites, wear long sleeves, long pants, gloves, and shoes when you enter the room. It's also a good idea to have a cardboard plank ready in case he pounces on you.
- Set a regular schedule to spend time with the stray every day-making a routine will help him get used to your home.
- Knock on the door before you enter, and enter slowly.
- Talk to him in a low voice while you take care of him (eg cleaning the toilet, filling the food, and changing the water).
- Don't make eye contact with a stray cat-he may see this as aggression. Avoid eye contact and keep your head down.
- When he starts to feel comfortable with you, sit with him for about an hour every morning and evening. Apart from talking to him, you can also read a book or work in silence on your laptop.
- never ever try to touch the cat from the start together. Trying to touch a stray cat at this time will likely make the cat scratch, bite, or hiss at you.
Step 2. Play with the stray cat
Playing with him helps him feel more comfortable with you before you can touch him. Purchase a light cat toy from your local pet store and let him play with his toys while you are in the same room with him. You can also make your own cat fishing toy: glue a small piece of cloth to a string, and attach the string to a small stick.
Do not let him play with fishing toys unattended. She can swallow the strings, which can get stuck in the intestines and require intensive care from a veterinarian
Step 3. Watch the feral cat's readiness from its body language
Petting a stray cat is fraught with danger-it can be on alert and attack you out of fear. By paying attention to his body language, you'll know if he's comfortable enough to move on to the next stage of the interaction. Body language that shows he's not comfortable enough is trying to pounce on you and growl at you with his ear pressed flat against the side of his head.
- He can also hiss if he doesn't want you to touch him.
- If he seems calm when you're around him, this can be a pretty good sign that he's ready to be touched.
Step 4. Get used to the stray cat with your hands
Since he's still wary of interacting with humans, he'll need some time to get used to your hands. First, start by placing your hands flat on the floor with your palms touching the floor. Let him approach you and smack himself against your leg, arm, or hand.
- Resist the temptation to pet him. His trial and error on you is his way of testing whether you are a threat or not.
- At first, put some distance between him and your hand. When he starts to feel comfortable with your hands, bring your hands and body close to the cat.
- You should let the cat initiate the interaction. He can attack you if you start first.
Step 5. Pet the stray cat
Petting a stray cat can feel like a proving moment-will he accept or attack you? Have the toy close to your hand and place your hand on the floor. When he approaches, sniffs, and nudges your hand, take this as a sign to slowly raise your hand up to his eye level.
- Let your hand be at eye level for a few moments, then start stroking it.
- Pay attention to his body language-tightening muscles, wagging tail, wide eyes, and flattened ears are all signs you need to stop petting him and give him some space.
- For the first time, try not to pet it too long. Better stop petting him before he tells you.
Step 6. Pick up the stray cat
If the stray cat is still small, you can try picking him up and placing him on your lap once he feels more comfortable being petted. Keep in mind that he's still a wild animal, so cover him gently with a towel (leaving room to pinch the nape) so you don't get scratched or bitten.
- Arrange his body so that his head is facing the opposite direction from your body. Gently pinch the neck. Pinch the part of the skin as close to the ear as possible, making sure you don't pinch too tightly.
- Gently lift him up and equally gently sit the cat on your lap. If he allows, pet and talk to him in a soothing voice.
- Even if the kitten is pinned by its mother, don't be surprised if a stray kitten doesn't like being pinched by you. Read her body language to determine if she likes or doesn't like being pinned.
- never ever trying to hold a stray cat from its front side.
Step 7. Comb the stray cat hair
Combing a stray cat not only makes it more comfortable to interact with humans but also helps you keep their skin and coat healthy. Use a soft pet brush. You can also comb it with a flea comb to get rid of fleas.
- Combs and brushes are available at your local pet store.
- Flea attacks on stray kittens can be very dangerous and result in anemia which can be fatal. In addition to combing with a flea comb, she will also need flea control (available from your vet).
Method 3 of 3: Determining Your Ability to Tame a Stray Cat
Step 1. Estimate how wild the cat is
A stray cat can be completely feral (no experience or only bad experience with humans), half-wild (has some experience with good humans), or abandoned wild (abandoned domesticated cat that goes half-wild). A completely feral cat will be the most difficult to tame while a stray cat is the easiest.
- Half-wild cats beg for food from humans but don't seek intimate interactions. Their minimal interaction with humans has taught them important social cues from the human world.
- Semi-wild cats are sometimes called 'complex cats' or other names based on the community in which they roam.
Step 2. Estimate the feral cat's age
Estimating the age of a feral cat can help you determine how difficult it is to tame it. Kittens, especially those under 10 to 12 weeks of age, are usually easy to tame. Old feral cats that have been wild for a very long time are usually very difficult to tame, even if they can still be tamed.
- Feral kittens should not be separated from their mothers until they are weaned (around four weeks of age).
- If you see a stray kitten with its mother, catch both mother and kitten at the same time. Keep them together in your home until the kitten is fully weaned. Contact your local animal shelter to have the mother sterilized and returned to her environment.
Step 3. Determine your ability to tame feral cats
Taming a stray cat is a difficult endeavor and there is no guarantee that taming it will be successful. As well as being challenging, taming a cat can take a long time: a feral kitten can be tamed in as little as two to six weeks, but an adult feral cat can take a year or more to become tame.
- Getting a stray cat to get used to and socialize with your home environment can take several hours each day, and it can last for months. Ask yourself if you can afford a daily commitment like this.
- Paying for a stray cat's health needs will likely be very expensive. Make sure you are in sufficient financial condition to meet the needs of the stray cat.
Tips
- You better tame a stray cat only if You plan to keep it.
- No need to be disappointed if you fail to tame a stray cat. Not all feral cats can be tamed to live with humans.
- Domesticated feral cats may tend to shut down. Give him as much space as he wants.
- Stray cats are usually not suitable for adoption as they tend to feel attached only to the person who tamed them.
- If you feel comfortable doing this, pet the cat gently and gently.
Warning
- As the name implies, feral cats are wild animals. You can get scratched or bitten if you're not careful how you interact with stray cats. Contact your local vet or animal shelter if you are unfamiliar with catching and handling stray cats.
- Feral cats are susceptible to exposure to a variety of conditions, such as climatic influences (e.g., strong winds, rain), infections, and attacks from other animals. The stray kitten mortality rate is almost 50%.
