Good Day Folks:
A few mornings ago, I spent a bit of time reading the FACEBOOK group page. I came across a topic on the discussion board, that I think bears special note, & is worth repeating. For those considering adopting a feral cat and question whether it's a good choice, the question was asked whether or not feral cat can be tamed. My belief is that every feral cat can be tamed to some degree. I have rescued 249+ cats since May 2006, mostly feral. Kittens are easier to tame, but there are no guarantees, as I have had 6 - 8 week old kittens (such as Ickory) grow into adults while waiting for a patient adopters to give them a chance. Oreo, a tough male feral who had an injured paw is now the king of his home, with another shy kitty to keep him and his human keepers company. I have a female feral in my home who still won't let me pat her, after 2 years, but Luba-lou loves to eat from my hand and rubs stuff near me.
Here are a few stories from other feral cat parents.
Christina writes:
BatCat has been with me a year and finally began to let me pet him this summer and fall, on his own terms (i.e. he approaches me, not the other way around)... He pretty much hid for the first few months we lived together. That being said, now he spends a lot of time hanging out near me, eats treats from my hand and often just sits in a room with me... He also likes to rub is face on furniture near me, get up on my bed and sleep by my feet... He meows for a scoop of food or a treat and politely waits for me to hand it to him even though I leave the bag of food open by his dish... He wouldn't dare overstep hahaha... He's awesome and I wouldn't trade him... He totally deserves a good life and now he has one thanks to you and me!
Lauri wrote:
I as well have two feral cats living in our home with our other 12 regular cats. They do just fine. We have had them almost two years. We trapped them from a big colony when they were about 3-4 months old. While one of them was easier to tame, the other one just NOW lets us pet her on her head from time to time. Ferals make great pets, you should have to know that you most likely will never be able to pet them or hold them, just love them from a distance, as they will love you from a distance as well. If you are lucky enough to be able to pet your feral cat then that is just such a huge bonus. But they all deserve love, all of them.
Janice's story:
FERALS CAN BE TAMED .. Two of my five cats are ferals, (adopted from Sonya) They progressed at different rates, and have such different personalities. It's been very rewarding to see my ferals become comfortable in my home, to see them learning to trust me. They had no problem integrating with the other cats.
Flare, unknown age, hid out for months. He's still skittish, and contact is on his terms, he may race off when I approach, but a minute later he's snuggling up to me on the couch. he's the first one on the bed at nite, and insisting on his rubbing. The other younger feral is now my shadow, begging to be on my lap EVEN in the bathroom.. but she will not sleep on the bed nite time. They play like kittens, I think the five of them have a night time bowling league .. the noise they make racing about!
I'm certain they enjoy their comfortable life inside, and don't miss all the hazards they faced outside. A sudden movement or cough can send the ferals scurrying off ... reminds me that they may never overcome the need to be constantly alert.
It's been more rewarding for me to open my home to the ferals, I look back on the progress they've made, the first couple of months I thought there was no hope of ever touching Flare, now he insists on his Loving...
Rosie's Katts:
I've had Monkey since she was four months old. I'd trapped her along with two brothers & a sister. Even at nine years old, she is still developing. As she's more exposed to people, she gets more used to people being around. Several moves have also helped her come out of herself. She's been extremely helpful with the foster kitts I've worked with this past year, & even now, as Jenni begins her life as a house feral, Monkey has for the most part been tolerant. She's taken this past year in stride, with all the foster kitts coming & going. She's ever curious, is definitely the Queen of her domain. She loves crinkled up newspaper, as it's a favourite sleeping place. Boxes make wonderful dens. I've seen times when a new cat house would come in the door, & every time, she'll abandoned the new digs for a box, any day. She eats from my hand & is extremely affectionate, actually giving kisses to us. She loves to share my cheese with me and is a wonderful companion. I don't think I'd describe her as tame, though, as when she gets scared, she hides, from even me, & won't come to me when called, until the danger is passed. Monkey & her brother Timmy progressed at very different rates, though they were siblings. Timmy was much more afraid, & while he was ok with just me, additional chaos wasn't his thing.
Jenni too, even at this early stage, after three & a half months, is making great strides in her rehab as a house pet. She now prefers to be out with the rest of the pets here. She loves a piece of string, or favourite cat nip treat, often rolling around on her back with the toy in her hands, sliding along the floor on her back. She takes treats from my hand, as she does an entire meal, straight from my hand. Yesterday, for the first time, while out in the house, she's allowed me to scratch her cheek, when I gave her her meal. She's now eating at the same mealtime as the rest of the house, allowing me to approach, without hissing, with her portion. She's curious, though it will take her a while to trust. No one knows what happened to her out there, but I can tell you, humans are not her favourite people. It's my hope that someone will want to adopt her, allowing her the time she needs to develop & she'll find her furr-ever home.
So, there you have it. In the testimonies of feral parents, the verdict is clear. Ferals make awesome companions, can learn to trust, can become affectionate, & just like domestic cats, have Very different personalities. Please consider giving a feral a home. While, it's true, that establishing a bond with your feral, make take time, the bond that can happen is so rewarding, why wouldn't you adopt one. They need someone to love & understand them. It's easy to love the cute & cuddly, & we need that. But it's so incredibly rewarding to bond with a cat that most consider unlovable, & unadoptable. They will surprise you, & even exceed your expectations.
If only I had space and time, I am sure I could eventually tame most feral cats. I have changed my rescue more towards TNR these days, to save a greater number of kittens from being born.
For more information on our adoptable ferals, or to volunteer call me, Sonya.
Prevent A Litter - Fix Your Critter!
Sonya Higgins
Chairman/Director, "Sonya's Cat & Animal Rescue Society"
Phone: 469-MEOW (469-6369)Email: katsonya@accesswave.ca
Pet Finder Web Address:http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/NS28.html
A few mornings ago, I spent a bit of time reading the FACEBOOK group page. I came across a topic on the discussion board, that I think bears special note, & is worth repeating. For those considering adopting a feral cat and question whether it's a good choice, the question was asked whether or not feral cat can be tamed. My belief is that every feral cat can be tamed to some degree. I have rescued 249+ cats since May 2006, mostly feral. Kittens are easier to tame, but there are no guarantees, as I have had 6 - 8 week old kittens (such as Ickory) grow into adults while waiting for a patient adopters to give them a chance. Oreo, a tough male feral who had an injured paw is now the king of his home, with another shy kitty to keep him and his human keepers company. I have a female feral in my home who still won't let me pat her, after 2 years, but Luba-lou loves to eat from my hand and rubs stuff near me.
Here are a few stories from other feral cat parents.
Christina writes:
BatCat has been with me a year and finally began to let me pet him this summer and fall, on his own terms (i.e. he approaches me, not the other way around)... He pretty much hid for the first few months we lived together. That being said, now he spends a lot of time hanging out near me, eats treats from my hand and often just sits in a room with me... He also likes to rub is face on furniture near me, get up on my bed and sleep by my feet... He meows for a scoop of food or a treat and politely waits for me to hand it to him even though I leave the bag of food open by his dish... He wouldn't dare overstep hahaha... He's awesome and I wouldn't trade him... He totally deserves a good life and now he has one thanks to you and me!
Lauri wrote:
I as well have two feral cats living in our home with our other 12 regular cats. They do just fine. We have had them almost two years. We trapped them from a big colony when they were about 3-4 months old. While one of them was easier to tame, the other one just NOW lets us pet her on her head from time to time. Ferals make great pets, you should have to know that you most likely will never be able to pet them or hold them, just love them from a distance, as they will love you from a distance as well. If you are lucky enough to be able to pet your feral cat then that is just such a huge bonus. But they all deserve love, all of them.
Janice's story:
FERALS CAN BE TAMED .. Two of my five cats are ferals, (adopted from Sonya) They progressed at different rates, and have such different personalities. It's been very rewarding to see my ferals become comfortable in my home, to see them learning to trust me. They had no problem integrating with the other cats.
Flare, unknown age, hid out for months. He's still skittish, and contact is on his terms, he may race off when I approach, but a minute later he's snuggling up to me on the couch. he's the first one on the bed at nite, and insisting on his rubbing. The other younger feral is now my shadow, begging to be on my lap EVEN in the bathroom.. but she will not sleep on the bed nite time. They play like kittens, I think the five of them have a night time bowling league .. the noise they make racing about!
I'm certain they enjoy their comfortable life inside, and don't miss all the hazards they faced outside. A sudden movement or cough can send the ferals scurrying off ... reminds me that they may never overcome the need to be constantly alert.
It's been more rewarding for me to open my home to the ferals, I look back on the progress they've made, the first couple of months I thought there was no hope of ever touching Flare, now he insists on his Loving...
Rosie's Katts:
I've had Monkey since she was four months old. I'd trapped her along with two brothers & a sister. Even at nine years old, she is still developing. As she's more exposed to people, she gets more used to people being around. Several moves have also helped her come out of herself. She's been extremely helpful with the foster kitts I've worked with this past year, & even now, as Jenni begins her life as a house feral, Monkey has for the most part been tolerant. She's taken this past year in stride, with all the foster kitts coming & going. She's ever curious, is definitely the Queen of her domain. She loves crinkled up newspaper, as it's a favourite sleeping place. Boxes make wonderful dens. I've seen times when a new cat house would come in the door, & every time, she'll abandoned the new digs for a box, any day. She eats from my hand & is extremely affectionate, actually giving kisses to us. She loves to share my cheese with me and is a wonderful companion. I don't think I'd describe her as tame, though, as when she gets scared, she hides, from even me, & won't come to me when called, until the danger is passed. Monkey & her brother Timmy progressed at very different rates, though they were siblings. Timmy was much more afraid, & while he was ok with just me, additional chaos wasn't his thing.
Jenni too, even at this early stage, after three & a half months, is making great strides in her rehab as a house pet. She now prefers to be out with the rest of the pets here. She loves a piece of string, or favourite cat nip treat, often rolling around on her back with the toy in her hands, sliding along the floor on her back. She takes treats from my hand, as she does an entire meal, straight from my hand. Yesterday, for the first time, while out in the house, she's allowed me to scratch her cheek, when I gave her her meal. She's now eating at the same mealtime as the rest of the house, allowing me to approach, without hissing, with her portion. She's curious, though it will take her a while to trust. No one knows what happened to her out there, but I can tell you, humans are not her favourite people. It's my hope that someone will want to adopt her, allowing her the time she needs to develop & she'll find her furr-ever home.
So, there you have it. In the testimonies of feral parents, the verdict is clear. Ferals make awesome companions, can learn to trust, can become affectionate, & just like domestic cats, have Very different personalities. Please consider giving a feral a home. While, it's true, that establishing a bond with your feral, make take time, the bond that can happen is so rewarding, why wouldn't you adopt one. They need someone to love & understand them. It's easy to love the cute & cuddly, & we need that. But it's so incredibly rewarding to bond with a cat that most consider unlovable, & unadoptable. They will surprise you, & even exceed your expectations.
If only I had space and time, I am sure I could eventually tame most feral cats. I have changed my rescue more towards TNR these days, to save a greater number of kittens from being born.
For more information on our adoptable ferals, or to volunteer call me, Sonya.
Prevent A Litter - Fix Your Critter!
Sonya Higgins
Chairman/Director, "Sonya's Cat & Animal Rescue Society"
Phone: 469-MEOW (469-6369)Email: katsonya@accesswave.ca
Pet Finder Web Address:http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/NS28.html
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