How Do I Tame a Feral Cat Safely

Domestication of feral cat is a process, which is very patient, formal and demand thorough knowledge on feline behaviour. As compared to stray cats which lived in the past and had homes, feral cats did not experience much or any positive human interaction in their lives. They perceive humans as enemies and not fellow men and this makes the process of taming to be slow and even uncertain. The only way to overcome the fear and the trust gap is to adopt an orderly and safe manner. This blog encourages you to follow twenty important steps and turn a wild cat into your comfortable friend and have both of you safe.

Learn to live like a feral animal

The first thing that you need to understand is that a feral cat is in a state of endless survival. The animals use their instincts to avoid what they consider to be threatening to them. In human perception, man is a continuous temptation of the dangerous giants. There is no haste with the process since fear is an overwhelming feeling and can only disappear with time. It is time to learn how to respect their wild borders in order to develop a sustainable relationship.

Find Feral vs Stray

It is important to make a distinction between a real feral cat and a stray cat. Any disheveled looking cat can yet come up to you and demand food or even to be petted. Conversely, a feral cat will most probably cower down, evade eye contact and escape with any kind of movement. Learning about this discrepancy will make you have realistic targets of your progress. The stray cats tend to become easy to tame within a short period whereas the feral ones may take several months before they are willing to relax near human beings.

Workplace Set a Secure Work Environment

You have to have a room that is devoted and quiet in which the cat feels safe at the early years. The most appropriate space is a small bathroom or an unused bedroom since it does not allow areas of hiding and is comfortable. Where the cat can get trapped or become trapped behind walls make sure that there are no tiny crevantes in the room. In such a controlled environment the cat gets used to the smells and the sounds in your home. Stamping is also done in limited space; this means that you keep more tabs regarding the health and eating behavior of the cat.

Prioritize Your Safety

The first thing that comes into mind when dealing with an unsocialized animal is safety. Feral cats are bite/scratch fierce creatures who may attack and injure especially when they are cornered, or threatened. Thick gloves and long sleeves should be worn when you need to be close to the cat in the first one. Do NOT attempt to capture the cat by using the naked hands, or/and by confining the cat in such a tiny space. Their personal space is to be respected; this way would eliminate injuries and build the trusting process on the right track.

Determine a Feeding Program

The strongest object with which to win the favour of a feral cat is food. Set a good feeding system such that the cat becomes conditioned with you giving them food. Put the bowl of food somewhere and sit somewhere away as the cat feeds. In the long run, the cat would start anticipating you instead of being afraid. Regularity of time is useful in making the cat feel that its surroundings are predictable and secure.

Use High Value Treats

They could not be content with regular kibble to lure a very scared cat this way. Plain boiled chicken, tuna or liquid cat treats are high value treats, and these should be used to form a positive association. It is these succulent treats that manage to encourage a cat to come out of its hiding hole. Present these special treats only when in the room so as to cement the bond. This is one of the main components of the transition between fear and curiosity, which is defined by this kind of bribing.

Learn how to Sit Still

Spending time on the same space with the cat without moving is one of the best means that can help you to tame it. At least every day, spend at least thirty minutes sitting on the floor with the enclosure of the cat. You are able to read a book or scroll on your phone and you do not even pay attention to the cat. This demonstrates to the cat that you are not a predator who is ready to attack. Your motionlessness enables the cat to ignore you and look at you safe, as long as he remains at a distance.

Do Not Make direct eye contact

Giving a straight forward look in the feline world is a perceived threat or a challenge. Look at a feral cat, but then you just look soft to look at the side. Train on the slow blink in which one looks at the cat and closes and opens the eyes slowly. This is a global signal of danger in form of an advertisement. When the cat responds with a blink, then you have made a major break in communication.

Speak in Low Tones

The voice itself can turn out to be a helpful device in case you know how to use it. Always talk very low, in a soft rhythmic and languid manner when in the room. You may read your blog posts aloud or just explain to the cat what you did on a certain day. This would enable the cat to familiarize itself with your special voice without being overwhelmed. In an instant, days of gain may be lost due to some sudden loud noise or high-pitched shouts.

Introduce Your Scent

Smell or scent is one of the main aspects through which cats recognize what is around them and who is around them. Take an unwashed t-shirt or a pillowcase, which smells like you and approach the bedding of the cat. This will enable the cat to explore your smell in its own time even in your absence. Little by little, yours will be no more strange and unsafe when in their territory. This non-intrusive of bonding is effective as you even sleep in a different room.

Use Interactive Toys

After the cat has gotten tired of hiding all the time, play may be introduced with the help of a wand toy. A feathered rod slender in nature gives you an opportunity to play with the cat without going close to him. Play is a simulation of hunting activity and it is a way of releasing stress and energy that the cat is facing. It is also trusting because the cat is targeting the “prey” and not its terror of you. Your hands must not be regarded as toys since it promotes biting and scratching.

Extend you Hand slowly

In case the cat appears to be at ease with feeding around you, try reaching your hand at an incredibly low speed. Have your hand near the ground and have the cat approach you so that he can manage to sniff you. Do not attempt to pet the cat either, but leave it to collect information about you. When the cat reacts and pulls back or hisses, then just withdraw your hand and another day you come back to him. These initial physical acquaintances require patience.

The Head Rub of the First

Majority of the cats like to be petted in the head and cheeks first before proceeding to the back or belly. Should the cat sniff your hand in a composed manner, be of a very gentle stroke on the side of the face. Eitherwith your knuckles or with one finger, make the contact amateurish and non-aggressive. Most feral cats like this feeling, sort of cuddling into your hand. That is where the cat tends to change his/her life direction and understands that human contact can be pleasant.

Observe Body Language

The secret to this is that you should learn to read the body language of cats so as to avoid disappointments. Flattened ears, twitching tail are the evident indications that cat should be left alone. Low growl manifests the sensation. On the contrary, a long tail and erect ear mean some confidence in the cat. When you press the cat which displays some kind of stress, you may face the danger of being bitten as well as lose trust. It is always better to finish off the sessions on a good note before the cat gets filled.

Manage the Environment

Reduce the stimulation levels in the place of taming as much as possible. In case you have other pets you should keep them away on the room of the feral cat in the first weeks. A cat is already on the nerves so abrupt barks or running of kids outside the door may frighten it. The quiet used enables the cat to get out of survival mode by the nervous system. The calmer the room is the quicker will the cat explore.

Implement Crate Training

Although the cat may be housed in a room, it has to be comfortable with a carrier when visiting a veterinary. Permanently leave a carrier with what a carrier would enjoy in the room (soft bedding and treats). This transforms the carrier into a comfortable safe room and not a frightening vessel of transit. Once there comes a time when the cat requires a checkup, he will have much less to worry about. Veteran safety and care is greatly comprised of proper training on the crates.

Check into a Vet Visit

Parasites, infections or injuries that may be passed on feral cats may also influence their mood and health. After the cat has become manageable to an extent, you should then book an appointment with the veterinarian to examine the cat as an experienced veterinarian dealing with feral animals. It is also quite difficult to tame a cat that is always in pains compared to a healthy cat. The vet has the ability to do vaccinations as well as spay/neuter which is critical to all cats. Early intervention of health matters eliminates behavioral disorders due to discomfort.

Set Small Goals

It will not take a week or the month to transform the cat into a lap cat. Prepare very small and attainable objectives such as eating in the room or sniffing my finger. Hail such small achievements as they are giant strides on the part of a wild animal. You can lose concentration on the end result, and thus get frustrated and give up. Each cat has got his/her own speed and some of them might never desire to be held.

Learn to Take a Step backwards

Feral cat progress cannot always be in an upward trajectory. The cat may have three good days and one day when the cat cowered back to hissing. It is a natural occurrence in the process that normally occurs when something scares the cat. Do not make it personal and feel that you failed in your mission. All one needs to do is to reverse by a few steps and recreate the trust beginning with food and quiet time.

Make a decision on the Best Outcome

The indoor pets nurtured will eventually flourish among some of the feral cats and others will always be semi-wild. You have to make a judgment on whether the cat is happy in its residence or it wants to be a working cat. You have the intention of giving the best quality of life to that particular animal. Whichever way it turned out in the end, you have done the cat good, and given it refuge. The experience of this bond is a rewarding experience which transforms your lives permanently.