Feral cats have had few - if any - opportunities to interact with humans. Many of them were born in this state, while others were abandoned by their master or got lost. Regardless of where they come from, feral cats typically are afraid to approach people, so they can scratch or bite instead of curling up on their lap (at least initially). Because of this distrust, it can be difficult to tame them. However, if you care a lot about doing this, you will need time and patience.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Bringing a Wild Cat Home
Step 1. Prepare a place for the wild cat
He will have to remain in an enclosed area until he no longer feels comfortable in your presence in the new environment. Set up a small, quiet room, such as the bathroom, away from people and other pets. Equip her with a litter box, a food bowl, a water bowl, and a few toys.
- Make sure the windows and doors are closed inside the room to prevent the cat from escaping. Also, check for any holes or cracks it can pass through.
- If there are shelves, remove any items that may fall.
- Create some hiding places (for example, using upside-down cardboard boxes in which you have previously drilled holes).
- At least for the first few days, use organic soil as a litter - feral cats are much more familiar with this material than regular litter.
- Light up the room with a lamp instead of using the central chandelier. Darkness will allow the animal to feel more protected in its new environment.
- To get used to human smells, spread out some items of clothing that you no longer use (such as socks and sweatshirts).
- The wild cat will need at least a couple of hours to get used to it.
Step 2. Place a pet carrier with a trap
You will need to take your cat to the vet to receive necessary care (such as vaccinations, deworming, tests for leukemia and feline immunodeficiency). It will probably be easier to use the pet carrier rather than the trap.
- Leave the door of the carrier open and insert some blankets and treats inside to make it more inviting.
- Place a towel over the trap and carrier to create another hiding place that inspires confidence.
Step 3. Capture the wild cat
Don't be surprised if the animal runs away when you try to get close. The only safe way to catch it and bring it home is to use a specially designed trap to catch live animals. These are devices designed so that access closes behind the cat when it comes to step on a panel placed on the bottom of the cage.
- To entice him in, place a few delicious morsels at the bottom of the trap.
- When he walks on the panel, he may be frightened by the sound of the door closing. However, he will not suffer any injuries.
- Traps for capturing live animals are for sale on the Internet. However, consider contacting an animal shelter or animal welfare organization in your city to find out if you can borrow one of these devices.
- Prepare a comfortable bed (made of towels or blankets) in the trap.
Step 4. Feed him outdoors
Domestication should take place indoors. However, wild cats' typical distrust of interacting with humans is a problem when they are brought into a home. As a result, feeding him outdoors will allow him to begin to trust you, or at least trust that you will feed him.
Make sure he eats at the same time every day
Part 2 of 3: Handling a Wild Cat
Step 1. Spend some time with him without touching him
Once the cat has had time to settle in, start interacting with him so that he begins to get used to your presence. When you enter his room, to avoid scratches and bites, wear a long-sleeved shirt, pants, gloves and shoes. Also, it's best to have a piece of cardboard to use in case it hurls at you.
- Plan to spend some time with him at around the same time each day. By establishing this habit, you will allow him to become familiar with the home environment.
- Knock before opening the door, then enter slowly.
- Speak softly to him while you are busy meeting his needs (for example, cleaning the litter box, changing the water, and placing food in the bowl).
- Don't stare at him or look him straight in the eye - he may perceive this as aggressive. Instead, look away and lower your head.
- As he becomes more comfortable with you, sit next to him for an hour or so, in the morning and in the evening. Instead of talking to him, try reading a book or quietly working on your laptop.
- Do not try to touch it at first. If you try to do this, it may bite, scratch, and blow.
Step 2. Play with him
Playing together will help him get used to your presence before you can touch him. Buy some cat toys at a pet store and let him play while you are in the room with him. You can also make your own by attaching a small piece of fabric to a string and tying the string to a rod.
Don't leave him alone with his game. There is a risk that, by swallowing the string, it will suffer an intestinal obstruction that would involve the intervention of the veterinarian
Step 3. See if body language indicates availability
Taking care of a wild cat could pose some danger: there is a risk that it will immediately get on the defensive and attack in fear. By observing his body language, you can tell if he has no problems deepening your interaction. Among the attitudes that tell you if he is not ready yet, notice if he snaps, growls and positions his ears backwards making them adhere to his head.
- If he doesn't want to be touched, he might as well blow.
- If he seems quite calm when you are around him, that's a good indication that he may be ready to be touched.
Step 4. Get used to your hand
Since it is an animal that is wary of humans, the wild cat needs time to get used to the contact with the hand. To begin, place your hand on the floor, with your palm facing the ground. Let it come towards you and allow it to rub against your legs, arms, or hands.
- Resist the temptation to stroke it. The cat will begin to explore you to test you and see if you pose a threat.
- Keep your hand away from him initially, but a short distance away. As she becomes more comfortable, move her and approach her body.
- You must leave the decision to make the first contact up to the cat. It may attack you if you take the initiative.
Step 5. Caress it
The moment you pet a wild cat can be an opportunity to clarify your relationship: is it a welcome gesture or does it attack you? Place a toy next to your hand while holding it on the floor. If she approaches, sniffs and rubs her, consider this attitude as an encouragement to slowly raise her and bring her to eye level.
- Leave your hand at eye level for a few seconds, then start stroking it.
- Pay attention to body language: tense muscles, wagging tail, dilated pupils, and flattened ears are all signs that you should stop stroking and leave him alone.
- The first few times, pat it briefly. It's best to stop pampering him before he lets you know he's tired.
Step 6. Lift it up
If it's a puppy, you can try picking it up and holding it on your lap when it feels more comfortable while you pet it. Always keeping in mind that you are dealing with a wild animal anyway, wrap it slowly and gently in a towel (leaving an opening for the head) to prevent it from scratching or biting you.
- Turn it so that its head is not facing you. Firmly lift the scruff of the neck, grasping the skin at the base of the neck. Take it as close to your ears as possible, being careful not to pinch too tightly.
- Gently lift it into the air and gently carry it on your lap. If he lets you, stroke him and speak to him in a reassuring voice.
- Even if kittens are taken this way by their mother, don't be surprised if a wild kitten doesn't like a similar gesture from you. Then, it interprets the signals it transmits with the body to understand if it likes it or if it does not want to be lifted by the scruff.
- Don't grab never a wild cat or kitten standing in front of him.
Step 7. Brush it
This will not only allow him to feel more comfortable interacting with you and being touched, but you will also help him keep his skin and coat healthy. Therefore, use a soft-bristled pet brush. You can also brush it with a flea comb to remove these parasites.
- You can buy the comb and brush at a pet store.
- In wild kittens, a flea infestation can be very dangerous because there is a risk of it causing life-threatening anemia. In addition to using a flea comb, you will need to contact your vet to give your cat preventative treatment against these parasites.
Part 3 of 3: Finding Out If You Can Tame a Wild Cat
Step 1. Assess how wild it is
These animals can be completely wild (they have had no human contact or only one but negative), semi-wild (they have had some positive human contact) or induced in the wild (abandoned cats becoming semi-wild). It is more difficult to tame and socialize completely wild ones, unlike those belonging to the last category.
- Semi-feral cats seek out people to eat, but do not wish to establish other interactions with them. Thanks to this minimized contact, they learn what are the essential social bases for dealing with the human world.
- Semi-feral cats sometimes form colonies called "feline communities".
Step 2. Find your age roughly
Having a rough estimate of how old he is, you can get an idea of the difficulties you will face in taming him. Wild kittens, especially those under 10-12 weeks of age, are usually easier to tame. The larger ones, which have lived in the wild for a long period of time, if they are not tameable at all, involve more problems than the smaller ones.
- Wild kittens should not be removed from their mother until weaning (when they are about four weeks old).
- If you see a wild kitten with its mother, catch them both. Keep them together indoors until the puppy is completely weaned. Contact an animal welfare organization operating in your city to have the mother sterilized and return her to her colony.
Step 3. Assess your ability to tame a feral cat
This is a difficult task and there is no guarantee of success. In addition to being a challenge, it can take a long time: wild puppies can be domesticated in just 2-6 weeks, while adults could take a year, if not longer.
- You will likely have to allocate several hours of your day for a feral cat to settle into the house and learn to socialize, perhaps even for months. Be honest with yourself and ask yourself if you can take this kind of responsibility.
- It will almost certainly be expensive to care for a feral cat. Find out if you have the means to pay for veterinary bills.
Advice
- You should try to tame a wild cat alone if you plan to keep it.
- Don't be discouraged if you haven't managed to tame it. Not all feral cats can get used to living with people.
- It is likely that a completely feral cat, although tame, would prefer to be on its own. Give him all the space he wants.
- Feral cats are usually not good candidates for adoption, as they tend to only get attached to the person who tamed them.
- If you feel confident and comfortable, caress it gently and gently.
Warnings
- Wild cats are, in fact, wild animals. You risk getting scratched or bitten if you're not careful when interacting with them. Consult your veterinarian or visit an animal welfare organization in your city if you are unfamiliar with catching and handling a wild cat.
- Wild cats are prone to many diseases due to exposure to atmospheric agents (such as wind and rain), and to infections and attacks by other animals. The mortality rate for kittens living in the wild reaches almost 50%.
