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taming older feral kittens

taming older feral kittens

The socialization of feral kittens requires a daily commitment of time, the duration of which depends on the age of the kittens and the amount and consistency of the time you spend working with them. I thought that I would probably just neuter and release. Never stare at the kittens for prolonged periods. Sometimes, this can take anywhere from 2-6 weeks, or even more if they’re skittish. You need to think about this. Those adult stray cats that were once owned, or feral cats of quiet temperament, may sometimes be tamed with patience. Visit them frequently and talk to them quietly, but resist touching. page. Be careful of open toilets and anything that could be climbed and pulled down on top of the kitten, causing possible injury. Taming Feral Kittens. The younger they are.. the easier to tame. In normal circumstances, kittens should remain with their mother until they are minimum 8 weeks old but with feral kittens it’s fine to take them away from the mother at 6 weeks of age provided they are eating and drinking on their own. It is also extremely important for the health of the kittens to remove fleas as soon as possible. Taming feral kittens is a race against time because people want to adopt kittens as young as possible. The longer a feline lives on the streets, the more independent it will become. If the kitten is not rescued until it is ten to twelve weeks old the taming can take several weeks, if not months. Feral kittens over 8 weeks of age can be safely spayed or neutered as long as they weigh at least 2 pounds. However, kittens from 8 to 11 weeks old still have that taming window of opportunity. It really has to do with their personality. It is rare that an adult feral cat can be tamed, but these same techniques can be applied to adult cats, and is some cases we have seen success. They are usually terrified of humans. Socializing (Taming) Feral Kittens Kittens born to community cats — whether the mother is feral or friendly — need to be socialized (tamed) by humans in order to be suitable for adoption. At best, you're likely to have a semi-feral cat, who may allow some contact but is not friendly by any stretch of the imagination. Many legitimate sites state that taming feral kittens older than 8 weeks becomes difficult to impossible. One of the kittens in this litter was paralyzed with fear. I have a 6 month old feral kitten in my house. Never bring a feral cat into your home if you already have pets. Taming Feral Kittens This information is drawn from numerous people with hundreds of hours experience. Female Feral Kittens that don't start socialization until 3-4 months old. When you shop via AmazonSmile, Amazon will donate 0.5% of all your eligible purchases to the charitable organization of your choice. To stand any chance of taming a feral cat, it must be young. Some say as young as 3 months may be too late. Be sure to inform the adoptive family that the kitten must be neutered. Here’s a general outline of the process to tame a feral or undersocialized kitten over a few days or weeks. Stroke the kitten’s body while speaking in soft, reassuring tones, then release. If you have an older cat, that will help. The taming process is certainly worthwhile. Place the litter box in the room and leave the carrier door open so that the kittens have access to the box. The first three were barely 8 weeks old when I caught them in my driveway on Thanksgiving weekend. The steps involved in the taming process are: A feral kitten may hiss and “spit” at humans. After all have been handled, give them a special treat. With the help of the loving dog who stayed beside her, the kitten’s sweet personality shone through in just two weeks. Always move slowly. Feral kitten socialization is most successful for kittens under three months of age. The kittens must learn to feel safe. Also, for a sick feral cat under observation or treatment, stress is a major deterrent to recovery and this pen allows space away from litter and food for the cat to relax and convalesce. Put Together a Dedicated Room. If you have friends around quite a lot, encourage them to approach the cat gently and pick her up. If you do not have a cage, or your carrier is too small for a litter pan, place the kittens in a small room, like a bathroom, in the carrier. It stinks to hear that, I know, but socializing feral kittens is work! #21 Taming Older Female Kittens We've got a theme going with this and entries #19-20. Baby food or Hills “a/d” brand canned food off a spoon is always a great ice-breaker. Older feral cats who have been feral for a long time will be most difficult to tame, if you can tame them at all. The kittens are in an environment that is an immediate danger to their well-being. If there is one that is not becoming tame, place it in a separate cage in another room, away from the others. Everything on this list will work for you, but only if you have the patience to go with it. Whether it's a feral cat you're adopting indoors from the back yard or a litter of kittens you plan to tame for adoption, this pen is great during what I call the "cooling off" period. Readers with hands-on experience will have their own tricks. Let the cat make the first move. But a feral kitten is often easily tamed if it is captured young enough. Feral cats … The process of taming kittens can take a few days or a few months, depending on their age and their exposure to humans before you rescued them, individual temperament even within the same litter, and their state of wildness or previous trauma. First and foremost, the female cat must be spayed. It is actually best if a kitten remains with their mothers until 8- or 12-weeks-old, but as taming feral kittens at 12-weeks-old takes more time and effort than at 5-weeks-old, it’s a matter of priorities. Why wait until 5 weeks? The longer a feline lives on the streets, the more independent it will become. Just as a hot bath and a cup of herbal tea … It’s helpful if the cage or carrier has food and water bowls that are attached to the doors so you can give them food and water without placing your hand inside. Support us by. At best, you're likely to have a semi-feral cat, who may allow some contact but is not friendly by any stretch of the imagination. Kittens taken too young are vulnerable to disease and may not survive. They should not be taken from the mother before they are old enough to be weaned at about 4 weeks. Since feral kittens differ in age, temperament and rate of progress, these suggestions can be adapted to individual needs. Remember that to the kitten you may be a predator; the kitten may think it is fighting for its life. They may be captured in humane traps (available from the Feral Cat Coalition) and should be taken from the mother at 4 to 6 weeks of age. Consider a calming remedy to help her with the transition. One word: cat food. Go through this process with each kitten. A couple of months ago I adopted a 6 week old stray kitten that was found eating rat bait. Wild, or feral, kittens can grow up to be tame cats and wonderful pets. One word: cat food. Litter training is how you redirect this natural behavior to a litter box so your kitten goes where he is supposed to! Kittens taken too young are vulnerable to disease and may not survive. They will make great outdoor mousers or barn cats though! Feral cats older than a year will be almost impossible to approach. Never bring a feral cat into your home if you already have pets. They haven’t heard about the taming of Boo Boo. Combing with a flea comb also helps the bonding process. VISITATION/ADOPTION SCHEDULING: UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, we are open for adoptions by appointment only. Step 1 Obviously, the first thing you need to do is capture the kitten. This is aggressive body language to cats. The best way to do this is to set out canned food as bait. Feral cats are homeless cats, many of whom were born in the wild; others are pets who were abandoned or have become lost. Don’t leave the “kitty tease” alone with the kittens, as kittens will often swallow string. All of these suggestions have worked for someone. In normal circumstances, kittens should remain with their mother until they are minimum 8 weeks old but with feral kittens it’s fine to take them away from the mother at 6 weeks of age provided they are eating and drinking on their own. If kittens become frightened and go under the bed, it can be difficult to get them to come out and stressful for them if you force them out. I love the challenge and patience it takes to tame feral cats. You need a cat trap. Also try to kitten-proof the room as much as possible before letting the kittens out into the room. A feral kitten may hiss and \"spit\" at humans. Kittens that do not have any contact with humans after they are born will be feral, regardless of whether their mother is a lost house cat or a feral cat living in a colony. Seal up any nooks and crannies where frightened kittens may enter and become trapped or inaccessible to you. I have been told that it is very difficult to tame once they are over 2 months. The mother cat should also be captured and spayed, to prevent future litters. A feral kitten is a cat that was born in the wilderness. Some may tame up immediately, and some may take quite a long time. The optimum time to tame feral/wild kittens is when they are 5/6 weeks old. Consider the case of the feral cat whose fractured leg or fan belt injury requires longer-term incarceration than the standard TNR (trap-neuter-release) candidate. While cats are very adaptable and can change their opinions over time, nature has stacked the deck against any “Johnny-come-lately” lessons in the joys of a life with humans. The optimum time to tame feral/wild kittens is when they are 5/6 weeks old. Consider the case of the feral cat whose fractured leg or fan belt injury requires longer-term incarceration than the standard TNR (trap-neuter-release) candidate. This can be fatal. A feral cat whisperer helped tame a wild kitten who seemed unadoptable at the shelter. How to Tame a Feral Cat. She’s part of the family on her own terms. Be careful not to allow the kittens to escape during the transfer process. When you want to help a feral cat adjust to living inside, the following tips can help. After 3-4 months, the kitten will have a much harder time acclimating to humans. You may want to ask for a refundable deposit from the adoptive family to encourage them to neuter. Some people use worn clothing as the kittens’ bedding to get them used to the smell of humans. Keep the kittens isolated from your pet cats, wash your hands, and wear a smock (or change clothes between handling visits) to protect against the spread of disease from the kittens to pets or from pets to the kittens. Work with your local animal shelter and learn how to help. If you find a feral kitten, you can, through love and a whole lot of patience, tame it. But, the most important aspect of taming a kitten is not the kitten – it is you. San Diego Shelters and Adoption/Rescue Groups, Containment (I) in a cage or large pet carrier, Periodic and brief handling with a protective towel. TAMING FERAL KITTENS. This is because their behavior has been set during that early time in their life. When the kittens no longer respond by biting and scratching, encourage friends to handle them as often as possible. Feral kittens should not be removed from their mothers until they are ready to be weaned, at approximately 6-8 weeks of age. Taming Feral Kittens For all intents and purposes, feral cats are wild animals. The guidelines can be […] For info about taming older feral kittens, see the three-part video, Tough Love: Socializing Feral Kittens, or consult Urban Cat League’s Taming Ferals! Never approach from the front. If a trap was used, transfer the kittens to a cage or pet carrier large enough for a small litter box and bedding. Meet Dormouse, a 4 month old male feral kitten who needs some serious socialization work before he can go up for adoption. There are 2 about 4 month old kittens. They should have access to the room and can be placed in the cage only if necessary. Repeat this process as frequently as possible. Older kittens can also be captured and tamed, but the process becomes slower and less successful the longer the kittens stay in the wild. Here’s a general outline of the process to tame a feral or undersocialized kitten … Protect vulnerable knickknacks, clothes, and plants (some poisonous) from curious kittens. This is vital to remember when placing the kittens for adoption. Great outdoor mousers or barn cats though taming older feral kittens escape during the transfer process was... Kitten could be one of the process to tame once taming older feral kittens are 5/6 weeks old the or! Kitten in my house the kittens frightens them, which may cause to. 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