Adopted world's most frightened cat

[story]

That advice given by the previous owner is good: the bit about tricking the cat into being petted.

I had a feral cat who was a very nervous and jumpy, refused all overtures of friendship. We trapped him in a room for several weeks, fed and watered obv., and we just went about our business, pretty much ignoring the cat. He studied us like a catanthropologist, but whenever we paid him any attention he acted like we were about to attack him.

After a while he became courageous (or complacent, or hungry) enough to eat while we were in the same room, and we took to approaching him while he ate. This is a big no-no, but it was the only thing left to do. One of us managed to get close enough to pet him while he was eating, drawing back after a few pets. After another while, both of us could do this. Then after another-nother while, we started to briefly pick him up and pet him, then put him back again.

He finally started to understand that we were not going to cause disruption and chaos, and that, actually, being petted was rather nice.

He was always pretty feral, preferred to be outdoors unless it was cold, and whenever he was inside he would stand and stare out of windows. He had a massive gay crush on one of the other cats, and really I think the only reason he came indoors other than food was to crush on the other cat. (This used to drive othercat a bit batty sometimes: he'd tolerate it so much, but when feralcat started smearing his chin against his face (which is basically a kind of catsnog), he'd get pissed off and stalk off. Feralcat would stalk him through the house, and othercat eventually had to inaugurate several secret hiding places. I once encountered him at the back of the airing cupboard while putting away laundry, and he looked at me like "Fucksake, never tell, please don't give me away..." so I pretended I hadn't seen him. But his hidey-hole was blown and he ditched that spot straight after. )

One of my current cats is half-feral-half-domestic-moggy, and he is really conflicted. His moggy side craves attention and petting, while the feral part is resistant and wary and shy and cautious. He battles daily with his inner duality. Sometimes he disappears for weeks at a time, then turns up with some untold tale brooding around him: dusty fur, a nicked ear, exhausted, sometimes smelling of someone else's house, thinner, or fatter than he was before. As I type he's here on the desk, and he appears to have sustained another wound: better keep an eye on that.

By the way, you may live to regret your yen for a lapcat. Once they learn how lovely it is, your lap no longer belongs to you.

 

[i'mnotsofast]

Given the cat's history that you've posted, I doubt that semi-feral is an accurate description tbh. It's just nervous.

I think what makes it semi-feral is that from what I've heard of its history it came from a cat shelter... Not sure how it ended up there, but in other words it was either mistreated or not around humans when it was a kitten. And from what I've read those first few months of a cat's life are crucial in how it grows up to be around humans.

 

[Corax]

I'm sorry, I do know what you mean, but posting that your cat "battles daily with his inner duality" made me lol.

 

[i'mnotsofast]

Lovely story, story!

 

[i'mnotsofast]

Next step I will place an order for one of those Feliway things, and some catnip!

 

[story]

Last summer I had two cats visiting the back yard. Someone said they'd house them, so I continued to feed them in the interim.

I assumed they were strays rather than feral, cos they were plump and one of them would subject willingly to having his head scratched.

They were never permitted to come indoors (housecats were absolutely resolute on this point), but I assumed that given half the chance, they'd like to.

However, now they are both re-housed by someone who loves cats and has plenty of experience, they appear to be feral rather than stray. They refuse to come into the house, and roam far and wide, for days at a time, even in cold weather. They've been provided with various sheltered spots in the garden, but eschew these too: if a human put them there, a human knows where they themselves can be found, any shelter provided by a human cannot be trusted.

It took weeks to catch the buggers so that they could be transported. And every foiled attempt to trap them merely served to give them more understanding of the ways of humans, and thus made them more equipped to outwit us. In the end, I gave them loads and loads of food for several days, rendering them complacent and lazy, and them starved them for a couple of days (but not long enough to inspire them to go elsewhere) and then tricked them with the food-in-the-crate trick. Ha! But this had to be done separately for each cat. Took weeks.

 

[i'mnotsofast]

I live on a very long street in south east London where all the houses have big gardens which back onto the gardens of the houses on the street behind. Apart from when it's cold it must be great fun for the many cats around here because they have such a huge area to wander over. There are loads of squirrels, frogs, birds, and foxes etc.

I can't help feeling a bit sorry for the poor cat now we have got him cooped up in our boring conservatory.

 

[story]

We once had a mad feral cat who lived out the back. We named him The Marauder. He was a beast: huge, with a thick mane, and brazen. All the local housecats were afraid of him, and even the local king-tom gave up patrolling his walls and fences.

It became clear that this bully had to be rehoused somewhere, preferably a farm teeming with rats. We pondered for a long time how to get him into a crate, even discussed it with neighbours. We'd all incurred vet bills taking our wimpy coddled moggies to get stitched and treated after various run-ins with The Marauder. All of us were worried about the idea of being beaten up and mauled ourselves by this brute if we tried to trap him.

In the end he surrendered. It was really odd. One afternoon he wandered into the house and into the dining room. He was spotted, and we closed the door. He was calm and resigned. We put the crate into the dining room, and put a dish in there, and damn if this wild mad fiend didn't walk into the crate and settle down. He barely flinched when we closed the door.

Celia Hammond took him, but I really have no idea how you'd home a cat like that. He was so wild that even taking his balls off would still leave him far tougher and rougher than yer average cat.

 

[story]

I live on a very long street in south east London where all the houses have big gardens which back onto the gardens of the houses on the street behind. Apart from when it's cold it must be great fun for the many cats around here because they have such a huge area to wander over. There are loads of squirrels, frogs, birds, and foxes etc.

I can't help feeling a bit sorry for the poor cat now we have got him cooped up in our boring conservatory.

He's fine. They meditate. Or astral travel, or something. Don't worry.

 

[Epona]

Even very tame domestic cats can have extremely varied temperaments, ranging from "just put the food in the same place every day, I'll see you around" to "if you don't carry me around all day I'll just climb up you and purr in your face until you give in". Bit late now, but word of advice for others considering a new pet - if you want an affectionate lap cat after a reasonable settling in period and with little effort expended, don't take on one that is described as very nervous - cats are by nature quite wary creatures especially in new surroundings and if one is nervous enough that the previous owners pass comment on it, it's probably not going to be nestled in your lap any time soon.

 

[xenon]

Last summer I had two cats visiting the back yard. Someone said they'd house them, so I continued to feed them in the interim.

I assumed they were strays rather than feral, cos they were plump and one of them would subject willingly to having his head scratched.

They were never permitted to come indoors (housecats were absolutely resolute on this point), but I assumed that given half the chance, they'd like to.

However, now they are both re-housed by someone who loves cats and has plenty of experience, they appear to be feral rather than stray. They refuse to come into the house, and roam far and wide, for days at a time, even in cold weather. They've been provided with various sheltered spots in the garden, but eschew these too: if a human put them there, a human knows where they themselves can be found, any shelter provided by a human cannot be trusted.

It took weeks to catch the buggers so that they could be transported. And every foiled attempt to trap them merely served to give them more understanding of the ways of humans, and thus made them more equipped to outwit us. In the end, I gave them loads and loads of food for several days, rendering them complacent and lazy, and them starved them for a couple of days (but not long enough to inspire them to go elsewhere) and then tricked them with the food-in-the-crate trick. Ha! But this had to be done separately for each cat. Took weeks.

Why were you catching visitting cats? If you don't want them in your garden, water pistol etc shoos 'em away. If you don't mind them visitting fine. But why catch them.

Feeding stray cats, I can understand, if you have one / some of your own. But taking them in. Capturing them, to pass on to other peple. Well, that strikes me as not really right.

 

[story]

Why were you catching visitting cats? If you don't want them in your garden, water pistol etc shoos 'em away. If you don't mind them visitting fine. But why catch them.

Feeding stray cats, I can understand, if you have one / some of your own. But taking them in. Capturing them, to pass on to other peple. Well, that strikes me as not really right.

Why? They were homeless.

 

[story]

Oh, okay: "visiting" sounds like they were occasionally popping by to say hello.

No, they were hanging out, lurking, sleeping in the woodshed, stealing food when the back door was open. I only started feeding them when it became clear that they were homeless.

 

[xenon]

K

 

[i'mnotsofast]

Even very tame domestic cats can have extremely varied temperaments, ranging from "just put the food in the same place every day, I'll see you around" to "if you don't carry me around all day I'll just climb up you and purr in your face until you give in". Bit late now, but word of advice for others considering a new pet - if you want an affectionate lap cat after a reasonable settling in period and with little effort expended, don't take on one that is described as very nervous - cats are by nature quite wary creatures especially in new surroundings and if one is nervous enough that the previous owners pass comment on it, it's probably not going to be nestled in your lap any time soon.

Good advice even coming rather late.... Thanks!

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I'm not so smart....

The way the cat leaped up from the desk to the ceiling was amazing, I wish I had it on film. He was trying to fly up the curtains. He knocked a few candles over towards them, and if I'd been a bit unluckier it could have started a fire. Then we both would have been out in the cold tonight!

Nervous cat and lit candles. Have to say, your first statement is bang on

 

[story]

Growing up Our pet cat was pretty terratorial. Any visitting moggy would get chased off. Stray or no. By a human or the feeline householder. The idea of taking in random stray cats that just turn up. I'm sorry. It's senonamous with misanthropic mad old lady, stinking of wee, soon to be featured on an ITV doccumentry.

So... because your cat used to chase off incomers, it therefore follows that any cat that takes up residence in someone's back yard will inevitably and successfully be chased off by local resident cats...

What would you do: ignore the hungry cats? Set your will against them? And then....? What?

Even if they leave your garden (and who could blame them: no room at this inn....) they'll end up somewhere else. A hungry homeless cat will roam until it finds a source of food.

They lived in my garden because I fed them. Where else were they to go?

I didn't want them living in my back garden, and someone I know was glad to give them a home. Where's the crime?

And anyway, I am that misanthropic mad old lady who smells of wee. BBC3 will be filming here next week. Sorry to hear that this bothers you, xenon.

 

[xenon]

So... because your cat used to chase off incomers, it therefore follows that any cat that takes up residence in someone's back yard will inevitably and successfully be chased off by local resident cats...

What would you do: ignore the hungry cats? Set your will against them? And then....? What?

Even if they leave your garden (and who could blame them: no room at this inn....) they'll end up somewhere else. A hungry homeless cat will roam until it finds a source of food.

They lived in my garden because I fed them. Where else were they to go?

I didn't want them living in my back garden, and someone I know was glad to give them a home. Where's the crime?

And anyway, I am that misanthropic mad old lady who smells of wee. BBC3 will be filming here next week. Sorry to hear that this bothers you, xenon.

I editted as on reflection, it seemed a bit harsh. But yeah. Generally stray cats, I dunno. They look after themselves don't they. It's part of the whole being a stray deal. Feed them if you like. Let them sleep in the garden. It's just, the taking them in. Capturing, as you put it. Seems well, as I say. Bit odd. But no harm done I spose.

 

[story]

I editted as on reflection, it seemed a bit harsh. But yeah. Generally stray cats, I dunno. They look after themselves don't they. It's part of the whole being a stray deal. Feed them if you like. Let them sleep in the garden. It's just, the taking them in. Capturing, as you put it. Seems well, as I say. Bit odd. But no harm done I spose.

I captured them so that they could go and live somewhere else. They live exactly the same life there that they did here: outside, free to roam, unfettered by human expectation... and they get fed daily.

 

[Epona]

I editted as on reflection, it seemed a bit harsh. But yeah. Generally stray cats, I dunno. They look after themselves don't they. It's part of the whole being a stray deal. Feed them if you like. Let them sleep in the garden. It's just, the taking them in. Capturing, as you put it. Seems well, as I say. Bit odd. But no harm done I spose.

By law (in England at least), feral cats "belong" to the person who owns the land they inhabit or who regularly feeds them - this includes responsibility for their wellbeing under animal welfare law which can potentially include prosecution for things such as failure to seek veterinary treatment, neglect etc. and if they are not neutered and reproduce, the problem escalates. If you have feral cats visiting your property and you feed them, they are by law your responsibility, and if you don't want the responsibility and cost of vet bills, worming, de-fleaing etc. then you trap and rehome them (and cat charities will usually assist with this if required). Not to mention that feral cat colonies can become a nuisance in urban areas if left unchecked - it's not as if they are wild animals straying into the borders of urban civilisation because we are impinging on their territory, it's an issue created by human irresponsibility in the first place - trapping, neutering, vaccinating, and rehoming to somewhere they are wanted (or to a new life as a barn mouser if they can't adapt to life as a pet) is the ethically right thing to do.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

By law (in England at least), feral cats "belong" to the person who owns the land they inhabit or who regularly feeds them...

Cats of course do not take any notice of this

 

[Psychonaut]

i was going to suggest (before the cat was finally outsmarted) halogen heater + weatherproof extension cable.

 

[Glitter]

I'VE GOT THE CAT INSIDE!!!

Hurrah!

Keep him inside until it warms up in case he fucks off again!

 

[i'mnotsofast]

My housemate went into the conservatory to see the cat.

He pulled the sofa forward a little and the cat didn't bolt, but started to mew quite a lot. It was't a happy contented purrring, and I'm not sure what it meant... Not necessarily "Leave me alone" but maybe "I'm scared."

My housemate lent over the sofa and was able to stroke the cat without it running away, though.

We're now going to leave the cat alone for the next couple of days. We already saw he had come out in the night to eat some more food from his bowl.

 

[i'mnotsofast]

I know it wouldn't be fair to reach any kind of judgement now, but I am really not sure I want to keep this cat.

The thing is, I am massively emotionally needy, and I need a pet that is going to show me warmth and affection
This cat is obviously not right if that is what I am looking for!

 

[stuff_it]

I know it wouldn't be fair to reach any kind of judgement now, but I am really not sure I want to keep this cat.

The thing is, I am massively emotionally needy, and I need a pet that is going to show me warmth and affection
This cat is obviously not right if that is what I am looking for!

So you're going to kick the poor fucker on to someone else just as it's starting to calm down then?

 

[i'mnotsofast]

So you're going to kick the poor fucker on to someone else just as it's starting to calm down then?

Well, I wouldn't put it quite like that. But long-term I don't think we are the right people to look after this cat.

 

[stuff_it]

Well, I wouldn't put it quite like that. But long-term I don't think we are the right people to look after this cat.

You don't even know it properly yet.

 

[smmudge]

If he's mewing at you I'm pretty sure that means he's not at all feral. It sounds to me like he is just a scared domesticated kitty. With some patience and perseverance he will become more comfortable. He may never be a lap cat (but even many well-socialised from birth cats never become lap cats) but he will show you affection in whatever way he deems appropriate, and that can be just as rewarding as sitting on your lap.

I think though if you really don't think you want to keep him, you either rehome him/take him to a shelter now, like right now, or wait until you have him fully socialised and comfortable. Having to move yet again half way through the settling in process would be hugely unfair on him. I know this is to a large extent about what you want from a pet, but actually you still agreed to take on the responsibility of a living thing here so you will also have to do some things you don't really want to do.

 

[QueenOfGoths]

Well, I wouldn't put it quite like that. But long-term I don't think we are the right people to look after this cat.

Just take the cat to a rescue shelter so someone who wants him and has the time and patience to look after him can adopt him and then get yourself a dog ffs

But if we then get a "Oh...my dog keeps needing walking" thread I will kill you.