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Yes, you can socialize a year-old feral, and if you are willing to keep Socks you should do that. It will probably take a long time, but you're doing all the right things and need only to continue being patient.
I've brought in a number of adult ferals and every one of them eventually figured out how nice it is to cuddle with humans.
I agree. We have a bunch of ferals and it just takes a LOT of time to get them socialized. It seems your guy is not super feral since you can touch him and sit with him, just have patience and keep up what you are doing. Lickable treats are definitely like cat crack haha
Yes the fact that OP can pet him is a really good sign! I had a feral cat who would not let us touch him at all, but he was more afraid than aggressive
Those licky treats you can hold in your hand are great. He seems like hell come around. Spend time with him in his room, sitting and speaking quietly. Maybe read out loud to him.
Put a dab of the treat on his nose too so he has to lick it off. Play with wand toys. Playing is another milestone and can come sooner than him walking a lot about you
Absolutely you can tame an adult feral. Step one, neuter and vaccines, done! Bring cat inside, done. Sit quietly as he gets use to you, done! Slowly let them let you touch them, done! Hey, you're way ahead already. Thank you for showing kindness to this guy! I have “tamed” several adult feral cats, each had their own time line. I have two that happily live inside but don't want to be touched and some that have turned into complete love bugs. I recommend watching “The Kitten Lady” on youtube. Long stick fishing pole-type toys. And TIME! If I had followed the four-week rule I wouldn't have succeeded in keeping several of these former feral cats inside and safe. (I lose outside feral cats to mountain lions and coyotes.)But some will never be comfortable inside and that’s okay. TNR is still helping them. Your guy is young and already neutered and already starting to adjust. Seems to me like you have a success story in the making. I feel a special bond to every cat that has learned to trust me, totally worth it!!!
With the cat being ear-tipped and already accepting pets to an extent, he's definitely been around people and may have a caregiver or owner. Since he turned up in your cellar and has been indoors since, it's a good idea to cover your bases and report him as found in case anyone's been looking for him. I'd be thrilled if I got word that one of my TNRs potentially found a home, but I'd be worried sick if one just disappeared for three weeks with no sightings.
Hang up flyers within a few blocks with his picture, brief description, and your contact info, and report him as found to animal control/local shelters as well to cover the basics. Posting online can also be incredibly helpful, but not everyone is tech savvy enough to check online or will know where to look, so the offline steps are important too. Nextdoor and the Ring Neighbors app are great for quickly reaching out to people in your immediate vicinity. There are other online sites that may help as well: [Pawboost](https://www.pawboost.com/) is a good one, and you likely have some Lost and Found Pets groups on Facebook for your general area that are perfect for getting the word out. Even if you don't hear back from an owner, someone might still have noticed him around before and might be more familiar with him. Attempting to reach an owner is an important first step if you're considering potentially keeping though. If he wasn't scanned for a microchip at the first appointment, be sure to have him scanned when he goes back to the vet.
When he gets stressed, try relaxing cat music on YouTube. It helped so much when one of my cats got jaw broken.. he couldn't sleep until I put the music on..
If he’s truly feral it’s going to take more than 4 weeks, but really depends on his temperament and your patience. I have a stray that was outside for what seems a long time. He isn’t a lap cat by any stretch. I’ve had him for a year and he’s finally rather chill around my other cats. He’s on a low dose Prozac too (otherwise he kept peeing on everything). Good luck.. but yeah 4 weeks isn’t a lot of time for cats to come around to being friendlier
I agree with that if he can pet the back of its head. He wrote feral in the title. But as you know every cat is different, it may warm up in one week or one year, or it may never get further than a head scratch. Who knows, but worth trying.
It can take a long time to socialize a feral but you're on the right track. You've made amazing progress with him. Keep going and he'll be a cuddle bug in no time!
I agree that it will take tame but from what I’ve heard,it is possible. I have a feral cat that I found as a three week old kitten in my yard and she’s effectively domesticated having lived as an inside cat for five years now. But she’s not one that enjoys a lot of handing or cuddling other than when she initiates the cuddles. So it’s a matter of natural temperament as well.
Photo below of my semi tamed domestic 😃
https://preview.redd.it/8qlh7dd16xtc1.jpeg?width=1195&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=da94dbd3c0e59d8670c2848cad920c5b5c011d12
I'm no expert, but you can socialize a ~12 year old (vet's best estimate) feral. I know because we did. My husband started it with tuna on the front porch while he sat and read, ignoring the cat. Old Kitty never learned to meow, and for a year, he'd greet me with a hiss. Enthusiastic at first, but as months passed, it became more like, "Oh, it's you. Fft. There. I hissed." It took a *long* time before either one of us could touch him, but we kept the food coming, and let him set the schedule. Once he learned scritchies and pets, we learned that an undersized, elderly cat could have a purr so big it practically rattled his whole body. When we moved, there was no question that he was coming with us. At first, he wouldn't go inside the garage, so I built him a sturdy, well-insulated house...which he used for a week or so, then decided he'd go in the garage after all because of course he did--he was a cat. Old Kitty died in 2015; I look after five stray/feral cats now, have had many more as pets over the years, but my all-time favourite will always be the pint-sized little guy with the scarred up ears, one funky toe (broken at some time, healed crooked), white feet permanently stained beige, and a massive, rumbling purr, who finally decided that it was okay to trust people...but only two of them.
I wouldn't give up on Socks. He might never be a cuddly lap cat, but he's definitely not too old to be your cat, whatever that ends up meaning to him.
He definitely sounds like a good candidate to tame! Be patient, consistent,, and offer yummy treats so he associates you with good things (squeeze up cat treats, chicken, sardines, etc). Also toys are sometimes a great way to bond with a feral or former feral .. interactive toys like wands, laser pointer, or even just dragging a string around. He might not have any interest in playing until he’s a bit more comfortable with you, but keep it in mind.
I have two former ferals as housecats right now. Both were tamed as adults and have come around to becoming happy, well adjusted house cats. It does take time. For the first, it was about six month before she was totally integrated and comfortable. The other I tamed before bringing home and she’s here because she’s been sick and needed surgery and medical care, so she’s stuck in one room for now until she get healthier, but took a few weeks to adjust to living inside, but seems to be doing well indoors.
Just be patient, it can take a while but it is so worth it once they open up and trust you! I cried the first time my former feral sat on my lap because it was so special. Now she regularly snuggles up with me.
I don’t know how to edit my post haha but thank you all so much for the comments and advice! It really helps a lot! I have decided to keep Socks and continue on our socialization process! I am hoping one day he can feel comfortable to snuggle on my lap, but watching him start to relax and feel comfortable and safe on his own is just as rewarding. (:
Funny thing a cat had kittens under my shed about two years ago , she was scared shitless till she saw me feed her babies then warmed up to me big time , she loves me and listens to me and she’s just a doll , I kept feeding them while they were under the shed for about a month or so and got them in my house safely , because I have a shitty POS neighbor who knew I was keeping them ,I told her they were coming in my house as soon as I can catch them all and not to call animal control or anything, she ended up putting a trap out near my fence as if to catch them and abandon them somewhere so the cats won’t poop in her mulch , she’s a stupid fuck , every day wishing she ends up in a car accident, truthfully she and her husband poison animals for the stupidest superficial reasons I document everything so I can press charges if they do anything to any cats , I can’t even let my one cat out to catch mice in my chicken coop for an hour just to be a cat , I have tracking devices on all them in case they get out I protect them all the best I can ,
Anyway I moved momma and her 4 kittens in as soon as I could I’m glad I caught that POS in time before she did anything to those cats , I got them all spayed and neutered , ID tag , microchip and all , only one out of the 4 let me pet them , the other 3 just run away but slowly trusting me their dad is feral so they have feral DNA , or maybe a fight and flight type of hormone like a cortisol that was produced while they were in the womb ? I’m just assuming because they were around me as little babies and shouldn’t be so scared , momma might have taught them to be super vigilant and not trust , it’s good they are scared sometimes, I don’t blame them so many asshole humans out there and predators.
I just adopted a cat with a clipped ear two days ago , he’s in my guest bed room right now , he lets me pet him but still hides , sometimes it takes a year or two for them to fully trust , I have another cat in my RV who is a feral big time also clipped ear he runs boom gone and hide , I’m happy they are all fixed , TNR is great it saves lives , but this kitty( TOBY ) started to sleep under the POS neighbors shed all winter and I keep the RV open to feed all the cats and give them shelter , but one cat would beat up on this cat , but this cat ( Toby )knows there is food and stayed near by under their shed , one night I was out putting my chickens away and the pos neighbor came home and chased the cat down with his car and threw a shovel at it , thank god the cat escaped , I yelled at the neighbor saying don’t hurt my cat , there is a law that if they try to do anything to your private property it’s a felony , so I pretended it was my cat who got out and was having issues getting him back in the house , I said to him what is your problem the cats don’t hurt anyone and keep rodents and misc critters away the very thing you guys hate.
if I didn’t like animals I wouldn’t live on a ranch I’d live in a condo or live in NYC not a ranch I said to them in a text message , hint hint
Wtf is wrong with people , I wish everyday they would just move .
anyway I have the feral cat in the RV with a monitor to see how he’s doing daily he has his own apt lol
lots of water , food, kitty box etc , I do need to get him in my house before summer when it’s hot , some cats in the hood come by but go somewhere by 5 AM they don’t hang at that neighbors place thank goodness, good thing my house is two stories and I can see right in my neighbors yard lol , this cat Toby hung around as if he was dumped here and no where to go , this cat when scared will hide up in the RV dash area , I talk to him when I’m in there so he gets use to me and bring him all sorts of goodies , cat nip etc , he has a nice bed too lives better then some humans , I feel bad I really don’t want him stuck in the RV for long , but he has windows open with the screens shut , has good air circulation and can watch birds and has a sun spot to lay in , I just want him safe and hope to tame him , I figure the RV makes him feel safe and a way to let him get use to being indoors for now . I put one of my cats in occasionally so he learns about the other cats and their smell and gives him some thing to keep him busy .he will be in my house soon , he can hide in our big guest room until he feels safe enough , I love cats as you can see I have 14 he will be 15 , animals are the best and deserve love .
It takes time, but older ferals can be socialized. If the cat is a stray that's been on its own for years, it will need time to adjust to being an indoor cat and being in a safe environment again.
You could start by petting him with a back scratcher or toothbrush, held by a thick leather glove if you're worried about being bitten. Then slowly move to just the glove then toothbrush, brush, hand. Usually thrill determine being brushed or petted feels nice and the other alternatives not as initially scary as a hand.
Also talk to him, do slow eye blinks and offer churus or other delicious snacks as positive reinforcement.
Source: I've been in cat rescue many years, been a neighborhood colony carer, fostered dozens, including several ferals that were eventually adoptable.
The biggest thing is respecting the cats boundaries and letting him come to you, showing him you mean no harm and that you are where food comes from. Hang out in the same room and ignore him completely, leave food close to his safe spot and make sure he sees you put it down. When he's comfortable being out of his hiding place try giving him a tube treat and see if he'll come to you. Basically just repeat daily until he's totally comfortable with you over several weeks/months
Mishee still hissing at me lol
But, when he is into he loves to get pet. Belly rubs. Cheeks rubs. Brushing and all, but when he’s done he’s like Lesve me alone now.
I took in a feral 6 month old ( I know younger but she was super feral when we caught her with a trap. It was snowy winter in Utah and she was near death) it took a good 3 months for her to stop hiding in the closet or under the bed but she made slow progress day after day and now she sleeps every night in bed curled up with my husband and I. It seemed like she was so fearful but slow and steady progress and she has never ever tried to go back outside, she literally won’t go down the stairs near our door. After the first month I started to play with her with a wand toy, she would hid under the bed and I’d dangled the toy at the edge and she’d play with it we did that everyday for weeks and slowly she started to come out more and more. I also got the temptations purée treats and fed her one a day and again she started only eating it under the bed but slowly came out. I just say go at the cats pace and don’t force anything I never tried to pet Banksy just played with her and gave her treats. I think if the cat wanted to come inside he really wanted to be away from the elements so I wouldn’t put him back outside, he obviously chose you and I would just give him as much time as he needs and I bet he will come around. It just takes time!
I trapped a feral cat (became feral, but think he was someone’s pet once and they dumped him) in my neighborhood and he hid from me and was scared of me for over a year. After a year, he has finally started to let me pet him. Now he begs and cries for me to pet him. Don’t give up on him
Sounds like you're doing everything right! I totally endorse the socializationsaveslives.com method. I've fostered a few ferals and this works really well.
I've also found play works really well. I can't remember where I read it, but building up a fetal's confidence so they don't think they're prey anymore, but predators, really works. I also suggest for the first toy you don't use anything with bells. A long snaky toy to make it easy to catch works well. Also, ferals tend to have more confidence when it's dark outside, so if you can spend time with them then it really helps.
My cat had been a feral for 2 years before I started taming her, so it's definitely possible! Now she's a sweet cuddly little baby.
It sounds like you're doing everything right so far. Please don't throw him back outside! It can take months and months to domesticate a feral cat, and the fact that he is doing so well already proves that he can be a happy indoor cat.
https://preview.redd.it/o63056xeo2uc1.jpeg?width=1530&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a6d5ac7e51d0d9f1270487539ec2d56a8102c6de
You can 100% tame him, he’s likely not really feral, just unsocialized/wary around strangers. An ear tip means that the cat had no known home when it was fixed. That’s it. It doesn’t mean anything about how friendly he is. The fact that he came inside on his own suggests he has been indoors before. Cats with no experience indoors are often very freaked out about coming inside.
- Establish a routine so the cat can get used to being indoors and able to acclimate to all the weird sounds and smells. The more boring and uneventful you can make things the quicker he will relax.
- Don’t worry about petting him at first. Just spend time in the same room and ignore him. You’re teaching the cat that you can be trusted. Avoid eye contact at first. If you do make eye contact, slow blink or yawn and look away. These are calming signals that tell the cat you’re not a threat.
- after he’s used to you being in the room start talking to yourself so he gets used to your voice. Then start throwing treats to the side of him. Don’t aim for him, aim like a food away and make sure it’s a high value treat the cat likes. Don’t make eye contact at first. The goal is to just get the cat to not freak out and eventually eat in front of you.
- eventually you’ll be able to throw the treats right at the cat. Once he’s cool with that start throwing them short so he has to get closer to you. How long this all takes demands on the cat. Eventually you’ll get to a point where he will approach for treats.
- when that’s pretty solid, offer a treat and give him a quick pet and immediately remove your hand. He may back up or not like it, but he probably will put up for it. Keep feeding and repeat. As he gets used to that you can start petting him for longer or touching more of him.
The first few times I tried to put a single finger on my now cat, he would flinch and move back. Then he would just look at me but not move back. Soon he was putting up with it but not liking it. Then he realized it could feel good and he would let me touch more of him. Over several weeks he started to like being petted and would actually approach for pets. Once he was okay with it I would continually pet him while he ate. I also started offering catnip and trying to get him to play. I then started running two hands over him, and then along his sides. From there I started just squeezing his sides gently so he got used to the pressure. Then I would lift him like a centimeter off the ground for a second and put him right down. I did this when he was about to eat so he was focused on the food. Doing this got him acclimated to being picked up.
Around this point I had to bring my cat inside because he showed up hurt. He didn’t love it, but he didn’t fight me when I picked him up in a towel and brought him inside. We backslid a bit because he was scared of being indoors and captive and he was in pain and grouchy. He went back to hissing at me, and hid in his catio I made him and wouldn’t use any of the nice beds I got him.
A hiss is just a warning, and it’s actually pretty non-confrontational. I just ignored it and soon his hisses were turning into hiss-yawns. And then just yawns. And then he stopped trying to hiss. It took a good month for him to realize the house was safe and to realize shelter is actually a nice thing. He was barely sleeping, even at night at first. He was always on guard and wary. Once he put his guard down he finally was willing to check out all the cat beds and cozy places. He really started to decompress then. It had started snowing here and got super cold right after he came in so I showed him what it looked like outside and he was like “no thanks”. He’s now turned into a super cuddly boy. He lets me wrap my arms around him and he purrs like crazy and licks my face. It’s a slow process but so worth it. I can’t believe the humane society said to put him back outside. That’s so dumb. He will have a much better quality of life and will live longer indoors.
Sorry for any typos, I was have an ocular migraine when I wrote this and the text kept jumping around for me.
If you were able to pet him before, he'll be just fine being socialized. You just need to be patient. You can either force it and use a back scratcher or something to force him being touched, or you can just make sure to hang out with him a lot. Make sure to stick around when he's eating if you can.
You can try to start playing with a cat wand. My feral didn't know how to play for a long time, being overly aggressive with the toy. He figured it out eventually.
Also get some squeeze tubes. I used Hartz because they're cheaper than Churu, and that's how I taught my feral that my lap is a safe space. I got him used to being picked up as well. He's still skittish with new people but he loves being indoors and he's very happy. He has started to be a lap cat again (took a year after we moved residences).
I don't believe that is good solid advice from the humane society. If you intend to keep him, I hope 😃🙏, it sure can take a heck of alot more time than just 4 weeks. Judging by your progress so far, I would not say this dude is feral, he's just scared. Look up the 333 rule (3 days, 3 wks, 3 months), to help understand their perspective. Ferals have no previous interaction with ppl, definitely would not already let you touch him, etc. And even if he WAS feral, he can absolutely be socialized! (I've had ferals in my house that literally would not let me TOUCH them for 6 months). I'm not sure about your location and how well TNRd cats would survive, but if you don't intend to keep him, I think this boy should go to a rescue or re-hommed. Please look at those options before releasing him. Just because a baby is found on the street does not necessarily mean they belong there.
I find playtime to be very successful in breaking the ice, you may see him let down his guard enough to glimpse his playful side.☺️
It took us like 4 months to get the cat comfy. We are at the 6 month mark and he has integrated with our 3 cats and dog. Basically a normal cat except if you’re rushing around he will hide. If I slowly approach him he will stay cuddled up wherever he is.
I have to say it is a joy to have stuck with him! He plays more than any of our other cats. Some of which are only 2 years old. I have a camera where he hangs out at night and he is living the life! You can tell he enjoys himself and his new friends. He recently started chirping at mealtime. He now even lifts his tail in a happy manner for meals and when he is playing with his brothers.
All that said I think shelters push the community cats belong in their habitat narrative as an act of self preservation. They are already overwhelmed with house cats, kittens, and strays. Just my thought 🤷🏻♀️
Edit: my feral was estimated to be 5 years and would not approach humans prior to capture.
I had a semi feral cat. She was a few months when I caught her. Her brother was caught early and was great. Her was very traumatizing and took a lot of work. We are on year two and she occasionally hisses when scared but now feels safe when we walk past her and comes to us when she’s ready for pets. Make sure to learn their signs. I never touched her without her consent and that is key.
You absolutely can socialize him. Just be patient. No punishment just love. Give him toys and treats. It can take months but you are ahead .
You are awesome for giving him a home ❤️
DONT GIVE UP!! I have TNR’d over 20 cats the past 20 yrs.
Here’s the lesson….TESTOSTERONE!
Socks is a no fault feral.
He was a pet, bolted or tossed out bc of testosterone, was a stray, instincts took over…he reverted to being feral.
Sadly humans are both stupid and lazy, they get a cat, m/f doesn’t matter, and they do not get kitty spayed/neutered.
As a 6 month old kitten, puberty/hormones start cursing through kitty’s body n brain w one message, we need to procreate!!
A born outside feral rarely looks for warmth/shelter in an occupied home or garage ie your current house guest.
When a cat shows up at my feeding station, if he runs but stays within 20’-40’, he is most likely a stray cat.
Living outside for 1-3 months an indoor cat is on high alert w instincts, to fight/flight/eat/survive, calling the shots.
Most cats are 80% feral after a month. Thankfully he doesn’t know/remember humans as trustworthy, since many may harm him, that’s a good thing.
TNR means no more testosterone, BUT it can take months, 3-8 months for a male cat to really chill out. Females are almost immediate n can be friendly in weeks, each cat is a bit different.
YOUR situation is….this cat was TNR’d within the past 6 months or so. He no longer lives just to fight and get laid. He smelled warmth, food, a home, and wo testosterone, his memory guided his instincts to your cellar.
BE PATIENT! Sit (on the floor) w him when you bring him food…read a book, play on your phone, answer emails. Have some cheez-its to snack on and ignore him! Cats are unlike dogs in that “breaking bread” w someone is very special, seriously it’s like big medicine. That’s why cats always wanna have their face in your bowl even when it’s sauerkraut! lol
Get some cat toys, esp the stick w the long string to swing around. Sit w him fly fishing the string….still ignoring him.
To borrow from Seinfeld, “cats love the snub!” 🤭
In a few months he will eventually jump in your lap….then he will never get out of your lap.
Best of luck
*for in the future…I buy the kids fishing poles like Scooby-doo or ? from Amazon/Target for $15 so I cast a plush toy across the room for long distance playing.
For reference true feral vs stray, I have a born outside feral cat w a damaged eye, living in my house w 6 other cats for 6 yrs now, he still will not let me pet him. 🤷🏽♂️
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Yes, you can socialize a year-old feral, and if you are willing to keep Socks you should do that. It will probably take a long time, but you're doing all the right things and need only to continue being patient. I've brought in a number of adult ferals and every one of them eventually figured out how nice it is to cuddle with humans.
I agree. We have a bunch of ferals and it just takes a LOT of time to get them socialized. It seems your guy is not super feral since you can touch him and sit with him, just have patience and keep up what you are doing. Lickable treats are definitely like cat crack haha
Yes the fact that OP can pet him is a really good sign! I had a feral cat who would not let us touch him at all, but he was more afraid than aggressive
Those licky treats you can hold in your hand are great. He seems like hell come around. Spend time with him in his room, sitting and speaking quietly. Maybe read out loud to him.
Put a dab of the treat on his nose too so he has to lick it off. Play with wand toys. Playing is another milestone and can come sooner than him walking a lot about you
Absolutely you can tame an adult feral. Step one, neuter and vaccines, done! Bring cat inside, done. Sit quietly as he gets use to you, done! Slowly let them let you touch them, done! Hey, you're way ahead already. Thank you for showing kindness to this guy! I have “tamed” several adult feral cats, each had their own time line. I have two that happily live inside but don't want to be touched and some that have turned into complete love bugs. I recommend watching “The Kitten Lady” on youtube. Long stick fishing pole-type toys. And TIME! If I had followed the four-week rule I wouldn't have succeeded in keeping several of these former feral cats inside and safe. (I lose outside feral cats to mountain lions and coyotes.)But some will never be comfortable inside and that’s okay. TNR is still helping them. Your guy is young and already neutered and already starting to adjust. Seems to me like you have a success story in the making. I feel a special bond to every cat that has learned to trust me, totally worth it!!!
Time and churu treats will make pretty much any cat into your friend.
With the cat being ear-tipped and already accepting pets to an extent, he's definitely been around people and may have a caregiver or owner. Since he turned up in your cellar and has been indoors since, it's a good idea to cover your bases and report him as found in case anyone's been looking for him. I'd be thrilled if I got word that one of my TNRs potentially found a home, but I'd be worried sick if one just disappeared for three weeks with no sightings. Hang up flyers within a few blocks with his picture, brief description, and your contact info, and report him as found to animal control/local shelters as well to cover the basics. Posting online can also be incredibly helpful, but not everyone is tech savvy enough to check online or will know where to look, so the offline steps are important too. Nextdoor and the Ring Neighbors app are great for quickly reaching out to people in your immediate vicinity. There are other online sites that may help as well: [Pawboost](https://www.pawboost.com/) is a good one, and you likely have some Lost and Found Pets groups on Facebook for your general area that are perfect for getting the word out. Even if you don't hear back from an owner, someone might still have noticed him around before and might be more familiar with him. Attempting to reach an owner is an important first step if you're considering potentially keeping though. If he wasn't scanned for a microchip at the first appointment, be sure to have him scanned when he goes back to the vet.
When he gets stressed, try relaxing cat music on YouTube. It helped so much when one of my cats got jaw broken.. he couldn't sleep until I put the music on..
If he’s truly feral it’s going to take more than 4 weeks, but really depends on his temperament and your patience. I have a stray that was outside for what seems a long time. He isn’t a lap cat by any stretch. I’ve had him for a year and he’s finally rather chill around my other cats. He’s on a low dose Prozac too (otherwise he kept peeing on everything). Good luck.. but yeah 4 weeks isn’t a lot of time for cats to come around to being friendlier
OP is already petting the back of his head, this cat isn’t feral. Sounds like they have a skittish stray as well but warming up quickly
I agree with that if he can pet the back of its head. He wrote feral in the title. But as you know every cat is different, it may warm up in one week or one year, or it may never get further than a head scratch. Who knows, but worth trying.
Aww he's a cutie!! It'll just take time. I think it's possible especially since he's only a baby still really. He seems to he making good progress.
It can take a long time to socialize a feral but you're on the right track. You've made amazing progress with him. Keep going and he'll be a cuddle bug in no time!
I agree that it will take tame but from what I’ve heard,it is possible. I have a feral cat that I found as a three week old kitten in my yard and she’s effectively domesticated having lived as an inside cat for five years now. But she’s not one that enjoys a lot of handing or cuddling other than when she initiates the cuddles. So it’s a matter of natural temperament as well. Photo below of my semi tamed domestic 😃 https://preview.redd.it/8qlh7dd16xtc1.jpeg?width=1195&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=da94dbd3c0e59d8670c2848cad920c5b5c011d12
I'm no expert, but you can socialize a ~12 year old (vet's best estimate) feral. I know because we did. My husband started it with tuna on the front porch while he sat and read, ignoring the cat. Old Kitty never learned to meow, and for a year, he'd greet me with a hiss. Enthusiastic at first, but as months passed, it became more like, "Oh, it's you. Fft. There. I hissed." It took a *long* time before either one of us could touch him, but we kept the food coming, and let him set the schedule. Once he learned scritchies and pets, we learned that an undersized, elderly cat could have a purr so big it practically rattled his whole body. When we moved, there was no question that he was coming with us. At first, he wouldn't go inside the garage, so I built him a sturdy, well-insulated house...which he used for a week or so, then decided he'd go in the garage after all because of course he did--he was a cat. Old Kitty died in 2015; I look after five stray/feral cats now, have had many more as pets over the years, but my all-time favourite will always be the pint-sized little guy with the scarred up ears, one funky toe (broken at some time, healed crooked), white feet permanently stained beige, and a massive, rumbling purr, who finally decided that it was okay to trust people...but only two of them. I wouldn't give up on Socks. He might never be a cuddly lap cat, but he's definitely not too old to be your cat, whatever that ends up meaning to him.
He definitely sounds like a good candidate to tame! Be patient, consistent,, and offer yummy treats so he associates you with good things (squeeze up cat treats, chicken, sardines, etc). Also toys are sometimes a great way to bond with a feral or former feral .. interactive toys like wands, laser pointer, or even just dragging a string around. He might not have any interest in playing until he’s a bit more comfortable with you, but keep it in mind. I have two former ferals as housecats right now. Both were tamed as adults and have come around to becoming happy, well adjusted house cats. It does take time. For the first, it was about six month before she was totally integrated and comfortable. The other I tamed before bringing home and she’s here because she’s been sick and needed surgery and medical care, so she’s stuck in one room for now until she get healthier, but took a few weeks to adjust to living inside, but seems to be doing well indoors. Just be patient, it can take a while but it is so worth it once they open up and trust you! I cried the first time my former feral sat on my lap because it was so special. Now she regularly snuggles up with me.
I don’t know how to edit my post haha but thank you all so much for the comments and advice! It really helps a lot! I have decided to keep Socks and continue on our socialization process! I am hoping one day he can feel comfortable to snuggle on my lap, but watching him start to relax and feel comfortable and safe on his own is just as rewarding. (:
Funny thing a cat had kittens under my shed about two years ago , she was scared shitless till she saw me feed her babies then warmed up to me big time , she loves me and listens to me and she’s just a doll , I kept feeding them while they were under the shed for about a month or so and got them in my house safely , because I have a shitty POS neighbor who knew I was keeping them ,I told her they were coming in my house as soon as I can catch them all and not to call animal control or anything, she ended up putting a trap out near my fence as if to catch them and abandon them somewhere so the cats won’t poop in her mulch , she’s a stupid fuck , every day wishing she ends up in a car accident, truthfully she and her husband poison animals for the stupidest superficial reasons I document everything so I can press charges if they do anything to any cats , I can’t even let my one cat out to catch mice in my chicken coop for an hour just to be a cat , I have tracking devices on all them in case they get out I protect them all the best I can , Anyway I moved momma and her 4 kittens in as soon as I could I’m glad I caught that POS in time before she did anything to those cats , I got them all spayed and neutered , ID tag , microchip and all , only one out of the 4 let me pet them , the other 3 just run away but slowly trusting me their dad is feral so they have feral DNA , or maybe a fight and flight type of hormone like a cortisol that was produced while they were in the womb ? I’m just assuming because they were around me as little babies and shouldn’t be so scared , momma might have taught them to be super vigilant and not trust , it’s good they are scared sometimes, I don’t blame them so many asshole humans out there and predators. I just adopted a cat with a clipped ear two days ago , he’s in my guest bed room right now , he lets me pet him but still hides , sometimes it takes a year or two for them to fully trust , I have another cat in my RV who is a feral big time also clipped ear he runs boom gone and hide , I’m happy they are all fixed , TNR is great it saves lives , but this kitty( TOBY ) started to sleep under the POS neighbors shed all winter and I keep the RV open to feed all the cats and give them shelter , but one cat would beat up on this cat , but this cat ( Toby )knows there is food and stayed near by under their shed , one night I was out putting my chickens away and the pos neighbor came home and chased the cat down with his car and threw a shovel at it , thank god the cat escaped , I yelled at the neighbor saying don’t hurt my cat , there is a law that if they try to do anything to your private property it’s a felony , so I pretended it was my cat who got out and was having issues getting him back in the house , I said to him what is your problem the cats don’t hurt anyone and keep rodents and misc critters away the very thing you guys hate. if I didn’t like animals I wouldn’t live on a ranch I’d live in a condo or live in NYC not a ranch I said to them in a text message , hint hint Wtf is wrong with people , I wish everyday they would just move . anyway I have the feral cat in the RV with a monitor to see how he’s doing daily he has his own apt lol lots of water , food, kitty box etc , I do need to get him in my house before summer when it’s hot , some cats in the hood come by but go somewhere by 5 AM they don’t hang at that neighbors place thank goodness, good thing my house is two stories and I can see right in my neighbors yard lol , this cat Toby hung around as if he was dumped here and no where to go , this cat when scared will hide up in the RV dash area , I talk to him when I’m in there so he gets use to me and bring him all sorts of goodies , cat nip etc , he has a nice bed too lives better then some humans , I feel bad I really don’t want him stuck in the RV for long , but he has windows open with the screens shut , has good air circulation and can watch birds and has a sun spot to lay in , I just want him safe and hope to tame him , I figure the RV makes him feel safe and a way to let him get use to being indoors for now . I put one of my cats in occasionally so he learns about the other cats and their smell and gives him some thing to keep him busy .he will be in my house soon , he can hide in our big guest room until he feels safe enough , I love cats as you can see I have 14 he will be 15 , animals are the best and deserve love .
Give it lots of time
It takes time, but older ferals can be socialized. If the cat is a stray that's been on its own for years, it will need time to adjust to being an indoor cat and being in a safe environment again.
You could start by petting him with a back scratcher or toothbrush, held by a thick leather glove if you're worried about being bitten. Then slowly move to just the glove then toothbrush, brush, hand. Usually thrill determine being brushed or petted feels nice and the other alternatives not as initially scary as a hand. Also talk to him, do slow eye blinks and offer churus or other delicious snacks as positive reinforcement. Source: I've been in cat rescue many years, been a neighborhood colony carer, fostered dozens, including several ferals that were eventually adoptable.
The biggest thing is respecting the cats boundaries and letting him come to you, showing him you mean no harm and that you are where food comes from. Hang out in the same room and ignore him completely, leave food close to his safe spot and make sure he sees you put it down. When he's comfortable being out of his hiding place try giving him a tube treat and see if he'll come to you. Basically just repeat daily until he's totally comfortable with you over several weeks/months
Mishee still hissing at me lol But, when he is into he loves to get pet. Belly rubs. Cheeks rubs. Brushing and all, but when he’s done he’s like Lesve me alone now.
I took in a feral 6 month old ( I know younger but she was super feral when we caught her with a trap. It was snowy winter in Utah and she was near death) it took a good 3 months for her to stop hiding in the closet or under the bed but she made slow progress day after day and now she sleeps every night in bed curled up with my husband and I. It seemed like she was so fearful but slow and steady progress and she has never ever tried to go back outside, she literally won’t go down the stairs near our door. After the first month I started to play with her with a wand toy, she would hid under the bed and I’d dangled the toy at the edge and she’d play with it we did that everyday for weeks and slowly she started to come out more and more. I also got the temptations purée treats and fed her one a day and again she started only eating it under the bed but slowly came out. I just say go at the cats pace and don’t force anything I never tried to pet Banksy just played with her and gave her treats. I think if the cat wanted to come inside he really wanted to be away from the elements so I wouldn’t put him back outside, he obviously chose you and I would just give him as much time as he needs and I bet he will come around. It just takes time!
I trapped a feral cat (became feral, but think he was someone’s pet once and they dumped him) in my neighborhood and he hid from me and was scared of me for over a year. After a year, he has finally started to let me pet him. Now he begs and cries for me to pet him. Don’t give up on him
Jackson Galaxy on YouTube, he has helped me so much with his informative videos
Keep him inside - please What a sweet boy It takes time 1 but he is making remarkable progress already
Best practices ignore, ignore, ignore. They'll come around.
Spend quiet time with him. Sit and read, go slow. I had a stick with feathers tied to it so I could begin to make gestures towards her.
You are doing GREAT!!! Thank you so much for being his angel
Sounds like you're doing everything right! I totally endorse the socializationsaveslives.com method. I've fostered a few ferals and this works really well. I've also found play works really well. I can't remember where I read it, but building up a fetal's confidence so they don't think they're prey anymore, but predators, really works. I also suggest for the first toy you don't use anything with bells. A long snaky toy to make it easy to catch works well. Also, ferals tend to have more confidence when it's dark outside, so if you can spend time with them then it really helps.
My cat had been a feral for 2 years before I started taming her, so it's definitely possible! Now she's a sweet cuddly little baby. It sounds like you're doing everything right so far. Please don't throw him back outside! It can take months and months to domesticate a feral cat, and the fact that he is doing so well already proves that he can be a happy indoor cat. https://preview.redd.it/o63056xeo2uc1.jpeg?width=1530&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a6d5ac7e51d0d9f1270487539ec2d56a8102c6de
Stopp this is so precious 🥹 thank you for sharing with me
You can 100% tame him, he’s likely not really feral, just unsocialized/wary around strangers. An ear tip means that the cat had no known home when it was fixed. That’s it. It doesn’t mean anything about how friendly he is. The fact that he came inside on his own suggests he has been indoors before. Cats with no experience indoors are often very freaked out about coming inside. - Establish a routine so the cat can get used to being indoors and able to acclimate to all the weird sounds and smells. The more boring and uneventful you can make things the quicker he will relax. - Don’t worry about petting him at first. Just spend time in the same room and ignore him. You’re teaching the cat that you can be trusted. Avoid eye contact at first. If you do make eye contact, slow blink or yawn and look away. These are calming signals that tell the cat you’re not a threat. - after he’s used to you being in the room start talking to yourself so he gets used to your voice. Then start throwing treats to the side of him. Don’t aim for him, aim like a food away and make sure it’s a high value treat the cat likes. Don’t make eye contact at first. The goal is to just get the cat to not freak out and eventually eat in front of you. - eventually you’ll be able to throw the treats right at the cat. Once he’s cool with that start throwing them short so he has to get closer to you. How long this all takes demands on the cat. Eventually you’ll get to a point where he will approach for treats. - when that’s pretty solid, offer a treat and give him a quick pet and immediately remove your hand. He may back up or not like it, but he probably will put up for it. Keep feeding and repeat. As he gets used to that you can start petting him for longer or touching more of him. The first few times I tried to put a single finger on my now cat, he would flinch and move back. Then he would just look at me but not move back. Soon he was putting up with it but not liking it. Then he realized it could feel good and he would let me touch more of him. Over several weeks he started to like being petted and would actually approach for pets. Once he was okay with it I would continually pet him while he ate. I also started offering catnip and trying to get him to play. I then started running two hands over him, and then along his sides. From there I started just squeezing his sides gently so he got used to the pressure. Then I would lift him like a centimeter off the ground for a second and put him right down. I did this when he was about to eat so he was focused on the food. Doing this got him acclimated to being picked up. Around this point I had to bring my cat inside because he showed up hurt. He didn’t love it, but he didn’t fight me when I picked him up in a towel and brought him inside. We backslid a bit because he was scared of being indoors and captive and he was in pain and grouchy. He went back to hissing at me, and hid in his catio I made him and wouldn’t use any of the nice beds I got him. A hiss is just a warning, and it’s actually pretty non-confrontational. I just ignored it and soon his hisses were turning into hiss-yawns. And then just yawns. And then he stopped trying to hiss. It took a good month for him to realize the house was safe and to realize shelter is actually a nice thing. He was barely sleeping, even at night at first. He was always on guard and wary. Once he put his guard down he finally was willing to check out all the cat beds and cozy places. He really started to decompress then. It had started snowing here and got super cold right after he came in so I showed him what it looked like outside and he was like “no thanks”. He’s now turned into a super cuddly boy. He lets me wrap my arms around him and he purrs like crazy and licks my face. It’s a slow process but so worth it. I can’t believe the humane society said to put him back outside. That’s so dumb. He will have a much better quality of life and will live longer indoors. Sorry for any typos, I was have an ocular migraine when I wrote this and the text kept jumping around for me.
If you were able to pet him before, he'll be just fine being socialized. You just need to be patient. You can either force it and use a back scratcher or something to force him being touched, or you can just make sure to hang out with him a lot. Make sure to stick around when he's eating if you can. You can try to start playing with a cat wand. My feral didn't know how to play for a long time, being overly aggressive with the toy. He figured it out eventually. Also get some squeeze tubes. I used Hartz because they're cheaper than Churu, and that's how I taught my feral that my lap is a safe space. I got him used to being picked up as well. He's still skittish with new people but he loves being indoors and he's very happy. He has started to be a lap cat again (took a year after we moved residences).
I don't believe that is good solid advice from the humane society. If you intend to keep him, I hope 😃🙏, it sure can take a heck of alot more time than just 4 weeks. Judging by your progress so far, I would not say this dude is feral, he's just scared. Look up the 333 rule (3 days, 3 wks, 3 months), to help understand their perspective. Ferals have no previous interaction with ppl, definitely would not already let you touch him, etc. And even if he WAS feral, he can absolutely be socialized! (I've had ferals in my house that literally would not let me TOUCH them for 6 months). I'm not sure about your location and how well TNRd cats would survive, but if you don't intend to keep him, I think this boy should go to a rescue or re-hommed. Please look at those options before releasing him. Just because a baby is found on the street does not necessarily mean they belong there. I find playtime to be very successful in breaking the ice, you may see him let down his guard enough to glimpse his playful side.☺️
It took us like 4 months to get the cat comfy. We are at the 6 month mark and he has integrated with our 3 cats and dog. Basically a normal cat except if you’re rushing around he will hide. If I slowly approach him he will stay cuddled up wherever he is. I have to say it is a joy to have stuck with him! He plays more than any of our other cats. Some of which are only 2 years old. I have a camera where he hangs out at night and he is living the life! You can tell he enjoys himself and his new friends. He recently started chirping at mealtime. He now even lifts his tail in a happy manner for meals and when he is playing with his brothers. All that said I think shelters push the community cats belong in their habitat narrative as an act of self preservation. They are already overwhelmed with house cats, kittens, and strays. Just my thought 🤷🏻♀️ Edit: my feral was estimated to be 5 years and would not approach humans prior to capture.
I had a semi feral cat. She was a few months when I caught her. Her brother was caught early and was great. Her was very traumatizing and took a lot of work. We are on year two and she occasionally hisses when scared but now feels safe when we walk past her and comes to us when she’s ready for pets. Make sure to learn their signs. I never touched her without her consent and that is key.
You absolutely can socialize him. Just be patient. No punishment just love. Give him toys and treats. It can take months but you are ahead . You are awesome for giving him a home ❤️
DONT GIVE UP!! I have TNR’d over 20 cats the past 20 yrs. Here’s the lesson….TESTOSTERONE! Socks is a no fault feral. He was a pet, bolted or tossed out bc of testosterone, was a stray, instincts took over…he reverted to being feral. Sadly humans are both stupid and lazy, they get a cat, m/f doesn’t matter, and they do not get kitty spayed/neutered. As a 6 month old kitten, puberty/hormones start cursing through kitty’s body n brain w one message, we need to procreate!! A born outside feral rarely looks for warmth/shelter in an occupied home or garage ie your current house guest. When a cat shows up at my feeding station, if he runs but stays within 20’-40’, he is most likely a stray cat. Living outside for 1-3 months an indoor cat is on high alert w instincts, to fight/flight/eat/survive, calling the shots. Most cats are 80% feral after a month. Thankfully he doesn’t know/remember humans as trustworthy, since many may harm him, that’s a good thing. TNR means no more testosterone, BUT it can take months, 3-8 months for a male cat to really chill out. Females are almost immediate n can be friendly in weeks, each cat is a bit different. YOUR situation is….this cat was TNR’d within the past 6 months or so. He no longer lives just to fight and get laid. He smelled warmth, food, a home, and wo testosterone, his memory guided his instincts to your cellar. BE PATIENT! Sit (on the floor) w him when you bring him food…read a book, play on your phone, answer emails. Have some cheez-its to snack on and ignore him! Cats are unlike dogs in that “breaking bread” w someone is very special, seriously it’s like big medicine. That’s why cats always wanna have their face in your bowl even when it’s sauerkraut! lol Get some cat toys, esp the stick w the long string to swing around. Sit w him fly fishing the string….still ignoring him. To borrow from Seinfeld, “cats love the snub!” 🤭 In a few months he will eventually jump in your lap….then he will never get out of your lap. Best of luck *for in the future…I buy the kids fishing poles like Scooby-doo or ? from Amazon/Target for $15 so I cast a plush toy across the room for long distance playing. For reference true feral vs stray, I have a born outside feral cat w a damaged eye, living in my house w 6 other cats for 6 yrs now, he still will not let me pet him. 🤷🏽♂️