Daily Kitten Chat Forum » Cats & Kittens

1. 

   Hello from Australia!
   I've been visiting you all every day for a couple of years. This is a gorgeous site, and you all seem really sweet and there seems to be a lot of experience amongst you. I’m hoping someone can help us with integrating a once-feral cat into our household.

   My hubbie and I have 5 cats. Four have the run of the house, but we have to keep one segregated. She's was feral (her name is Kristy) and we trapped her at our local shops after she’d given birth to a litter of kittens. We re-homed three of her kittens and kept one (he’s very slow/ special; his name is Bear).
   Two of the other 'free' cats are Siamese (named Button and Mouse). They were rescued from a horrible breeder who kept them entirely in cages for the first six months of their life - they're v.v. nervous, but love each other (and us) lots. The other is a gorgeous, meek little girl named Lollipop, who must have been someone’s pet until they dumped her at the shops when there was a colony of cats down there. We found her sitting in the bushes one day when we were trying to save the others, and we scooped her up immediately and took her home.

   We’ve tamed Kristy, and she loves us, but we have to keep her in her own room because she attacks the other cats. We let her out twice a day to roam the house, but we have to keep the others away from her. She doesn't just hiss and growl – she launches herself at them and has drawn blood each of the two times we couldn't get there fast enough. She even hates Bear – her “little” boy (he’s now giant, but very submissive). Kristy’s room is glass-doored, so they’ve all always been able to see and sniff each other, but if the others get too close to her door she attacks, throwing herself at the glass. Bear, especially, would love to be her friend. He keeps trying.

   Last part of the saga: there was one other feral mum at the shops (named Belinda). We trapped her too after she gave birth to six kittens. We re-homed all the kittens and a neighbour has been taming her. The neighbour agreed to do this only on the proviso that we take Belinda in August because she’s moving home. We’re ready for Belinda, but that will make six cats. We think Belinda will be more likely to blend with our other four, but if you have any tips for making Kristy more social we’d appreciate it greatly!

   Thanks!

   Posted 2 years ago by sharbimillionaire #

2. 

   Welcome to TDK! I am glad you came out of lurking, and I am sure someone can help you. I am not experienced at the intergration of a feral, so I am little help. It is the beginning of the weekend, and sometimes weekends are slow. If we keep this bumped up you will get a lot of advice! I am adding a pink tag at the top that will link this to other threads about the same topic. I am sure glad you came to join the fun!

   Posted 2 years ago by SoxsMom #

3. 

   Welcome. Bless you for helping feral Mamas and babies. Other than time and patience, I'm afraid I can't offer any specific advice. I have taken in quite a few ferals over the yrs and domesticated them. Funny thing is, they all loved all my other cats, it was us people that took time. Click on my avatar and you will see my 9 babies. 2, Willow and Cute Linda were ferals. Willow is totally domesticated. Cute Linda, after 8 yrs still does not alow us to touch him (albeit he sleeps in bed with us!) , but he adores any other furry friend we bring home, there is never an adjustment period, he loves all kitties without exception. He has especially won us over because we have lost 5 kitties since we've had him and he is especially protective and attached to sick kitties.
   Best wishes

   Posted 2 years ago by Tigerlilly #

4. 

   Thanks lots for the welcome soxsmom. Your avi is gorgeous - she (he?) looks just like the first baby I ever got - when I was five. She lived until the year after I was married (when I was twenty). I still love her lots.

   Wow, Tigerlilly: you have NINE! What a legend - they're adorable too - I checked them out on your site. The kisties in my avi are button and mouse, our two siamese 'rescued' from a 'kitten factory'. So Cute Linda is a boy? He sounds adorable - sleeping in your bed and all, but not allowing snuggles. He obviously loves you, but just can't get past his early training: don't trust people with two feet. Kritsy's just the opposite - after ages spent getting her to trust us she now loves snuggles (she's still scared at first every time, though), but she's still just feral with cats. It's sad, because everyone else here gets on so well, and the others are all nervous. No-one here would be able to put her in line.

   Oh well, we'll keep playing musical rooms until we figure something out.

   Sorry you lost five kitties. I feel you - we've had some horrible losses on our journey too. We started out on this journey having lost our darling stray Siamese, Bunny. My hubbie was brought up by a mother who thought cats were evil and should have boiling water thrown on them. Bunny came and melted his heart fifteen years ago. We held onto her too long in the end (she had renal failure), but we couldn't say goodbye. But since then, my boy can't see a cat suffer. When we found the colony at the shops he wouldn't rest till we caught them all (17 in the end). He had to build a special drop-trap with plans from the internet when some of them were too smart for the traditional traps. I do love him.

   x.

   Posted 2 years ago by sharbimillionaire #

5. 

   Welcome to TDK, Sharbimillionaire. You have done a wonderful job saving your kits. Do you know anyone who wants just a single kitty? Kristi might just be happier being a lone kitty in a house with her own hoomins. While she loves you and your husband, she just may not be able to get over the 'feral survival' part of her prior life. Have you tried using Rescue Remedy in her water or something along those lines? May help to calm her nerves just enough so she could interact with the others.

   Posted 2 years ago by AZDEBRA 5/27 & crew #

6. 

   We haven't tried Rescue Remedy Adzebra. We have that hormone spray (I've forgotten the name), but we'll try Rescue Remedy.

   But in the end, you're right. Kristy just wants us, and no other cats. I feel that strongly. She would just spend the rest of her days in ecstasy if she just had a couple of hoomins to love, and no competition from other cats. It's been six months, and there's no change.

   We're very determined, and we could find her a new mum and dad, but my hubbie will have trouble letting go. They're very close now - she helps him do all of his work through the day (we work from home), and she's very diligent. He likes hard workers. In the end though, he'll do what's right for her and everyone else. But he's a stickler for the underdog, and we used to watch her down at the shops, struggling to survive, providing for her babies, and he won't give her up without a fight.

   Thanks for the advice.

   Posted 2 years ago by sharbimillionaire #

7. 

   I too am one for the underdog, if you could find the right hoomins, she would be spoiled like she wants to be and definately should be. Sounds like you hubby is a very nice, caring person and she appreciates that. The Rescue Remedy is added to her water, hopefully she drinks enough during the day. Again, welcome to the TDK family >^..^<

   Posted 2 years ago by AZDEBRA 5/27 & crew #

8. 

   My avitar is my boy Deuteronomy or Deuter Bug for short. He is best buddies with my 18 week old puppy Basset Hound. He is my second tuxie. Sox (Mistofalees) was my first. He died at 9 months--he was born with Feline Leukimia. He infected my Russian Blue Boy Basil who lived 2 more years and died almost a year ago. My Teaser (Rumpleteaser) never contracted the virus. I have learned there are a world of people that have successfully raised FeLV+ cats.

   Posted 2 years ago by SoxsMom #

9. 

   Welcome to TDK Shar!! I had to giggle at your musical rooms tactics. I'm having to do the same here because some of the kits just won't be accepting. Good job also,with hubby building the drop trap. I resorted to the internet & my TDK Family for lots of ideas. I had 23 kits at all different stages of life at one time. I never wish to have so many again. In fact.my TDK Family helped me with expenses & Physical labor in transporting 7 of them to a shelter which since,has found homes for all of them. My avatar is Thumper & Spider (2 of the 7 rehomed-they're now Bullwinkle & Rocky) I can't Thank them enuf. I'm down to caring for 13 now.
   I can only offer you Prayers that your little sweetie starts calming down & accepting her fate as 'cared for & safe kitty'.

   Welcome again! :)

   Ohhh...Feliway works fantastic in most cats for calming.

   Posted 2 years ago by feral #

10. 

    Hi feral!

    Thumper and spider are very handsome. You are amazing - 23 babies at once! I'd have gone mad - mostly because I'd forever feel guilty for not giving them all individual love and attention. But I tell myself that not being cuddled whenever they ask is better than trying to survive on the street.

    It really does my heart good to 'meet' people like you guys. We all hear such horrible things about people out there (in my job it's an occupational hazard), and hearing about loving people who look after the innocent is a great tonic.

    Feliway - yes, that's the name I forgot earlier - we've had it in a plug-in dispenser form and we've now got it in a spray. It has helped a lot over time. I just can't trust Kristy yet though. I think the new girl (Belinda) will fit in much more easily and I'll be sure to spray that around. Am I mad to be a bit excted about having her here too?

    Yes.

    Anyway, better go - my blue boy siamese is DEMANDING attention - believe me, he talks a blue streak (pun intended).

    Posted 2 years ago by sharbimillionaire #

11. 

    Welcome to TDK, Shar! Feral's suggestion of trying Feliway is a good one; that might calm your Kristy down and get her used to the 'smell' of other cats... sometimes it's slow on the weekend around here, so let's keep bumping up this thread so others can catch up with it - as you know there are lots of TDKers who hopefully can offer some additional suggestions to help Kristy get along with the rest of the littermates in your house ;-)

    Oh, my avatar is MacKenzie when he was a baby; click on my name and you can get to my catster page - Grommet is on catster, too - she's MacKenzie's sister.

    Posted 2 years ago by kittymom #

12. 

    omg, grommet and macKenzie are adorable! I love their fame-page.

    Do you know what, Kittymom? I've kinda given up on integrating Kristy. We're really patient, we've loads of time, and we love them all lots, but she's just like an attack dog. Azdebra confirmed what we both thought.

    So, unless someone here has an amazing new suggestion, we'll do one of two things: play musical rooms until Kristy crosses the rainbow bridge (unless we get there first), or find someone who loves her every bit as much as us.

    As she's a very ordinary looking little girl (shhhh - do not tell her I said that), who'll never be an easy, snuggly baby (she lived her first full year in a carpark, so who could blame her), we may just keep up the extra work.

    When they look at you with trust, and look around in ecstacy at the life they never thought they'd have, it's hard to let them go.

    Listen to me... telling you guys that!

    lol

    Posted 2 years ago by sharbimillionaire #

13. 

    Hi Shar, sounds like you've pretty much decided what to do; I, for one, am glad that you'll be keeping Kristy; It's never certain what kind of life she might have if you found her another home. And, concats on your upcoming addition, Belinda! You'll have to set up catster pages for your family (it's free) so we can all see their pictures. You can link their pages to your profile here on TDK. Keep us updated, please...
    Oh, and Mac and Grommie say'thank you' for the compliment! Grommet is blushing;-)

    Posted 2 years ago by kittymom #

14. 

    Hi Sharbi, you de-lurked while I was away! - a belated welcome to TDK Chat, nice to hear of another cat called Button, we have one too, in fact that's her in my avator! Look forward to chatting with you :o)

    Posted 2 years ago by MadcatwomanintheUK #

15. 

    Welcome! You are going to love the people here, I know I do! I have a special place in my heart for people who work with ferals. I once spent a little over a year taming a polydactle I named Thumbs that came to my house for food. I know how frustrating, but rewarding it can be. Keep up the wonderful work!

    Posted 2 years ago by linksboomerang #

16. 

    Hey you guys,

    Still doing the musical rooms with Kristy, but she is just so loving towards us now. From completely feral, to totally tame – at least with humans. She still tries to shred our other darlings though the door cracks we leave open for her.

    Belinda arrived on Monday. My hubby made a four level deluxe accommodation cage for her, lined in carpet, throw rugs scattered about, and a hot water bottle on one level. A neighbour has had her in a room for the past four months or so. Belinda was also a feral born in a car park. Our neighbour can’t keep her anymore. She hasn’t been able to touch her, but she’s been taking her pets and her daughter in to the room to talk with her every day.

    Belinda is a very quiet, still, little Buddha. She’s fine when we reach into the cage to change her litter and give her food and water, but if your hand gets too close she hisses quietly. Never one to be deterred by a little hissing, I reached forward to try to snuggle her on her first day, and got a good bite (my tetanus is up to date, don’t worry). I’m lucky she didn't fly forward and scratch my face – I don’t even know her yet.

    Anyway, our cats (except Kristy) are free to go in and chat to her, and we carry her in the (huge, very heavy) cage out to the backyard to watch the other kids playing every day. And last night I slept in her room so she could watch me. It’s slow going. We hate seeing her in a cage, but I know if we let her out now we probably won’t catch a glimpse of her again until Christmas! She can’t escape (our yard is enclosed, but she will hide quietly somewhere, I just know it. I’d rather see if we can get her to trust us before letting her out.

    Any tips or tricks will be lapped up.

    Madcatwoman: kisses to your button (a beautiful big girl). My button is cranky about the new arrivals. But to voice his discontent he just speaks loudly in Siamese and demands extra snuggles, with which we do oblige. Thanks for the welcome!

    Hi Linksboomerang: I've never seen a polydactle. They look so cute. You can never have enough cat, I reckon. Some extra toesies would just add fun, and more scratches, I guess. Where did Thumbs end up going? We still don't know whether we'll keep Belinda and Kristy forever, but we have to try to get them to a point that someone else could fall in love with them. We couldn't leave them in the carpark to breed; we couldn't catch them and kill them after they trusted us while we were feeding them and trying to trap them (and after we stole all their kittens); and my husband couldn't bear to trap and release them once desexed - I guess we both didn't want them out in the cold, horrible carpark (there are some horrible people down there, we discovered). We are suckers though. It would already hurt to give up Kristy.

    I’ll keep you posted...

    Posted 2 years ago by sharbimillionaire #

17. 

    Hi Shar, sounds like Belinda has deluxe accommodations at your house! You're doing everything right ~ just give her some time, and she'll come around, especially since your other furrbabies can visit her. Can you post some pics for us??

    Posted 2 years ago by kittymom #

18. 

    Well, Thumbs is a very sad story. We had gotten him to the point of where we thought we could bring him in. At the time we only had one cat, so it wasn't going to be a big deal. I told my husband that I wouldn't bring him in without taking him to the vet first and getting all the proper shots, neuter and a bath. So I had called some vets and we started discussing how to get him in the carrier. One night we were in bed and we heard a commotion outside. We jumped out of bed and saw about three wild dogs around our house after something. I didn't even think of Thumbs because every evening he would go down our road across the street to the woods where I guessed he slept. The next day we got up and I went outside to see if the dogs had gotten into anything. I found Thumbs laying in our neighbors yard dead. I really blame myself because had if I had not gotten him so tame he probably would have kept going back to the woods. I felt like he stayed because he was starting to feel like he was at home. So we buried him.
    A better twist to the story...I have an older man that lives across the street that has some cats. One day I was talking to him and he asked if I'd seen his Hemmingway cat. I was like what is that and he told me it was a cat with extra toes. Thumbs was his cat, and his name wasn't Thumbs, it was Tom. All along I thought he was this wild cat going across the street to the woods. He was really going across the street to a couch, litterbox and ate the finest meals. It made me happy that he'd known the luxuries of an owner. Later I adopted another male, but my females didn't get along with him, so I gave him to the man across the street. He was so happy, and I felt like I'd made up for Thumbs.

    Posted 2 years ago by linksboomerang #

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