How do you look after a feral cat?

Answer 1

My own cat used to be feral before I made him an indoor pet. Now, I'm not exactly sure what you mean by your question, but I will try to explain some things.

Feral cats will not be very friendly toward humans if they aren't treated well or even in contact with humans at an early age. However, some feral cats might be friendly simply because their parents were.

If you want to make your cat an indoor cat, go slowly. Bring him in for short periods of time, but let him out when he wants to go. He might get used to or even like coming inside, but with some cats, they aren't willing to let the outdoors go, so don't force them.

While going through these stages, refrain from scaring them, even if they do something like scratching the furniture. If you hit the cat, they might not come back when you let them out. Plus, this behavior might be a result of anxiety from being kept inside, away from what they've always known.

Answer 2

Not easily. Cats must be socialized as kittens to make good pets, and feral cats have almost always been mistreated so that they're very scared of humans and will tend to bite and scratch from fear. It is possible to get them to come and get food close to you, but they usually don't like being petted or picked up. If you can catch a very young kitten, however, it can be tamed.

Answer 3

Yes you can, but it takes time. You must respect the cat's uncertainty about you, while also seeking to gain it's trust.

I once rescued an old beat up male cat. So scared, he wouldn't even look at me. And, he promptly scurried under my bed and wouldn't come out; he kept out of my reach. So---I laid on the floor beside the bed every day, talked to him, and put his food under the bed but 1-inch closer to me every day. I extended my arm/hand under the bed and laid there talking while while he ate, so he could see that I didn't intend to hurt him. After 10-12 days, I decided to take a chance and grab him--but I risked ruining the trust. I held him all afternoon, petting/talking, and massaging his neck. It took months to get him to look at me, but it would have taken longer if I hadn't risked getting him to come out of hiding. (Note to self -- Always block under the bed before bringing in a new rescue!)