Cats have been domesticated for centuries. When an owner dies, the cat, left to fend for itself, wanders off. Domesticated cats do not easily survive and occasionally join other cats in an attempt to stay alive. Not all cats are accepted by previously formed groups. Some risk rejection by the other cats. Life becomes an endless fearful struggle. This scenario of an abandoned cat may also occur when an owner moves and leaves the cat behind or when the owner is indifferent and stops feeding or caring for the domesticated cat. An abused cat may run away from its owner despite the known food source. It then struggles to live, fearful of humans.
Feral Kittens and Stray Cats Can Possibly Be Socialized
Feral kittens, less than 8 weeks old, can often be socialized if caught early. Stray cats, i.e. cats who are lost or abandoned, possibly neutered or spayed, on the streets less then 6 months, may be socialized unless otherwise too fearful from a history of abuse. The true feral, that is the cat born in the wild of another feral cat, is most fearful and reluctant to cast its fate with humans. This cat most likely won’t be a typical pet or a lap snuggler but to deny it love, a chance for comfort, would be a mistake for both human and cat.
Luring the Cat
A cat will return to its food source. Leaving food out daily and around the same time will draw the cat to a site. The cat may run at the sight of a person. By remaining a safe distance of 6 feet away, the cat believes rightly he has a good chance of escaping should that person reach out. The cat needs to see or smell this primary person at least several times a week, to begin to feel somewhat comfortable in human presence. Sometime within this first year, a plan should be set to trap the hungry cat in a humane trap to get it spayed or neutered. The altered cat has less chance of being in fights and no chance of reproducing more feral cats. Post surgery, the cat is released back into familiar territory. The feeding resumes. It can take a year or longer for a true feral to let the specific person gingerly, briefly, touch its fur while it eats. Don’t be surprised if this is seen as a set back to the cat and it runs away for a day or 2. It will return.
Trust and the Wild Cat
This is a long term project and months will pass before the food source can be successfully moved closer to the person and home. The cat moves closer as well, watching warily out of the corner of its eyes. Weeks pass as the dish is moved closer and closer to civilization (the primary person). The cat, accustomed to the presence isn’t yet sure it is a friend. Eventually, the food is moved onto a porch with a door left ajar. Eventually, human touch is tolerated. Eventually also, the cat doesn’t run at the sight of the primary person. Soon the person can pet the cat. “Your” cat.
A wild animal trusts you, the person, to supply food and not hurt it. That moment you finally hug the cat and it doesn’t hiss or run away but finishes eating, you have socialized a true feral. Anything after that, is icing on the cake.
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