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Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/Feral Kitten
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Question
I have been feeding a feral kitten who was living under a dumpster. She got to the place where I could pet her. Yesterday I brought her home and she is in my bathroom with food, water and a bed. Whenever I check on her, she lets me pet her, but she looks so unhappy and scared. Did I do the right thing? I was so afraid she would get hit by a car.
Margie,
)
That is a nice thing to do to save the kitty.
A kitten needs a kitty friend for comfort and companionship. It is scared and alone in a strange world with a human that it is inbred and inherited to be afraid of. Personally I would try to get another kitten about it's same age that your kitten can learn from from it and snuggle with it.
You have taken her (out of kindness) from everything she knows and is used to. It is natural that she will be frightend and confused. She would not like to be in a room alone where she cannot see. It would be better to get her a big dog crate to be in, that way she can see you, and get used to your movements and the sounds going on in the home. I got mine at Petco and it works great for containing a cat. I use it for introductions or petsitting. You can put a litterbox, food and water dishes, and a small cat carrier with the door removed (to sleep or hide in) in it and still have room. I am attaching a picture of mine.
It will take time, love, patience, and kitty treats as a bribe, but she will be fine when she adapts to her new world, though ferals will never be or act like domesticated housecats.
Tabbi
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| Comment | Thank you, that is a great idea, we have a cat already and it would help them adjust to each other. She purrs each time I pet her and comes to me. I spend lots of time with her talking and petting. | ||
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Dear Tabbi
Expertise
My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too. Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again. Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.
Experience
Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).
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* One of the top 50 Experts Of 2008 *
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