Whether you’ve come across a long-time stray or a neighborhood kitty that’s escaped the yard, earning the trust of a stray cat can be tricky. The goal is to catch the cat without harming them or scaring them off completely, but we have to make sure to keep ourselves safe as well. A scared cat can become aggressive when they are trying to defend themselves. Remember, they don’t know you’re there to help. Regardless of how you found the cat, you’ll want to keep these tips in mind when building trust.
#1 – Understand Body Language
Perhaps the most important part of building the trust of a stray or loose cat is understanding feline body language. Misreading a cat’s signals can send them running into the dangerous street or lead to a potential bite. Knowing when the cat is stressed, when the cat is beginning to feel more comfortable, and when you can approach is important for a safe rescue. With a frightened cat, timing is going to be crucial. If you try to approach them too soon, you might never be able to catch them.
#2 – Use Food
Food is your friend. Use food that smells delicious. In this instance, a few table scraps might entice a hungry cat to come out of hiding. That said, you’ll obviously want to avoid foods that are toxic or dangerous, such as cooked chicken bones. You’ll first want to place the food on the ground and walk away from it. If you are too close, the kitty won’t go near the food because they’re afraid of you. Offer just a little bit of food at a time. Start by watching the cat eat while you stand away at a distance (you might have to leave completely and return the next day), and move closer and closer until the cat will eat the food out of your hand. Once you can feed the cat this way, you can start trying to pet the cat. Eventually, you’ll be able to touch the cat easily and get them crated and off to a new start.
Image source: Tamara Craiu via Flickr#3 – Be Patient
Patience is key. A stray cat is likely not going to feel confident interacting with people. Even your neighbor’s loose kitty might be afraid to greet strangers. Patience will prevent both you and the cat from getting injured. Don’t rush anything. The process of building trust takes a long time, even if you are trying to lure the cat into a humane trap. Catching a stray cat can take many hours and sometimes even days. Rushing the process is going to cause more fear for the cat, potentially scare them into a more dangerous area, and put you at risk for being bitten. We all want to see stray cats rescued and in good hands, but doing too much too soon can cause much more harm than good. Be patient, earn trust gradually, and soon enough, you’ll be heading home together.
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Our feline friends get stressed just like anyone–who among us hasn’t wanted to hide under our desks when things are tough? But when trying to find a home for a community cat, the way they handle stressful situations such as being in a trap or shelter can be misleading. Know that when a cat shows signs of anxiety, which can come off as aggression, she’s just trying to protect herself.
Don’t worry! With help from cat expert Joan Miller, we have tips on how to calm the kitty’s little heart and help her personality come through.
Relaxation is Key
The kitty may just need to take a quick breather to calm down. Here’s how you can create a calming situation for her to relax:
- Give the cat as much time as possible to calm down.
- Take her to quiet place where she can be alone–if you’re in your home, a bathroom works well. At a shelter, we’d recommend using a ‘cat den’ for her to settle down, which gives her somewhere to hide inside the cage. Cages or crates should also be kept off of the floor–she’ll feel better when she can see all of her surroundings.
- Follow a routine for all daily activities like feeding and cage cleaning. Predictability will help her adapt.
- Cats mark their territory by smell. Miller recommends spot-cleaning cages to leave the cats’ scent inside. Additionally, spot cleaning will be helpful since she won’t have the added stress of being removed from her cage during cleaning time, then placed back in to her cage (which now smells different) or a new cage (which may smell like another cat). Also wash the smell of other cats off your hands before trying to handle her.
- The cat may hold a grudge against the trapper or veterinarian. Let someone else handle the cat for feeding or play time.
Empower the Cat
Feeling in control of her environment can make a cat feel much more confident. Here’s how to hand over some of the power:
- If possible, let the cat approach you first. If she’s reluctant to approach but seems interested, try offering a small spoonful of canned cat food or tuna as you talk to her, and this could help entice her to come to you.
- Cats like choices. Give her climbing options in her cage or a play area for her to use as she pleases.
- Don’t keep the cat hidden in a quiet room after she’s had time to calm down. Instead, give her a chance to get used to where she’s going to be handled.
- Handle her on a table or high surface so she won’t feel threatened from above.
- Don’t take cats out of the carrier headfirst. The cat doesn’t know what is happening and could become defensive. Try using a top-loading carrier or bring the cat out bottom first so she can keep her eyes on what’s familiar.
- Try not to handle her by her scruff.
- Let her play outside of her cage with toys that let her exhibit her inner mountain lion (like toy mice).
Challenge the Cat
Although cats need plenty of R&R, they also can benefit from what Miller calls “non-threatening adversity.” Initiate some interaction to help you determine if the cat has been socialized in the past, and help her realize that you’re not so bad after all.
- Don’t let her play a one-sided game of hide and seek all the time. Interact with the cat at least one to two times per day.
- Carefully groom the cat with your hand. She may be too shy or frightened to clean herself.
- Speak in a low, calming voice.
- Don’t mistake fear for aggression. “Hissing is the language that cats use just as a warning. It really doesn’t mean they’re aggressive. And I feel the same with growling. The low growl…is just sort of an anxiety expression,” Miller says.
Signs to Tell if a Cat is Frightened or Aggressive
Frightened
- Hissing, growling, or spitting
- Eyes are not dilated
- Fur relaxed, head straight
Aggressive
- Howling
- Eyes dilated
- Fur on end, head cocked, ears back
If a cat eventually relaxes and warms up to you, you will know that you can find her an adoptive home. If the cat does not improve after a few days, then it’s time to return her to her colony.
More information:
Socialized cats are fully domesticated and comfortable around humans, while feral cats have had little to no human contact and are basically wild animals.
Semi-feral cats fall somewhere in between. They tend to avoid being touched, but may vocalize when around humans or even make eye contact.
Although it is a slow, difficult process, taming a semi-feral cat is possible. These 6 steps will help you turn that frightened neighborhood kitty into a new furry friend!
Let the cat make the first move.
Ignoring an animal that you are trying to socialize may seem like silly advice, but according to Becky Robinson, president and founder of Alley Cat Allies, snubbing a semi-feral kitty will pique its curiosity and force it to make the first move.
Waiting for the cat to reach out to you, then providing a positive interaction, will show it you can be trusted.
Keep her coming back for more.
The next step is to provide relaxed, non-threatening enrichment to ensure that the cat enjoys spending time with you and keeps coming back. Feline rescuers say the best time to initiate an interaction is during meal times. They also recommend providing treats and toys to encourage the cat to connect with you one-on-one.
Slowly desensitize her to life with humans.
Remember that many of the things we take for granted as typical aspects of life may be quite frightening to a semi-feral cat. Sounds like human voices, music, and opening and closing doors may send a nervous kitty running for the hills. Use feeding times as an opportunity to speak softly and perform slow, deliberate tasks in order to desensitize the cat and show it you are not a threat.
Respect her space.
Once you have welcomed your new semi-feral kitty into your home, there is still work to be done. The cat will be understandably nervous and require a place to hide when overwhelmed. This will help prevent her from feeling cornered.
At the same time, providing too much space can also be overwhelming and lead to trouble – especially with curious kittens. Robinson advises confining the animal to a small room with food, water and a litterbox. Be sure to kitty-proof the room first by removing anything fragile or potentially harmful – like wires that could be chewed.
Consider a calming remedy to help her with the transition.
Just as a hot bath and a cup of herbal tea can take the edge off a stressful day, providing a soothing remedy like catnip, pheromone sprays, or calming supplements may do the same for your new cat.
Alley Cat Allies recommends:
Be patient!
While some semi-feral cats can be tamed in a matter of weeks, it usually takes several months or even an entire year before they completely come around. According to Robinson, almost all cats can be tamed, just remember to be patient, stick to a schedule, respect her natural needs, interact with her every day, and provide lots of treats!
Article by Dina Fantegrossi on October 28, 2017