How to Capture and Tame a Feral Cat

If you have Feral Cats in your neighborhood that are causing a nuisance, you can trap them and have them neutered to control the population. You may also train the cats to be house cats. Most Feral cats want a home, some just don't know it, yet. There is security and peace in being taken care of and served by a human.

Capturing a Feral Cat

The best way to capture a feral cat is with a cage or the "hav-a-heart" traps commonly used by humane societies. Good bait is essential, since these guys can't be fooled twice, so a good piece of raw meat or fresh game is best. However, a nice fish head will work in a pinch. Hide the trap under a blanket or woodpile to disguise it. If you need to catch more than one cat, this will prevent the loose cats from knowing what the trap does. Also, the cat you are trying to catch may be disturbed by the appearance of the trap, so covering or disguising it may be your best way to entice the animal in.

Once you catch the cat, take it to the vet to be spayed or neutered and given vaccinations. You might also have it tested for feline leukemia, since there isn't much you can do if the poor thing is sick. I know people who run foster homes for FeLV positive cats, but I can't go near them. I don't want to bring that home to my babies.

Once you have taken care of the cat with the vet, you have a decision to make. Keep and tame the cat or let it loose in the colony. If you decide to let it loose, you can be comfortable knowing the cat is healthy, and won't breed any more. This will serve to lengthen its life, if nothing else. No longer interested in mating, a male won't be so inclined to fight with other cats. Females will build strength after being mothers so many times. They will become nice outdoor cats in your yard if you feed them.

Taming a Feral Cat

Once the cat has been to the vet, if you decide to tame it, you will start by putting the cat in an enclosure while it is still sedated. Put food and water out for it. A bed would be nice, and you will need a litterbox. The enclosure should be in a structure, either your basement or garage. If you have some toys, the cat won't get bored when you are not there to be afraid of, complain to, and hiss at.

There are enclosures available from pet supply stores, but they can be quite pricey. A plan for an enclosure you can build with minimal skill for under $100 is available. The charge for the plans is $5 which covers copying and mailing to you. You can get the plans by requesting them through the Contact Form and including your PayPal billing email address along with the address to which the plans will be sent.

Once the cat has come around and is hissing, meowing and otherwise letting his displeasure be known, you can start to tame the cat.

Talk to the cat. Use a calming, soothing tone and talk softly to it. Come into the cat's area when you feed it. Don't try to get too close. Let the cat come to you. Once the cat feels comfortable around you, you can move around the enclosure to clean it. Don't make any sudden moves, or the whole thing is off. Eventually, the cat will look forward to your visits, and you can increase their frequency. Don't make them longer for now.

You can begin to pet the cat, carefully at first, when the cat comes to you as you are caring for it's physical needs. A scratch behind the ears or on top of the head or base of the tail is all. Don't push the cat, let the cat lead. You can also play with the cat now, using an interacive wand-type toy. This promotes bonding and lets the cat show off for you.

After about two weeks of this, you should be pretty close to a tamed cat. Bring it inside. Let it sniff around and explore. Again, don't rush the cat. Let it get used to your smells and sounds. Let it get used to being inside instead of outside. If it has trouble right away, put it back in the enclosure. Let the cat think about it a while. It will come around to liking it indoors. Cats like the easy way out. They are lazy in that way. If someone will feed it and clean it's litter box, they will put up with a lot.

The cat will get into trouble. There's no way around it. Use a squirt gun or squirt bottle and a soda-can with a penny or pebble in it to train the cat to indoor living. Gently, though--very gently. Repellents are good around your houseplants. You can also use blocks and other mechanical means to keep your new cat out of your houseplants. A good block is a stack of empty cans that will fall over at the least breath of air. Anything to startle the cat will do, and works when you aren't there.

Redirect the cat's attention to other things, rather than what it thinks it wants. If you have a clicker and are familiar with its use, now is the time to incorporate it.

One day, you may notice the cat watching you from a perch or from behind some furniture. You can talk to the cat to acknowledge it, but just go on your way. This will let the cat be the leader.

Once your cat is settled in and housebroken, you will have a cat that will give you love for years. These cats can be standoffish or very cuddly. It depends on you and circumstances. The cuddly ones will be wonderful pets, and the standoffish ones will be very attached to you but won't care for strangers at all. It will take time. How much time it takes will depend on the cat. Eventually, that cat who wouldn't come near you or would bite and scratch if you got too close, will wrap itself around your legs and purr.

That's what it's all about!

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