Socializing Feral Cats
A big chunk of the work I do with cats is socialization. Socialization basically means exposing cats to people, homes, other cats, dogs - things that feral cats, having lived on their own, are not used to. Kittenhood is the best time for cats to be socialized, with the optimum window lasting until around 16 weeks - during this time you can get kittens used to almost anything - vacuum cleaner sounds, new people coming and going, dogs, etc. However, contrary to popular belief, it is NOT impossible to socialize a cat after this window ends.
A local garden recently hired me to work with a feral mom and her 4 month old kitten. Trapping the mom and baby without first working with them could be very traumatic, and cause them to be more fearful of people than they already were. I visited the garden for about a week, always at the same time; consistency is extremely important to cats. I brought Mama high quality wet and dry food, as well as clean water, and sat near her while she ate. After her first meal she was comfortable enough to remain nearby and have a wash, although she continued to hiss at me.
After several days of routine visits, I engaged her with interactive “flirt” toys (basically any kind of toy at the end of a stick). Play is a huge part of a cat’s life, and helps to build confidence and trust in wary or suspicious felines. Mama and her kitten happily engaged with the toys and even allowed me to touch their paws to help unstick their claws from the toy.
Throughout this process, I kept up a steady stream of chatter to accustom the cats to my voice, and made sure they could always see my eyes (no sunglasses!). Performing a slow blink frequently to assure both cats that all was well and I was no threat was also key.
One of the last steps was to get Mama used to physical touch. While she was eating (ie the most motivated to stay put) I repeatedly extended my hand to touch her head. After 4-5 attempts where she would pull back and hiss, she relaxed and allowed me to pat her. From this point onwards she would be waiting for me when I arrived at the garden, and would come to greet me and talk to me, as well as follow me when I called. In less than a week, we had formed a bond! After a few more days of regular visits, feeding, play and pats, it was time to pick her up and take her to the vet for a checkup - coming soon!
PS: Turns out Mama was pregnant. Read all about it in my article “Helping a pregnant cat give birth”