It doesn't take long for cats to go ferral

[Aliantha]

As some of you may know, we have 4 cats. A mummy cat, a daddy cat, a daughter cat and an adopted cat. The subject of this post is daughter cat, commonly known as skinny in our house.

Skinny has always been a bit neurotic. We think she might be a bit brain dead really. The place my Mum got her mother from was not the most reputable breeder and I think she might have had a fair bit of inbreeding going on.

So anyway, Skinny has always been a bit weird. She walks around meowing for no particular reason, and she's very skittish. Keeps mostly to herself and really doesn't get along very well with the other three cats.

Over the last couple of months, what with the holidays and getting the kids back to school, the animals have all had to spend a fair bit of time amuzing themselves, and while the other three cats seem to have coped pretty well, Skinny seems to have gone slightly ferral, to the point where it had become hard to catch her and if you bent to pat her she'd run away.

During the last week and in particular the last few days, I've spent a lot of time patting her and talking to her and just generally lavishing attention on her. She seems to be making a comeback, which is great, but I've just been amazed at how quickly she fell off the radar in the first place.

Cats really are wild creatures when it all comes down to it. We just think they need us.

[Hoof Hearted]

I foster cats/kittens for an adoption place and I also tame and socialize feral cats. Almost all of our cats were ferals that showed up on our property and I tamed. Once I spent money on them getting them spayed or neutered, they became "mine". They've all become great housecats...but you are right: if we don't give them consistent attention/handling, they will drop off the radar and revert back to feral pretty quickly.
I stay at home, no kids, so the cats probably get too much attention, but they are all happy and confident around us.

I also think you may have something with the neurotic/inbred diagnosis. One of my friends had a super-skittish cat that just would not settle down into the household routine, though the other cat flourished and did great. Sometimes, I think, some cats are just 'weird' and that is how they will be. She is lucky she has you to be patient and work with her.
hh

[Aliantha]

How many cats do you have HH? Sounds like you must have a few more than me.

I've often thought of myself as the crazy cat lady. lol Do you sometimes think that of yourself?

[TheMercenary]

My neighbor adopts feral cats, she has 9 now. 4 semi outside cats, 5 inside cats. When she catches them she has them neutered, gets them shots and begins to care for them. When she is 70 she will probably have 50 cats living in her house.

[Cicero]

One of the few cats I have ever owned I adopted. She never ate the food I gave her, hid in a corner unless she was attacking someone, and would not let me touch her.

One day one of my roommates at the time let her out, and she never came back. She definitely did not need me............

[morethanpretty]

The kitten I caught on Halloween took about 2 weeks and some tuna to become sociable. Then I gave her to my bro and sis-in-law to be their barn kitty. It disappeared for a week and when my sis-in-law finally spotted it, she took it some food because it looked like it had not been eating. The kitten was more interested in being pet than eating though. It needed attention and love. Fortunately they found a person who could take it and keep it inside where it gets the attention it needs.

[Hoof Hearted]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

How many cats do you have HH? Sounds like you must have a few more than me.
I've often thought of myself as the crazy cat lady. lol Do you sometimes think that of yourself?

*sigh* I think I have become the Crazy Cat Lady. Currently we have 8. I also have 2 fosters that I've had for 3+mo that may be leaving this weekend for the Adoption Center. We have had up to a dozen cats at one time, and then additional cats when I foster. They average number runs about 6-8.

I recently lost 3, one to a tumor, one to age complications and one to FeLV even though he was vaccinated. Another was recently diagnosed with CRF (chronic renal failure) and I've just been shown how to give her fluids sub-Q (under the skin) with a hanging bag, plastic tube line and needle. She was so good and tolerated it so well. I may be able to help her have a good quality of life for a few more years, but when she starts to decline, I'll have to make The Big Decision to release her from her failing body.
hh

PS....it isn't just ME who brings them home. Husband has brought home a fair share, too. We are both bleeding hearts and can't turn a cat-in-need away. Young cats I try to help them go through the adoption center. Adults we usually end up keeping.

[sugarpop]

I rescued a tiny kitten once next to a convenience store. He was one of the sweetest, most loving (and absolutely gorgeous) cats I've ever had. Unfortuantely, he was hit by a car last year and died. He was only 3.

We have another feral that adopted us. (Right now we are splitting custody. I have him sometimes, and my ex has him sometimes.) He's very sweet and loving, but sometimes he and my other two cats don't always get along. They don't really fight, but they do posture a lot and swat at each other.

I have had cats pretty much my whole life. I've never had one go feral. but... sometimes cats just really like to walk around and "talk," a LOT.

[Sundae]

Awww Hoof, you're not a crazy cat lady. You have time and space and love for more cats than the average person is all. And by fostering you prove you're big hearted rather than crazy. My admiration goes out to you.

Sugar - sorry for your loss. Probably long enough ago for it not to hurt so much, but I know if I lost my boy I'd be devastated (still not completely over the disappearance of Dylan last year).

[Stormieweather]

My cat was pretty skittish when I first got her. She'd been through a couple homes and either didn't get along with the other animals or the owners couldn't keep her. She would not let you pick her up, didn't cuddle on your lap, and would run if you tried to handle her at all.

After a few years (I've had her for 10yrs now), she began to come to me (on her own whim). If I was napping on the couch, she'd curl up by my tummy and nap also. As soon as I moved, she'd jump down and haul ass. Anyway, about a year ago she moved out. She never leaves our front yard/porch, but she has zero interest in coming inside. So I feed her out there and leave her be. If one of the kids tries to pet or catch her, she runs. But whenever I go outside and smoke, she always comes over to me and stands on her hind legs, while using her front paws to get my attention and 'make' me pet her. If I stop, she'll bat at my hands and pull at them until I start again. The other night, it was at freezing temp outside, so I brought her inside. She ended up curled up on top of my hip (teetering slightly, lol), while I lay on my side in bed.

I don't think she's feral, but she is definately happier making the first move.

[barefoot serpent]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

As some of you may know, we have 4 cats. A mummy cat...

creepy...

[Shawnee123]

Well, that about wraps it up!

[kerosene]

I think you all have done a fine job of preserving this thread.