Mea Culpa Kitty!

MsFifers

I have been feeling so guilty - I hit a little stray cat with my car a couple of days ago! It seems it had been hiding from the rain underneath my
car and I think what happened was, when I started the car, she tried to run away and then I reversed into it sideways (at least I didn't go over it).

It ran away limping and I couldn't find it for the next few days even though I kept looking in its usual haunts. It is always hanging around the estate but disappears if anyone is around.

Last night it finally turned up, sitting on a wall. I brought out some food, but it ran away again - not badly limping but a bit stiff looking all the same. When I went away, it came back and demolished the food.

I feel I owe this poor kitty now! Has anyone any experience of taming a wild cat? I'd like to get it used to me so I can bring it to the vet but it scarpers if it seems any human at all. It won't even realise its me who is leaving it food!

Any ideas of how to catch it?

anniehoo

MsFifers wrote: »

Any ideas of how to catch it?

Ok, well first of all it was an accident so try not to feel too bad! The kitty may just have a bruised leg, worst case scenario if still limping in a week or so prob more damage done. Wild cats can be tamed, but it really all depends on if the cat wants to or not. The mother of our late cat is now well over 15 yrs old and has allowed us to pet her prob max 3 times her whole life, but has hung around the whole time outside and has never once attempted to venture into the house. She never liked the idea of being tamed one little bit. Itll take perserverance and food works a treat. Dont try and trap her,leave her be and spend time with her and some food outside until you win her around.

kerrysgold

aw, poor little thing, it's not you're fault though, it was an accident so don't feel guilty, at least she's alive! I'd say borrow a trap asap to catch her to try and take her to the vet in case she is injured and then go from there for taming her, maybe try contacting kittenadoption.ie who would give you advice on taming a cat.

lubie76

Growing up I had an odd eyed (one blue and one normal) white haired cat and she was had a few litter of white kittens (irresponsible I know but it was the eighties and we always found them homes). She only ever had one odd eyed kitten who disappeared when it was a few weeks old and we assumed the worst as it was too young to survive in the mean streets.

About 3 years later a white Tom appeared one day and it was wild as hell (I dread to think of what the kitty had been through). Anyway it used to turn up whenever we were feeding the other two cats and hang around til we went in to the house and then go steal some food from them.

Gradually over a couple of months it began to stay in the garden a bit more often and watch us but if you tried to approach him you could forget it. After about a year of this he would let you approach with food and put it close to him as long as you moved slowly. Eventually he would take food from your hand and we could get close enough we could see it was the same cat with the odd eyes like his Mum.

He disappeared again before he ever got fully tamed but who knows maybe eventually he would have let us stroke him. He certainly went through a huge change with more human contact.

BlackCat2008

Dont feel bad these things happen you are seeking help for her now thats all that counts.You might be lucky and trap her and find out she was some ones pet as I did two weeks ago I even had the ear clipped so they could tell she was neutered and leave her alone.She still looks pretty even with a clipped ear and is really trying to get to know the people and cats inthe house. Give Cats Aids a call they have a neuter and reless porgram they will take care of any injures as well. If they don't have a trap free let me know and I will contact them to lend them one for you. Cats Aid 01 6683529.

franksm

I have tamed a feral mother cat, she's *nearly* as tame as you would expect of a house-cat. Would be interested to know if my method works for other people ?

Basically, provide food for the wild cat, and sit and watch from a distance. Keep doing this on successive days, but putting the food closer and closer to where you are sitting. When the cat is close enough, near arms reach, turn your head and look away - watching the cat out of the corner of your eyes.

I have used that method a few times now, to find the cat is willing to come close - even to grab food in my hand, and even to give my hand a rub from its head.

I know, sounds mad, but has worked for me with four different feral cats.

Sigma Force

There are two options I can think of that you could try.
First is, keep feeding the cat and over time get closer and eventually let the cat come to you. This can take ages though. The cat will come in it's own time and perhaps start to follow you into the house.

Second one is borrow or rent a humane cat trap, trap the cat then bring the cat into a room close the door and transfer the cat into a cat carrier or if the cat is flighty keep in the trap and take to the vets where they can give the cat a check up.
Bring the cat home then and let it have the run of one room, leave food, litter box etc and over time let the cat come to you.

The first option would be less stressful for the cat but the longer the cat is on the road the higher the chance of getting hit by a car esp. at night.

Second option might be stressful for the cat but it would the vet check and then have somewhere safe to go.

Many cats like this are scared at first but once in a home and getting regularly fed and once they know you mean no harm they can tame up quickly. Depends on the cat really and their personality and what kind of experiences they have had with people before.

Either option tasty food is the way to a cats heart.

BlackCat2008

All those options are good ones when one of the ferals I feed got so use to me he use to follow me up the hallway and when he hurt his foot I had someone hide behind the door to close it so I could catch him he put up a fight but never tryed to hurt me.

As he's hurt I would trap him sooner radder than later and see if you can't bring him home that evening. Some people do this in the hopes that coming out of the anastasia will be like a rebirth to them and as long as you show them your friendly they come round to the idea. Just give him time to come to you.

hadook

You're getting some good advice so I don't really have much to add except nitpicking

You won't see a genetic feral. If you're able to see it, catch it and tame it then it's not a feral cat - it's a strayed domestic cat (or it's offspring) that has learned not to trust humans.

OP, if you can see it you stand a good chance of domesticating it using the methods already posted I have a cat trap* that I can lend to you (assuming you're not on d'other side of the country etc) if you want to try catching it at any point.


*bought to bring mines Sufi Kitty to the vets. She's lived indoors with us since she was 9 weeks old (going on 4 years now) and we still can't pick her up.

MsFifers

Thanks guys for all the suggestions. I've seen the cat again and its definitely not limping anymore so it looks like I didn't do it serious damage. Phew!

I don't think Ill try to trap it now as it doesn't seem injured. It is v thin though so I'll try to get it used to me by feeding it, and will eventually be able to get it some permanent help.