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How does one gain the trust of a stray cat?

  • 11-11-2015 2:55am
    #1
    the_syco
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 37,306 ✭✭✭✭


    Hey all,
    Mate lives in an apartment complex. They have three indoor cats of their own, and has an idea of all the cats nearby. One such cat used to be a kitten, and they knew who it belonged to. However the owners up and left, leaving the kitten behind. The kitten would be outside my mates apartment often, so my mate started to feed it. The kitten is now a cat, and their cats have gotten used to the stray cat, by means of feeding the stray cat outside the apartment and leaving the door ajar by a crack, and giving their cats treats, when they were being fed near each other, so now instead of their cats hissing at the stray, they seem to accept the stray. Since my mate is feeding the stray, it has become a lot more healthier looking.

    My mate can feed the cat, and the cat allows my mate to stroke it whilst the stray is eating, but my mate is hoping that the stray allows itself to be picked up. My mate wants to bring it to a vet, have it neutered, and adopt the stray cat.

    Long term goal of my mate is to more out of said apartment, and into a house in the locality (so that she can build an outside cat balcony), but wants to be able to have the cat by then, as they fear when they go, the cat may not last as easy.

    Thus, I'm wondering if anyone can suggest ways for my mate to gain the cats trust so that they can bring it to the vet, have it given the shots and to ensure it doesn't have some cat disease, and to then bring the cat with them when they move?

    Any suggestions?


Comments

  • #2
    PixelTrawler
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,299 ✭✭✭PixelTrawler


    Bring the cat in a carrier instead of picking it up (obviously your friend will need to pick the cat up for a minute to get it into the carrier but they can do this since they can stroke the cat - they may need to be quick when they go to actually pick the cat up). Put a blanket over the carrier in the back of a car (be prepared for the potential for the cat to wee or get sick). You should only need to bring the cat at the appointed time with the vet which will keep any stress to the minimum.

    It can take years depending on the cat, for a cat to trust you. My cat was a stray, she was extremely feral, and still has traits of it years later. To get her to the vet originally, I had to get the loan of a cat trap from <snip>. Took me over 12 months to get to stroke her at all (and even then she'd go off like an electric shock hissing and screaming). And many more months to get her to enjoy stroking. Shes still a highly unsocial cat, and pretty much only trusts me - and even then only to a certain extent.

    The stray you are talking about though already allows someone to stroke them, so thats a good sign.

    That reminds me get the cat tested for felv and fiv. My cat has felv and so we can't have any other cats at the moment.


  • #3
    intheclouds
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,175 ✭✭✭intheclouds


    If the cat was handled as a kitten and since then has been getting fed and stroked then it is unlikely to complain when being quickly picked up and popped in a cat box.

    If your mate is nervous picking up the cat then he could try it wearing a heavy coat and leather gloves so he doesn't fear getting scratched or bitten. Or ask someone who is used to cats to help. Even if the cat doesn't like it, she's most likely going to wriggle or miaow as opposed to attack.

    We found a stray with kittens last winter and I was really nervous about picking her up but when I did she was delighted and snuggled into me! She's our little princess now ;) (and the kittens got lovely homes too)


  • #4
    mymo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,553 ✭✭✭mymo


    Move the resident cats to another room while feeding the stray, move the food closer to the door, then inside after a few days. Let the cat have a nose around, weather is getting cooler, cats like the warm, tell you friend to sit on the floor while cat comes in and ignore it, then try having a few treats in their hand after a few days, see if it will come over.
    It could take a long time, it could happen immediately, but once it's coming in to be rubbed and is comfy, sitting on furniture, washing itself etc, shut the door.
    Hopefully cat won't notice and your friend then has cat contained, and can put cat into a carrier to bring to vet.
    Only other alternative is to grab the cat and put in a carrier when it's not expecting it, I've done this to get a cat neutered and shut them in a bathroom with food and a litter tray while they recover. They get over the shock pretty quick especially if they were once a pet.


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