# First Time feral rescue



## LanieCatMom (Sep 1, 2021)

Hello there! Thank you for this wonderful forum. It has pulled me back from full out panic attacks just by reading some of the wonderful success stories posted here. My name is Lanie and I am a cat Mom to 5 wonderful cats. All of them are rescues, (Two of them from shelters long ago and 3 born around the neighborhood that needed a home.). We have two with diabetes that we have to give insulin twice daily and they are doing well. So, as you can see, on a VERY limited budged we have our hands very full. 
A few months ago we noticed a Mama cat and her 4 kittens move under the shed next door. The Mother is very feral and untrusting. We, of course, feed her as well as two other strays that have been around for more than a year. I figure, you can't save them all... but you can do your best to help the ones that show up at your door. Sadly, one of the kittens vanished and the guilt was terrible. "I should have done something sooner!" I would tell myself over and over again. So we decided that we can't see that happen again so a little under a week ago we set up a humane trap and caught the little girl in the morning, one of the boys that evening and the third the following afternoon. They must be at least 14 weeks old, I'm guessing and are very feral just like their Mom. We have them in a small bedroom now, (away from our cats of course), and the poor things are just terrified. So, I decided to join this wonderful forum for any advice and encouragement that I can get to get these little angels tamed and off to forever homes, fingers crossed. I have always wanted to help ferals because they have little chance for rescue and that just breaks my heart. 

Thank you very much for taking the time to read this and any advice would be so greatly appreciated.


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## chfnas19 (Jul 29, 2021)

Is there any kind of Feral rescue group in your area? They could probably help. Maybe call the local shelter and see what suggestions they may have. Or maybe your vet can point you in the right direction. In my area there is a group called Feral Kitty Trappers that trap and fix feral cats and take the kittens into a foster situation. That is where I got my last cat from. Good luck!!!!!!!!


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## LanieCatMom (Sep 1, 2021)

@chfnas19 
Thank you so much for the reply! I will try to find a feral rescue in our area for some advise.


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## Mosi (May 17, 2021)

Feral cats usually take a very long time if they are older than young kittens. Don't rush them. Every day go into the room where they are, quietly, and bring a book or some knitting, whatever you can do silently to occupy yourself for a while in a comfortable chair. Don't speak to them or move toward them. Just sit there doing your quiet thing. Keep this up every day along with going in quietly to put down food and water and scoop the box. 

In time, and this will be on their timetable, not yours, they will get curious enough to approach you. Don't move. Just let them sniff you and back away; whatever they do, and don't touch them. Start tossing out a treat or two once they start to approach you. And take everything from there very slowly and quietly and calmly. If one of them will allow you to pet them eventually, you will probably get the others in very soon after that. My experience is that once a feral lets you run your hand down their back, their fear vanishes very fast because it feels so good.

_Do not be frustrated_. You are only feeling this because you want them to become tame on _your_ timetable. But what you want is irrelevant because only _their _own timetable will work for them. Just enjoy the whole process and enjoy watching how they come around on their own. It's really very fascinating. Be patient.

Good for you for taking in the stray kids!


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## LanieCatMom (Sep 1, 2021)

I will take your advice to the letter! Thank you so very much! You want to know the crazy thing though? If I stand outside looking in all three of them come to the window and talk to me then kiss the window and pile over themselves to get close to me. If I go in the room after all that sweetness... they vanish! _laughs_ Such little teases!


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## Bug861 (Apr 17, 2021)

Last year when I moved into my place a tuxedo cat would come into my yard. I started to feed her. I spent 6 months working with her and earning her trust. I had no experience helping a feral. Turns out she was pregnant (I haven’t been able to catch her). I saw her a month ago with one of the kittens (now three months old) following her. One day her other 2 kittens showed up. For a month now I have been feeding her and the three kittens everyday, twice a day, at the same time. I spend one hour with them each time. I would clip things in my garden. In a short time one of the kittens started to jump down into my yard after seeing the mom cat do it. He’s my little pal now. I can call them and they will come. The other 2 still won’t let me near. So I feed them up on the fence. The bold one now rubs up against me for pets, and he plays with the toy I throw. He won’t let me pick him up (we tried that). I move slowly to not scare them away. As mentioned, don’t rush them. Just be present for them. It takes time but it’s a nice process, a learning experience, and well worth it. I hope to capture them all to spay/neuter. Keep us posted!


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## LanieCatMom (Sep 1, 2021)

I wish you the best of luck with your little pal and the rest of the family! It is so wonderful to know that there are good people in this world, like yourself, that cares enough to take the time to care for those sweet babies. Thank you so much for sharing your story. It gives me hope that maybe one day soon the little cuties in my bedroom will let me pet and play with them. Fingers crossed for the both of us!


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## miscellaneous (May 24, 2021)

Hi Lanie. Great job taking care of so many cats! You have a very kind heart and that's something to be admired. 

I'm wondering how you're feeding them. It may help things along if they become dependent on you for scheduled meals. I feed my cats 4 small meals a day, ring a little dinner bell when it's time to eat, and they come running! 

Also, try to really relax when you're around them. It's hard to do sometimes because you care so much about them, but if you're nervous or worried, they'll pick up on it and become anxious too. Just take some deep breaths and know you're doing everything you can to give them a happy and healthy life, which I'm sure you will do!


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## LanieCatMom (Sep 1, 2021)

Great advise! Thanks so much for your reply. We have two diabetic cats that eat at 10am then get their shots, 3pm for a small lunch and then again at 10pm for their second shot so I'm trying to feed the kittens and change their water at 10AM and 10PM. We give them time to eat and then after a little while we sit in there with them for anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. They have peeked at us and go as far as to come out and get up on the bed to stare at us. No one has approached us as of yet but every little thing new is a step forward. It is a SLOW process and sometimes so frustrating because you just want to love on them! LOL! But we are trying our best to stay relaxed and ignore them as much as possible when we are in there. They are much more active at night. Most times they won't touch their food until the sun sets. The runt wants to come up to us so bad but just can't work up the nerve to do it. His eyes will melt your heart! Fingers crossed he will work up that nerve and come and visit with us soon. 😻


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