Tough Love: Socializing Feral Kittens (Part 1 of 3)

The Urban Cat League teaches you how to tame and socialize feral kittens to make them ready for adoption into homes instead of life on the streets.

Questions? Contact Mike at urbancatleague.tamingferals@gmail.com.

Produced for the Urban Cat League (www.urbancatleague.org) with a Partners in Caring grant from the ASPCA (www.aspca.org).

Producers: Cathe Neukum and Daniel Breton
Camera: Daniel Breton and Cathe Neukum
Music: Kim Sherman
Post Sound-Mix: Eric Shim
In-Kind Services: Ganglion Films (www.ganglionfilms.com), Neukum Pictures, Kim Sherman, and Scott Killian

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• feral
• kittens
• cats
• socialize
• socialization
• tame
• trap
• neuter
• return
• tnr
• new
• york
• city
• nyc
• urban
• cat
• league

[henleyst]

I just came across your EXCELLENT video!! I will share with all my friends on Face Book. I took on a rescue project of a large feral colony in February of this year (have rescued/removed 63 so far) and only wish I knew of this video sooner. I've begun a Face Book profile entitled, "Save Leadwell Kitties" and the support is growing. THANK YOU for all you do to help these beautiful creatures.

[manyca]

@henleyst Good work! Thank you for everything you're doing to help those cats. Google "NYC Feral Cat Initiative" for more info and resources on TNR and feral cat colony care.

[eddieinbeddie]

i had a cat today off this woman nwho said she was anice fussy clean cat, lying bitch! the cats very agreesive and first thing she did was wee and poo on my bed. my other 2 cats were never like that so im in two minds what to do i cant have a nasty cat around my son. and i exspecially have a dirty cat. im going to give it a few days but does anyone know what i should do?

[manyca]

@eddieinbeddie Do you have dogs? She may have been afraid of your dogs or other cats and was afraid to go in the litter box. Is she feral or can you pet and pick her up? When she pooped on your bed was it diarreah? If so she may need a few days or longer adjusting to the new cat food or if it continues she may be sick and will need to go to a vet. Do not yell at her or raise your hands, this will only make her more scared.

[manyca]

@eddieinbeddie I suggest giving her time to settle in and being gentle with her, speak in a soothing, kind voice. If you have other cats in the household, she may need her own litterbox if they bother her when she goes to the box. Or else you can try putting the box in a location or behind a screen so she feels some privacy and no other cats or dogs can get to her or notice her and bother her when she is trying to go.

[manyca]

@eddieinbeddie If another animal disturbs her when she is trying to use the box, she may look for other locations to go. But your first step is contacting the woman you adopted this cat from.

[elrenaud888]

Thank you so much for this video series. I've been losing the battle with 3 feral kittens I've had for over a month. I just didn't know what to do. This morning I started with the food on my finger & all 3 took it off my finger. The wildest one even let me pet him/her after a couple of hours. Incredible progress. I was so discouraged but after such rapid progress this morning, I think my 3 kittens will adjust. Thanks so much for the info and encouragement you gave me!!

[TheAnimallover81]

Everything in this video is all true!!! :-). Your an awesome vet!!!! Thank you for doing what you do, your have a soft heart :-)

[MrsAliminiaentli]

Thank you SO MUCH for these videos! We adopted a three-month semi-feral a week ago and were worried he might never come around, as the animal shelter lied to us about his history (only found out after the adoption) and he would not come out of his hidey hole all day. With your tips we've already got him at the "petting while he eats" stage and have new hope that he might still be young enough to be socialized! Thank you sooo much for the brilliant advice, and bless you for the work you do!!!

[79barkingspider]

This video is a terrific service. Some of the viewers may think that feral cats are unhealthy, but while they may suffer from health problems, they are often very well fed. If kittens/cats don't socialize well enough to adopt them out, an alternative (maybe not in NYC ;-) ) is to make barn cats out of them. Spay/neuter, medically check out, try to socialize them, and then adopt them to somebody on a farm or ranch who is willing to care for them, but leave them outside.

[puffledude101]

me and my friend are getting feral kittens, we are going to my other friends naberhood which has a ton of kittens. We are getting to, my friend has a big cage where wild animals like coyotes and hawks and stuff cant get it, or my dog. Her worker person is making a mini house with heaters and its like a dog house for kittens. We are keeping them at my house. We are just planning right now put we know people who can give them shots for free and i think this plan will actually work!! Cant wait!

[dahianamorilla]

aww

[johntitorlives]

I really hope lots of cat lovers will watch these videos. There needs to be more emphasis on adopting feral,semi-feral and shy kittens-teens and adult cats and let the ADOPTERS do the socializing. In the right home with enough time and patience, these cats can end up being like any other house cat . I am an avid rescuer/TNR person and I think people like me should not be spending our time taming a lot of these cats, the teens and adults, when we could be out there doing more TNR.

[LadyLatias]

We got a little stray kitten a few years ago, I don't think he was feral, but more likely abandoned. Anyway, he has NEVER really been comfortable using a litter box but was more comfortable to do his business in the shower or outside. Why is that?

[LadyLatias]

@jessica56786789 Saddly, yes, willing hunting and killing the animals would help reduce population numbers... A lot of rescue agencies are often forced to put down the older animals if they can't find homes for them as well.

[NecessaryKnowledge]

You can’t beat OFF® around cats with fleas!