How to Tame a Feral Cat - Determining if You Can Tame of a Feral Cat

1. Assess how feral the cat is. Feral cats are either totally feral (no human contact or only negative human contact), semi-feral (some positive human contact), or converted feral (abandoned house cat that becomes semi-feral).[55] Totally feral cats will be the most difficult to tame and socialize, and converted feral cats will be the easiest.[56]
- Semi-feral cats look to humans to feed them, but do not seek further human interaction. This minimal level of human interaction teaches them important social cues of the human world.[57]
- Semi-feral cats are sometimes referred to as ‘community cats.’[58]

2. Identify the feral cat’s approximate age. Having a rough estimate of the feral cat’s age can let you know how easy or difficult it may be to tame her. Feral kittens, particularly those younger than 10 to 12 weeks old, are usually easily tamable.[59][60] Older feral cats who have been feral for a long time will be most difficult to tame, if you can tame them at all.[61]
- Feral kittens should not be removed from their mothers until they are weaned, at approximately 13 weeks of age. This is very important. Puppies are okay to be separated from their mother at 8 weeks, kittens are not! To separate them to early can lead to life long behavioral and developmental issues. Experts widely agree that for kittens, 13 weeks is the appropriate time for separation.).[62]
- If you see a feral kitten with his mother, trap the mother and kitten at the same time. Keep them together inside your home until the kitten is fully weaned. Contact the local animal rescue to have the mother spayed and returned to her colony.[63]

3. Determine your ability to tame a feral cat. Taming a feral cat is difficult and comes with no guarantee that the taming will be successful. In addition to being a challenge, taming a feral cat can take a lot of time: feral kittens could be tamed in as little as two to six weeks,[64] but it could be a year or more before an adult feral cat is tamed.[65]
- Acclimating a feral cat to your home and socializing her could require several hours of your time per day, potentially for months on end.[66] Be honest with yourself if you can handle this level of daily commitment.
- Paying for the feral cat’s veterinary care will likely be expensive. Determine if you are in a financial position to pay for the feral cat’s care.

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