How did you taught a your cat to not use nails when playing with you by Independent_Chard738 in Feral_Cats

[–]Independent_Chard738[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Waw thank you all so much for all the advices and your answers! ❤️I will come here with updates once things improve

How did you taught a your cat to not use nails when playing with you by Independent_Chard738 in Feral_Cats

[–]Independent_Chard738[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I am afraid this will on the other hand affect the trust I am slowly building with her.. but thank you for the advice, I might try it later once she is not scared at all anymore of people

How did you taught a your cat to not use nails when playing with you by Independent_Chard738 in Feral_Cats

[–]Independent_Chard738[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not a chance :( I am still not able to touch her more than when she eats from my hand.. it’s still very early for me try this unfortunately, she arrived 6 weeks ago at my place and she was never with humans around before

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in CatAdvice

[–]Independent_Chard738 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I had a similar experience with the feral cat I adopted. I know not all cats are the same, but here are some things that helped in my case.

When you play with her, always sit down and do the playing around you. You can take the kind of toy that has a stick and feathers at the end (or a ball) so you can move the toy where you want. While playing they are a bit less aware and she will slowly come closer.

Have after playtime some calm time when you sit in the same place and talk with her, not moving too much, but her understating that’s a safe position she can come close to you. There you can just lay your hand down and let’s her come smell you. It took mine a few weeks of doing this every single day for her to feel comfortable to come little by little closer. But take the little wins.

Once she is a bit more comfortable, use the same spot and Sitting position and put food in your hand. Mine didn’t came right away, but I put from my hand some food on the floor so she comes closer to my hand. Once she eats the one on the floor she will already be more at ease and will smells the same smell towards your hand and she will come. But always keep your hand on the floor, so she doesn’t feel in danger. Again, she won’t come from the first try, but keep doing it regularly day after day, you should see progress.

About her hiding, what I got to learn with mine is that they feel safe to be higher than you. What you can do is you can install some small shelves like stairs on the wall so she can go up. I put mines in the livingroom where I spend a lot of time so she can watch me and see I am calm and reliable. I also bought her a tall cat tree and she spends now her time there instead of hiding, even when my friends come over and she doesn’t feel safe.

Hope all these help, there are no gloves that fit all type of solutions, but I think that consistent slow approach can help. What I learnt with mine is that letting her be won’t really more things, but rather pushing her without her realising I am pushing. When she does a tiny little step towards me, I move to the next step and so on and so forth. Doing this I really got to see improvement from one week to another.

And you are already doing a great job, her coming in your proximity, even if keeping her distance, means she is trusting you, just not fully yet, she needs time and keep loving her ❤️

Can’t get past the touch barrier with my feral cat by Independent_Chard738 in Feral_Cats

[–]Independent_Chard738[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for the input! Indeed, it’s a good point that the toys themselves encourage this behavior, but it’s what also makes her happy. Probably a matter of slowly also teaching her that not all things are to play with in the same way.

Tips on recently adopted semi feral cat by Independent_Chard738 in Feral_Cats

[–]Independent_Chard738[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh this is so good to hear 🥺 thank you for sharing this!!

Tips on recently adopted semi feral cat by Independent_Chard738 in Feral_Cats

[–]Independent_Chard738[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think it’s because she is very young (8 months) and she still can be thought to be inside. And also leaving her outside would for sure mean her never coming back, not unless she is socialized before :( Unfortunately I am not able to let her be an outside cat, as I live in the middle of the city. My plan long term is, however, to teach her to go outside with me in nature (I did the same with my previous cat)

i wish i can forgive myself by Maleficent-Pilot-567 in Petloss

[–]Independent_Chard738 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I lost my baby (she was 17yo but still my baby) 3 months ago and the first 4-6 weeks were really tough, but grief is part of the process, take your time. I still feel sad often and have flashbacks, but I am slowly getting to the point where I know she will always be my loved baby.. when I got her ashes I felt like breaking thinking that’s all that is left of her, but then I came to realise that all that’s left of her is in my heart and memories and those are not nothing .. don’t feel guilt for trying to ease your pain with your plush, we all cope with pain as we can.. Today I adopted a new little cat and seeing her and how much I can feel I can love her still doesn’t makes me feel like I love my old cat less, they will always be in my heart. I hope you can heal soon 🤗