[shilo]

Cat you socialize a feral cat? To what extent can be social him. Any suggestions on how to do it?

Thanks.

Sharon
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[Dominique]

I assume you are talking about a real feral, born and raised wild, and not a spooked housecat.

You will need to trap the feral. If you don't, you will likely never be able to touch him/her.

If you follow the few outlined staeps you will have a cat who is tame with you but not others. Ferals learn to trustone person at a time, and each person has to earn the trust.

After you trap the cat you put her in your bathroom. That should be small enough for her not to be able to get totally away from your presence, and small enough for her to be able to overview and "control" the entire room. Of course you will have a litterbox, bed, food and water arranged in there somehow.

The cat will usually settle behind the toilet. Make sure there are no cabinets accessible to hide in.

Now come in 4 or five times a day, read a book or something sitting down, place a really nice smelly tidbit in front of you (like a sardine or chickenliver) and totally, absolutely ignore the cat. Don't look. Don't talk. The cat is totally invisible. Then get up and just leave the tidbit there.

After a few days (varies a bit from cat to cat) one time the cat will come out of hiding. Still, you don't even notice her. She will be the first to make physical contact with you. Don't do anything this time yet. Just sit there and read.

The next time she will come out readily and rub against you. Now you can pet her. Talk to her in a low, purry voice.

Never let the feral outside. This is now a housecat, and a happy one.

Let her slowly into more and more rooms in your place.

You now have a pet who will be loyal to you like a dog. Ferals are known to protect their person physically when something scary happens. They are forever bonded, but they do not transfer this to other people. Each person has to establish her own relationship with the cat.