Seeing a little kitten on the street, many decide to take it to their home. However, they don’t even think about the fact that they might encounter some problems, but it can take quite a lot of time to adapt a wild animal. In addition, training a cat is a rather difficult and long task.
Why is the cat not going into the arms?
Almost all cats are inherently self-sufficient and also very freedom-loving animals. And it will be very difficult to get them to do something of their own free will. And this applies not only to homeless cats, but also to purebred cats. First of all, this is due to the nature of the animal. So, a British cat will be rather skeptical and sometimes aggressive towards all caresses, as well as attempts to pick it up. And will do it only when she wants to.
In some cats, this is due to fear. A frightened animal will never feel comfortable in the arms of a person.
In addition, the slightest rustle can cause him to jump off his hands right away and even scratch his master. Therefore, Before picking up a cat, it is imperative to make sure that it is in a good mood.
Almost every cat has a wonderful sense of smell. And if a person smells of perfume, a specific cream, fragrant spices, alcohol or even citrus fruits, then she will also not sit on his hands. If this happens quite often, then the animal may completely lose confidence in its owner. In this case, the cat will bypass it.
It is also possible that in the past the animal was beaten or simply bullied.
In this case, it will be too difficult to accustom him to his hands.Some thoroughbred cats simply can not stand the height, so be afraid to lose balance and fall.
Many cats do not like being picked up by small children, because they can either squeeze the animal too much or pinch it.
How to tame a wild cat?
In real life, it will be very difficult to train a cat from the street not only to himself, but also to the house, because any stray animal will be angry and aggressive in the first few days. You need to start learning with feeding. In addition, you must do this the first days on the street at the same time. In just one week, a newly made pet will wait for its new owner at the feeding place.
You cannot accustom a street cat to a man when he has a fear of him, because the animal will immediately feel it and will not fit. It is necessary to try not to approach the animal first, but to wait until the cat herself approaches the owner.
If she ate and remains in the same place, you can try a little "chat" with her. The only thing to do is protect your hands.
In addition, in the case of aggressive behavior of a feral cat, you must also protect your face.
The first time you need to be with a newly made pet for several minutes. Every day, the time spent must be increased. If the animal begins to show interest in its owner, you can try to talk with him. At first this must be done in a whisper so that the cat does not get scared and does not run away. When she begins to spend more time near a person, you can try to pick her up. But this must also be done very carefully. If the first time it did not work out and the cat ran away from its owner, then don't follow her.
You can also try to put the animal indoors and wait a bit until it gets used to a new place of residence.
It takes approximately one to several days for the cat to adapt to the house. In the room where the cat is closed, you need to put a bowl of water and food. Also put a tray so that she learns from the first days to go into it. You can put some special toys, as well as establish a berth. In addition, one must also know that in too bright a light, the animal will not feel too comfortable in the room. therefore the light should be a little dim.
The tray should be filled with earth for the first time, which is used for planting flowers, so that the cat feels in a natural environment. In addition, it is necessary to remove from the room all objects that may fall.
The first few days you do not need to go to the cat too often to make her feel more free.
After the period of adaptation, you must definitely take the animal from the street to the veterinarian to make sure that he has practically no diseases. To do this, put the cat in a special carrier, using durable gloves, and take it to the veterinary clinic. Such measures must be carried out, because a wild animal can be a carrier of any viral diseases.
When a person is convinced that the animal is absolutely safe, you can gradually begin to engage in its training. It is best to use toys for this, which can be purchased in special stores or made from improvised means.
At first, the cat herself will play with the toy, but over time she will take the person to her company.
To begin with, you can simply put your hands next to the cat so that she is convinced of their safety. Then you need to try to stroke it. If she does not allow this, do not rush, it is better to wait a while. Over time, the animal will allow not only stroking, but also take it in your arms. The fact that she is pleased will be evidenced by her relaxed appearance and ears raised up.
Domestication of a kitten
But you can train a little kitten much faster. To make it real literally in a few days.However, if he is too shy, the domestication process will be a little delayed. But still it is possible to do this, and not only with affection and kindness, but also with the help of delicious food. For training, you can use both different toys, and an ordinary rope.
When people first bring a small kitten into the house, first of all, it is necessary to exclude any contacts with both other people and other pets. To do this, you can place the animal in a separate room, or in a small cage. In the second case, the cell must be placed in the most remote and quiet corner in the room. In addition, it must be covered on top with any fabric. It is also necessary to put two bowls in it. One of them should be with water, and the second with food.
Also, a tray must be placed in the cage so that the animal can walk into it from the first day. After this, the kitten should be left alone for a while. This is necessary so that it adapts faster.
After a few hours, you need to go to the cage and try to talk with a small pet. In addition, he can be given something tasty, such as boiled meat or fish. A kitten must eat from the hands of the owner. So he will quickly get used to it and understand that he receives food from a friend, not from the enemy.
If the small pet still sizzles and does not want to eat while feeding, you must leave it alone for a while. After he calms down, you can try to slightly open the cage and lend a hand. This must be done very carefully, without sudden movements, so that the kitten does not get scared. He can still hiss but you should not pay attention to it, because this is a simple defensive reaction.
When you try to scratch a person, you need to brush off the kitten so that he understands who is the main thing the first time.
When the owner strokes the kitten and he calms down, he can be given a small piece of goodies. It is possible to feed a full-fledged animal only after 10-12 hours, when it is quite hungry. In this case, the baby leaves its shelter and can even take food from the hands of its new owner. This will only mean that the person has done everything right.
Even when the kitten began to eat with his hands and got used to it a little, one should not speak too loudly in his presence, because he can be scared and run away, which means that he will need to do everything all over again. In order for the kitten to be soft in communication with a person, he needs to spend a lot of time: you need to play more with him, stroke and pick him up. When he is fully domesticated, you can introduce him to the small members of the family, if any.
Taming an Adult Animal
Equally important is the training of an adult animal, purchased from breeders, and not found on the street, because its appearance in the house is exciting not only for new owners, but also for the cat itself. The new owner can do this quickly only if the animal receives a lot of affection and attention. However, there are breeds of cats that do not like to sit in the arms of their owners, so they do not.
The smaller the age of the acquired animal, the faster it will be able to adapt to new conditions.
In just one month, the cat or cat will turn into a pet and will not run away from the new house.
It is very important to correctly transport the cat from the old place to the new one. It is best to use a carry, because if you hold it in your hands, then it may be frightened of some kind of sound from the street or the sound of a wound motor and even run away. In addition, it is necessary to put an object from the animal’s past life in the carry so that it feels more comfortable there. Also, do not use public transport to transport the purchased animal, it is best to call a taxi.
Once in a new home, the cat will immediately clog into a corner or begin to explore new territories. In both cases, this behavior is considered normal.
The main thing for the owner is to help the animal get used to the new place and the owner himself as soon as possible.
First of all, you need to slightly restrict the cat's movement around the room. Be sure to place a bowl of food and water, as well as a tray with a filler, which was used in the previous place of residence. After this, the cat must be released from the carrier and follow its actions. If she does not want to go out, then you can lure her with delicious food.
In any case, the owner should behave calmly, since the animal always feels the mood of a person.
Be sure to spend as much time with your pet as possible, while never getting annoyed or screaming at him.
It is not necessary to introduce the cat to all family members on the first day, because it can even cause stress for him. It is better to do this the next day, when the cat gets a little used. Acquaintance should take place in a very calm environment so that the cat does not get scared.
You should not immediately pick her up if she herself does not want to. If guests are often in the house, then do not immediately introduce the cat to them. This should be done gradually so that the animal is not afraid. However, there are breeds that are completely not afraid of strangers. In this case, the adaptation period is much faster and easier.
After 7-12 days it is necessary to introduce the cat to other pets, if any, in the house. During this period, a new pet will be able to get used to their smells and will not be so aggressive.
When an animal enters a new house, he should give those feeds to which he was accustomed to in the previous house. You should also ask about the size of the servings, and the time when the cat eats. And only after a few days you can transfer it to feed, which will be used in the future. This should be done gradually.
Useful Tips
If a person decided to catch a street cat, then you should not use a bag or blanket for this, as well as any other items that will look like them.
A small kitten can be lured from the shelter with the help of delicious food or an ordinary candy wrapper tied to a rope. When the animal leaves its shelter, it must be taken by the fold on the neck and very gently pressed it to the chest.
If this method is not suitable, you can use a container for carrying animals. You also need to put food or an interesting toy for the kitten in it. When he gets inside, you must immediately close the door.
To protect yourself a little from possible animal bites, you can use a special catcher for this. It is sold at any veterinary pharmacy. In addition, you can just rent it.
Set a trap in a place where the animal appears most often. Delicious food should also be placed inside. Close it after the cat enters the pot.
You can also use a special landing net to capture a street animal. Use it best in the dark. It is necessary to approach the cat quietly and imperceptibly, it is best to do it from behind. It is necessary to cover the cat very quickly and sharply, because for the second time it may not be suitable for food. Before catching a wild animal, you need to train on domestic cats.
There are two ways to get an animal from a landing net:
- using the first option, it is necessary to transfer the captured animal to a safer place and only then transplant it into the prepared carrier;
- the second option is more dangerous: the animal is transplanted into the carrier right on the spot.
In any case, the animal will experience stress and immediately slam into a corner. This is in the person’s hand, as he will be able to close the carrying door without special obstacles.
Carrying is best done with a fairly sturdy material. The cat must be placed inside with its tail forward, so that it is less resistant at the same time.
It is best to immediately show the specimen to the veterinarian immediately after capture so as not to harm the pets.It is necessary to get the cat out of the carrier carefully, observing all safety measures.
If a wild cat bites a person, you should immediately consult a doctor. If necessary, you need to make special injections so as not to harm your health. Also, when catching an animal, one should not look directly into the eyes, because they perceive this as a threat to themselves.
No need to take a cat with your bare hands to protect yourself from bites and scratches.
Do not be too zealous for food and overfeeding the cat. Servings should be increased gradually. In the upbringing of new pets, it is necessary to show not only endurance, but also affection. And the most important thing when catching street animals is to make sure that they do not have a master.
Summing up, we can say that any cat, whether caught on the street or purchased from breeders, can be trained and made home for a certain period of time. And all this is done not only through education, but also through training. The most important thing is to show a lot of warmth and patience with your newly made pets.
On how to re-educate a wild cat, see below.
