Can Feral Cats Be Tamed?

Feral cats are different from stray cats. Stray cats are usually the product of some person’s irresponsibility. Irresponsibility can be defined in two ways when it comes to strays: dumping a cat to fend for itself and/or neglecting to spay and neuter their cats. Stray cats can be timid, but are often easily tamed. Feral cats are cats that were probably born to wild parents and are wild themselves. Feral cats have had no, or very little, human interaction and are very difficult to tame.

Because feral cats are difficult to tame, thus making them undesirable indoor pets, there are many rescue organizations that are dedicated to the trapping and spaying and neutering of feral cat colonies. Many times, these organizations trap the cats, have them spayed and neutered and then release them near where they were originally found. Then, they dedicate themselves to providing food to these colonies.

Feral cats are everywhere. You can find feral cats in rural or farm areas, abandoned buildings and even parks and alleyways. You might catch a glimpse of them, but chances are that you would not be able to catch them easily. After all, they have not been around humans so any contact would make them shy away from you. If you have feral cats in your neighbourhood, you may wonder whether these animals can be kept as pets.

Taming a feral cat can be a difficult proposition simply because they are not accustomed to humans. Depending on the level of their interactions with humans, some cats might be classified as semi-feral, total feral or even a converted feral cat. Depending on what your cat is classified as, dictates your potential success in socializing it. In addition, it takes a lot of time, love and patience to tame these cats.

If you find a cat that has been feral for years, chances are that there is little to no chance of socializing it. With no human contact at all, these cats are overly independent and would never depend on a human for food or companionship. You might have better success with a cat that is semi-feral. In these instances, they have had some limited human contact. A converted feral cat would probably have the best chance at a normal life as someone’s pet. These cats were once domesticated, meaning that they probably started life as a pet and then were abandoned and have spent considerable time without human contact. The converted feral cat will more than likely eventually respond to human interactions such as love and affection.

If you want to attempt to tame a feral cat, remember that it can be hard work reaching out to the feral cat and getting them to trust you after being on their own. Sometimes, your efforts will not pay off for months, especially with older cats. If your attempts are a success, the rewards are well worth it because a strong bond can develop and loyalty and love is the reward.

If you believe you have the time and the love to attempt to tame a feral, there are some things to remember. First, these cats see you as an intruder and are very likely to spit, hiss, bite and claw. This is a normal response as they are defending themselves against a perceived predator – you. If they manage to get in a few bites or scratches, you should apply first aid immediately. After you have successfully trapped a feral cat, your very first step is to get it to the vet to be spayed or neutered and to check for any diseases it may carry. This is a necessary step and an absolute must if you have other pets in the house. After you have arrived home with your cat, you need to let it adjust to you and the surroundings by giving it a small, safe place to stay. Allow the cat to stay in a small bathroom or laundry room, where it does not feel overwhelmed. You will need to take time every day to spend with the cat and allow the cat to adjust to you.

Remember, not all feral cats can be socialized; however with love and patience, your time and efforts may be worthwhile.

When Dad’s father was still alive, he caught a feral cat in the bush near his rural Vancouver Island home. The cat was a tortoiseshell female and it had a new litter of kittens. He put the cat and kittens in a cardboard box and took them home and placed them in the crawlspace under the family home. He put food out for them and after awhile the female mother began to eat some of the food because she was hungry and wouldn‘t abandon her young. Eventually the kittens were old enough to be taken from the mother and they were turned over to the humane society. The feral mother was taken to the vet and spayed. Grandpa attempted to tame her, but she would never let him touch her. She would stay around under the house or in the attic which she got into through an open vent. Eventually Grandpa entered the hospital and died three and one half years later. After Grandpa went into the hospital, Grandma would feed her. After Grandpa’s death, the cat got quite friendly with Grandma and would rub against her when she was fed. Eventually the cat would let Grandma pet it and it would nibble her cheek. A few winters ago, when it was quite cool on Vancouver Island, the cat would try to slip into the house. However, the old dog didn’t think the cat should be in the house so he would chase it out. When the dog was outside checking out the yard, the cat would slip in and curl up in a corner. So, feral cats can be tamed, but in this case it only happened because Grandma didn’t make any overt attempts to do it. All she did was talk to the cat and feed it. Because the cat did not feel threatened by her, it decided that she was ok and made the overture to become friends.

Until next time,

Teia

Unusual Pets: Hermit Crabs

Hermit crabs are not related in any way to the marine crabs you see crawling across the beaches of the world. Hermit crabs belong to the super family Paguroidea. They are called Hermit crabs because they like to occupy abandoned seashells. They do this to protect their delicate abdomen from predators. There are nearly 500 species of Hermit crabs in the world and most of them live in water. Wild Hermit crabs traditionally live in large colonies of 100 or more occupants.

When a Hermit crab outgrows its current shell, it abandons the shell and moves into a larger one. While it is searching for a larger shell, a Hermit crab is easy prey for predators. Hermit crabs with well fitting shells grow faster than ones that have tight fitting shells. Ones with tight shells cannot withdraw into the shell as easily or quickly as those with well fitting shells, so they are more vulnerable to predators which flip over the shell and attack the Hermit crab's soft abdomen. Because the availability of abandoned shells depends on the population of gastropods in the area, there is frequently a shortage of shells. This usually leads to Hermit crabs fighting with each other for shells. Very rarely do Hermit crabs voluntarily trade shells with each other. When a Hermit crab selects a new shell, it is usually at least one-third larger than their current shell.

Hermit crabs have a tough exoskeleton which covers most of their body, except for their soft abdomen. Therefore, to grow, the Hermit crab has to shed its exoskeleton and grow another one. This process is known as molting. During the molting process, which lasts approximately two weeks, the Hermit crab buries itself in gravel and becomes inactive. Small Hermit crabs molt about once a month and larger ones about once every eighteen months.

Hermit crabs are now being kept as exotic pets because as well as being interesting, they require the least amount of maintenance of all the exotic pets. They seldom grow bigger than a large peach, so they can be kept in a normal aquarium. In the last number of years, many species of Hermit crabs have become part of the marine aquarium trade. Blue legged Hermit crabs, Zebra Hermit crabs, red reef Hermit crabs, common Hermit crabs and red tip Hermit crabs are some of the types which are kept as pets. The most desirable Hermit crab for a pet is the red reef Hermit crab or as it is sometimes called, the scarlet Hermit crab. It is very strikingly coloured, with a bright red body and yellow eye stalks.

Aquatic Hermit crabs live in salt water with salinity ranging from 1.023 to 1.025. The water temperature should be between 75 degrees Fahrenheit and 80 degrees Fahrenheit for species that come from tropical waters, and cooler for ones that come from temperate waters. The gravel bed of the aquarium where they are housed should be fairly deep, full of algae and it should be covered with many different sized and shaped seashells. If Hermit crabs have a large number of shells to choose from, they will change shells frequently. This is very interesting to watch. Other activities such as climbing and digging are also interesting to watch.

Hermit crabs should be fed daily. Their food dishes should be fairly low and flat so that the Hermit crab can easily climb in and out of the dish. Some species of Hermit crabs are herbivorous and some are omnivorous. When you buy your Hermit crab(s) make sure that the seller tells you what kind you have purchased so that when you buy commercial food, you get the kind designed for the crabs you have. You can also add fresh vegetables and fruit to you crab's diet, however, you must ensure that you never leave this fresh produce in your tank for more than 24 hours as it will begin to decay and will contaminate the water, endangering your pet. Should you choose a land Hermit crab, in addition to its daily food, it needs to be sprinkled with lukewarm water for several minutes. The gravel in your tank should be removed and your tank should be washed about once every month or two. While removing the gravel look at it carefully to ensure uneaten commercial food is removed before it becomes toxic from decay. When removing the water, ensure that you save at least half of it for refilling the tank. This ensures that your crab(s) are not stressed by a drastic change in the water. (Note, do not use soap to wash your tank as the residue left behind could be fatal to your crab(s). Use either plain water or water with a few drops of white vinegar in it to wash your tank. If using a water-vinegar wash water, be sure to rinse the tank thoroughly with plain water and dry it out before putting water back into the tank. If the old water looks “grubby” pour it back into the tank through a paper coffee filter to remove the solids).

You can train your Hermit crab(s) to climb onto your hand by holding your open hand, palm up, in front of your pet. If you keep your hand motionless, in a few minutes, your Hermit crab will climb on. It may pinch your palm, but it will usually let go if you stir the water near it with your other hand. If your pet is a land Hermit crab, run your hand with the crab on it, under lukewarm water and it will immediately let go.

Until next time,

Teia