How to Tame a Cat

To tame a feral cat, you will need a lot of time, knowledge, patience and utmost care. A feral cat is a domestic cat that has been tamed but has had to return to a wild lifestyle and not come into contact with humans. If the cat seems healthy and you want to tame it, be aware that the cat may get scared and bite you. However, if you find or are assigned to care for a stray cat that is scared, but the cat can tolerate human contact without scratching or biting, you can proceed to tame the cat. You probably won’t be able to completely turn it back into a domestic cat, but it can become a well-behaved pet. ^{[1] X Research Resources} Sometimes all you need is a great deal of patience to turn a scared cat into a loving pet. The first goal should be to make the cat feel comfortable around you. After that, the cat must be taken to a doctor to make sure there is no disease.

Table of Contents

Observe the nature of cats

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Understand your cat’s personality. Observe the cat for a few days. That way, you can determine the cat’s nature, especially when approached by humans. Are cats shy or afraid of humans? Are cats angry?

If you think the cat looks dangerous, don’t try to approach it. Instead, call animal control or a humane organization as only they can professionally capture and approach feral cats.

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Observe your cat’s body language. Cats express their emotions with clear body language. ^{[2] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to source} Example:

An angry or upset cat may drop its ears, widen its pupils, wag its tail back and forth, arch its back, and stand on end. Usually, cats will growl. It’s a sign that you should back off.
If you don’t run away, the cat will lie on the ground or tuck its tail between its legs after being scared. Be careful when taming such cats.
In contrast, a calm cat will straighten its ears forward to listen, and the tail will also point up to the sky. This cat’s fur will be in a normal state. The cat may even stretch, lie down, or roll over. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

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Monitor your cat’s general health. Even if you can’t get close, you can still observe the cat’s health from a distance. ^{[4] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to the source} Check to see if the cat is emaciated or emaciated. Maybe the cat is hungry. Observe the coat to see if the cat is healthy or not. If the coat looks frizzy, sheds a lot, or has bald spots, the cat may be sick. Notice if the cat has other problems, such as limping, cuts, bumps, etc. ^{[5] X Research Source}

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Stay away from cats suspected of having rabies. Feral cats are usually unvaccinated and are at risk of contracting the rabies virus. Although rare, feline rabies occurs most often in cats that have not been vaccinated. Symptoms of rabies can vary widely and may take months to manifest after a cat is infected with the rabies virus.

Typical signs of rabies in cats include: weakness (lethargy, anorexia, weakness) and/or behavioral changes (aggression, hyperactivity, disorientation, paralysis, seizures). ^{[6] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to source}
If you come across a cat with these symptoms, call animal control and do not attempt to approach.

Let your cat get used to your presence

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Get your cat familiar with your voice. If the cat seems easy to tame, the next step would be to help him get used to your presence and voice. Come sit close and talk to the cat in a soft, pleasant tone of voice. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

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Give your cat dry or wet food. While you’re talking, put down some food for the cat. ^{[8] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to the source} You should do this in about three days. In the meantime, don’t rush to contact the cat.

After three days, observe the cat’s positive body language to see if it is comfortable with your presence. A satisfied cat will straighten its ears, tail, and arch its back. The cat’s fur will be in a normal state and the cat can purr.

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Try approaching your cat with food. Take a spoonful of wet food or canned tuna and offer it to the cat. Name or call “kitten!”. If the cat hisses, it means the cat is scared and needs more time to get used to your presence. Take the time to help your cat feel comfortable eating around you.

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Watch for signs of aggression. If your cat shows any signs of aggression, such as growling or screaming, give the cat more time to get used to you. You may also consider calling animal control.

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Use a cat pheromone product. If you need help getting your cat to feel more comfortable, you can use cat pheromone products. It’s a compound that mimics cat pheromone scents to calm cats down. ^{[9] X Research Source} You can spray this product in the area around cats. Be aware, however, that the sound of the spray can scare or anger your cat.

There are also liquid pheromone products that you can apply to certain areas. You can also try a diffuser if your cat is in an enclosed area.

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Stroking the cat with a spoon. Look for a long wooden spoon or spatula. Wrap a soft cloth around it. Feathers are also very effective. Gently bring the spoon close enough to touch the cat without arousing it. While the cat is eating, slowly extend the spoon to pet it. It may take a few tries over a few days for your cat to get used to this.

If the cat runs away, don’t chase. You can pet the cat later.

Contact with cats

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Wear long clothes to protect your body. Before you can take your cat to the doctor, it is best to wear long clothes to protect your body whenever you come into contact with the cat. Wear thick gloves, long sleeves, and long pants to minimize the risk of being scratched or bitten.

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Use your hand to stroke the cat. After you’ve been petting your cat with a spoon for a while, try running your hand under the spoon to pet the cat. Only stroke the cat’s shoulders and head.

Do not touch anywhere near the cat’s belly. Cats can become defensive if they feel threatened. Only when the cat completely trusts you can you stroke its belly. ^{[10] X Research Source}

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Try picking up the cat. Use a towel or blanket to hold the cat. ^{[11] X Research Source} Do this after you have petted the cat a few times. Choose a time when the cat seems relaxed and comfortable.

Getting to this stage can take quite a while. It depends on the cat. Some cats will never become tame enough to be held.
If the cat struggles when held, release it. Otherwise, you will be bitten or scratched. In addition, you may have to try again from the beginning if you encounter this situation.

Bring your cat to the vet clinic

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Help your cat get used to the carrier cage. Cats need to be placed in a transport cage in order to get to the vet clinic. You need to give the cat time to get used to the cage.

Leave the cage door open in the house so the cat can explore on its own.
Put the food in front of the cage door so that the cat is interested in learning. ^{[12] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}
Move the food into the cage so that the cat is willing to step inside.

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Take the cat to the vet clinic. If you have been exposed to the cat, bring it to the vet clinic as soon as possible. There, cats can be health checked, vaccinated and treated accordingly.

Cats need to be vaccinated to avoid many diseases, such as leukemia. Ask your veterinarian about necessary vaccines.

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Ask your doctor about lice and deworming methods. Since cats can be feral for a long time, it needs to be treated for lice and parasites. ^{[13] X Research Source} Your veterinarian may be able to use topical treatments or advise other methods that you can do at home.

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Take the cat to be spayed. One of the best ways to help a cat is to have it spayed to prevent abandonment. The veterinary clinic will remove a small piece of the ear, and this is a painless process that is done while the cat is under anesthesia. The pointed end of the cat’s ears will be removed. That will be a sign that this cat has been neutered. ^{[14] X Research Source}

Help stray kittens get acquainted with people

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Tame the kitten when it is 4 to 8 weeks old. Once the kitten starts weaning, it will be easier to tame. This is the stage when the kittens become independent from the mother. Once the kitten is used to humans, it will be suitable for adoption. ^{[15] X Research Source}

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Provide kittens with a safe haven. When not training the kitten to get used to people, you should provide the kitten with a small, quiet room where it can relax. It could be the bathroom or an unused room. ^{[16] X Research Source}

Turn on the night light overnight so the room is not dark.

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Choose the right location. It is very effective if you train the kitten to get used to people in a place with a lot of people. You could try doing it in the yard, where other people are working or playing. If not, you can train your cat in a similar location in your home. ^{[17] X Research Source}

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Bend down to the level of the kitten. Don’t stand tall next to the kitten. Sit down on the floor.

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Feed the kitten wet food. As long as the kitten is healthy, you can use food to help the cat get used to people. That way, you can get the cat to come close to you because it’s hungry and wants to eat the food you have. Sit near the kitten while it is eating.

You can even place your cat’s food dish on your lap to get the cat to come closer to you. ^{[18] X Research Sources}
Take your food elsewhere when you leave. Thanks to that, the cat will associate you with the food. ^{[19] X Research Source}

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Let the cat lick the food on your hand. Once your cat has gotten used to your presence at mealtimes, give her some of the treats on hand. You can use wet cat food or baby food (choose beef or chicken flavors).

A kitten can chew on food instead of licking it because it is a natural way of eating. Kittens may even bite your finger lightly while eating.

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Start petting the kitten. When the kitten is hungry and wants to eat, try stroking it gently. You can start by stroking the cat’s head and shoulders only.

If the cat runs away, repeat the previous step a little longer.

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Transition to petting without food. Once your cat gets used to your presence and petting, you need to remove the food from the process. This will ensure that the cat still enjoys being petted even when not being fed. Try petting the cat after she has had enough to eat.

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Slowly help the cat get to know other people. If you are taming a cat for adoption, you need to make sure that the cat gets used to other people besides you. ^{[20] X Research Source}

Begin allowing one-on-one access to the kittens. Those people should also start feeding the kittens with a plate first, then hand-feeding. Kittens will get used to their voices, scents, and gestures.

Advice

Don’t touch your cat’s belly, tail, and paws before she knows you won’t hurt her. Those are very sensitive spots and the cat will likely scratch or bite you.
Proceed slowly. You may have to take this process slower if you plan to help your cat get out of her “safe zone”. ^{[21] X Research Source}

Warning

If the cat is behaving aggressively, you should stay away from the cat for a while.
Only people who have been trained to handle feral cats should approach them.
If you have been bitten by a cat (domestic or feral), see your doctor to treat the bite immediately. Care for your cat’s scratch carefully to make sure it doesn’t get infected. ^{[22] X Animal Bite-associated Infections Research Source . Microbipogy and Treatment. Nicpe Thomas and Itzhak Brook. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 2011;9(2):215-226.}

Steps