The Power of Early Environment and Influence

Attempting to reverse the natural fears and cautions that are necessary for these animals' survival in the wild is extremely difficult unless the cats are rescued as small kittens -- preferably BEFORE 8 weeks of age.

About a year ago, I rescued a young, adult feral cat, named, "Maria." (Pictured above).

I was in the shelter lobby when a woman dropped off Maria in a humane trap.

The frightened, lost look on the then, pregnant cat's face in addition to the woman's seeming callousness when dumping her off, compelled me to put the "Rescue Memo" on Maria, despite knowing how difficult (or, really impossible) it is to transform a feral, adult cat to one who is trusting and "adoptable."

Following the abortion/spay of the one-year-old cat, I picked up Maria from the shelter and brought her home.

I placed her in a cage for purposes of trying to socialize her, but despite making some gains with Maria over several weeks time, I could not seem to get past a certain point in "trust" and eventually gave her free reign in my home.

It was not an option to keep Maria in a cage forever.

Over the months that followed, I was occasionally able to get a hand on Maria and pet her -- particularly when she came out of the various corners that she stayed to eat.

She responded with pleasure to the petting, but retained a certain "skittishness" and lack of trust in terms of ever approaching me for attention.

Maria is a painfully shy and timid cat. Almost everything spooks her -- including the more confident, assertive and sometimes, downright aggressive cats in my home.

"Hillary" (rescued as a feral kitten when she was about 3-months old) particularly has evolved to become the top cat in my home in terms of boldness, confidence and dominance despite her being one of the youngest cats here, (almost a year-old now).

As much as I have come to cherish and adore Hillary with regard to her affection, quirkiness, confidence and playfulness with me, she is, however, a bit of a tyrant with the more timid cats in my home.

In recent weeks, Hillary had taken to bullying, chasing and even beating up on Maria.

All the "progress" I had henceforth made with Maria in terms of gaining her trust and instilling any kind of confidence quickly went down the tubes.

For the past couple of months or so, Maria took to hiding under my couch most of the time. Even those times she ventured out to eat or use the litter box, she was getting viciously attacked by Hillary.

I needed to do something.

Last week, I managed to corner Maria in my bedroom, squeeze her into a carrier and place her once again, in the cage.

It was more for her protection and safety, than attempts to socialize her.

Each time I go to the cage to feed Maria or clean the space, I first spend about 5 to 10 minutes petting, stroking and talking to Maria in a gentle voice.

She truly loves the petting and purrs loudly. Then, at other times, something spooks Maria and the old cautiousness and fear returns and she backs off.

It breaks my heart to realize that under all the early ingrained fears and timidity lives a gentle, loving soul who, otherwise would have thrived on human attention and affection had Maria only been rescued as a small kitten.

The difference between rescuing Hillary at 12 or 13 weeks of age and Maria at more than a year old, is, in fact, a lifetime in terms of adjustment and trust.

Earlier, I said that feral kittens are best rescued BEFORE 8-weeks of age. Although fairly easy to socialize feral kittens as old as 3 or 4 months, they usually attach only to their rescuers and remain very fearful of other humans or rescuers.

Rescued before 8 weeks of age, the kittens can almost always be tamed and made "adoptable" to other people.

Hillary, for example, (rescued at 3 or 4 months) though extremely loving and outgoing with me, hides when other people come to my home. Her seeming "boldness, confidence and leadership" in her "colony" being replaced by old fears and distrust of outside forces.

One of the things I have learned in working with so many feral cats and kittens over the years is how very critical early environment and upbringing is, for all animals -- and people (as written of in the previous entry).

The reason adult, feral cats almost always have to be trapped, neutered and returned, is because the "job" of trying to socialize (i.e. "change") them enough for any kind of "adoptability" is all but impossible.

I learned that a few months ago with "Muffy," the one adult feral cat (about 4 or 5 years of age at the time she was humanely trapped in the yards in back of my apartment building and spayed) I was forced to return to her original environment.

Even after spending several months in a cage, I was not able to touch or handle Muffy at all. She currently rules the yards in back of my apartment building where apparently she has spent her entire life and has no desire to leave.

"Old ways die hard," as they say.

In seeking to know or "predict" how animal or human will act, look to early environment, raising and at least with humans, who (persons of influence) they have acquired most of their core values and beliefs from -- this despite anything they say or claim. -- PCA

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Written by mandy787 Blog about this entry

This entry has 1 comments: (Add your own)

#1 Comment from jmuhjacat
5/1/08 4:26 PM | Permalink

Yes, you're right, Patty. However, in the wake of a huge rescue operation out in the Nevada desert, members of and volunteers for Best Friends have had some excellent success working with extremely frightened cats who exhibit all the signs of having been feral and over time, learn to "come in from the cold" (or heat, in this case) in response to regular food, clean water, medical care, and love and patience. Just as human beings respond negatively to abuse, neglect, fear, stress, and deprivation, so do cats; and conversely, just as humans thrive in caring, loving, comfortable, healthy circumstances, so do cats.

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The Power of Early Environment and Influence