Piper's Journey
Read the story of a formally terrified feral cat that is now living life as a pampered house cat!
Back at the start of the year (2016), I wrote you about Piper the feral cat that I took in off the streets. I must say it's been a marvelous journey. I quickly fell in love with Piper and couldn't find myself entertaining the thought of adopting her out. Since that decision, we've had many hurdles to cross. When I last wrote, Piper was in my basement bathroom confined to a cage. She graduated from the cage to having the complete bathroom and at that point she was still extremely frightened. Every time I would enter the bathroom, she would cower behind the commode fearing harm or danger. She eventually let me touch her only if there when food was involved. I labeled that as a "victory"!
She was in the bathroom for 3 months before I could figure out what the next move should be. I"m a pretty handy girl and I put those skills to use building her a small pen (5'x3'x5') in the center of the basement (NOTE from CTAS: Not everyone can build a fancy pen but you could buy a pen for an extra large dog and use that instead and put things for the cat to climb on and hide under). Moving day was dramatic. I forced her in the cat carrier and then placed everything of hers in the new pen. I'll never forget when she came out of the carrier and realized she had moved. She jumped about 4 feet off the ground and clung to the plastic fencing I had set up for the enclosure. She was very frightened and uncertain and appeared to be quite traumatized and ready to run for her life. But looking back, that is when we turned the corner and things became to change for the better.
The pen I had built had more room and as a bonus, had shelves for her to climb and jump on. It wasn't long before each time I approached the pen, instead of cowering and retreating back, she started gaining security by jumping onto the shelves and meeting me at eye level. This went on for awhile and each passing day she got that much more comfortable, seemingly to adjust well to the pen. They say that cats love vertical spaces and having the shelves in the pen catered towards her need for high places, so much so that when she was grounded she soon started to rub her body against the fencing each time I came near as if she was looking to get petted!
At the right time, I started to poke my fingers in the fencing as she sashayed by. Each time, she would come closer and closer ... almost allowing me to touch her but still a bit out of range. Finally one day it happened ... she rubbed against my fingers. At first, I thought it was by accident but then it happened enough to convince me that she was purposely letting me touch her. After awhile, I could put my hand inside the pen and touch her with my fingers and palm. That's when things really took off!
I always found her, despite her prickly exterior, to have such a gentle spirit. But now now finding that human contact was pleasurable, she looked forward to our visits in the basement just as much as I did. She is so affectionate now, demanding to be petted. She has the full run of the basement, playing with her toys, getting into mischief and waits for me to come down to she can get rubs and pets. She is constantly head butting my hand and can't wait for my fingers to dance along her fur at each passing move. When I'm not downstairs, I hear her cry for attention so I find myself traveling downstairs frequently so that she won't be lonely. Each time we pick up where we left off, both showing our deep love and affection for one another.
It's been great so far and my next hurdle is to bring her upstairs. Both my cats have not reacted positively having her in the household and have not come in contact with her without the plastic fencing. They both have reacted negatively - my female cat hissing and growling for 6 months and my male cat was marking and spraying to the point my vet had to intervene with medication to help calm him down. I'm still making up her socialization as we go along but I'm hoping in another month or so I can start trying to bring her more into the fold. I'm keeping my fingers crossed but so far it's far better than I could have ever imagined.
It's hard to believe that this former ferocious, terrified and defensive animal that bit me the first time I touched her is now so loving and well adjusted. You said it wouldn't take long and even though this took longer than normal (a whole year), it has been well worth the effort and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Thank you for encouraging me to take this feral cat and socialize her into the loving girl that Piper has become!
Just a few weeks back she graduated from being confined to the basement to now having full access to every part of my house. She has been so good - only needing some minor redirecting when it comes to scratching on furniture but nothing serious and showing no aggression to my other cats. She even uses her litter box without issue - what more could you ask for?!?!?
She has settled upstairs in the living room, preferring to be around, what I hope she feels is her family. She has claimed a long since abandoned spot that my older female cat once held. She lays on the covered chair in the living room, stretching out her legs and toes, apparently feeling very secure and loved. Thank you again for all your encouragement - it's been a joyous journey for me and my household.
- Ashlyn (Piper's owner)
Back at the start of the year (2016), I wrote you about Piper the feral cat that I took in off the streets. I must say it's been a marvelous journey. I quickly fell in love with Piper and couldn't find myself entertaining the thought of adopting her out. Since that decision, we've had many hurdles to cross. When I last wrote, Piper was in my basement bathroom confined to a cage. She graduated from the cage to having the complete bathroom and at that point she was still extremely frightened. Every time I would enter the bathroom, she would cower behind the commode fearing harm or danger. She eventually let me touch her only if there when food was involved. I labeled that as a "victory"!
She was in the bathroom for 3 months before I could figure out what the next move should be. I"m a pretty handy girl and I put those skills to use building her a small pen (5'x3'x5') in the center of the basement (NOTE from CTAS: Not everyone can build a fancy pen but you could buy a pen for an extra large dog and use that instead and put things for the cat to climb on and hide under). Moving day was dramatic. I forced her in the cat carrier and then placed everything of hers in the new pen. I'll never forget when she came out of the carrier and realized she had moved. She jumped about 4 feet off the ground and clung to the plastic fencing I had set up for the enclosure. She was very frightened and uncertain and appeared to be quite traumatized and ready to run for her life. But looking back, that is when we turned the corner and things became to change for the better.
The pen I had built had more room and as a bonus, had shelves for her to climb and jump on. It wasn't long before each time I approached the pen, instead of cowering and retreating back, she started gaining security by jumping onto the shelves and meeting me at eye level. This went on for awhile and each passing day she got that much more comfortable, seemingly to adjust well to the pen. They say that cats love vertical spaces and having the shelves in the pen catered towards her need for high places, so much so that when she was grounded she soon started to rub her body against the fencing each time I came near as if she was looking to get petted!
At the right time, I started to poke my fingers in the fencing as she sashayed by. Each time, she would come closer and closer ... almost allowing me to touch her but still a bit out of range. Finally one day it happened ... she rubbed against my fingers. At first, I thought it was by accident but then it happened enough to convince me that she was purposely letting me touch her. After awhile, I could put my hand inside the pen and touch her with my fingers and palm. That's when things really took off!
I always found her, despite her prickly exterior, to have such a gentle spirit. But now now finding that human contact was pleasurable, she looked forward to our visits in the basement just as much as I did. She is so affectionate now, demanding to be petted. She has the full run of the basement, playing with her toys, getting into mischief and waits for me to come down to she can get rubs and pets. She is constantly head butting my hand and can't wait for my fingers to dance along her fur at each passing move. When I'm not downstairs, I hear her cry for attention so I find myself traveling downstairs frequently so that she won't be lonely. Each time we pick up where we left off, both showing our deep love and affection for one another.
It's been great so far and my next hurdle is to bring her upstairs. Both my cats have not reacted positively having her in the household and have not come in contact with her without the plastic fencing. They both have reacted negatively - my female cat hissing and growling for 6 months and my male cat was marking and spraying to the point my vet had to intervene with medication to help calm him down. I'm still making up her socialization as we go along but I'm hoping in another month or so I can start trying to bring her more into the fold. I'm keeping my fingers crossed but so far it's far better than I could have ever imagined.
It's hard to believe that this former ferocious, terrified and defensive animal that bit me the first time I touched her is now so loving and well adjusted. You said it wouldn't take long and even though this took longer than normal (a whole year), it has been well worth the effort and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Thank you for encouraging me to take this feral cat and socialize her into the loving girl that Piper has become!
Just a few weeks back she graduated from being confined to the basement to now having full access to every part of my house. She has been so good - only needing some minor redirecting when it comes to scratching on furniture but nothing serious and showing no aggression to my other cats. She even uses her litter box without issue - what more could you ask for?!?!?
She has settled upstairs in the living room, preferring to be around, what I hope she feels is her family. She has claimed a long since abandoned spot that my older female cat once held. She lays on the covered chair in the living room, stretching out her legs and toes, apparently feeling very secure and loved. Thank you again for all your encouragement - it's been a joyous journey for me and my household.
- Ashlyn (Piper's owner)