Taming a cat
Taming a cat
We have had Diabolo 3 weeks now. He is around the house, happy and inquisitive however we still struggle to stroke him. We need to hold him so we can check him over but he is stilled very scared of humans so is proving difficult. Can anyone advise as we need to maybe clip his claws and even getting him to the vet is tricky? Maybe you have found some winning techniques on taming your cat? Having problems catching him and know we will struggle when we do to keep him still .
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Ruth B
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- No. of cats in household: 3
- Location: Wolverhampton
Re: Taming a cat
I have already mentioned my work with Freyja on another thread and even after over 18 months of having her I still can't pick her up. I think you are going to have to accept that Diabolo is going to be the same.
I can suggest 3 ways that might work for catching him for the vets.
1: If you have cat carrier that you can make a bed up for him and he can get in and out easily and safely then try doing that so he accepts the carrier as somewhere safe and comfy. You might also want to put treats in there for him as well. I did try this but Saturn seems able to smell the treats from 2 rooms away so Freyja never had a chance to find them, the top loading wire mesh cage style carrier also aren't really the best for this technique.
2: If you can get a towel over him and wrap him in that it will help calm him and mean that you can hold him with less risk of scratches. Unfortunately I managed this once with Freyja, now she takes one look at me approaching with anything like a towel of piece of fabric and runs off.
3: Finally the method I used most recently (back in June) is to be stroking and fussing them on the neck behind the ears and then grab a chunk of skin and fur at that location and pick them up by it. The cats natural instinct is to freeze when this happens as it is how a mother cat will carry her kittens (have a look on youtube I'm sure there are plenty of videos of cats carrying kittens to help show the technique). With adult cats I do tend to support the back feet with my other hand as well. You might also be able to start using this technique to get him wrapped in a towel so you have a chance at trimming his claws. I would say it might be worth starting him on this technique just gently pinching the skin at the back of his neck in your hand to start with and then gently lifting the front paws up. Give him a treat and a fuss as a reward afterwards so he associates being picked up with something good happening.
As he is a fairly young cat you shouldn't need to do too much work on his claws, he should look after them himself. I have often found that a lot of simple scratching posts are no good once a cat starts to grow up, they are just too light weight for the force a cat uses when sharpening its claws and the cat is in danger of pulling it over on itself. The two i have that seem to work best are the cardboard scratching box (the one I have is slightly curved up at each end and is also a popular sitting place) and one that is made from a very tough cord like carpet that actually screws onto a wall. It's a bit unsightly but that doesn't bother me and we put it a place where several cats have shredded the wall paper anyway. Having cats and being house proud really don't go together.
Take it slow with Diabolo and you will get there, there will be times when it seems like you are taking steps backwards but just accept it. You might also want to keep a diary of 'firsts', first time he lets you stroke him, first time you can partially pick him up, first time he tries to steal food off your plate. These are all landmark signs that he is becoming more trusting in you and acts as a reminder of how far you have come with him. A nervous cat is a lot of work but it is so rewarding to see them happy.
I can suggest 3 ways that might work for catching him for the vets.
1: If you have cat carrier that you can make a bed up for him and he can get in and out easily and safely then try doing that so he accepts the carrier as somewhere safe and comfy. You might also want to put treats in there for him as well. I did try this but Saturn seems able to smell the treats from 2 rooms away so Freyja never had a chance to find them, the top loading wire mesh cage style carrier also aren't really the best for this technique.
2: If you can get a towel over him and wrap him in that it will help calm him and mean that you can hold him with less risk of scratches. Unfortunately I managed this once with Freyja, now she takes one look at me approaching with anything like a towel of piece of fabric and runs off.
3: Finally the method I used most recently (back in June) is to be stroking and fussing them on the neck behind the ears and then grab a chunk of skin and fur at that location and pick them up by it. The cats natural instinct is to freeze when this happens as it is how a mother cat will carry her kittens (have a look on youtube I'm sure there are plenty of videos of cats carrying kittens to help show the technique). With adult cats I do tend to support the back feet with my other hand as well. You might also be able to start using this technique to get him wrapped in a towel so you have a chance at trimming his claws. I would say it might be worth starting him on this technique just gently pinching the skin at the back of his neck in your hand to start with and then gently lifting the front paws up. Give him a treat and a fuss as a reward afterwards so he associates being picked up with something good happening.
As he is a fairly young cat you shouldn't need to do too much work on his claws, he should look after them himself. I have often found that a lot of simple scratching posts are no good once a cat starts to grow up, they are just too light weight for the force a cat uses when sharpening its claws and the cat is in danger of pulling it over on itself. The two i have that seem to work best are the cardboard scratching box (the one I have is slightly curved up at each end and is also a popular sitting place) and one that is made from a very tough cord like carpet that actually screws onto a wall. It's a bit unsightly but that doesn't bother me and we put it a place where several cats have shredded the wall paper anyway. Having cats and being house proud really don't go together.
Take it slow with Diabolo and you will get there, there will be times when it seems like you are taking steps backwards but just accept it. You might also want to keep a diary of 'firsts', first time he lets you stroke him, first time you can partially pick him up, first time he tries to steal food off your plate. These are all landmark signs that he is becoming more trusting in you and acts as a reminder of how far you have come with him. A nervous cat is a lot of work but it is so rewarding to see them happy.
Re: Taming a cat
Thanks Ruth. I don't think he has ever used a scratch post so we have bought scratch mats posts etc and have left them around the house. His claws do tap on the floor and they do catch and he does get stuck so is important he uses a scratching device. I can get wiin a foot of him. I managed to pick him up once but he is very wriggly and very strong. I simply cannot get close enough even to stroke him, let alone put a towel around him. Our only option would be to try and get him into a room but this is tricky too. I do not want him to tear his claw panicking to get away. He has come on leaps and bounds but like yours will be months before he accepts us. He is happy being in the sake room as us etc and watches the TV.