Adopted feral cats will accept food, not dog

Q: We adopted two feral tabby kittens (brothers) nine years ago, and they have never really been tamed. They only interact with us when we are either sitting or lying down, and will not be picked up. Recently, we adopted a dog. She’s sweet, mellow and shows only the mildest interest in the cats. However, since her arrival the cats have left and won’t come back except to eat. We fear that they will never enter the house again. Is there anything we could do to entice them back or do we need to just accept the fact that they are now “wild”? A: Your cats are most likely still feral and will not come back inside, but it is OK to leave food outside for them. They have all the instincts of wild cats because they were not socialized at an early enough age. Cats and dogs best learn how to be good members of society when they are between 8 and 18 weeks of age.

Feral cats, in particular, may not have been with their mom, who normally provides some of the socialization. These kittens require a lot of holding by their guardian. If a dog is already in the household and it doesn’t chase the kitten, the two can often become very good buddies.

If feral cats are under 18 weeks, they can often be socialized. It is a process that I have been through, although it wasn’t easy and took some time.

The hope would be that your cats weren’t afraid of you when you got them. That would mean that they were already socialized, and you can pet and train them. If the kitten was terribly frightened from the very beginning, I wouldn’t attempt adoption. And I would never take in two feral kittens together.