Quote:
Originally Posted by graciegirl
Misshipp
Your post caused me to look up more about feral kittens. I read they were by nature born to be fearful of humans, while domestic kittens are not at all fearful of humans from the beginning. I imagine there is something here going on like raising a wolf pup, but knowing they won't ever be as tranquil as a domestic dog.
This has always interested me, the old question of which is more important, nature or nurture. When it comes to humans, recent studies show that our inherited genetic material prewires our very personality..... we are born with the personality we will have all of our life and it can be altered a bit, but not nearly as much as previously thought.
So it seems that feral kittens can be tamed...somewhat.
I love cats. We had a wild kitten that never really got over being wild and would for no reason attack and bite us if startled. I only had the one. I see that you have had many. Do you think they ever became as gentle as domestic cats?
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Graciegirl:
My "name" is Missphit, not misshipp - I think I was renamed via a typo.
If a human baby had a murderer for a mother should we assume the baby will also be a murderer?? I have several cats. Two (fem, male) that were born outside to feral moms are very lovable, sweet lap cats. However, they were rescued when very young - before the mom taught them how to survive & before they were wandering around looking for food and people were chasing them away & scaring them. I have two others (male & fem) who were older kittens and had been on their own for a while - it took some time and lots of patience but now they are friendly, love being petted, will rub on us & even come when called - usually - but don't like being held. Then I have one who is totally independent but is always in the same room as us, even if it's under some furniture. He doesn't like to be touched and I have to trick him to catch him. However, his two siblings, rescued at the same time, were lovable & have loving homes and have made wonderful pets. And, I have a cat who was born inside to a housecat mom, has always been inside and, except for me, will gladly nip anyone (inc. my husband) who is foolish enough pet him. And has done so for 17 years.
I have rescued & adopted out over 100 "feral" kittens just here in The Villages and according to their owners, they have all made wonderful loving pets. If you know anyone who has adopted a kitten from Pet Lovers Rescue, (at Petco) chances are that kitten had a feral mom. (I am not connected with PLR.)
If a cat/kitten comes up to you outside it has almost always been someone's house pet and has gotten lost or been "thrown away" by someone. These will almost always die in a bad way as they have not learned how to survive outside from their mother. However, two of my own feral babies did come up to our door & were easily picked up as tho they wanted to be house pets (one is cuddly, one is not). Not one of my "ferals" will go near a door or try to go outside - they've been there and didn't like it at all!
...getting off my soapbox now...