Because what’s more rewarding than making a spicy cat sweet?
Two scardey feral-born sisters found in a shed became sweet house cats with time, love, and dedication (above).
Introduction - What is Socialization?
Socialization is the process of introducing positive experiences with humans to cats that have little to no experience with humans. Socialization is critical to changing the outcome for kittens born outdoors. Dedicated fosters who use socialization methods help these cats adapt to a life indoors and get them ready for adoption.
It is also important to mention that socialization is a spectrum all dependent on the types of experiences the cat has had with humans. You can read more about the feral/stray/pet behavioral continuum of cats here in this handy Alley Cat Allies guide. These characteristics of our community cats can help us understand whether or not it will be possible to socialize them or if we should TNR them and return them to their outdoor community. Generally the ideal window of socialization is with kittens younger than 12-weeks old, though it has been anecdotally observed that cats older than this are still candidates for socialization if the foster is able to dedicate more time and resources toward the project.
Example graphic from Alley Cat Allies about the socialization continuum (above).
When it becomes clear to us that a rescued cat or kitten has the propensity to become socialized to humans we must place them within a foster home where socialization methods and exercises can be performed to help get them ready for adoption. These fosters are usually not first-time fosters; socialization can be a challenging task that requires patience, persistence, and preparedness. It is also the most rewarding type of foster experience - you will never forget your spicy cat’s first purrs or the first time they let you pet them without fear.
This guide is a compilation of some basic information and anecdotes from fosters about socialization so interested fosters can feel prepared going into the task.
Supplies
Food
Water
Any medication needed
Dewormer
Travel carriers - at least one per cat
Litter boxes - at least one per cat
Dedicated socialization area
Large dog crate
Sturdy pop up tent
Small room
Breatheable bedsheet to cover enclosure
Welding gloves, at least gardening gloves
Spoon with soft fabric
Treats
Lick mats
Gerber chicken baby food (ensure it is plain chicken, additions of garlic or onion can be toxic to cats)
Churu treats
Hard treats or just kitten kibble
Cat cave bed where cat can retreat to feel safe
Toys
Wand toys
Small ball toys
Scratching posts
Cat furniture like windowsill perches
Socialization Saves Lives has an extensive article with recommendations for specific supplies and setups you can reference here. The author of that particular socialization method recommends against using dog crates because she likes to get into the enclosure with the cats but we think it’s still possible to get physically close to the cats with a dog crate.
Socialization requires a dedicated area or enclosure where exercises will take place. It is easiest to begin socialization by keeping the kitten in an enclosure where they can’t run/hide or get into places in your home where they shouldn’t be. Within the enclosure should be an area where feedings can happen, water available at all times, a small litter box, and a cat cave for the cat to retreat into when it needs to.
Ideally, the enclosure will be within a room that the kittens can “graduate” to when they seem more comfortable with your presence and need more space to run around.
General Step-by-Step
Get started learning about the basic socialization with the Scardey Cats Australia step-by-step guide that can be referenced here.
Socialization can take anywhere from a few days (generally with former strays/community cats who had been fed and interacted with humans) to 2-6 weeks (for kittens within the socialization window with no previous exposure to humans, longer for older kittens) to months (for cats older than the ideal socialization with no human exposure).
Generally, the most important thing to keep in mind is that food is the most important motivating force in getting an undersocialized cat to trust you. You should never free-feed a cat that you are socializing as it is critical they regard you/humans as the source of their food and therefore create positive reinforcement around your presence.
Generally, socialization starts by creating a routine for mealtime and socialization exercises. An example schedule could look like:
9-9:30 am
Clean litter
Clean enclosure
Mealtime
Playtime
12-12:30pm
Snack time
Touch training
5-5:30pm
Mealtime
Playtime
9-9:30pm
Clean litter
Clean enclosure
Mealtime
Playtime
Cats are creatures of routine, and if they know when to expect your presence and meals, they become more familiar with you. It is important to be consistent in how you conduct the routine - for instance, announcing your presence to the cats when you enter the room helps them associate you and your voice with mealtime. Whatever you do - just remain calm and consistent in your interactions.
There are important mini exercises you can do with mealtime. The goal is to get them to eat comfortably in front of you, and even let you stroke them while they eat. An example of a typical progression of cat with socialization during mealtime could look like:
Day 1
Eats while you are in the room sitting on the ground with your back fully turned to them
Day 2
Eats while you are in the room sitting on the ground with your back fully turned to them while you read a book aloud in a low-toned voice
Day 3
Eats while you read a book aloud with your body turned halfway toward them
Day 4
Eats comfortably while you read or speak to them with your body turned fully toward them
Day 5
Anticipates your presence during mealtime and emerges from cat cave/hiding spot. Eats comfortably while you are a few feet away from them, fully facing them, within the enclosure or with the crate door open
Day 6
Lets you stroke them with an apparatus like a wooden kitchen spoon wrapped in soft fabric while they eat
Day 7
Emerges from enclosure to eat food from your hand or served in bowls on your lap
Mealtime is the perfect time to begin slowly introducing touch exercises. Once the cats seem ready, you should serve most mealtimes from your lap or feeding them by hand. It is especially helpful to use high-value treats such as churu sticks or chicken baby food spread onto lick mats for touch socialization.
Examples of progress
Day 2 (above) - barely comfortable eating in front of foster even while their bodies are turned away
Day 8 or 9 (above) - fully comfortable coming onto foster’s lap for meal time
As the under socialized cats become more comfortable with your presence, you continue to push their “challenge line” while consistently giving positive reinforcement in the form of high-value treats or experiences such as playtime. The “challenge line” is the perceived edge of a cats comfort zone, it can be physical like a threshold between rooms that a cat feels nervous crossing, or emotional like a specific type of touch that makes the cat recoil. “Challenge line” is a term coined by Jackson Galaxy that is referenced in many of his awesome videos for cat behavioral resources.
Pushing an under-socialized cats challenge line could look like:
While they are on your lap eating, start working up to holding them by putting mild pressure under their belly with your hand or nudging them off the ground a few inches at a time
Leading the cat into a new room by playing with a string toy thus physically pushing them past that boundary as they chase the toy
Having people of all ages and genders come over to interact with the cats during mealtime or playtime so they get used to new human mannerisms, looks, and voices
Important Tips from our Fosters
Here is a collection of anecdotal tips our experienced fosters have had success with when socializing cats.
Slow blinking, no eye contact
Cats feel like prey when we stare at them. It is important when beginning socialization to try not to make direct eye contact with the cats. An easy way to avoid this is to look past them right between their pointy ears. When they begin to feel more comfortable with eye contact, you can slow-blink. Slow-blinking is a type of body language cats use to show they are comfortable with us. Hazel from Socialization Saves Lives has a tutorial on slow-blinking here.
Music for cats
Music can calm cats as they get used to the human noises of a home. During socialization sessions we’ve had success with the album Music for Cats by David Teie which was composed using the tempo of a cats heartbeat and purrs with scientific evidence that it calms cats. Cats also respond well to calm classical music or harp music. As they get more comfortable you can start to play typical music that would play in your home to get them used to more genres.
Keep a podcast on when you are not in the room
It’s important to get these cats used to different human voices so it is recommended to let a podcast or the radio play while you are not in the room talking.
Spend time in the room doing your usual tasks while paying no mind to the cats
At first under socialized cats can be really afraid of your presence because they feel like they are in a prey dynamic. If you ignore them - doing your typical tasks at home or even napping while they can observe you safely, it proves to them that you are less of a threat.
For cats that are not food motivated, play can be your best friend in getting them over their “challenge lines”
Some cats are not food motivated which can be really frustrating when trying to socialize! One way to get cats to come out of their shell is to initiate play - this helps them feel more in control when they can play the role of “predator.”
Don’t force physical love or wrap the kitten in a purrito, unless it seems like it wants that
Some socialization methods recommend forced touch or even wrapping the cat in a purrito. Be empathetic toward the cat - if it seems like it will hate this kind of touch don’t initiate it. Overdoing it too early can cause the cat to backslide and set back your socialization schedule. If this happens, just go back to the socialization step they are comfortable with and work back up from there.
Let the cat lead the socialization progression
Tread a delicate balance between exposing the cat to more stimuli while also being respectful of their boundaries. Some cats are not lap cats - the goal of socialization shouldn’t be to produce the most cuddly, human-loving cat of all time. A more realistic goal is to socialize a cat to the point where they are comfortable with humans and can thrive in a home adoption setting. By letting the cat lead, you grow an empathetic bond that helps you understand how to best facilitate new stimuli and experiences without having them backslide.
Keep a journal
When you’re busy socializing it’s hard to recognize the progress you are making. Keeping a journal with any milestones, health notes, or behavioral notes can help you track your progress and understand what new boundaries you might help the cat cross gradually.
Major Milestones
Scardey Cats Australia has a great resource on Milestones to Expect here. General milestones will be signs that the cat is becoming more accustomed to a human-home and house cat way of life. This could look like:
Comfortable eating in your presence
Comfortable with touch
Ability to make eye contact
First purrs
Seeks out attention/petting
First meows to communicate with you
Comfortable being close to you or on your lap
Keeping a journal can help you make note of these important milestones. Some of the most important goals to keep in mind as you are getting these cats ready for adoption are also:
Comfort being handled or picked up
Extremely important for cats to be used to being held or picked up especially when they go to vet visits
Comfortable having nails trimmed or being brushed
Important be be comfortable with typical pet cat mantainence
Comfortable with carrier
Need to be comfortable getting into carrier for vet visits and adoption
Dealing with Setbacks
Socializing cats is no easy task - and there will be moments where it feels hopeless. We are here to help you and can advise you on specific situations. Try to keep in mind that what you are doing is important work in changing the fate of this cat’s life. Be patient with yourself and the cat, every individual cat is different and will progress at a different rate. It’s important to build time for you to not burn out, if the cat is not responding to specific socialization exercises take some time to yourself to calm down and try again with a more manageable exercise in the future. We are here for you and we hope this guide helps manage your expectations!
Resources
Articles and extensive guides:
Videos:
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