Sassy Feral Kitten Displays Cutest Mixed Emotions Over Daily Cuddle Session

A beautiful feral kitten experiences mixed emotions during a quick daily cuddle session designed to help them socialize.

On September 23, 2024, Furball Farm Cat Sanctuary (@furballfarmcatsanctuary) shared a video of one of their beautiful cats who is a little feral but always cute. Take a look!

In a short clip shared on Instagram, we meet Scooby, a feral rescue cat at the sanctuary who has strong feelings about snack time.

Related: Feral Cat Sweetly Makes 'Air Biscuits' After Realizing She's Safe with Rescuer

"Socializing a feral kitten: Scooby Snack edition," the text on the video reads as we meet Scooby.

"Hi, Scooby," the sanctuary worker shares. The woman reaches over to pet Scooby, who is curled into a little ball on the cat tree, taking a nap. The second the woman touches the sweet, sleepy cat, he growls.

She picks him up while talking sweetly to him, hoping to build trust and get him out of his feral grumpiness.

She holds him to her chest, continues to speak to him, and pets him, all the while he looks uninterested and is growling, but isn't trying to get away.

In the video, text pops up on the screen jokingly saying what they assume Scooby would be saying, and it's making the whole clip so funny. The woman pours love onto the sweet cat and he looks like he'd rather be anywhere else.

Scooby is placed back on the cat tree where he was previously enjoying his nap, and he didn't seem any happier about any of that interaction.

She goes to pet him again before leaving, and he hisses at her hand as it goes to pet his head.

"Oh Scooby," the video's caption reads. In the comment section, people cracked up at the feral cat who hates love and attention, at least right now.

One wrote, "My adopted feral cat did the exact same thing.. now the sleeps on my head at night, like a crown."

Another joked, "Her voice says get lost, but her body is cuddling."

Someone shared, "I like how they are so mad but still sit there like 'I hate you…. This is nice…. No!'"

One added, "He loves it all (and you’re brave for getting your face so close to his claws).

Someone else admitted, "I love the spicy babies."

How to Bond With a Feral Cat

Feral cats act more aggressively towards people because they've never been socialized. Living not in someone's home, these cats do what they need to in order to survive, and unfortunately, oftentimes, they don't have a good history with people treating them well—especially if they're older.

But all is not lost if you're looking to adopt a feral cat, but first you need to build that bond of trust. According to Catitude Adjustment, socializing is about "improving their quality of life," and not trying to change who they are. And you need to be patient.

"Building trust with feral cats requires patience and respect for their boundaries. Avoid sudden movements or attempts to force interaction," the experts suggest. Instead, they suggest you go at the cat's pace and really pay attention to what their body language is saying.

"Slow and steady wins the race when it comes to socialization," Catitude Adjustment shares. "Start by sitting quietly near the cats, engaging in non-threatening activities like reading or quietly talking. As they become accustomed to your presence, gradually introduce gentle interactions such as offering treats or toys."