I adopted an 'unadoptable' roughly 1 year old feral mum and her kitten. She was TERRIFIED when she arrived
so we made her a wooden 'tent' in an alcove and gave her the (only) bedroom for months. I did everything
at her pace. We hardly saw her for the first few weeks but she would poke her head out and grab chicken
thrown near her tent. I enticed her out further and further - stretching her comfort zone - by thowing the
chicken around the room. As she got more used to me I would sit in the room playing with the kittens,
so partly I think she learned from their behaviour.

I sat near her offering her Reiki, and during one of these sessions she reached out and touched my
hand. Gradually she lost her fear of me touching her and simultaneously I gradually lost my fear
of touching her - for weeks her reaction if startled was hiss and hide, but never aggressive.
Then she started allowing me to pick her up and hold her for about 30 seconds. I didn't hold her
against her will but if she only slightly squirmed, would hold her til she relaxed then put her
down.

By the time I tried sleeping in the room with the cats she was bold enough to creep on to the bed
during the night and I'd wake up with her pressed against my legs. It took her quite a while,
,months, to walk on the bed even with noone there as she couldn't figure out how not to get her
claws caught in materials!

A few months on she was coming up to me and rubbing up and purring when fussed, and when
let out she just hung around within earshot and came in when called. She runs up to me everytime
I see her in the garden or come into the flat now. Then I went away for a few
days after 6 months or so, and on my return she started jumping up on to my lap when i sat
down, and accepted fuss, but didn't sit.

She's been with me 11 months now. A couple of weeks ago she rolled on her back and
loved it when I dared to stoke her tummy. Same week she licked me for the first time.
She seems to have finally got over what seems like embarassment about playing and
is increasingly joining in in kitten play times and now chases some toys whereas
she had no interest in string etc last year. She is a very happy and contented cat
with a sweet nature, but still jumps and runs away if anyone else comes in the flat -
but she's getting better with other people too.

And also same week she jumped on to my lap while I was on the phone in the garden,
sat then lay down and stayed there for about half hour til I had to move as I was in an awkward
position.

Feral cat to lap cat in 11 months. I am SO proud of her!!

Her kitten is wonderful too of course, and I absolutely love to see the pair of them snuggled
up against me when I wake.

Oh and I also took advice and used special animal flower essences from a lovely
animal communicator, Elizabeth Fulton, who encouraged me to take her on - I had
my doubts as my previous cat was very brave and adaptable...which the kitten showed
signs of but no one else suspected the feral mum would make the transition to
domestic life.

In a nutshell, I think my advice is go at the cat's pace and patience, patience, patience!
good luck, and celebrate every minor breakthrough. Oh and lots and lots of
praise and gentle reassurance for the cat - speak to her in similar tones as you do
to your other cat...I lavish praise on the kitten when she fetches for example, and
I twigged early on that if I did the same with the mum - just for letting me stroke her
for example - she would start to realise how pleased I am with her behaviour.