@Samantha Maurice Yea, it can be difficult if they won't go in on their own, but I have a few methods assuming he's already in a kennel/shoreline and you've already tried putting a box in to see if he'll go in on his own. First, if it's a white feral box, try covering it with a towel to make it a darker hiding spot to see if that helps. Otherwise, if they're not lunging or swatting and you feel comfortable, I'd use my Superman Towel Wrap to restrain and/or pick them up and have a feral box open and ready to place them in. If this isn't working you can try one of these 1- Using a feral box turned on it's side with the entrance facing the cat, move towards the cat head-on to until they're in the box and against the kennel wall, since the box is on it's side you can slide the plexiglass cover on the side or use a thick towel to cover the entrance while you rotate the box enough to put the cover in place. 2- If the kennel he's in is a double-compartment with a port hole, place the feral box on one side with the entrance against port hole (again on it's side so you have easy access to place the plexiglass), then using towels or a tool like a broom handle, gently guide them toward the port hole until they go through. 3- If they're really stubborn, then I recommend putting on cat gloves and using towels to physically restrain or push them into the feral box inside their kennel while having someone help, using towels and controlling the kennel door to prevent escape. Yes, these are all stressful, but in order to work with him he needs to be contained and there is no way to handle a scared cat that is truly fear-free. A few brief minutes of stress to contain a cat that will then allow you to work with them in a more positive way is far better than hours to days of prolonged stress while you wait for him to come around on his own. Once you have him contained I would bring him into a secure and quiet room and see how he does. I have some examples of these techniques on my website under Training Videos and my case study "Ink" is similar to his behavior, I also have videos on how to then remove a cat from a feral box once you have them contained that may be helpful. You can check those out at TheSpicyCatProject.com
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Berlin Waters
Vet Student
University of Florida
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-25-2026 11:13 AM
From: Samantha Maurice
Subject: Managing Fearful and Aggressive Cats in the Shelter Environment
Thank you for this! We've got a very stressed and aggressive boy who just came in as a surrender due to urinating outside the box. Could you tell me how you got the cats like him, who are not inclined to hide, into the feral den for transport safely and without increasing their stress?
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Sam Maurice
Humane Society of Jefferson County
Jefferson WI
https://hsjc-wis.com
Original Message:
Sent: 04-24-2026 03:15 PM
From: Berlin Waters
Subject: Managing Fearful and Aggressive Cats in the Shelter Environment
I've recently recorded a webinar on recognizing and understanding feline stress behaviors as well as how to manage cats of all temperaments. Feel free to watch it here or on my website at TheSpicyCatProject.com
Webinar: The Spicy Cat Project- A better way to manage fearful and aggressive cats
| YouTube |
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| Webinar: The Spicy Cat Project- A better way to manage fearful and aggressive cats |
| This webinar covers how to recognize and understand feline stress behaviors in the shelter environment. I also discuss how to support even the most fearful and aggressive cats in a safe and humane way. I share practical handling and socialization techniques, including my original towel‑wrap methods, that dramatically improve outcomes for fearful, aggressive, and even feral cats. |
| View this on YouTube > |
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#AdoptionsandAdoptionPrograms
#Behavior,TrainingandEnrichment
#CommunityCatManagement
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Berlin Waters
Vet Student
University of Florida
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