Hi,

First of all Mike, you do NOT starve cats, ever. They can develop fatty liver disease if they have no food, and this is very serious, even fatal. Please feed these cats wherever they are comfortable. You are not going to "win them over", just cause them to get sick.

I do not think of any cat as a "lost cause". Some cats will be more affectionate than others and some will be loners. If you are not willing to accept these cats as they are it might be a good idea to rehome them right now. They may never be cuddle cats or lap cats. But that doesn't mean that they wouldn't be a wonderful additional to your home. When a feral or very frightened cat accepts your love it is tremendously rewarding. But they may not accept you the way you would like.

In my home I have all kinds of cats and each has his or her own personality. I adopted a feral cat that had been on her own for 5 years and it took 7 years for her to get into my lap for the first time. But it would have been fine if she never did that. I was just so happy to provide a safe, indoor home for her. Now she is 15 and is a totally different cat. But it took many years of patience and she is still hand-shy at times.

If you must have sociable cats, these 2 probably aren't going to work out for you. They had a rough past and that is why they are acting the way they are today. Ferals and semi-ferals are not for everyone and there is nothing wrong with that. I happen to have a lot more time than most people to spend with my cats and that is very helpful.

Please think this over carefully. There is nothing to be ashamed of if you decide to return these kitties.

Regards,
PHKitkat

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