Any tips on how to tame a semi feral cat?

[Champagneandmonstermunch]

We have been adopted by a semi feral cat. He's been at our house every night for the last 3 months. We've trapped and neutered him, and he's now gradually getting to trust us and becoming part of the family.

The only issue is he interacts with us using his claws and teeth which can get painful. He is fascinated by us, and keen to interact, but obviously doesn't understand the idea of being stroked. He will play, but not gently like a domesticated cat would. If you put a hand out towards him he'll grab it with teeth and claws. The teeth are usually gentle, the claws not so much.

Is there a way to effectively teach a cat like this to be gentle, or do we need to accept occasional injuries as the price of having him around?

How lovely! Do you have a fishing rod toy, or other way you could play with him without your hands getting too close?

Get some long-armed tough gloves, leather if poss, stuff them and attach to a pole. Use these to get the cat used to hands, eg stroke it with these fake hands. Try gentle strokes when it's eating at first. You can spray the gloves first with a calming spray - try Pet Remedy rather than Feliway. Go very much at its pace. Some will never tame down but if it has chosen to befriend you this could be a good sign. Good job on getting it neutered.

I rehomed a similar cat from rescue last autumn, in many ways she's absolutely lovely and a real snuggle monster, but she remains bitey and grabby and it's not always easy to tell from her body language which way she will go! Rescue were really good and she'd been in for a couple of months so I knew she gave very mixed signals. You can't mindlessly stroke her and have to be on guard when she's snuggling as she will suddenly go for an arm.

Any playing involving hands (fishing rod toys or laser) is a no go as she goes straight for hands. She really does seem to need to bite so she has Kong kicker and biting toys, and she likes carrying things around to flick about so she has many little skineeez mice (her favourite).

Hand feeding desirable treats has been helpful. Having treats in pots all over the house means we can shake a treat tub and distract her when she goes to grab/bite. She is happy to be stroked when eating (she rarely eats when alone, she likes me to be close by). We have to get the angle right when stroking as an arm/hand over her just triggers attack, and holding out a hand to sniff until very recently was just an invitation to bite. I decided we would say 'no biting' every time she bit and now we can say when she's about to and she stops.

We have to do things like alert her if we are entering a room she's in, or let her go ahead of us, and to be careful generally not to make her feel trapped, as that feral fear kicks in quite easily.

Thank you for the suggestions!