Foster cat - ex-stray.

[walthamcross]

Just looking for inspiration!

We foster cats and our latest assignment was passed onto us a couple of weeks ago - 5yo male. Had been in previous foster home where she had a cat left with her so passed dcat5 onto me.

He's still verrrry scared. He spent a week in the spare room where all his stuff is. He only seems interested in food and so we moved his bowls downstairs. He's loving and purring at mealtimes but at no other time.

This week he's come to bed each night with me (and covered it in fur lol) but gets the claws out when I try to stroke him.

We have Feliway. We have patience, I just am worried nobody would want to adopt him :/

[cozietoesie]

Poor lad. Is he to be rehomed as a singleton?

How does he react to conversation? (You likely wouldn't get w word in edge ways at cozietowers. )

[Fluffycloudland77]

You could try zylkene tablets.

[walthamcross]

Yeah we talk to him but he'll arbitrarily get scared and take refuge under the dining table!

He is to be rehomed alone, if humans scare him, he'd beat up other cats!

[cozietoesie]

Try lots of talking to him if he dives away - but the best thing for a cat who dives away is, in my own experience, the security of a solid routine and living with someone who is experienced enough to just go about their business and let him make all of the running in the relationship. (They generally feel too daft/ curious to stay in hiding for long if you can do that.)

What sort of prospective rehomers does your shelter get? Is there any chance of promoting him to an experienced person as, say, an only cat?

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

Harry has never been particularly timid but I talk to him all the time. I'm sure the neighbours must think I'm loopy! He knows everything about me (more than DH does!) but he has been known to yawn while I'm talking...

[walthamcross]

We get enquiries from people of all walks of life, so he will be rehomed one day! Might have to revamp his 'profile'.

[sizeofalentil]

We took in and tamed a former semi-feral stray. Took months and months but he went from being too scared to even be in the same room as us to being the most cuddly cat I've ever met. Follows me around the house and wants to be stroked all the time (still hates DH though…).

Was a total surprise as we were content to just feed/water him and let him live in the back room.

He might come round. Just give him time. And tuna. All of the tuna.