New Rescue Cat

[joangray38]

Sadly my beloved cat died suddenly 4 days after he started being ill. I bit the bullet and got a new rescue cat 9 days ago and I need some advice. He is an ex feral cat, doesn’t like humans and was in the rescue for several months. I think the rescue wanted him out as they offered to deliver him the same day that I rang to enquire about him as they hadn’t had any interest in him. I know the rule of the forum is show a picture but I haven’t seen him yet! I saw his bottom as he shot out of the carrier and now he stays in a safe place he has made which I can’t find during the day and comes out at night to eat/ use his tray. I’m just worried that this isn’t much of a life for him. He panics and runs when I enter the same room as him so we are not bonding. How can I show him I am not going to hurt him. I don’t want to give up on him I’m just worried I’m not the right fit for him. Had anyone any tips? Thanks

So hard OP. Keep talking to him. He'll naturally be stressed as he's used to living feral, and, hasn't had anyone to care for him before. I'd get him some Catnip and give him some every evening. It's very comforting and he may eat it x

Also, get him some scrunchie tinsel balls (PetsAtHome sell them, 4 for £3). I use these with my cat as he loves them, I throw the ball for him, and, he carries it back to me, knowing I'll throw it again. It's a great stress reliever for the cat. I know your former feral may not interact with you in the same way mine does, but, maybe with time he will. I buy cat chews from Aldi, and, turn it into a game, break a small portion of the chew, and, chuck it in the air. He may start to catch it then eat it, or, just eat it from the floor. Either way, he is going to LOVE it. He'll start to realise over time that responding to you brings good things 😁😉🐈

Leave him too it. One of mine took 8 days to
Appear. And take it slowly when he does come out. May be try some pet remedy or Zyklene to chill him
Out.

We didn’t see ours for 2 weeks. Slowly but surely he started getting braver. We sprayed Feliway all over the house and didn’t take much notice of him when he popped his head out even though it was so hard, we just wanted to cuddle him

Give him time and always have Dreamies in your pocket!

Nearly all of my 8 cats over the years have been feral and yes they take ages to warm up to you but in the end they are more loyal loving than non feral. My Shadow was the wildest of them all, he always looked shifty but he was such a velcro cat in the end people would laugh. Wherever I was my Shadow was.

One of ours had been living out for three months, although not born feral, took a month before he would even come into the house. He always likes to know where the exit is still and won't go through the doorway at the same time as a person but he now loves to curl up on my lap for cuddles. When he is outside he is less likely to acknowledge us than our other cat and will run away if he thinks he will be picked up but generally he is a loving affectionate cat. Do they think he was a pet turned stray or born feral?

My pair were born feral and lived that way for about a year, then a year at the rescue. They were soooo shy, took days to even see them and literally months before I could touch Girlcat (the bolder one). I had many a call with my DSis doubting whether I was the right home for them, but I persevered with letting them take their own time coming to me, and not forcing anything.

A few years down the line, this morning I have a sulking Boycat because I woke late today and only spent 20 minutes snuggled up with him on the bed playing with the sacred belly and ear scrunching instead of the usual 30 . Girlcat did her usual of stopping either side of every doorway, refusing to move until she had strokes - this includes passing a doorway in the hall, still need to stop & stroke.

TL:DR He will come round, just let him take his own sweet time about it.

Similar here; one of mine (not feral) stayed under my Christmas tree for a week, only coming out at night. Just go about your day, don't try to find him, he'll eventually realise there's nothing to be scared of. Dreamies in the pocket and Feliway are good ideas.

I foster cats, sometimes ex-strays. The best thing to do is just ignore him. If you know which room he is in, sit in there but don't try and find him and look at him. If you don't feel too silly, read out loud to him to get him used to the sound of your voice. Don't try to force it, in the end he will come out. When he does come out don't make a fuss. Let him come to you when he is ready. I've had a cat behind the Christmas tree for a month then sitting on the stairs for a month, but in the end he settled and was a complete softy.

He just needs time and patience. Took my mum’s feral months to feel secure but she’s very content now.

Give him time. Let him stay hidden - what he's doing is carrying out a risk-assessment. At the moment he sees all humans as his predators. Try to spend time around the house going about your normal business, so he gets used to your harmless presence. Offer treats, e.g. Dreamies - if he won't take them in your presence, leave them out for him to take when he's alone. A Feliway diffuser might help him feel more relaxed.

It's a good sign that he's using his tray - that means he's starting to feel more secure.

He may always be a shy cat with strange humans, but he will get used to his own humans in time, and the bond will be all the stronger because you've had to earn his trust.

One of mine took about 2 weeks to stop hiding - he hadn't even had a hard life. He now likes to be carried around like a baby. He'll come around especially with the help of dreamies

Were you advised to keep him in one room?

My former semi feral stray had our spare room with all her stuff and we visited regularly, just sitting on the floor, ignoring her, the small space meant she could make it her territory and her safe place, and 9 months on it's still where she retreats if she's spooked or wants peace and quiet. A condition of adopting her was having a room free to do this. Too much space can be overwhelming.

I have had an ex feral for 3 weeks now (alongside a real people cat) and it's only in the last week that we've seen a bit more of her. You have to be very, very patient and let them go at their own pace. Yours is eating and using the litter tray - that's a good start.

Thankyou so much for all the advice/kind words. I didn’t get any advice from the rescue, they also haven’t rung up to do the check ins - I think they are worried I will want to return him (which I would never do). He is 5 ish and never had a home so I guess it will take time, treats and lots of feliway!

Someone here posted this link a while ago theluckyfew.org/site/feral_cats.html
I haven‘t tried it since my cat isn‘t feral but the way the person tames feral cat makes sense.

@Mia184

Someone here posted this link a while ago theluckyfew.org/site/feral_cats.html I haven‘t tried it since my cat isn‘t feral but the way the person tames feral cat makes sense.

I found this article helpful, thanks

Oh, yes, wasn't there a poster who worked with feral cats? I remember it being posted before and found it helpful with my cat, although he wasn't feral, just from a multi-cat household where it seemed the only contact he'd had with humans was the occasional kick .

I'll add that said puss is currently on the cushion behind my head, snoozing blissfully. When he first came home and hid for two weeks I wondered if he'd ever be comfortable with us, but it just took time for him to trust us after his bad experiences.

I’ve posted these before but these are my lovely foster, Richmond, at the beginning and end of the stay on our stairs. No pictures from the behind the Christmas tree period! It will work out in the end.

Chemenger,
your Richmond is beautiful x

He was, not mine now, of course. My biggest foster success to date.

I meant to take that picture out, the other difference between the two images was the mountain of hair I combed out of him.