Help Me Understand?

Hi everyone. I have been writing about Hoodini for several days now on another board on this site, I think it was for rescues or something. Anyway, I want to tell Hoodini's story to you guys and I hope and pray you can help me deal with him.
There is a horrible man that works with my husband. I never knew it but he uses this nasty chicken wire animal trap and catches cats and lets them die cause he hates cats. Well this past Friday night we had a snow storm and it was freezing out. My husband went to work Sat. morning and this guy had that rotten horrible nasty trap in the back of his open pick up truck. My husband took it and cbrought it home. In it was a freezing wet scared kitten probably 6 months old or less. Sooooo pretty, fluffy and big green eyes. We have 5 of our own (we rescue and try to find homes but I fall in love too fast so we keep some) anyway, we put the cage on the bed and all 5 of our babbies nosed up and sniffed ect. no one growled hissed or spitt. They all seemed fine with it all. We thought it was going fine, so we opened that cage and he flew out and ran. He keeps hiding and changing hiding places, thats why I named him Hoodini. (actually we havnt a clue if it is boy or girl)
He has been here 4 days and will not trust me and my husband. Anyway, just a minute ago he ran past me into the kitchen and his crying, it is breaking my heart!! I dont know what to do for him, or if I should do nothing and just let him be. I have rescued soooooooo many kitties over my lifetime and they usually hide and act like this for 24 hours and then warm up little by little. Not this guy!! I am so afraid that he was tramautized too badly and might never come out or trust again. What do you all think, and please what do you suggest for me how to handle this situation?

OMG that is horrific! That is animal cruelty, and do you feel comfortable reporting him to the police? (Or SPCA as the case may be - different areas have different protocols).

Virginia
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp...od+3.1-796.122
VA. Code Ann. 3.1-796.122

Cruelty to animals is defined as: “overrides, overdrives, overloads, tortures, ill-treats, abandons, willfully inflicts inhumane injury or pain, or cruelly or unnecessarily beats, maims, mutilates, or kills any animal, whether belonging to himself or another; deprives any animal of necessary food, drink, shelter or emergency veterinary treatment; sores any equine for any purpose or administers drugs or medications to alter or mask such soring for the purpose of sale, show, or exhibition of any kind, unless such administration of drugs or medications is within the context of a veterinary client-patient relationship and solely for therapeutic purposes; willfully sets on foot, instigates, engages in, or in any way furthers any act of cruelty to any animal; carries or causes to be carried in or upon any vehicle, vessel or otherwise any animal in a cruel, brutal, or inhumane manner; or causes or permits any of the above things,” or killing a dog or cat for it’s hide, fur or pelt. This is a Class 1 Misdemeanor with a fine up to $2500 and/or imprisonment up to 1 year.

A second or subsequent conviction of the above, or who “tortures, willfully inflicts inhumane injury or pain not connected with bona fide scientific or medical experimentation, or cruelly and unnecessarily beats, maims, mutilates or kills any animal whether belonging to himself or another;” or does the same to a dog or cat “that is a companion animal and as a direct result causes the death” or euthanasia of that animal is a Class 6 Felony with a fine up to $2500. Other sentencing provisions include anger management or psychological counseling, and being prohibited from possessing or owning companion animals. Exemptions are made for veterinary practice, dehorning of cattle, wildlife management, hunting, fishing and trapping, farming activities, and protection of life or property.

Click to expand...

Sorry, I know I need to address your question about what to do about the kitty, but I'm having trouble getting past this.

....big deep breath....

OK. It sounds to me like you have rescued strays in the past, and this kitty is feral or semi-feral - certainly not as socialized as the other kitties with which you've had experience.

In the future, it is best to release a cat into in "isolation" room - for so many reasons. If they haven't been to a vet first, they could have diseases or parasites you do not want your existing kitties to get, so seeing a vet, de-worming, de-fleaing/ticking, getting any antibiotics, making sure they don't have giardia or ring worm, or are FeLV positive or whatever is pretty important. The kitty, if healthy, also needs to be spayed or neutered ASAP, or you may have a spraying problem on your hands. This will also substantially help kitty to calm down from an agitated/aggression standpoint.

So releasing any new cat into a contained room with hiding places you control is important. At this point, if kitty bolts into a room and you know where he/she is, if it's a room you can close off (like a guest bedroom or a computer room or laundry room or something), do so, and then work on making the room a reasonable place for the kitty to be.

Cats are all about territory, and this kitty has been removed from his. If he's never been in a house, he has NO IDEA what is happening to him. He is scared OUT OF HIS MIND. He has no idea that people are good - and, in fact, based on what just happened to him, he has every reason to fear for his life.

Imagine being three years old, and being air-lifted to China. Everyone familiar to you is gone, every scent that is familiar is gone, every kind of flora and fauna that is familiar to you is gone. For all you know, the new family wants to eat you! It's going to take a while to adjust, and that is what this kitty is going through.

That's another reason that being released - or confined - to one room is so important. It allows them to make that space their territory, and helps create a feeling of safety.

...because it is from there that you work on making kitty comfortable and working on trust.

There are a number of excellent threads here that discuss how best to do that, and ideas for introducing the new kitty to the current crew. I'll go find those links.

THANK YOU FOR RESCUING THIS CAT!

The first few pages of this thread are Killerapple dealing with re-trapping Patches, an older feral cat. But after that it's about bringing her inside and socializing her: http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=206271

In this thread, LoveWhiskers has rescued a 2-year old - probably semi-feral kitty. Or feral kitty somewhat socialized. Or stray cat reverted to feral-like behavior. Either way, lots of helpful info in the thread! http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=210849

This is Horatio's story - my guess is this is the type of cat you're used to rescuing. http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=210430 and a follow-up thread: http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=210869

All our 5 cats are looking after him and they all get along. It is people he is scared of. My hubby and I went out for the first time since this furry baby entered out home. When we came in, all the cats including my new fur baby!! Everyone scattered LOL
Anyway, he is coming out more and more. Just 15 minutes ago he sat just a couple feet from me and stared me down. I talked sweet talk to him. And the whole time he has been here when he would transfer from hiding place to hiding place it was always well hidden but just a bit ago he walked slow and straight through the middle of the living room!! I have so much more hope now!! I am so in love with this little one! Who am I kidding, I fall in love with ALL of them!
Now as for turning him in,,, I cant, he is higher up than my husband and if I report it my husband will get fired. The other thing that angered me so, is hubby brought that nasty horrible viceous trap back to this evil monster to kill again! I am sooo mad!! But my hands are tied. Oh and hubbby does not like the name Hoodini he named him fluffy!

I wonder, cant you tell the SPCA about this man anonymously??

There must be more people who knows about his cages. So he cant never know who did it.

A little pity your hubby went back with that trap. So the boss knows now there is something funny with your hubby, as he saved this cat.

If the boss want to have a culprit, it WILL be your hubby.


And Houdini should do OK with time... It only takes al little longer for him than the rest.

I would still put him in a separate room if you can. It will be easier for you to bond with him. My MIL took one of my semi-ferals, confined her to her bedroom and basically moved in there with her. She ate in there, moved her tv and computer in there and after about a month, the cat (Maggie) acted like she wanted to go out of the bedroom, MIL let her out and she was fine. Maggie was used to people though, so it could take more time for your cat.

As has already been pointed out, apart from the health risks to your cats, the reason for separation is primarily to help socialize an undersocialized cat to people.

Re: reporting your DH's boss, I agree with Stefan - see if your name can be kept anonymous. I would consider waiting a bit of time because of taking and replacing the trap (though would he definitely know your DH did it?) - but I would at least find out if the report can be kept anonymous.