Help with new "feral" cat to home

Hi all, I am new to this great site. I would appreciate any advice. My husband and I have been feeding 2 feral cats since they were kittens down at the local marina for a year and a half. At Thanksgiving, one of them went missing... the male... we looked everywhere, called all the right places but to no avail. We had been debating on whether to bring the girl home...we held out in hopes the boy would return. The weather took a nasty turn and on Tuesday so we brought her home. At the marina, I was able to pet her... she knows us and is very friendly. Now, here at home she is hiding under a bed and will not come out. She is eating and using the soil litterbox but she appears scared. We have her in the guest bedroom, away from our other cats... ( we have too many, all of them strays/abandoned kitties). 

I would love some advice on how to get her to even talk to me, come out from under the bed. How long do you think it will take her to adjust? What else can I do to make her more comfortable?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

P.S. I think she's been fixed as she has one ear clipped and has never been pregnant.

lolly123 said:

Hi all, I am new to this great site. I would appreciate any advice. My husband and I have been feeding 2 feral cats since they were kittens down at the local marina for a year and a half. At Thanksgiving, one of them went missing... the male... we looked everywhere, called all the right places but to no avail. We had been debating on whether to bring the girl home...we held out in hopes the boy would return. The weather took a nasty turn and on Tuesday so we brought her home. At the marina, I was able to pet her... she knows us and is very friendly. Now, here at home she is hiding under a bed and will not come out. She is eating and using the soil litterbox but she appears scared. We have her in the guest bedroom, away from our other cats... ( we have too many, all of them strays/abandoned kitties). 


I would love some advice on how to get her to even talk to me, come out from under the bed. How long do you think it will take her to adjust? What else can I do to make her more comfortable?


Thanks in advance for any advice.


P.S. I think she's been fixed as she has one ear clipped and has never been pregnant.

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It can take even month or more, but sometimes just days, as she has been friendly with you, she might come around faster.

Many of them tend to get scared, noises and smells are all what makes place safe and used to come and go without restrictions on top of that, now being confined to indoors, her whole world just have been collapsing and now it is needed to rebuild.

I did read somewhere that first few days cat should be left alone, just bringing food in, taking car of litterbox, but nothing more, then in first weeks or as long as it takes, just sitting around same room, maybe reading a book, ignoring the cat completely, only after cat is showing some curiosity instead of hiding some treats and toys, still not playing much, just getting her familiar with stuff.

She will come around, but it might take some time, with my Miuku and Mouku it took several months, it was best when I sleeped in their room, at first nothing did happen, but slowly they first used littler box while I was in a room and slowly got bit curious, coming to sniff and surely they did that so that they did come by without any noise, easy to get spooked, but it is not possible as cat might get spooked. When they started to sit down and stare, I slowly introduced piece of string to them, that is toy they were used to from before when I did play with them while they still lived outdoors.

I could pet my Miuku when he was still outdoors, but when I brought him indoors it took months to be able to pet again, it may be frustrating, but by giving cat time and sharing space with cat and not forcing, should bring her around eventually.

However if you are lucky, it can take just few more weeks, sometimes it goes faster, sometimes slower.

Hi and welcome to the TCS site and our Forums!

I do second JTbo and his explanation.   I want to add:

I think she will come around relatively soon, as you did were friends a long time. But the reaction as for now is entirely normal.  Her eating and using litter box is promising. Many are so scared they dont do this several days...

Make for her a nest in a sideturned cardboard box, so she will have an alternative to be under the bed...

Having to take hide somewhere lessens the stress.  Have also a scratching post there, the same reason.

Good you do keep her away from your residents. As they all were rescued and survived being homeless, their immune system is surely above average. Thus, you dont need to overdo the quarantine, but you must of course have some q. till the vet had her checked up, dewormed, etc...

After it, you can use your residents for some help.  At least so she sees you do freely and friendly interacts with others cats.

Some fosterers prefer to foster the semiferal alone.  But for the not so experienced it is easier if they do have help of a cat friendly resident, the resident being an ambassador...

I think it was this for the moment!!!!

Tx for caring about her, and for adopting your residents!    *hugs*

Return with any questions or observations!

Good luck!   *vibes*

ps. The male? If he wasnt neutered he probably wandered off... Unspayed adult males tend to wander off, at 1,5-2 years of age...

HELLO and Welcome. You and your husband are very kind-hearted cat lover's :heart3:. I agree with Stefan in that the male cat might have gone off to roam and breed. ALTHOUGH, since the female has a tipped ear, maybe the male did too? :cross:

Just give this kitty plenty of time to adjust to living indoors. The fact that she was so friendly with you at the marina will help tremendously. She will come around sooner rather than later :nod:. I usually suggest taking the bed frame away and placing the mattress on the floor - but since she is already in the room, I wouldn't want that to frighten her more. It is best to do this before the new kitty comes home. I would spend much time in the room with her - as much as you can. Use a Feliway plug-in, play soft classical music or leave a TV on low. Leave a slept in t-shirt under the bed or in a kitty cube/bed with your smell on it. That will comfort her and help move her along in the trust department . OH..... You can also start adding the Cat Attract litter and mix that in with the soil to get her used to regular clumping litter. There is also an herbal cat litter attractant by Dr. Elsey.

I would bring her into the vet quickly and have her tested for FeLK/FIV, shot's, dewormed, etc..... Please keep us posted! We are here to help

Thank-you all for your responses. She is still hiding but yesterday when I was talking to her and lying on the floor, she batted around the ball I gave her under the bed and got playful... I am not confident enough (and want to give her "her" space) to stick my hand under the bed to play. I think I would be able to touch her but I'm pregnant and want to avoid all possible issues from bites etc. The little boy was not fixed for sure. The full story is that a building at the marina's handyman was feeding them dry food and we would feed them wet food at night. We wanted to adopt them but the building's board said they would keep them as the building's cats and would take them to the vet, get him fixed etc.... please don't take them. So, we felt confident that they were going to get the care they needed... a few months went by and they still hadn't been to the vet that I could tell then Boy-Boy went missing. We have taken Ladybug as we feel she will be safer here with us and have a roof over her head. She is seeming more responsive but still under the bed as I said... I will make her a hidey-hole box today and see if she likes that. Once again, thanks for the responses.

Lauren

As you are pregnant, this might be something to read, it is not certain that there is such thing in your cats, but it would not harm to take some safety measures:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasmosis
Section "pregnancy precautions" contains some useful information.

Thanks, I am a RN so I am aware of the possible dangers. My hubbie takes care of the litter.... She remains the same, I have classical music playing so we will see if there is any improvement 

lolly123 said:

Thanks, I am a RN so I am aware of the possible dangers. My hubbie takes care of the litter.... She remains the same, I have classical music playing so we will see if there is any improvement 

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That is great, here most people are not aware of such at all, half will not even believe even told :smshfrk:

Tuba and harpsichord are favorites of my rescues, some entertainment for me to when they try to paw inside of speaker trying to hunt maker of those odd sounds

I agree that you should resist putting your hand out, that is very scary to a kitten, even though you've been able to touch her at other times. If she has never been inside, she is more than likely terrified of all the new sounds, smells and humans. Her brother is also not with her so that may be part of her fright as well. I've had cats that relied on another outdoors for security and bravery so when those two things were missing, they didn't quite know how to move forward. It may take her a little time. Sounds like you are doing the right things, and the fact she is attempting to play some is a very good sign. 

Allow her to initiate contact, resist all urges to reach out to touch her if she is close to you. You can present your hand, as a closed fist, low and slowly on the ground. If she approaches your hand and touches it with her nose, don't reach out and pet her. Just speak softly to her and encourage her. Once she rubs on your hand, you can attempt a very slow movement to reciprocate but if she backs off (likes runs and/or hisses), stop immediately. If she only takes one or two steps away but still shows interest, keep talking to her and leave your hand where it is. She may come back and nose it or full on rub it. Take your cues from her. IME, a sniffing nose that lightly touches the skin is still uncertain and I wait for more self-assured contact from the kitty, like a head butt or rub before I keep going. 

It can be a very slow process or it can go very quickly.  I've had some that take a week and one that has taken 4 years.....and if you make a sudden move around her, she still runs for cover. 

You are doing great!  Post pics when you are able to get a couple. 

I second/third what every one else has said. 

If you or your husband wear glasses, take them off and let Ladybug sniff them.

A cardboard box is a good idea, another one might be a cat carrier. open of course.  It has the added benefit of getting Ladybug use to a cat carrier.

Playing soft music really helps.  If you can tune your radio to a classical music station, one that occasionally has advertisements and people speaking, that will get the kitten use to human voices besides your own.

And, we like pictures

AWW Ladybug :heart3: Good sign if she was trying to play from under the bed. This is all very, very new to her and she is frightened. Will take some time and patience but the reward's will come in loads and loads . I am sorry about the male cat - :hmm: wonder where he went off to. Maybe someone took him in :dk: We can hope :cross:. I hope your Ladybug will bring you much joy as I am sure she will. Did you try to find a Feliway plug-in? That might really help her too :nod: AND the t-shirt that smell's like you and DH in her cubby hideout. Keep updating .

So, ladybug has been very friendly today... I was able to touch her but for 2 seconds and we had a great game of catch the stick... (used to be a game we played at the marina). She was purring the whole time but only played it while under the bed. But this I feel is definite progress. Hopefully we'll continue to improve. I have not gotten the feli-way... she has shirts, a box and of course her favourite.... under the bed. She has a couple of toys that are always in a different position when I come back so I think she's playing by herself too. Yay. Anyway, thanks for all the help.Lauren

Grrr, my photo explanation failed to come thru: this is me, nice and preggie with Boy-Boy and Ladybug at the marina just before Thanksgiving and right before he went missing. I have not taken any pics of Ladybug under the bed as I don't want to use a flash on her.... when she comes out eventually, I will take some more. Lauren

Hi Lauren!! (great name ) Oh they both are sweet looking. What a nice picture. I am not sure which one is Ladybug, the black and white ?? Usually orange kitties are male. Great progress with Ladybug today Way to go . In no time she will start to venture out with you in the room. Good to hear she is playing with the toys in your absence. :happy3: ... She is realizing that this is a pretty cool gig she has going on at your place. Keep reporting the good news

Hi... yeah sorry, I realised later that I didn't say who was who. Ladybug is the ginger.... she's so sweet. Still playing games but only from under the bed. She still has not allowed me to touch her (except that once). We used to have 1/2 an hour to an hour touching a day when she was at the marina.... hoping she'll start to relax more...

Ladybug IS a special girl.... Not too common red (orange ) females. Don't worry, in time she will blossom and even be more loving than she was at the marina. It will take time. When she is ready she will make her move. Just takes a lot of patience and a ton of love. Your doing great with her

Thanks. And great news... yesterday she finally came out from under the bed and allowed me to pet her. She was her old self which was awesome. Today, she behaved the same and even allowed my hubbie to view her getting petted... very good news. Tonight she has found a spot by the curtain and is sleeping there... out in the open. wow. We are super thrilled and cross our fingers that she will continue to adjust. The next obstacle is introducing her to the other kitties in the house.... but that will be a long way down the road I think. 

HAPPY NEWS !!! I am sure things will be moving along quickly now with her adjustment.... This is a huge step. I bet it won't take toooooo long for the introductions to begin. I would suggest waiting until she is really comfortable and totally trusting. You could start scent swapping in the days to come. And after that, room swapping, separately of course, than they can start to associate the new smells of each other with good experiences and calmly without having to meet face to face. You will know when Ladybug is ready for the next step. Slow, slow, and more slow :lol3: is the way to proceed in her socialization and adjustment in her new home.. This is a great start and such wonderful news. I am happy for all of you :happy3:

Wow, that was quick, great news indeed!