Feral(?) Cat in the bathroom

I have read a lot of forum posts, but i haven't seen this one question asked (maybe i haven't searched well):

I recently caught a cat in a nearby university campus, on account of it being very unsafe as a colony. I used a regular guillotine trap and raw fish.

I instantly had to bring it to the vet for diseases checks and sterilization, a day after which i brought him home. He hasn't once displayed aggressive behavior at the vet's, albeit he alternates being scared frozen to yowling. It's an over 5 Kg (11lbs) male cat. The vet says he's around 1.5 or 2 years of age. I called him Blackjack.

I have left him for 24 hours to acclimatize and after taking residence under my sofa he moved to the bathroom during the night. I keep moving food and fresh water to him, but haven't tried coming closer than a meter as it clearly yowls when i come too close. Rather, i have tried sitting on the floor behind its food and singing gently, which seems to at least make it stop yowling (perhaps out of fear).

I live in a one room flat with my fiancee. My problem is that we have a young 5 months, barely 3Kg (6.6lbs) old male cat, Axel, and he periodically approaches Blackjack to hiss and perform low pitched, threatening noise at him. I saw the big cat recoil against the shower wall, where he currently resides, just a few minutes ago. As i have read that having a well adjusted cat can speed up the taming process, i have left them to "communicate", but is it really the case? Should i try to avoid interaction for now, since it seems to be negative? They haven't fought or displayed other aggressive behaviors otherwise, even at night, when i saw the two approach each other. (Couldn't distinguish what they were doing, but Axel was making those low pitched threatening sounds).

Thank you in advance.

Thank you for taking in this sweet cat.  Ferals need lots of time and patience.  He also needs a space of his own which may need to be your bathroom or bedroom.  A place to feel safe and a place to hide safely where he won't get stuck.  As far as the food, place it down away from his litter box (make sure he doesn't share with the kitten) and make sure he sees the food and water.  Eventually he will eat.  It may take time.

Here is a link to cat to cat introductions.

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/introducing-cats-to-cats

He is yowling as he is very scared.  Consider moving him to a place of his own away from the other cat for now.  He needs to get used to being inside.  Do you have a cat tree or something he could sit and hide in as well as look outside?  Provide a few toys too.  Talk very softly to him, play soft music, use a feliway plug in.  THere are lots of flower essences to try too.  His adjustment period can take awhile. 

There is tons of great advice here and lots of info too.  Also look to youtube for some great videos on socializing ferals. 

Yes, it sounds like Axel in none too happy about this newbie - he must appear to be a trespasser in Axel's territory.  Separate them for now and take the intros very slowly.  Between the new one having been on its own, and Axel's anxieties, it's going to take some time.

Thank you for helping him!

Ayreon said:

They haven't fought or displayed other aggressive behaviors otherwise, even at night, when i saw the two approach each other..

Click to expand...

I try to think. My idea at this moment is, your resident is essentially making a show off "Im the boss here, do behave or else!".

He is much smaller, he is younger, being really a kitten, he cant put any real force behind his position. So what remains?

Just to try and make some show off of what he has. [EDIT.  What I mean, I dont think he is hostile.  He is just taking his precautions!  Playing it safe as well he can, with his few cards]

Make sure he doesnt need to be in doubt about your love.  Although he may be too tensed to enjoy your pets with him, make them anyway.   Carry him above the other, etc.

the newcomer is new and eager to please himself in and adapt as well he can, so he wont be sour for this your preference of tthe resident.

Try to engage them both in play, to provoke them into playing simultaneously. with any luck, they will soon play with each other too.

Semiferales usually dont play before they feel safe and calm again, but try anyway.

Did we mentioned a Feliway diffuser?   could be useful for both of them, by somewhat different reasons.

Calming relaxing music likewise, by similiar thinking...

Good luck!

Thank you for your responses.

During its second night Jack started yowling at 3 am without stopping until around 6, when Axel started growling every time Jack would yowl. They eventually started exchanging strange chirps and meows, without even approaching each other. In the midst of all this, Jack left the bathroom and explored the room, climbed the curtains to the ceiling and simply jumped on a (closed) window before returning to his new hideout *inside* the sofa. It looks safe enough for him to be, as there are no sharp parts.

I believe he is still too afraid to even touch food and water, despite it being in front of him. The only time he ate (like a wolf, i must add) and drank is when we closed it into the bathroom with the food and left the house for a short while yesterday evening. (It's 1 pm now)

Today i'm leaving soothing classical music on indefinitely to help it relax as much as possible.

I also fabricated a toy by attaching a soft artificial flower on top of an elastic string and played with Axel so the newcomer could see the fun. Furthermore, i have been using the advice in the cats introductions article.

That said, there has been no observable change in Jack yet. I know it's too early, but i'm temped to try touching him gently, since he has shown no sign of aggressiveness even when almost touched. Of course the cat's feelings are my only concern. Maybe a gentle touch would help in showing my harmlessness? Somehow i doubt that's the case, though.

You're right. A touch, even a gentle one, will scare him. Does he still have his safe room (the bathroom?). He still needs a place he can relax in without worrying about Axel coming in or being able to get to him. Playing with Axel in front of him is a good idea as he will learn that another cat is OK with that.

Take it slowly, leave him alone as much as you can and he should come around

You're right. A touch, even a gentle one, will scare him. Does he still have his safe room (the bathroom?). He still needs a place he can relax in without worrying about Axel coming in or being able to get to him. Playing with Axel in front of him is a good idea as he will learn that another cat is OK with that.

Take it slowly, leave him alone as much as you can and he should come around.

Time, time.... and time. I've recently watched a number of videos on socializing feral kittens and the consensus was that at about 6 months it becomes much more difficult.  Blackjack is not a kitten - but I think you are already seeing a lot of positive signs. Seems he is more cat-oriented than anything else (naturally)... he will need to learn to trust humans. Since he is not a kitten and an adult with a pre-existing inner routine, you are literally changing his entire world.

So the advice given is great, for you...  all I can add is patience.

Composure feline treats or Composure liquid max works well to help calm both cats.  When I brought Marvin the stray/feral I was taking care of off my deck into the house, he yowled and cried all night.  I first used Composure feline treats (you can find them in some pet stores and also on Amazon).  I would give him 3 each night before bed.  After 20-30 minutes he would calm down and rest/sleep most of the night.  When I moved to the stage of introducing him to my resident cat, I switched to Composure liquid Max.  I mix it in their wet food each morning and night.  It works very quickly and really helps them both.  I also have feliway plug ins in 4 different spots.  I found that in my open concept house, I need to use more than I thought. 

Just remember that time and patience are your friend.  Take things slowly.

I guess i'll post an update!

The third night the new feral has finally stopped wailing and i was afforded a good night of sleep. In fact he explored the house a little... climbing the curtains in their entire length looking for a chance to escape.

Unfortunately i do not have a way to remove the resident from his surroundings, so the best i can do is to lure him to sleep with me for the majority of the night.

The fourth night the feral started meowing. Meowing like my resident does when he wants something. And because my resident likes to chirp a lot he started to imitate some of the chirping as well, it seems, as well as including his own new sounds, the strangest of which i can only describe as "eeh-short pause-oh". So, with three kinds of fresh food, fresh water and a personal litter (which i confirmed he uses regularly) he still seemed to be demanding something. I had no idea what else to do, since it still refuses to approach even an outstretched hand, while sudden movements make it yowl out of fear.

The same was about to happen tonight, the fifth night. As soon as the lights were out, time 5 minutes, he started meowing in a demanding and sometimes sad manner. Perhaps he simply doesn't like being confined. This time i turned on the bathroom light and left the bathroom door just slightly open, so only a little light would come through. Interestingly, the feral stopped meowing instantly and didn't make a sound for the rest of the night.

Does anyone else have positive experiences with night lights? I have no idea whether he toured the house after i turned on that light, so i can't tell whether it makes it feel more relaxed or the other way around.

During the evening i did see him attempt to sneak into the kitchen. The moment he realized he was being watched, he ran back to his hideout, but it was the first time i saw him out with the lights on.