Feral Kitten Hissing And Biting

I found a kitten about a week ago in a building near my work. The building was under construction (but hadn't been touched in months) and completely closed off. This meant he was trapped inside a place full of dirt and random items alone and starving.
I would have never known he was in there until I saw him in a window a week prior to getting him.
I contacted the owners of the building and told them the situation. They put traps out and eventually caught him, learning there was no mum or other kittens as well. I wasn't told until 2 days later and when I came to pick him up they had him locked in an office bathroom.
My boyfriend picked us up and I kept him in a blanket on my lap and he was shaking, but also calm when I petted him. We got home and had to give him a flea bath so when my boyfriend went to pick him up from me he hissed and bit him.
After that we put on gloves and held him buy his scruff so he would let us clean him without too much of a fight.
He has been in my room for a week and has put on a nice amount of weight compared to the skin and bones when he found him. He has become adjusted to eating with me in the room and even exploring the room when I am not home (I found him in the crevice of my bed between the mattress and wall once.)
My problem is that he hisses if I get too close or make any noise, or even turn on the fan! He stopped swatting at me but when my boyfriend paid a visit he tried to bite my foot.

I have tried treats, calming spray, and I even sit or lay on the floor and calmly talk to him as well as doing the slow blink/ closing my eyes. After two days he will slowly blink back or when I calmly talk to him he closes his eyes and relaxes slightly.
I've done a lot of research (and have grown up with cats and kittens which never did this. The kittens I raised after a hurricane a long time ago only hissed for two days!) and I KNOW it takes time but I am scared his behavior wont change and I wont be able to take him to a vet safely and have him checked.

The employee at Petsmart was completely rude and told me it was me that caused the behavior and that I should find him a BETTER home or take him to the pound because I wasn't fit for raising him.


I need help!! I don't know what to do at this point


***We believe he is around 8 to 9 1/2 weeks od

You mentioned you found him in between the mattress and wall once. Does he have his own little area where he can hide? Whenever I find a feral kitten I make an area for him, in my room, where they have access to a little bed and food. Not to close to anything that makes noise, TV, computer,etc. If I were in your shoes. I would just give him his space. Talk to him in a soft tone. Maybe put a couple of cat toys by his bed area. 

Honestly, he just needs to get used to his new home. All feral kittens are different. One let me pet her after a week, another one took about 5 months before letting me near her, and now she stays by my side at every turn...I promise you, he will get better.

As for the vet, I suggest putting a crate by his area with the door open allowing him to go in and out as he pleases. Especially if you put something soft to lay on and pet toy in the crate. The vets are used to handling feral kittens so I wouldn't worry about that part. Oh and dont listen to the dork at Petsmart.

just take it slow he will warm up to you, keep him in a room that is quiet, calm and peaceful, lay on the floor and let him come to you, hold out a fist for him to smell, let him to learn to trust you.

No the person at petsmart don't know what he talking about, the kitten is just scared that all but he will get better

Thank you for rescuing him.  He needs time, love and patience.  Here is a video that shows a rescue of feral kittens along with some socializing tips.  It is a series of 3 videos, but watch them all to gain great information.  The best section is using Gerber stage 2 baby food.  Be sure to use the kind in the small jar with the blue label.  It contains only chicken/turkey and water.  You do not want added spices.  This can be used as a training treat not a meal replacement.  I have watched this video over and over and it provides such great tips.  Just give him time.  Ferals are often one step forward, 2 steps back.

http://www.urbancatleague.org/TamingVideo

Yes, he will take some time.  Think about it from his perspective.  These huge creatures came and trapped me!  Now what?  Oh, a bath - goodie.  Now I'm stuck in this room all by myself.  Well, at least its cleaner than the other place but it smells so different!

The foods OK, I guess.  But this one big creature keeps coming in and what the heck does she want?

Give him a few weeks, he'll be fine.  Slow movements, no loud sounds, keep his routine as regular as possible.  You sound like you know a lot more than the person at PetSmart.  Maybe its time to shop at Petco! 

Just kidding - the people at our PetSmart rock!  It sounds like you got someone who doesn't like his or her job!

Thank you for all you've done so far.

Samz3 said:

You mentioned you found him in between the mattress and wall once. Does he have his own little area where he can hide? Whenever I find a feral kitten I make an area for him, in my room, where they have access to a little bed and food. Not to close to anything that makes noise, TV, computer,etc. If I were in your shoes. I would just give him his space. Talk to him in a soft tone. Maybe put a couple of cat toys by his bed area. 

Honestly, he just needs to get used to his new home. All feral kittens are different. One let me pet her after a week, another one took about 5 months before letting me near her, and now she stays by my side at every turn...I promise you, he will get better.

As for the vet, I suggest putting a crate by his area with the door open allowing him to go in and out as he pleases. Especially if you put something soft to lay on and pet toy in the crate. The vets are used to handling feral kittens so I wouldn't worry about that part. Oh and dont listen to the dork at Petsmart.


:sun:

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Thank you for your response!
Yes I do have an area for him. When we washed him we set him down with a bunch of towels in my closet so he could dry off and warm up. My closet isn't TOO BIG but it is big enough for a little carrier cage (which has a soft bed built in, a cat bed, a litter box, and everything we put in there for him (kitten safe toys.)

The reason I put him in my room is because it is quiet. I hardly go in there unless it is to sleep, feed him, or clean his litter box.
I have an office where I have my computer and the living room and kitchen you can't hear from my room. I also refused to put him in the bathroom because I spend more time in there than my own room (I work in a salon and, sadly, appearance is something you have to keep up with.) So the point is, my room is the quietest and is behind two doors so it was the best spot.
When we first brought him in I had an empty bin on the second shelf of my closet and he crawled into that. I adorned it with old child's blankets for him to get warm with. When I mentioned he was hiding between the wall and mattress was because he actually decided to venture out of the closet! (Which was great success for him.)

Q

Ondine said:

Yes, he will take some time.  Think about it from his perspective.  These huge creatures came and trapped me!  Now what?  Oh, a bath - goodie.  Now I'm stuck in this room all by myself.  Well, at least its cleaner than the other place but it smells so different!

The foods OK, I guess.  But this one big creature keeps coming in and what the heck does she want?

Give him a few weeks, he'll be fine.  Slow movements, no loud sounds, keep his routine as regular as possible.  You sound like you know a lot more than the person at PetSmart.  Maybe its time to shop at Petco!  :lol3:

Just kidding - the people at our PetSmart rock!  It sounds like you got someone who doesn't like his or her job!

Thank you for all you've done so far.

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Thank you for replying!
I understand he is scared and it's okay that he is. He will learn I don't want the hurt him.
I have a routine of feeding him when I wake up in the morning and sitting a few feet either with my back to him, or looking off in a different direction.
I speak softly and say his name a lot.
This morning he was even sitting in the opening of his carrier watching me walk around the room and get ready. He patiently waited for me to put down his food and didn't hiss either.

Everyday I come home from work I sit or lay where he can see me and softly hum, as well as speak and say his name a lot. I noticed if I hum or sing softly he squeezes his eye shut and once relaxed onto his side. I do the blinking thing I learned from watching a behavior specialist and such. I offer him treats and once he tried to eat one from my hand once but he accidentally nipped me and I flinched, which scared him.
I sit with him anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour after work and before I go to bed doing these things. Timing mostly depends on if he hisses.

And to everyone thanking me for rescuing him, I have to say:
I couldn't let him go to the pound. No one at my work wanted to take him, nor the company who owns the buildings. They said they were going to take him to the pound which I couldn't let happen.
He is feral and WAY under 2 pounds which means the pound would either not have accepted him, or euthanized him. Especially since he took up biting.


This is Gnar!
This first photo is the first morning he was with me. I was trying to get to his liter box so I moved the bin (he was in his carrier when I moved the bin) when I came back in he was doing this in his bin like the first night. (I know he looks frightened.)

This was 2 days ago when I was getting ready to put food down.

I feel like it's already a big difference.
I'm just worried is all.