Feral Kitten

Hello There fellow cat lovers

I am after a some advise if you can please help

I bought a kitten 4 months old from the cat and dog shelter he is now called jasper, he is absolutley terrified of anything and anyone i felt really sorry for him so he came home with me, and lets just say hes not a fan of me, its been over a month now and he still runs from me, hisses and hides only coming out late at night, hes been neutered, i love him although ive never petted him , i got felliaway spray and plug ins and just dont know what to do for the best

please help

He's not a true feral, it seems like he may have been taken away from his mama too soon or may have been abandoned and has not been socialized. The first thing I would do is try to see things from his perspective. He's away from mama, he was in a shelter full of strange people and other animals and then taken from there and put in another new place full of strange sights and sounds. He's just a scared baby. It is not personal. The fact that he's neutered is good. Is he eating and using the litter box? 

The fact that he's still very young is definitely a plus. You CAN get through to him!! The thing is that you need to relax. If you are stressed out about the situation, he is definitely picking up on it and this is adding to his fear. When you interact with him, do it at his level by laying or sitting on the floor. This will make you seem smaller and less scary. Talk to him in a soft, reassuring voice. Tell him that you love him and want him to be happy. You can read to him, sing to him and just talk to him. Tell him about your day. The calmer you are, the calmer he will be. 

Let him come to you. Cats are naturally curious creatures. If you just relax, sit on the floor and basically ignore him, he will come and check you out. Let him but don't try to pet him or touch him. Cats like to feel as though they are in charge of the relationship. You can put your hand out in a fist and when he's ready he will sniff it. This is one way that cats greet each other. With head butts. Your fist is about the size of a cat's head. If you're patient, he will respond. All cats know this behavior. Try to avoid direct eye contact as cats see this as a threatening move. When you look at him, look more to the side of his head than directly at it, then close your eyes for a few seconds and look away. Do this a few times. He will know what you are doing. The slow blink is a way that one cat tells another, "hey I see you and I am not a threat to you". It is also used as a greeting. The more you and he get acquainted, you will see that he will do this back to you and then, in time, you'll see that he will do it first. The first time this happens is really special. 

Play with him. You want him to associate you with good things and the fact that you feed him is definitely a start. Get interactive toys that are hands off such as wand toys. Da Bird is a very popular wand toy that many cats and kittens cannot resist. The more you two play together, the more he will relax and he will see you as a friend. Offer him treats when you make any sort of progress. Pure Bites freeze dried chicken breast is a favorite of many cats (including all 3 of mine). Pure Bites and Da Bird are both available through Amazon. 

Socializing a cat or kitten is not a quick process. it takes time, patience and lots of love but I assure you, it is worth every second. Cats are not dogs. they do not give their love and trust indiscriminately. It must be earned but once you have it, it really is a priceless thing and you will have created a truly unbreakable bond. The Feliway can help so it's good that you have it. 

You can do this!!!     We are here to help you. There will be setbacks but they will be temporary. The most important thing to remember is that these setbacks are normal and they are not personal. They do not mean that he doesn't like you or that you are doing something wrong. Just continue to love him and reassure him that he is safe, loved and wanted and things will move forward. There is a loving, playful boy hiding in that scared little kitten. He will come out in time.   

You got some wonderful advice here. To me it does sound like he's at least semi-feral but that doesn't mean you can't win his heart. If you do, you may find him to be an incredibly affectionate kitten! 

I'll be moving this thread to the feral cats forum. It would be great if you could come back and let us know how you and your kitten are doing and if you're making any progress.

kat0121 pretty much covered it. Everything you do with this cat much be slow and determined. No rushing him, no loud noises. Try to keep the established routine - feeding the same time, scooping his box the same time, visiting him the same time.

You can also sit with him and read out loud or work on your computer. No loud video games, though. It will get him used to your presence.

I once actually slept on the floor of our foster room for a week. My back wasn't happy but the kittens who had previously shunned me were crawling in my lap at the end of the week.

Keep in mind, too, that he may be an independent cat. He may never be a lap cat. But with love and patience, he can learn to love and appreciate you.

This is all awesome advise and I can attest that it works amazingly well if you are relaxed and patient. I sat outside in the cold for a week to get a stray 4 month old used to me before I could coax him into our shop. Then I spent 3 weeks keeping the shop warm and talking to the poor scared thing. He was scrawny and his face beat up. Once I could touch him I took him into the house and quickly got him neutered. 3 years later he's now a very large, lovable, and demanding boy. He adores our year old daughter and is more tolerant of her than I would like. So keep it up, its really worth it.