New Feral People Parent.

Hello,
I just took in a kitten of 8 weeks that was born to a Feral Mom. He was the last one of his litter to leave Mom. He is very scared and hisses and growls when I try to pet him ect. I read online it is best to let him just adjust and give him his space for the first 2-5 days before approching him and attempting to bond with him. It is just very strange that when I leave him in my room alone he just meows and meows (a kinda "hello, hey where are you) type of meow. So when I go to see what's up with him and if he's okay he hisses and growls. I now figure that he is most likely meowing for his mom and siblings DUH2(Duh to the second power/DUH * DUH= DUH squared) could I get some advice on how to socialize him correctly? I been researching but one source will say give him space for a few days and another scorce will say to pick him up and hold him whenever you can as much as you can. I had one scorce recommend to play sounds of cats meowing and or purring to make him feel safe but I tried that and he just broke my heart with him sad meows being unable to locate or find the cat who is meowing. I just can't keep playing cats meowing and purring and I just find doing this is like playing a cruel joke on him. So if I could get some input and advice on this from this forum that would be AWWWSSSOOOMEEE!

Play some quiet music instead. It will keep him company and get him used to human voices. You can also go into his room and read out loud to him quietly. In fact, everything you do with him should be done quietly and slowly. Let him adjust some, a few days, before you attempt to pet him.

Keep his routine the same as possible. When you are in his space, get down on his.level. no towering over him. Put your fist out to him and see if he approaches. It will look like a cat asking for a face bumyou can play with him with wand toys and try using a back scratcher to pet him. All of these will keep you at a safe distance.

I can't type more now as I am on my phone. Good luck and keep us posted

Last night and this morning fed him from my hand. Still hisses and growls at me but will causously eat from my hand while on the floor. He followed me in my roommates room last night while I was using his desktop PC. Went into his closet and just wouldn't stop meowing. Does he want attention or his mom?? If his mom then why follow me into a mother room in the apt?? How do I get him to stop meowing so much? The walls here are thin and I worry about the next door nehigbors.

I socialized a feral kitten a few years ago mostly by playing with him and a wand toy, which he loved. Play therapy is a great way to bond with a kitten. It's great that your kitten is eating from your hands--that's real progress! I'll tell you how I bonded with my feral kitten who was between 3-4 months when I took him in. The first 3 days, I put him in a spare room with everything he could need and also a radio playing softly. He sat on top of my air conditioner for 3 days and cried and cried and wouldn't eat or use the litter box. I was so alarmed that I was going to release him back outside to his mama and papa cats, who were both looking for him (actually, papa cat knew I had him inside and resolved himself to the situation). Then I figured, what the heck--I just picked him up off the air conditioner and held him in my arms, not caring if he scratched or bit me or whatever. To my amazement, Harry started to purr and knead me. I  held him in my arms and loved him and he became mine and he decided to adopt me as his new parent. Within 5 weeks he was completely socialized to me and my other 3 cats. So I suggest that one option for you would be to wear a thick jacket with sleeves and just pick the kitten up and hold him and see if he decides to adopt you, too. You might be surprised--I sure was.

How do I get him to stop meowing non stop? It's like he meows and then get madder each time he meows like he is throwing a temper tantrum.

Play with him or try to hold and comfort him. Once he accepts you as his new mom, he'll settle down. It took my feral kitten a few months before he completely stopped crying. It does get better.

Now it is as if he crys/meows for attention and when I go to pet him he still hisses at me and runs away with ears back. I have been holding him at least twice a day for @ 10 min or more but he meows and meows. He doesn't want my attention cause he still hisses. I am going to try to get this on video and upload it so as to get some imput on his behavior. Do I just have away who crys and whine or does he want something.'???

Thank You
Ericka

He may just be a vocal cat. I am thinking he'll get quieter after he gets used to things.

Can't see whether he's been fixed or not. He will definitely calm down after that.

We have a very vocal cat who tells us off regularly. You always know when she's unhappy - or happy. She just has to let everyone know how she feels.

AerieLee said:

Now it is as if he crys/meows for attention and when I go to pet him he still hisses at me and runs away with ears back. I have been holding him at least twice a day for @ 10 min or more but he meows and meows. He doesn't want my attention cause he still hisses. I am going to try to get this on video and upload it so as to get some imput on his behavior. Do I just have away who crys and whine or does he want something.'???

Thank You
Ericka

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Try wand toys like Da Bird. Wal Mart carries wand toys as well. This way, he'll get tired out but it's hands off play. Calming treats, collars and diffusers like Feliway can help too. These can be found at the big box pet stores and also online at Amazon. Da Bird van be found on Amazon as well

Still getting hissed at by kitten '88'. Last time I went to pick him up to hold him and bond while watching Hulu he purred 80% of the time. This was not the good kind of purr more the I am freaking out and must calm myself purr. He tried to bite me to get away. The ordeal of picking him up seemed to hurt more than anything. I don't want him to distrust me so I been giving him his space since then (5 days ago). My roommate thinks maybe if we get a tame kitten maybe he would learn from them people are nice and it's okay. Although the problem with that plan is my worry of having the means to take care of both kittens. Then I am think a pet papoose might help us bond better but being restrained is a worry for me cause it might do him more harm than good. Any input would be great please help I don't want a cat who will have me for 10-28 years. Cause I can't just give him up or to anyone ekes cause he is part of the family now dispute his fear and hate for us. PLEASE HELP!!

Maybe you need to rethink this. He sounds like a cat who is fine without a lot of human contact. He can live quite happily in your home without being a lap cat. We have six cats inside and four of them will not let us pick them up. They allow pets and two will sleep with us but picking them up is out of the question. For whatever reason, they don't like it and we respect that.

It is completely possible for him to be a happy healthy house cat without being cuddly.

Take some time and think about that. He's safe and fed and if you allow him to be himself, I'll bet he'll be happy.

I hope he changes some after he gets neutered. Yeah I just been giving him his space. Only the other day I went to brush my teeth before work and his litter box was in the bathroom and he was in there and I didn't know he freaked out and ran outta there now he's not using the litter box and going to the bathroom in there dirty laundry of my room and roommates closet.

Is it possible for you to put a litter box in a place where he won't be disturbed? Then when he starts using that one, remove the one from the bathroom. Cats are private when it comes to using their litter boxes, so finding an area where he wouldn't be disturbed might solve that problem. Sorry you're having this problem with him now.

I have 4 indoor cats and one outdoor feral. After caring for my outdoor feral for over 4 years, he still won't allow me to touch or pet him, so I no longer try, and just enjoy his company by sitting bedside him. One of my indoor cats is a feral I took in over 2 years ago when she was 10 months old, and she will allow a brief petting session when we're playing with the wand toy, but absolutely freaks when I have to catch her and hold her to trim her claws once every month or so. So I don't stress her out by trying to pick her up or hold her until there's a real necessity to do so. She enjoys being around me and playing with me, but will never be a cuddly cat, and I accept that.  My other 3 indoor cats are very affectionate, so it balances out. If you have a need for a lap cat, once your current kitty is settled in, maybe you could get a second cat to meet that need. Or you could be patient a while longer and see how this kitty will evolve with more time. You've had him only a month, which is not a very long time for a feral kitten. So far it sounds like you're making good progress! 

It has been a long while since I been here. Hahaha! Its so funny reading my super old post!! To give you all an update That kitten who hissed at me back in Dec of 2015 now follows me EVERYWHERE & Makes me pet him all the time. I can even pick him up (sometimes hes still not into that). He is a very vocal cat now. Still scared of people who come by but will come out if he has seen them here a few times. He is a great Cat! Just thought I would give an update since its been so long from my last post.[emoji]128578[/emoji][emoji]128568[/emoji]

AerieLee said:

It has been a long while since I been here. Hahaha! Its so funny reading my super old post!! To give you all an update That kitten who hissed at me back in Dec of 2015 now follows me EVERYWHERE & Makes me pet him all the time. I can even pick him up (sometimes hes still not into that). He is a very vocal cat now. Still scared of people who come by but will come out if he has seen them here a few times. He is a great Cat! Just thought I would give an update since its been so long from my last post.[emoji]128578[/emoji][emoji]128568[/emoji]

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That's awesome!!  Way to go!! I have a very vocal cat too. My Lilith has a lot to say and demands that everyone stop to listen. 

I'm so glad to hear that things are going so well!