Attempting to foster friendly feral

[Brice53]

I’ve been feeding a cat for the last three weeks and finally got him in a humane trap and had him neutered. He would often try to get into my house and my neighbors house all the time yet he wouldn’t let me pet him or get within a few feet of him.

Right now I’m attempting to foster him and get him in shape to be a potential adoption candidate for a few rescues in my area. He does/doesn’t do several things and I would love to get some advice. He was neutered four days ago. I have five other cats in house(two fosters and three residents) so the only place I have for him right now is in an extra large dog cage. He has a litter box(using well), food and water, blankets, toy and a scratching post.

The main issue I’m having is he is not eating enough. He normally hisses and acts scared when he first sees me. He doesn’t act aggressive at all and after a few minutes of sniffing me he starts huffing really loud almost like a horse. After I pet him for a few minutes he purrs, kneads, won’t stop rubbing against my hand, and starts picking at his food.

As far as I can tell this is the only time he eats his food. I was expecting him to devour his food any chance he can get just like when he was outside but he seems really picky right now. If I put some tuna in his food he will eat when I’m not there but that’s the only trick I’ve had work so far. Ive tried covering the cage when I’m gone and also leaving cage uncovered when I’m gone with the same results.

Is this something I should be worried about or is he just adjusting to his new home?

Also, should I keep his cage covered or uncovered when I’m not with him?

I’m hoping my one foster cat gets adopted this week which would free up an actual bedroom that I can transfer the new cat to.

 

[Jcatbird]

He’s beautiful!
He is still adjusting. I tend to think he is semiferal or may even have been dumped or lost. Wanting to enter your house is unusual for a totally feral kitty. Being semi feral will work to your advantage. You already pet him? Awesome! Great job! It sounds like he is still trying to adjust. Testing to be sure he is fully healthy would be a good idea. Make sure he is healing properly from the neutering. Lots of things can throw off his appetite. If he is without any parasites or other issues then he should start eating. Time, attention and patience are key. You could give him a box or carrier to retreat to for privacy inside the cage. Covering the cage was a very good idea and something I often suggest but he may want the view out if you are not there and a box gives him that option. That huffing noise is something they do when afraid or trying to scare off something. You’ve only had him back from neutering for four days? You’ve made amazing progress. You could try some other types of food or try topping the food with Gerber second food all meat baby food. ( chicken or turkey) That’s hard for kitties to resist. I wouldn’t be too concerned yet. If he eats while you are with him then I think he gets comfort from your presence. You may need to sit with him and reassure him that it’s safe to eat inside. He’s been through a lot. Capture, vet visit, neutering, cage inside and he must know there are other cats inside. It’s a whole new world for him. He already trusts you so just keep doing what you’ve been doing. Talk to him, pet him, keep him company and give him love, Every cat is different and adjusts at their own pace but it sounds like he is doing very well with your guidance. As long as he drinks, eats enough to prevent weight loss, poops, pees and is healthy, time is the next thing he needs. If you have further questions ,there are many here who will try to help. Please keep us updated. We all love hearing the stories of rescues and there guardians. Every kitty guardian is a kitty hero! Thank you for saving him and getting him neutered! Thank you for fostering! I wish everyone would do what you are doing. Welcome to The Cat Site!I look forward to hearing more.

 

[Brice53]

Update #1

I have named him Simpson. The clinic I got him neutered at thinks he is about three years old and he weighs 8.8 lbs.

He started yesterday eating all his food and drinking a good amount of water. I have had to watch how much food I give him because he always cleans his bowls!

I did make him a box with a cat bed inside and now he likes to sleep in it. He stills hisses when I approach the cage but the moment I pet him he gets really lovey. He still huffs for a few minutes before he starts purring. He has not once swatted at me or tried to bite me. It seems really promising that he will have a future in a forever home.

Seeing as I want to get him used to living inside I really want to get him out of his cage but I have no space with five other cats in my house. My plan is to put him in my bathroom with all his supplies and then let him roam around the house when I have the other cats away. Do you think that is a good idea or a good place to have him instead of a cage?

 

[moxiewild]

He is just adjusting. He is also not feral, and I wouldn’t even say semi feral from what you’ve said here.

This kitty, in all likelihood, was someone’s pet at some point in time who either became lost or was abandoned or dumped. It happened long enough ago for him to establish a good amount of fear, but not so long ago for him to start adopting enough feral tendencies to qualify as semi feral.

And here you are, giving him another lease on life, and a chance at a family and home

So I’d categorize him as more of a skittish/traumatized stray. You should not have nearly as hard of a time socializing him as you would if he was any sort of feral, so that’s the good news.

The key here, especially in the beginning, is going to be time and trust. Don’t push him too much at first. Keep in mind that depending on the cat “beginning” can mean a few days to a couple months. Both are completely normal.

Start super slow. Keep him covered when you’re not around. He needs to learn to feel safe where he is before learning what “here” actually is in the first place.

Try to be present when he eats, otherwise, toss a few extra special treats his way even if he won’t eat them in front of you.

Spend time with him while ignoring him and reading/singing out loud. I am writing this to you while sitting in front of an XL dog crate that’s housing a semiferal I just had spayed to see if she shows signs of being able to be more easily socialized. I have my back to her. I read this post softly, but out loud. I’m not looking at her or paying her any mind whatsoever. I just sit with her for an hour or two, 2x a day. Just to allow her to process that I am not a threat.

Baby steps.

You almost certainly won’t need to go as slowly as that from the sounds of it, but I bring it up to give you a better idea of how tiny those steps can be, how long it can take. It’s important to appreciate how huge these baby steps actually are so that you don’t get discouraged.

He didn’t hiss at you today? That’s a milestone.

He blinked at you just once today? That’s a milestone!

Don’t take the tiny improvements for granted because in cat language, they are monumental.

And we are all here if you need any reassurance, encouragement, or advice thank you for taking in this kitty!

 

[moxiewild]

Seeing as I want to get him used to living inside I really want to get him out of his cage but I have no space with five other cats in my house. My plan is to put him in my bathroom with all his supplies and then let him roam around the house when I have the other cats away. Do you think that is a good idea or a good place to have him instead of a cage?

Totally forgot to respond to this.

Now, everyone socializes ferals and sensitivitie non-ferals differently, but here’s my two cents.

I find that most of these cats benefit GREATLY from being crates for at least 2-3 weeks (and more the more feral they are).

Don’t think of the crate from a human perspective - it looks awfully tiny in there, how can they possibly be happy? They can’t even play or exercise! He has no stimulation!

But what do cats do when frightened?

They hunker down. They hide. And they’ll do so for very, very long periods so long as they feel unsafe.

I only allow crated cats to come out when they begin telling me it’s what they want, that they are ready. They’ll come out to greet me more, slowly start trying to come out while I’m around, etc. There are always distinct signs. (Small kittens and puppies are really the only exception to that in my experience.)

Otherwise, I have found I have a significantly harder time and that it takes significantly longer if I instead place them in a room or even a small bathroom either to start or just too soon.

Crating speeds things up by more than half for me. Every single feral or sensitive cat has come around faster than any I had out of a crate.

But this is my opinion and based on my own experiences, so others can and do differ!

Throughout this process, it will be very beneficial to you to maintain the frame of mind of a cat, not a human. It can be hard, but learning about cat behavior and feral/traumatized cat behavior and how they perceive things in particular will really help.

 

[Maria Bayote]

I’ve been feeding a cat for the last three weeks and finally got him in a humane trap and had him neutered. He would often try to get into my house and my neighbors house all the time yet he wouldn’t let me pet him or get within a few feet of him.

Right now I’m attempting to foster him and get him in shape to be a potential adoption candidate for a few rescues in my area. He does/doesn’t do several things and I would love to get some advice. He was neutered four days ago. I have five other cats in house(two fosters and three residents) so the only place I have for him right now is in an extra large dog cage. He has a litter box(using well), food and water, blankets, toy and a scratching post.

The main issue I’m having is he is not eating enough. He normally hisses and acts scared when he first sees me. He doesn’t act aggressive at all and after a few minutes of sniffing me he starts huffing really loud almost like a horse. After I pet him for a few minutes he purrs, kneads, won’t stop rubbing against my hand, and starts picking at his food.

As far as I can tell this is the only time he eats his food. I was expecting him to devour his food any chance he can get just like when he was outside but he seems really picky right now. If I put some tuna in his food he will eat when I’m not there but that’s the only trick I’ve had work so far. Ive tried covering the cage when I’m gone and also leaving cage uncovered when I’m gone with the same results.

Is this something I should be worried about or is he just adjusting to his new home?

Also, should I keep his cage covered or uncovered when I’m not with him?

I’m hoping my one foster cat gets adopted this week which would free up an actual bedroom that I can transfer the new cat to.

Oh such a handsome fella, reminds me of my Pepsi and Oreo. Thank you for saving him. One less cat off the street is a victory for us cat lovers. You are doing great.

Just give him time. He is still probably scared. Imagine anyone being have to face a new environment. But he will get there soon. The only issue is his eating. Our vet once advised me to put some vitamins in paste form on one of my fosters who was a picky eater. I don't know if it was a coincidence, but somehow it did the trick. Otherwise, if he continues to be like that or if you feel he is not eating at least enough for his daily need, you can call your vet.

Thanks again. I love black and white cats!