Fostering a feral kitten (~3 1/2 months old) - how to establish a bond

[Gunter]

Hi experts,

Since 3 days I'm taking care of a male kitten (neutered, had a vet visit, 100% healthy) which has been with my neighbor for around 6 weeks. She has other cats and 2 more kitten of the same litter and gave me that kitten to foster it. While she is experienced with adult cats she has not much experience with kitten. I also know the mother who I feed daily outside and who eats out of my hands meanwhile.

Now I bought a roomy cage (3 levels) for that kitten because I had it first (a week before now) in the living room and it hid behind the TV and didn't come out. Catching it after a few days was a drama (for both). So he has a top floor to hide with a hammock and a level to sit. Here I don't see him and vice versa.

On the first day in his cage he was so afraid he sat all day in the toilet box (it was clean) and I could pet him and talk silently but I could see he was terrified. Second day he got more active, moved to the top floor and I could pet him on his head gently with a toothbrush and feed him some treats from a soon and from the finger. Today he also spent most of his time on the top floor and I don't see how to make progress. The cage is in the room where I work all day, so he hears my voice (and sometimes other people over video conference) and of course I spend several hours per day to see him at the cage and talk calmly.

His ears are now mostly up and he also shouts (I guess sometimes he feels lonely as there are no other cats, sometimes he might just be angry that he's in the cage. He has been in a cage with 2 kittens though before and I think he might have more room now). Of course I want to let him out as soon as possible but for that I need a little confidence he won't just run somewhere to hide within the same second.
He has a nice view out of the window (no direct sun) I attached a few pictures of Cha-cha. Box picture was on day 1 where he clearly was terrified. I also was able to play with him meanwhile and he also plays a bit for himself.

Any advice what I can do further to establish a bond (and some hint how I can maybe touch him? He would growl at me if my hand comes closer other than for giving him a treat).

Attachments...

 

[tabbytom]

Any advice what I can do further to establish a bond (and some hint how I can maybe touch him? He would growl at me if my hand comes closer other than for giving him a treat).

and welcome to TCS!

Thank you for fostering this beautiful kitty.

I think what you've been doing is great but the kitty need to get used to you to be able to trust you. Since it's just 3 days from the other place into your house plus the catching him when he was hiding, all these are very new to him. The surroundings and sounds and sights makes him weary and thus he's in the defensive mode. I order to get him get used to you (socializing him), here are a few steps to take but take it slow else your plan will fall through and you have to start from the beginning and it'll be harder the next time round.

Firstly, I would suggest that you leave a few pieces of your clean unwashed, non perfumed garments with him in the cage on every floor where he lays so that he can establish the scents with you and it helps build up his confidence.

Secondly, keep loud noises down like TV, speaking loudly or shouting. Always announce your presence by calling out his name in a gentle calming voice and approach the cage slowly and also make yourself small so that he don't get intimidated by your height especially if he's on the lower part of the cage or on the ground.

Thirdly, continue your hand/spoon feeding and petting him and at the same time do slow eye blinks with him and look away. This will give him the assurance that he is dominant. If you stare him in the eyes, he'll go into the defensive mood. It's good that he is hearing you through the video conference and this will definitely be a plus for him to get used to your voice and presence.
Always give him praise for doing the right thing.

Never rich out to him with an open palm. Form your hand into a fist and present your fist to him. A fist resembles another cat's head and cats do head bumps. An open palm is threatening to him. You can also hide a treat or his food in you fist and let him smell your fist and then present the food to him. This way is to show him that your fist equals food.

When his ears are up and shouting, it's a sign that he does not like loud noises like talking over the phone and maybe through the video conference. He could have a bad experience with loud sounds and therefore he's behaving this way as he feels threatened. You can always calm him down with a soothing voice and tell him it's ok.

Fourthly, you can play soothing cat music for him and you can find these in Youtube. Keep him as calm as possible. In your free time, sit near the cage and read hi some stories. Get a cat wand and play with him and see how he responds to it.

Since it's less than a week, you cannot rush through and for now, you just have to go slow. Love, patience and routine rules the day.

Feel free to ask questions and we'll try our best to guide you. Never give up.

He's a lovely boy and what's his name?

 

[Gunter]

Thank you kindly Tabbytom for this very friendly welcome! I read you are from Singa-purr, I was there in May this year! My little foster kitten boy is named Cha-Cha and is actually a proud Japanese country-side feral cat.

I read a lot of good advise can will put a cloth from me in his house. Also I wasn't aware that a fist is a sign a cat will better respond to than a palm, I certainly will do that, too!

Actually there is little progress, I might just learn patience myself in working, talking and playing with him! Tonight he ate for the first time on the 2nd level of the house while I was sitting close to him. I also spoon-fed him with a cat treat later. He now eats good amounts and also drank plenty of water (which he refused to do the other 2 days which made me very worried).

Yes, I also read loud some stuff to him, for example when I read this forum's post I just read them loud
The room is very quiet since we are on the country-side and I just have a little music sometimes except voices.

Thank you again for the valuable advise and I will keep it updated here (maybe with new questions!).

Greetings from Japan!

 

[tabbytom]

Thank you kindly Tabbytom for this very friendly welcome! I read you are from Singa-purr, I was there in May this year! My little foster kitten boy is named Cha-Cha and is actually a proud Japanese country-side feral cat.

I read a lot of good advise can will put a cloth from me in his house. Also I wasn't aware that a fist is a sign a cat will better respond to than a palm, I certainly will do that, too!

Actually there is little progress, I might just learn patience myself in working, talking and playing with him! Tonight he ate for the first time on the 2nd level of the house while I was sitting close to him. I also spoon-fed him with a cat treat later. He now eats good amounts and also drank plenty of water (which he refused to do the other 2 days which made me very worried).

Yes, I also read loud some stuff to him, for example when I read this forum's post I just read them loud
The room is very quiet since we are on the country-side and I just have a little music sometimes except voices.

Thank you again for the valuable advise and I will keep it updated here (maybe with new questions!).

Greetings from Japan!

again and welcome top Singa-purr. Hoped you enjoyed your visit.

Oh, his name is Cha Cha. Cute name.

Great to hear that there is a little progress. For cats like Cha Cha, lots of love and patience needed.

If you have time, give this thread a read. The member also recently got a feral cat in from the outside and is also currently living in a cage (enclosure). Maybe you can also get one or two pointers from there :- Timmy,7yr old TNR true feral! COLD TURKEY!

Yes, do keep us updated.

 

[chaucer]

Gunter Welcome to The Cat Site. This forum is a wealth of information. I agree with what Tabby Tom advised. I've found food and being able to see what's going on in the house from the kennel is a good way to establish a connection with you and his new environment. I've also been known to put a light blanket over part of the kennel so he can retreat there if things become overwhelming. You may soon be able to take him out of the kennel for a few minutes each day. I'd suggest wrapping him in a soft blanket or towel the first few times in case he startles. That's common with kittens. Knowing you supply the food helps as well. He will warm up to you; it just takes time.

 

[Gunter]

chaucer tabbytom Thank you both for the nice messages - it really helps to know that there are experts around which can support!
After dinner he now decided to hit a little ball through the cage! I'm really happy to see him getting out of the lethargic state he was in the past 3 days!

 

[tabbytom]

After dinner he now decided to hit a little ball through the cage! I'm really happy to see him getting out of the lethargic state he was in the past 3 days!

That’s great! Just give him time to settle down. These few days have been testing him quite a bit. Give him as much assurance as you can and that will also help him calm down and also keep interacting with him.

 

[Gunter]

tabbytom - Yes will do. Two silly questions:

1. When I feed him treats with a spoon he showed a habit of trying to hit the spoon with his paw (quite fast and powerful). Meanwhile I pull the spoon away when I see it coming. Then I talk softly to him and he then slowly approaches the spoon to lick the treat from it. I suppose this is a sign that he sees the spoon as a threat?
2. At night I kept the desk light on on low level so the room is not dark. Is that wise? I know he anyway would not sleep... I cover the top of the cage with a white thin blanket so he has a cave feeling (so I hope).

 

[tabbytom]

the
Yes will do. Two silly questions:

1. When I feed him treats with a spoon he showed a habit of trying to hit the spoon with his paw (quite fast and powerful). Meanwhile I pull the spoon away when I see it coming. Then I talk softly to him and he then slowly approaches the spoon to lick the treat from it. I suppose this is a sign that he sees the spoon as a threat?

It could seem a threat to him as it also depends on how the spoon is presented to him. Is this the first time or it happens every first time you feed him?
Maybe before you feed him the next time, show him the treat and let him smell the treat and as he smells it, squeeze the treat onto the spoon and slowly let him smell the spoon. I’m not sure if you are feeding him tube treats or his actual food but whichever it is, show him and let him smell and then spoon it to him gently.
If he bats it again, just firmly tell him no and it’s ok and it’s treats for you.
What you are doing is right.

2. At night I kept the desk light on on low level so the room is not dark. Is that wise? I know he anyway would not sleep... I cover the top of the cage with a white thin blanket so he has a cave feeling (so I hope).

Sure, it’s ok to leave a night light on. He’ll still sleep but he’s also alert. My boy sleeps with me in the room on my bed and I have a night light on and also a night light in the kitchen where his litterbox is and the light illumines the hall as well.

There’s no such thing as silly questions here.

 

[Gunter]

tabbytom thank you! So I keep the light on at night! Status of today: We progress little by little. I think I stopped the hitting of the spoon by just pulling it away and giving very positive feedback when he just comes and licks it off the spoon. It's a liquid fish-paste that is called "Chu-ru" which the cats are crazy for. While feeding him with this today I was able to always touch his forehead gently with my finger. As said, it's just patience. Will share some pictures again next time!

 

[Kieka]

I have a former feral I got around the same age, I will echo everything already said. Just wanted to add in that time and patience are the key factors. My girl took months to get to the point she was comfortable being walked up to and years before she could be pet without sniffing you first. She still has a lot of her feral tendencies to this day (not liking to be seen eating for example). But she is the biggest velcro kitty and wants to be touching me whenever I am home.

I would add, when I started letting my girl out of her cage I would immediately put her back in if she tried to hide or didn't come back when I called her. We worked really hard on her name = treat and coming to name meant she got a treat and to stay out of the cage. She's now 9 years old and really good at coming to her name specifically.

 

[Gunter]

Dear all,

thank you for all the wonderful advice! It's been more than a week that he came to us and so much progress! While he is still in the cage, he now eats while I'm close, he plays like crazy with me (can be 2 hours in a row) and is behaving healthy. He still talks a lot which and he responds with many different tones to my replies. A very clever little cat!
I can gently touch his forehead while feeding him treats and he often lets his paws show out of the cage and I'm allowed to touch them with my finger. All of that is wonderful.

Now I wonder how to proceed next, I found he likes to take my hand for a toy if he's in an active mood, so if my hand comes close to him he tries to hit it with his paw (not in self-defense but as a game, he's very relaxed when doing it).

So what would you propose to allow me to slowly being able to touch him? I feel he could get out of the cage soon once I have the feeling we further increased the strength of our bond.

 

[tabbytom]

Dear all,

thank you for all the wonderful advice! It's been more than a week that he came to us and so much progress! While he is still in the cage, he now eats while I'm close, he plays like crazy with me (can be 2 hours in a row) and is behaving healthy. He still talks a lot which and he responds with many different tones to my replies. A very clever little cat!
I can gently touch his forehead while feeding him treats and he often lets his paws show out of the cage and I'm allowed to touch them with my finger. All of that is wonderful.

Now I wonder how to proceed next, I found he likes to take my hand for a toy if he's in an active mood, so if my hand comes close to him he tries to hit it with his paw (not in self-defense but as a game, he's very relaxed when doing it).

So what would you propose to allow me to slowly being able to touch him? I feel he could get out of the cage soon once I have the feeling we further increased the strength of our bond.

That's great to hear!

Please do not let him play with your finger or use it as a toy. Your finger may end up being his biting object. Since he has not really started chomping on your finger, always use a toy or a feather wand and play with him. Get him a catnip kickaroo.
If he paw at your finger or bite it, just tell him no in a stern voice and move your finger away from him and present/distract him with a toy or kickaroo. He is very much a cat as they like moving things and a finger can wriggle and he thinks it's a worm.

To continue to touch him, always form your fist as a form first resembles a cat's head and they like to do head bumps. You don't have to really always try to touch or stroke his head. You can steal strokes with your fist down the side of his body and stealthily open up one finger and stroke him and let him get use to this and slowly progress from there.

Same as when he is out of the cage. Fist first, let him smell and let him die the first head bump and then slowly indigently you move your fist along his cheek to his ears. Keep repeating this and next, after a few days of head bumping, the next time slowly open up your fist as you proceed along his face to the ear and then to his back. Keep practicing these few steps and repeat and soon he'll get use to it and will let you pet him.

Since he's still young, it's easier for him to learn and as you mentioned, he responds to the tones of your voice and you can train him to do certain things like sit, come, up and down and so on. A cat can understand many words, not literally but to the tone of what we say.

As for now, keep doping what you've been doing and slowly move things up.

Please keep us updated.

 

[tabbytom]

Gunter

Any updates?

 

[tabbytom]

Gunter

Any updates?

 

[Gunter]

Good day tabbytom ,

apologies for no reply and as the saying goes "no news is good news". He left the cage maybe beginning of July and was then only in the same room where the cage was before which is the room I work all day - so he was never alone. Meanwhile he's a happy cat (so I think) - very communicative and in need of lots of cuddling.
He also got used to my wife playing with him and now the whole house is open for him to roam. However, at night we keep him in my work room which has cat tree, cat shelves at the ceiling all around, water fountain and food for the night.
I have also tried to get him accustomed to leash-walking - but that's taking a bit more time. He takes the leash on, no problem but we fear he might be able to escape from it (which he actually did once when I walked with him in the garden. I used his favorite treat to get him back into the house - that was my shock moment )
The next big challenge is to move with him back to Tokyo from the countryside where we are now as we partly live in Tokyo and ca 2h away depending on work situation and weather. We prefer to take the train which will be like 30 + 45min + Taxi - still and adventure. If anyone has recommendation on how to get him accustomed to the transport bag I would love to learn.

Also - as for the food we experimented a bit: Fresh chicken lightly roasted, wet food, dry food. I hear dry food is bad for the cat (but of course convenient) so we try to give him that only at night when we don't know when he eats. Also here I'm very eager to learn.

All in all the forum gave me very valuable advise in the most difficult time when I socialized him! For next year we plan to give him a cat friend so he's not alone (with us). But first we want to become more proficient with above topics to have less stress!

 

[Gunter]

A few pictures of a happy cat

 

[tabbytom]

Good day tabbytom ,

apologies for no reply and as the saying goes "no news is good news". He left the cage maybe beginning of July and was then only in the same room where the cage was before which is the room I work all day - so he was never alone. Meanwhile he's a happy cat (so I think) - very communicative and in need of lots of cuddling.
He also got used to my wife playing with him and now the whole house is open for him to roam. However, at night we keep him in my work room which has cat tree, cat shelves at the ceiling all around, water fountain and food for the night.
I have also tried to get him accustomed to leash-walking - but that's taking a bit more time. He takes the leash on, no problem but we fear he might be able to escape from it (which he actually did once when I walked with him in the garden. I used his favorite treat to get him back into the house - that was my shock moment )
The next big challenge is to move with him back to Tokyo from the countryside where we are now as we partly live in Tokyo and ca 2h away depending on work situation and weather. We prefer to take the train which will be like 30 + 45min + Taxi - still and adventure. If anyone has recommendation on how to get him accustomed to the transport bag I would love to learn.

Also - as for the food we experimented a bit: Fresh chicken lightly roasted, wet food, dry food. I hear dry food is bad for the cat (but of course convenient) so we try to give him that only at night when we don't know when he eats. Also here I'm very eager to learn.

All in all the forum gave me very valuable advise in the most difficult time when I socialized him! For next year we plan to give him a cat friend so he's not alone (with us). But first we want to become more proficient with above topics to have less stress!

That's good news to hear that he's happy cat now! As long as he's used to sleeping alone in his room, that's good.

For moving back to Tokyo, you may want to ask your questions here in Grooming & General Cat Care on traveling with cats and those that have experience in this area may be able to advise you.

As for the food, it's best not to get him used to the homemade lightly roasted chicken as this is missing out on some vital nutrients that comes with the can foods. I'm afraid that he'll reject the canned food. Yes, wet food is best for him.

We are here to help. Thank you for being appreciative.

 

[tabbytom]

Gunter

Updates please!

 

[tabbytom]

Gunter

Any updates?