How do I get my feral kitty to eat in my presence?

[karenmoon]

Hi, everyone. I'm new to this site, and I'm here because I've just taken in a feral kitten from my neighborhood. He/she (don't even know the sex yet) appears to be between 4 to 6 months old. I have a mobile vet visit for him tomorrow and then we need to get him spayed/neutered. We could release him after but we hope to keep him as an indoor kitty.

I've had him in my house for two days now. I've been keeping him in a pet playpen, but I've decided to move him into a small bathroom instead so he can roam a little more. This kitty doesn't seem happy to be here, but he will at least look at me (while I do the slow blink) and shows no aggression at all. I've reached into the playpen near him and he doesn't flinch at my hands or even hiss at me. I haven't tried to touch him yet.

My first goal right now is just to get him to eat in my presence. I put out food and then hang out in the room with him, reading or working on my laptop, but he's willing to wait hours for me to leave so he doesn't have to eat with me there. I hate the idea of taking the food away until he'll eat with me, but this might be the only way to make it happen. Last night I was just excited to see him on the kitty cam sitting in his comfy bed with the hot water bottle (and even tossing a toy around) instead of hiding in the cat box. But this is when we're out of the house.

Any tips or ideas? I was hoping if he would at least eat with me there, then I can start introducing a little touch at the same time. Thanks for any help!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Don't rush anything with him/her. They will come around in their own good time - which is so typical of many cats, especially one who you believe to be unsocialized or feral.

Don't take his/her food away to think you can try to convince them to eat in your presence. Let them eat when they want to, which right now is not when you are present. It is perfectly OK and reduces the stress this kitten feels by being able to eat in peace. Depending on this kitten's background, you could be talking weeks or even months to get them to come around. The positive thing is that this kitten appears to be young enough to potentially adapt quicker than an older cat might. But the key is: Patience, patience, patience.

It is also good that you gave this kitten a bit more space!
How To Help A New Cat Adjust To Your Home - TheCatSite
16 Top Cat Experts Share Tips For Dealing With Timid Cats - TheCatSite

 

[tabbytom]

Hi, everyone. I'm new to this site, and I'm here because I've just taken in a feral kitten from my neighborhood. He/she (don't even know the sex yet) appears to be between 4 to 6 months old. I have a mobile vet visit for him tomorrow and then we need to get him spayed/neutered. We could release him after but we hope to keep him as an indoor kitty.

I've had him in my house for two days now. I've been keeping him in a pet playpen, but I've decided to move him into a small bathroom instead so he can roam a little more. This kitty doesn't seem happy to be here, but he will at least look at me (while I do the slow blink) and shows no aggression at all. I've reached into the playpen near him and he doesn't flinch at my hands or even hiss at me. I haven't tried to touch him yet.

My first goal right now is just to get him to eat in my presence. I put out food and then hang out in the room with him, reading or working on my laptop, but he's willing to wait hours for me to leave so he doesn't have to eat with me there. I hate the idea of taking the food away until he'll eat with me, but this might be the only way to make it happen. Last night I was just excited to see him on the kitty cam sitting in his comfy bed with the hot water bottle (and even tossing a toy around) instead of hiding in the cat box. But this is when we're out of the house.

Any tips or ideas? I was hoping if he would at least eat with me there, then I can start introducing a little touch at the same time. Thanks for any help!

and welcome to TCS!

Thank you for taking in this kitty and I do hope that after the vet's you'll adopt him and keep him indoors and never letting him out again.

I agree with FeebysOwner , leave the food out for him for the time being. Since the kitty is in only for 2 days, everything is new to him. You, the sights and sounds of the house is strange to him and it takes awhile for him to get use to all of its. Let him get acclimatized first and slowly make him get use to you.

I believe that this kitten is not a true feral but have at least been exposed to human contact or maybe a stray. If he's a true feral, he'll be bashing the doors and windows and hissing and swatting.

Likely he's a stray and his behavior seems that he has contact with humans before else he won't be looking at you while you do slow eye blinks with him. You can do slow eye blinks with him but look away after you blink at him as this way is to show that he is dominant. Do not stare him in the eyes.

Keep yourself low and make yourself small when you approach him. This way you don't look intimidating to him. If you want to try to pet him, form your hand into a fist and present it to him and let him smell your fist. Presenting a fist is like another cat's head as they like to head bump each other. An open hand looks threatening to him. Let him smell you fist and slowly move your fist along his cheek so that you can get some of his scent on your fist.

Also leave a few pieces of your clean, unwashed non perfumed garments with him in the in the playpen to so that he gets used to your scent and also before moving him to the bathroom, place a few clean towels in the playpen to soak up his scents for a few days and move those towels to the bathroom. This way when he gets to the bathroom, there'll be familiar scents.

Whatever you do, do it slower, no sudden moves or loud sounds that may startle him. Give him a name and keep calling him in a sweet loving voice and always announce you arrival when you go see him. Sit on the floor and read to him and also put a treat in your fist when you try to pet him. Reward him when he rubs his face on your fist and praise him for that.

Remember, love, patience and routine rules the day. Ask as many questions as you can and there are no such thing as a stupid question and please do keep us updated and if you can, post a photo of this kitten for us to see.

 

[Kwik]

Hi there and WELCOME to TCS!
You're already on my list of favorite people having taken this precious little baby out of harms way and into your home- thsnk you and congratulations

I agree with both FeebysOwner & tabbytom - sound advice,from experience

First things first - scent first. Oh,what is baby's name,? And also PLEASE show us photos- we are all crazy for seeing our furry friends!

Yes,first order of things is that tye little darling feel safe & secure by familiarizing his/her self with the space- scent,leaving your scent in it as tabbytom has suggested- cats get to know you first by scent,next by sight so it's not important at this stage for your presence as much as it's important to first feel secure in his/her new territory- the rest follows

And please,if I can encourage you to keep baby inside forever then that us my request-I know baby doesn't look very happy right now but he'll never be happier outside than he can be in a safe forever home with all of his daily needs and requirements met to live a peacefull,stress free wonderful life of leisure surrounded by people who love him and he will love back

 

[Kwik]

Oh also,well be happy to help by suggesting tips,tricks and giving you advice to successfully accomplish all your goals with kitty- every step of the way..... we have done this before-,lol many times so we can offer you what we have learned along the way.....

There's a wonderful group of people here that welcome you with open arms- you're definitely in the right place

 

[allmykitties]

I wouldn't stress too much about kitty eating in front of you--that will happen in its own good time. I've adopted a pair of feral-born boys who were around 6 months when I caught them and brought them in. They're now 3.5 years old, and mostly very happy housecats (Jemmy is still very shy around anyone not me, including my son who lives in the house, though he is slowly warming up to my son). More recently (mid-July this year) I adopted another feral-born little girl who was probably born the first week of May and just got her spay yesterday. She, being much younger when I brought her in, came around much more quickly and there are very few signs of her feral origins now.

With all of these, I used my bathroom as a starting place. I have a cabinet style vanity, so I emptied it of all the usual stuff, put in some old towels, and made it so one door was open and one was shut. This provided a comfy place to sleep (and hide). I arranged food and water at one end of the room and the litterbox at the other end (I would've liked a little more separation, but there was no more space than that). Gradually I expanded their space until they have the run of the house.

Leo and Jemmy (the 3.5 yo cats) are indifferent as to whether I am watching when they eat--they'll eat in my presence or not, it just depends on their mood of the day. Pandora (the 5.5mo kitten) still prefers not to be watched while she eats, and she's been indoors for now the majority of her life. Since she's still on kitten food, I feed her in my bedroom, separated from the others, so I can be sure that she is the one getting the kitten food, but that's not something you'd need to worry about with a single kitten. Just set the food somewhere he (or she) is comfortable with (in the playpen or bathroom) with open access and go about your day. At some point, kitten will not care if you're watching or not.

 

[karenmoon]

Thanks to everyone for your help and support! Little Bailey has been declared (tentatively) a girl by the vet, since it turns out she's spayed. I believe her to be the offspring of another feral (who we're now feeding) who was TNRed over the summer along with two of her kittens. My neighbor told me they were found to be not great candidates for adoption and released along with mom. So she's had some human exposure. She didn't fight the vet at all on her visit this week so that's great news!

I really need to practice my patience. I just feel so bad for her, knowing how difficult a transition this is for her. She meows in her room at night and it makes me sad, but I'm hoping she'll come around soon and appreciate the comforts of indoor living. Hopefully it's not too soon, but we're going to leave her door open tonight into an adjoining room so she can explore more and get more smells from us and our other cats. On the kitty cam I see her playing with all the toys I've brought her and exploring the multi-level cat tree we managed to fit in her small space, so I think she'll enjoy this extra freedom. Any other ideas to help her feel better about her situation are welcome! Thanks.

p.s. I will attach photos when I can get some! (She still pretty much hides when I come around.)

 

[tabbytom]

Thanks to everyone for your help and support! Little Bailey has been declared (tentatively) a girl by the vet, since it turns out she's spayed. I believe her to be the offspring of another feral (who we're now feeding) who was TNRed over the summer along with two of her kittens. My neighbor told me they were found to be not great candidates for adoption and released along with mom. So she's had some human exposure. She didn't fight the vet at all on her visit this week so that's great news!

I really need to practice my patience. I just feel so bad for her, knowing how difficult a transition this is for her. She meows in her room at night and it makes me sad, but I'm hoping she'll come around soon and appreciate the comforts of indoor living. Hopefully it's not too soon, but we're going to leave her door open tonight into an adjoining room so she can explore more and get more smells from us and our other cats. On the kitty cam I see her playing with all the toys I've brought her and exploring the multi-level cat tree we managed to fit in her small space, so I think she'll enjoy this extra freedom. Any other ideas to help her feel better about her situation are welcome! Thanks.

p.s. I will attach photos when I can get some! (She still pretty much hides when I come around.)

That's good to hear that she's been spayed and well behaved at the vet.

Give her time to settle down more and also let her explore the house at her own time and keep the safe room opened for her just in case she's gets spooked, she can always run back to the safe room.

Keep things simple for now and try to find out what she likes and what she don't like. Create a routine with her and hope she follows. As foe he meowing, she's likely seeking attention. Leave her room door open so that shew can come out if it's ok to come out and does not get into fights with your other cats.
Try to get her to eat a full meal before bed time as this may help her sleep through the night.
Give her time to to realize that she's home and it's the best place to be.

Yes, photos please

 

[Kwik]

Thanks to everyone for your help and support! Little Bailey has been declared (tentatively) a girl by the vet, since it turns out she's spayed. I believe her to be the offspring of another feral (who we're now feeding) who was TNRed over the summer along with two of her kittens. My neighbor told me they were found to be not great candidates for adoption and released along with mom. So she's had some human exposure. She didn't fight the vet at all on her visit this week so that's great news!

I really need to practice my patience. I just feel so bad for her, knowing how difficult a transition this is for her. She meows in her room at night and it makes me sad, but I'm hoping she'll come around soon and appreciate the comforts of indoor living. Hopefully it's not too soon, but we're going to leave her door open tonight into an adjoining room so she can explore more and get more smells from us and our other cats. On the kitty cam I see her playing with all the toys I've brought her and exploring the multi-level cat tree we managed to fit in her small space, so I think she'll enjoy this extra freedom. Any other ideas to help her feel better about her situation are welcome! Thanks.

p.s. I will attach photos when I can get some! (She still pretty much hides when I come around.)

Love hearing all you've shared- it's so sad to me when I hear people declare " not a good candidate for adoption " uhhhh Well ,I'm sure glad you paid her no mind!( I'm sure your little girl is glad too)

It's a huge transition but one thst they overcome pretty quickly especially with they way your are helping her to acclimate,lots of toys,a safe space,vertical space but most of all -LOVE!

My Timmy was howling like a banshee at night when I brought him inside-,so loudly I got a pillow and slept on the floor beside his enclosure( I'm in a Condo- lots of neighbors).... he's the quietest most laid back of all the clowder now and it's only been 5months- you'll see and I can't wait to hear all about it!

Don't worry,though she sounds like an unhappy camper right now this will soon pass -she has no idea the wonderful life she has and all the luxury thst awaits & will soon discover

 

[tabbytom]

p.s. I will attach photos when I can get some! (She still pretty much hides when I come around.)

Any updates?

 

[karenmoon]

Little Bailey has been with us for a month now and she's doing so great! The best thing I did was to initiate physical contact with her. I could see that she was completely nonaggressive, never tried to bite or scratch, so I started with just a gentle finger to her cheek. Then I slowly increased it to more scratching around her cheek and very soon she was letting me stroke her whole body. She even allows me to touch her toes and feet! At first I was only able to pet her at her safe place (inside her crate in her room), but over the last few days I've gotten to where I can approach her at her favorite lounging spot (a cat shelf installed at a window), and she doesn't run away. She just sits there and purrs and lets me go to town on her. I can encircle her with my arms, even kiss her if I'm careful about it.

The eating in front of me actually didn't happen until after I started petting her. Then she began to accept the treats I brought her and now she eats in front of me, no problem. We are still working on getting her comfortable with my other cats. She's not ready to accept them yet and growls when they come in the same room. She also doesn't seem to realize that play can be interactive. She plays on her own, but my attempts to initiate play with her are met with a blank look. She is freaking adorable and I'm so glad we brought her in to live with us, especially now that it's cold at night.

Here's two pictures of her, one at her window ledge getting lots of loving attention (she is as soft as a baby rabbit, so cute!).

 

[tabbytom]

Little Bailey has been with us for a month now and she's doing so great! The best thing I did was to initiate physical contact with her. I could see that she was completely nonaggressive, never tried to bite or scratch, so I started with just a gentle finger to her cheek. Then I slowly increased it to more scratching around her cheek and very soon she was letting me stroke her whole body. She even allows me to touch her toes and feet! At first I was only able to pet her at her safe place (inside her crate in her room), but over the last few days I've gotten to where I can approach her at her favorite lounging spot (a cat shelf installed at a window), and she doesn't run away. She just sits there and purrs and lets me go to town on her. I can encircle her with my arms, even kiss her if I'm careful about it.

The eating in front of me actually didn't happen until after I started petting her. Then she began to accept the treats I brought her and now she eats in front of me, no problem. We are still working on getting her comfortable with my other cats. She's not ready to accept them yet and growls when they come in the same room. She also doesn't seem to realize that play can be interactive. She plays on her own, but my attempts to initiate play with her are met with a blank look. She is freaking adorable and I'm so glad we brought her in to live with us, especially now that it's cold at night.

Wonderful update! Thank you!

 

[Kwik]

So happy to hear little Bailey is doing so well and she is simply adorable-my my time flies,cant believe it has been a month already- I'm sure she's grown quite a bit ...they are kittens for just way too short a time!