Not sure if all the questions belong here but here goes. There's a feral I have been feeding that I took to vet for neutering and shots. We have been bonding slowly. He plays rough. Bites and scratches. I have used hissing to stop him. He now sits on my lap and purrs. Wants to come in. Gradually introduced my indoor cat. She is also a street rescue. Behaviors have fluctuated. They have sniffed noses without hissing maybe 3 times. Other times, they hiss and/or growl. Once they swatted and I broke it up. He is still an outdoor cat. I feed him inside in the hallway so they can interact a little. She approached him to sniff him while he ate last night. He, of course, hissed. When he subsequently tried to come inside, she growled and stared him down.
I tried the pet calming collar that a neighbor gave me (not sure if brand) on him once. He disliked it and I took it off. Tried it on her once. Made her less fearful, but am not sure if it's because the collar works or because it distracts. Read scary stories of collar dangers. Am not happy with it. Took it off her after his visit. Also tried Feliway spray. The only real sign it helped was when I sprayed my clothes after he had been on my lap a long time. It kept her from freaking out. The night before, when she smelled him on my skirt, she growled and bit my skirt. A bad sign, in my opinion. But then there are times they sniff noses without hissing. A lot of confusion. I do not have space for a safe room. Nor do I have outlets in the places where a Feliway diffuser is needed. So if anyone has insights on helping these two to cooperate, please help. He forgives me after I hiss at him. With me, anyway, he is curbing the biting. Has gone from attacking my hand to now, very rarely giving me gentle love bites. Genuinely gentle. (I have had ferals before but each situation is different.) Thanks to everyone. I truly want him inside before the snow comes.
I tried the pet calming collar that a neighbor gave me (not sure if brand) on him once. He disliked it and I took it off. Tried it on her once. Made her less fearful, but am not sure if it's because the collar works or because it distracts. Read scary stories of collar dangers. Am not happy with it. Took it off her after his visit. Also tried Feliway spray. The only real sign it helped was when I sprayed my clothes after he had been on my lap a long time. It kept her from freaking out. The night before, when she smelled him on my skirt, she growled and bit my skirt. A bad sign, in my opinion. But then there are times they sniff noses without hissing. A lot of confusion. I do not have space for a safe room. Nor do I have outlets in the places where a Feliway diffuser is needed. So if anyone has insights on helping these two to cooperate, please help. He forgives me after I hiss at him. With me, anyway, he is curbing the biting. Has gone from attacking my hand to now, very rarely giving me gentle love bites. Genuinely gentle. (I have had ferals before but each situation is different.) Thanks to everyone. I truly want him inside before the snow comes.