Semi-feral cat with some human interaction

[Momothepup]

So, I took in today a cat from someone I know. The male cat has had human interaction non negative that I am aware of but has been an outdoors cat. I know he can be tameable. Since he was a kitten the lady interacted with him and feed him she was able to get him into the carrier but she was scratched.

She wants him to have a nice home and not to be outdoors where harm can come to him or he can be lost. Is it possible for him to grow to accept me or has he only bonded to her?

I brought him to my place and he freaked out and tried to climb the wall and kind of broke my blinds but he wasnt hurt. He has hissed and spit at me. He has his own little room and setup where I am leaving him so he has time to calm and get his self together.

I just want to know is there anything more I can do to make things better for him. He has places to hide a litter box with walnut litter scratching 3 toys. How should i feed him? Should i go and leave food and let him eat solo or only give him food with me there? If so how do i do this if i cant get near?

Any advice is very appreciated!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. It will take time and he will come around eventually since he is used to human interaction, even if it wasn't with you before now.
Feed him what he is used to being fed for now, if you want to change it later you can do so.

Why do you ask how you can feed him if you can't get near? Is he trying to attack you or just spitting and hissing? Odds are he is just trying to tell you to not get too near, so I trust you can get into the room to set food and water down and then leave for awhile to see if he will eat/drink. But, then also try to spend time in the room with him off and on during the day - even that means initially just inside the door to start off with - sitting on the floor, softly reading a book out loud so he can hear your voice and see that you are not trying to threaten him. Let him hide as he wishes for now. Maybe you will find some helpful tips/information in these TCS articles.

The Five Golden Rules To Bringing An Outdoor Cat Inside – TheCatSite Articles
How To Help A New Cat Adjust To Your Home – TheCatSite Articles

 

[StefanZ]

You begin with letting him land some, so just leave the food. Talk calming and friendly.
After a few days, when he has calmed down, you sit in there, talking friendly.
Etc.
He will bond with you soon enough.

NOW you can also try with a Feliway diffuser in the room. And soft relaxing music. On youtube there are several hours long sequences with music supposed to be good for cats. They say harp music is good.
But almost any relaxing calm music may work.

You know, not look onto his eyes, look aside. You can try with blinking slowly.
Do yawn often - its a greeting to a friend.
Standing on all four, you can strech forward or backward - its too greeting, NOT sleepiness...

 

[Momothepup]

Hi. It will take time and he will come around eventually since he is used to human interaction, even if it wasn't with you before now.
Feed him what he is used to being fed for now, if you want to change it later you can do so.

Why do you ask how you can feed him if you can't get near? Is he trying to attack you or just spitting and hissing? Odds are he is just trying to tell you to not get too near, so I trust you can get into the room to set food and water down and then leave for awhile to see if he will eat/drink. But, then also try to spend time in the room with him off and on during the day - even that means initially just inside the door to start off with - sitting on the floor, softly reading a book out loud so he can hear your voice and see that you are not trying to threaten him. Let him hide as he wishes for now. Maybe you will find some helpful tips/information in these TCS articles.

The Five Golden Rules To Bringing An Outdoor Cat Inside – TheCatSite Articles
How To Help A New Cat Adjust To Your Home – TheCatSite Articles

Thank you for your response. I will do this . So far he has just hissed spit and meowed at me. Lile you said I was probably to close so i looked away and backed up speaking softly. Last time I checked on him he was sitting up on a plastic cabinet next to the window that i set up. The reason I asked how i could feed if I couldnt get near was because I read advice that said that it was best to be there as they eat so they associate you with food/care sorry if the question sounded dumb.

 

[Momothepup]

You begin with letting him land some, so just leave the food. Talk calming and friendly.
After a few days, when he has calmed down, you sit in there, talking friendly.
Etc.
He will bond with you soon enough.

NOW you can also try with a Feliway diffuser in the room. And soft relaxing music. On youtube there are several hours long sequences with music supposed to be good for cats. They say harp music is good.
But almost any relaxing calm music may work.

You know, not look onto his eyes, look aside. You can try with blinking slowly.
Do yawn often - its a greeting to a friend.
Standing on all four, you can strech forward or backward - its too greeting, NOT sleepiness...

Thank you for the advice and response!

I will look into get a diffuser for him. I left the house but i put some youtube on in the background in the living room I assume he can still hear it so he can be more used to human voices. I read that can be helpful as well. Idk how correct that is but, I will certainly play classical/relaxing music for him . I am sure him and my dog will enjoy it while I am out. I will try the all fours thing.

This may sound weird but I am already kind of used to do that because I interact with my dog on all fours while we relax or play. So I can just translate it over to the cat side .

 

[StefanZ]

Thank you for the advice and response!

I will look into get a diffuser for him. I left the house but i put some youtube on in the background in the living room I assume he can still hear it so he can be more used to human voices. I read that can be helpful as well. Idk how correct that is but, I will certainly play classical/relaxing music for him . I am sure him and my dog will enjoy it while I am out. I will try the all fours thing.

This may sound weird but I am already kind of used to do that because I interact with my dog on all fours while we relax or play. So I can just translate it over to the cat side .

NOT human voices, he will just get stressed at this moment. Calming music!

Its YOUR friendly voice he shall be comfortable with at first. Others humans voices later on in the process.

 

[Momothepup]

NOT human voices, he will just get stressed at this moment. Calming music!

Its YOUR friendly voice he shall be comfortable with at first. Others humans voices later on in the process.

Ok, got it. I switched it to calming music for cats on youtube and got him a diffuser. I brought him food and saw hes still in the window behind the blinds.

Is it normal for me to feel down? During this? I am saddened that hes so afraid and feel like maybe I am over my head but I want to give him the best.

 

[FeebysOwner]

What you are feeling is totally normal. I think you are doing quite well, so I don't think you are in over your head. Just take it a day at a time. You know that is what he is doing!

 

[Momothepup]

Ok. Thank you. I appreciate it.
Yes, thats all him and I can do.
I am happy to have found this site and can hopefully learn more about cats and meet and talk to others like you.

 

[StefanZ]

Ok, got it. I switched it to calming music for cats on youtube and got him a diffuser. I brought him food and saw hes still in the window behind the blinds.

Is it normal for me to feel down? During this? I am saddened that hes so afraid and feel like maybe I am over my head but I want to give him the best.

Its not unusual if you buy a a little shy cat, so shehe may sit under the sofa even a full two day. Not eating, not peeing...

So he taking it easy and keeping his distance by some hissing is quite normal at this stage.

As earlier said; the hissing isnt real threat, its just he wants to have some private zone at this moment.

Let him land, and exactly because he notices you arent forcing nothing, you allow him to step in in his own pace on his conditions, he will warm up to you more and more.

After he had landed some, you will of course proceed with next steps.

 

[Sean35]

Just an FYI (I mentioned this in another thread), but be careful with YouTube -- all the progress with the calming music could go down the drain after it is interrupted by an obnoxiously loud ad.

 

[Momothepup]

Good point

 

[StefanZ]

Just an FYI (I mentioned this in another thread), but be careful with YouTube -- all the progress with the calming music could go down the drain after it is interrupted by an obnoxiously loud ad.

Yes, good remark. Make sure the program isnt interrupted by some stupid ad. If so, you must play the music over to your own recording gear, and cut out the ads. Or just record the music parts. Manually.