Hello all, I just adopted my first feral kitten about two months old. On Monday I got urgent plea to take in this adorable little guy, he had been fixed that morning and we received him late Monday afternoon. He (Axel) stayed in a cage overnight and then we put him in the spare bedroom/office. Bathroom was not an option. (I have had cats for several years, so I’m a little cat savvy, only not with a feral baby).
So, in his new room, he has to share with my husband because he works from home and it has safe places for Axel to retreat to. We also have four other cats and a dog. He has a good appetite, eating wet and dry kitten food and drinking well, he has a shoebox with dirt in for him to do his business. He, is extremely wary, not approachable. Fortunately my husband has a very soothing speaking voice on the phone and I go in often and quietly talk to Axel. I have put a worn by me T-shirt close to where Axel seems to be the most comfortable, under a small bedside table. I have not tried to pick him up, because I don’t want to appear that I’m chasing him down. We have laid on the floor and put our hands close to him and I offer kibble to him, he hisses, when I retrieve my hand he will eat the kibble. We have a toy on a stick, a couple of balls to roll around, he‘s starting to engage with them.
I know it’s only been a couple of days, he yowls quite a lot and was in full yowling mode (all) night and early morning, whether I was in his room or not, he was fed, used his box and I got him to play a little. I left the TV on with soothing sound, not too loud though. My guesses are that one of course he’s scared, and probably lonely for his family. There wasn’t an option to take one of his siblings. Which in the past I’ve tried to do, but also have taken in a single cats. What can I do additionally make him comfortable, especially at nighttime. I want Axel to have wonderful experience and life. I know it takes a lot of patience and I’m expecting with a feral a heaping of patience. My other cats and dog are older, curious (they have all seen each other), we are only letting them in room for a short supervised visit, no scolding for hissing at either party. I’ve gave the other cats and dog a dose of rescue remedy last night because of Axel’s yowling, they were stressing out over it. It worked, so today things are good.
I welcome all advice, I hope this was’t to much of a rambling on, just wanted to let you all as much as possible.
Thank you so much.
So, in his new room, he has to share with my husband because he works from home and it has safe places for Axel to retreat to. We also have four other cats and a dog. He has a good appetite, eating wet and dry kitten food and drinking well, he has a shoebox with dirt in for him to do his business. He, is extremely wary, not approachable. Fortunately my husband has a very soothing speaking voice on the phone and I go in often and quietly talk to Axel. I have put a worn by me T-shirt close to where Axel seems to be the most comfortable, under a small bedside table. I have not tried to pick him up, because I don’t want to appear that I’m chasing him down. We have laid on the floor and put our hands close to him and I offer kibble to him, he hisses, when I retrieve my hand he will eat the kibble. We have a toy on a stick, a couple of balls to roll around, he‘s starting to engage with them.
I know it’s only been a couple of days, he yowls quite a lot and was in full yowling mode (all) night and early morning, whether I was in his room or not, he was fed, used his box and I got him to play a little. I left the TV on with soothing sound, not too loud though. My guesses are that one of course he’s scared, and probably lonely for his family. There wasn’t an option to take one of his siblings. Which in the past I’ve tried to do, but also have taken in a single cats. What can I do additionally make him comfortable, especially at nighttime. I want Axel to have wonderful experience and life. I know it takes a lot of patience and I’m expecting with a feral a heaping of patience. My other cats and dog are older, curious (they have all seen each other), we are only letting them in room for a short supervised visit, no scolding for hissing at either party. I’ve gave the other cats and dog a dose of rescue remedy last night because of Axel’s yowling, they were stressing out over it. It worked, so today things are good.
I welcome all advice, I hope this was’t to much of a rambling on, just wanted to let you all as much as possible.
Thank you so much.