Exactly one month ago I adopted a 3 year old neutered male. The description said he came from a multiple cat household and that he was shy and timid but warmed up quickly. Firstly I adopted him from a Petdmart and they didn’t even know he was a male. Well my son fell in love with him so we adopted him and took him home. It’s been a month now and he still never comes out of hiding, except for st night when we are all asleep, and has been spraying as well. I got the Feliway plug in but thought in the meantime I could use some advice. I’ve tried giving him treats to show him some love but he won’t eat them until I leave. One time he let me let him and he seemed to be enjoying himself but then slinked back and hissed at me. I have another cat and I don’t know if they are interacting at all as he only comes out if we aren’t around. I understand that cats spray when they’re anxious but is this all normal behavior? It seems more feral to me than a cat that came from a multiple pet household. Ultimately I want him comfortable. Thanks for any advice!
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New Adopted Cat
- Thread starter Akyina
- Start Date
Hi. Did you follow any guidelines on how to introduce a new cat to your home? Here is an article from TCS that might be helpful and give you tips about what you might need to do.
How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide
This new guy is probably not feral, but is very scared - which might even explain the spraying because it could be anxiety related. And, I know it seems like kind of dumb question, but given what you've already said about PetSmart, are you sure he has been neutered?
There are many questions to be asked and answered - but start with the Introductions article above, see what you have and have not done, and please come back with more questions. Everyone on this site is here to help as much as we can.
How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide
This new guy is probably not feral, but is very scared - which might even explain the spraying because it could be anxiety related. And, I know it seems like kind of dumb question, but given what you've already said about PetSmart, are you sure he has been neutered?
There are many questions to be asked and answered - but start with the Introductions article above, see what you have and have not done, and please come back with more questions. Everyone on this site is here to help as much as we can.
Hello and welcome to TCS. Congrats on the new cat.
First off, is he in a room of his own? Since you have another cat, the best way of ensuring they will get along is to keep them separated, and do a slow introduction.
How is your resident cat responding to the newbie?
Since Petsmart said the new cat came from a multiple cat household, I wonder if they really meant hoarding situation. If so, that could explain his fear/semi-feral behaviour. Fear also can cause spraying. He might also be territorial about your resident cat.
About the spraying, are you using an enzyme cleaner? That is the only way to totally remove the urine scent. And, also, you might want to buy a black light, to ensure you're finding all the places he's peed.
Since there's a few issues here, I'll post a bunch of TCS articles that cover them. Most of the articles are fairly short, so don't be alarmed by the number of them.
Good luck with him. Hope things eventually work out.
How To Help A New Cat Adjust To Your Home
How To Get A Cat To Come Out Of Hiding?
10 Must-know Tips For Happy Living With A Shy Cat
16 Top Cat Experts Share Tips For Dealing With Timid Cats
How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide
How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction
The Multi-cat Household
How To Solve Litterbox Problems In Cats: The Ultimate Guide
Litterbox Problems? Here's Why You Should Call Your Vet
Inappropriate Peeing, Spraying, Toy Obsession And Leg And Hand Nipping
Spraying: When Your Cat Uses Urine To Mark Territory
Combat Cat Urine
How To Remove Cat Urine
How To Remove Cat Urine Odor From Your Home
First off, is he in a room of his own? Since you have another cat, the best way of ensuring they will get along is to keep them separated, and do a slow introduction.
How is your resident cat responding to the newbie?
Since Petsmart said the new cat came from a multiple cat household, I wonder if they really meant hoarding situation. If so, that could explain his fear/semi-feral behaviour. Fear also can cause spraying. He might also be territorial about your resident cat.
About the spraying, are you using an enzyme cleaner? That is the only way to totally remove the urine scent. And, also, you might want to buy a black light, to ensure you're finding all the places he's peed.
Since there's a few issues here, I'll post a bunch of TCS articles that cover them. Most of the articles are fairly short, so don't be alarmed by the number of them.
Good luck with him. Hope things eventually work out.
How To Help A New Cat Adjust To Your Home
How To Get A Cat To Come Out Of Hiding?
10 Must-know Tips For Happy Living With A Shy Cat
16 Top Cat Experts Share Tips For Dealing With Timid Cats
How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide
How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction
The Multi-cat Household
How To Solve Litterbox Problems In Cats: The Ultimate Guide
Litterbox Problems? Here's Why You Should Call Your Vet
Inappropriate Peeing, Spraying, Toy Obsession And Leg And Hand Nipping
Spraying: When Your Cat Uses Urine To Mark Territory
Combat Cat Urine
How To Remove Cat Urine
How To Remove Cat Urine Odor From Your Home
Good point. Is the pee strong tom cat smelly? Or just a regular cat urine smell? And are you sure it's the new cat spraying? If your resident cat is stressed over the newcomer, he/she could have started territorial spraying.
Given that PetSmart didn't even know he was male, I think a vet check is in order. The others are probably right, but why take the chance that the poor boy is in pain from an illness? Many illnesses can be triggered by stress. I think he'd still be hesitant, but if he is ill and your vet cures it, you should make more progress faster.
Kit's been through a bunch of stress the hoarding situation, the rescue (in his mind kidnapping from the only home he knew) to the shelter where he was alone, away from his friends and his safe places (there are no safe places in cat cages, which adds to stress), then kidnapped again and taken to your house where THANKS be he finally has a safe place.
He's going to need a lot of sleep in the safe place. They don't sleep deeply at shelters, they are alert all the time, waiting for one of the animals they hear or a strange human to attack them. Once they get a safe place they sleep. Some fall asleep in the car leaving the shelter because they are exhausted.
Sleep heals the body, the mind, and the spirit.
Oh, and the slow introductions in the instructions above work well.
Kit's been through a bunch of stress the hoarding situation, the rescue (in his mind kidnapping from the only home he knew) to the shelter where he was alone, away from his friends and his safe places (there are no safe places in cat cages, which adds to stress), then kidnapped again and taken to your house where THANKS be he finally has a safe place.
He's going to need a lot of sleep in the safe place. They don't sleep deeply at shelters, they are alert all the time, waiting for one of the animals they hear or a strange human to attack them. Once they get a safe place they sleep. Some fall asleep in the car leaving the shelter because they are exhausted.
Sleep heals the body, the mind, and the spirit.
Oh, and the slow introductions in the instructions above work well.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #6
My resident cat did hiss at him at first but after the first day has seemed largely uninterested. I haven’t seen them interact since the first day. She is a very laid back cat and has been around multiple cats so I would be very surprised if it was her spraying. She’s also a little older at 11 so she’s mellowed out as well in her old age.
As for the newbie he does have his own setup in the room he’s holed up in with his own food, water, bed (which I don’t think he uses) and catbox. He stays in a closet on top of some boxes. At times he will come down in the room but if anyone goes back there to check on him he’ll immediately run to get away and when you leave make his way back to the closet or sprint to the closet. There isn’t any separation like gates or a closed door but when I’m home my resident cat is with me and doesn’t go back there.
This is the first time I’ve ever dealt with a cat that’s sprayed so I’m not sure of if it smells like a tomcat kinda smell. It does smell very strongly though. I do have an enzyme spray and I did buy a black light and it seems to be in only one room he does it, which I’ve closed off to him. It’s the room that leads to our backyard and I don’t know if that could have anything to do with it.
I’m just unsure how to proceed with getting him as comfortable as possible. I’ll look over the articles as I haven’t before I replied if the answer is in there. I don’t know if I should just leave him be to get acclimated to his surroundings or if I should try to give him pets and treats. He stays in the closet and I have to physically enter to get to him so I don’t know if that’s just making him feel less safe as his hiding place isn’t secure from me.
As for the newbie he does have his own setup in the room he’s holed up in with his own food, water, bed (which I don’t think he uses) and catbox. He stays in a closet on top of some boxes. At times he will come down in the room but if anyone goes back there to check on him he’ll immediately run to get away and when you leave make his way back to the closet or sprint to the closet. There isn’t any separation like gates or a closed door but when I’m home my resident cat is with me and doesn’t go back there.
This is the first time I’ve ever dealt with a cat that’s sprayed so I’m not sure of if it smells like a tomcat kinda smell. It does smell very strongly though. I do have an enzyme spray and I did buy a black light and it seems to be in only one room he does it, which I’ve closed off to him. It’s the room that leads to our backyard and I don’t know if that could have anything to do with it.
I’m just unsure how to proceed with getting him as comfortable as possible. I’ll look over the articles as I haven’t before I replied if the answer is in there. I don’t know if I should just leave him be to get acclimated to his surroundings or if I should try to give him pets and treats. He stays in the closet and I have to physically enter to get to him so I don’t know if that’s just making him feel less safe as his hiding place isn’t secure from me.
So many questions. Is he neutered and healthy? Was he from a hoarder house? Assuming he is neutered and healthy, I would try a few things.
I would go through a re-introduction process. I would also block every hiding place except for a box on it's side with a towel covering 3/4 of the entrance. I would encourage him to go high (on cat trees or shelves.)
That said if in a week he has not relaxed and made some progress, I would take him to the vet and try something like Prozac for a few months while he adjusts.
During that week I would give him an hour every day while avoiding eye contact. Talk softly to him. Then before you leave drop some treats, then leave. If he is a hoarder cat then hopefully this will build his confidence.
After the cats are re-introduced I would largely ignore him. Let him learn how to interact with the weird humans through your resident cat. Hopefully she can be a "bridge" kitty.
Lots of litter boxes and cat scratcher (and beds.) plus enzyme cleaners and a black light to completely clean up his spraying. If it continues I would make sure that there are no feral/neighborhood cats intruding on your front or back yard. If there are intruders, there are lots of things you can do to keep them away.
Lastly when I sent my 3 month foster kitten to his new home I included a bag (double zip locked) of scooped out but the litter from one of his boxes, his favorite nursing blanket, toys, one of the king catnip toy, one of his cat scratcher couches and his dry/wet food/treats. Why? Because I wanted him to feel secure inhis new room/home from the get go. I also sent a card explains the trick he knew, his age, gave his medical history, my cell and the link to thecatsite. If it smells like them, then that cat owns it. My point is your boy has to be terrified if he feels so insecure that he needs to tag the walls with his urine! It might be worth a few calls to see if you can find out where he came from. I had one cat that was not adjusting at all.... turns out she was a indoor/outdoor cat. Once she was re-homed with free access outside she settled down. She was more of a indoor/outdoor semi-feral I was trying to get to be an indoor only housecat. Your boy's backstory might help you, help him.
I would go through a re-introduction process. I would also block every hiding place except for a box on it's side with a towel covering 3/4 of the entrance. I would encourage him to go high (on cat trees or shelves.)
That said if in a week he has not relaxed and made some progress, I would take him to the vet and try something like Prozac for a few months while he adjusts.
During that week I would give him an hour every day while avoiding eye contact. Talk softly to him. Then before you leave drop some treats, then leave. If he is a hoarder cat then hopefully this will build his confidence.
After the cats are re-introduced I would largely ignore him. Let him learn how to interact with the weird humans through your resident cat. Hopefully she can be a "bridge" kitty.
Lots of litter boxes and cat scratcher (and beds.) plus enzyme cleaners and a black light to completely clean up his spraying. If it continues I would make sure that there are no feral/neighborhood cats intruding on your front or back yard. If there are intruders, there are lots of things you can do to keep them away.
Lastly when I sent my 3 month foster kitten to his new home I included a bag (double zip locked) of scooped out but the litter from one of his boxes, his favorite nursing blanket, toys, one of the king catnip toy, one of his cat scratcher couches and his dry/wet food/treats. Why? Because I wanted him to feel secure inhis new room/home from the get go. I also sent a card explains the trick he knew, his age, gave his medical history, my cell and the link to thecatsite. If it smells like them, then that cat owns it. My point is your boy has to be terrified if he feels so insecure that he needs to tag the walls with his urine! It might be worth a few calls to see if you can find out where he came from. I had one cat that was not adjusting at all.... turns out she was a indoor/outdoor cat. Once she was re-homed with free access outside she settled down. She was more of a indoor/outdoor semi-feral I was trying to get to be an indoor only housecat. Your boy's backstory might help you, help him.
Lastly because no one packed your boy a bag or two ...... imagine your house burned down and you lost your home. They housed in a jail with nothing but the clothes on your back. You can't access your bank accounts and everything you know is gone. Suddenly you are staying in a room with strangers ..... who already have a room mate..... in an entirely diffetent state. They say you are family but you are scared of them. Plus the roommate barely tolerates you. That is probably how your poor cat feels.
Even though your female cat is laid-back and has been around multiple cats before, and though your new boy comes from a multiple cat home, I would still read up on the introduction methods, just to make it easier for them.
About his urine smell, if he was only recently neutered (assuming he's been neutered), it does take up to 6 weeks for the hormones to be gone, so the urine may still stink for a bit yet. Is he peeing in the litter box at all?
Since there's so many unknowns, and since you have another cat, if you can, I would recommend taking your new boy for a vet checkup. You do need to ensure he doesn't have any illness he could pass onto your female cat. Plus, then you'd know for sure if he's actually neutered.
To help him get comfortable in his new home, here's one more article. It's on ferals, but some of the techniques could help with a semi-feral/scared cat.
Handling Feral Cats
Good luck with him. And do post a picture of him, if/when you can.
How To Add A Picture To Your Forum Post
About his urine smell, if he was only recently neutered (assuming he's been neutered), it does take up to 6 weeks for the hormones to be gone, so the urine may still stink for a bit yet. Is he peeing in the litter box at all?
Since there's so many unknowns, and since you have another cat, if you can, I would recommend taking your new boy for a vet checkup. You do need to ensure he doesn't have any illness he could pass onto your female cat. Plus, then you'd know for sure if he's actually neutered.
To help him get comfortable in his new home, here's one more article. It's on ferals, but some of the techniques could help with a semi-feral/scared cat.
Handling Feral Cats
Good luck with him. And do post a picture of him, if/when you can.
How To Add A Picture To Your Forum Post
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He might have a UTI, I would get him checked by the vet.
