Newly Adopted Kitten advice

[cookieandbrownie]

I came here back in May-June of last year when I adopted my feral babies Cookie and Brownie and you guys were a MASSIVE help! They are happily adjusted and becoming snuggle bugs slowly. I took in a friends cat for a few months while she needed to sort out her living arrangement and it turns out our cats absolutely love him and now that he's leaving, we were worried about how they would adjust going back to just the two of them. So, I found them a friend. I just adopted a beautiful 5 month old that was TNR'd on 2/17 and brought her home on 3/6. She is scared, definitely a bit feral but was very well adjusted with her foster. He was able to pick her up, cuddle her, she would purr and enjoyed every moment.

I fully do not expect a well adjusted cat super quickly, I learned that the first time around! I do have some questions regarding how to treat her adjustment period though. Shes younger and I want to continue to encourage petting and contact while she is still young and don't want to wait too long. She has been here for about 36 hours, she hasn't eaten at all but has started to explore when its quiet and at night. I have pet her in her hiding spot but I know it's not very beneficial as that is her safe space currently and I dont want to intrude.

My question is where to go from here. I feed her stinky wet food three times a day and she has dry food out at all times. I expect her to hide out a few more days, and hopefully she will start eating in the next day or so.

• How much does a 5 month old kitten need to eat? She is about 4lbs.
• Do I leave her to hide out until she is ready to come out? Or should I start to pick her up in a few days after she starts eating?
• How long is too long? She is already past the socialization stage but I want to pet her and pick her up as much as I can while she is still small. I do not want to wait until she is older and less open to socializing.

Heres a picture of lil Lucy

 

[Mr. Meow]

I came here back in May-June of last year when I adopted my feral babies Cookie and Brownie and you guys were a MASSIVE help! They are happily adjusted and becoming snuggle bugs slowly. I took in a friends cat for a few months while she needed to sort out her living arrangement and it turns out our cats absolutely love him and now that he's leaving, we were worried about how they would adjust going back to just the two of them. So, I found them a friend. I just adopted a beautiful 5 month old that was TNR'd on 2/17 and brought her home on 3/6. She is scared, definitely a bit feral but was very well adjusted with her foster. He was able to pick her up, cuddle her, she would purr and enjoyed every moment.

I fully do not expect a well adjusted cat super quickly, I learned that the first time around! I do have some questions regarding how to treat her adjustment period though. Shes younger and I want to continue to encourage petting and contact while she is still young and don't want to wait too long. She has been here for about 36 hours, she hasn't eaten at all but has started to explore when its quiet and at night. I have pet her in her hiding spot but I know it's not very beneficial as that is her safe space currently and I dont want to intrude.

My question is where to go from here. I feed her stinky wet food three times a day and she has dry food out at all times. I expect her to hide out a few more days, and hopefully she will start eating in the next day or so.

• How much does a 5 month old kitten need to eat? She is about 4lbs.
• Do I leave her to hide out until she is ready to come out? Or should I start to pick her up in a few days after she starts eating?
• How long is too long? She is already past the socialization stage but I want to pet her and pick her up as much as I can while she is still small. I do not want to wait until she is older and less open to socializing.

Heres a picture of lil Lucy
View attachment 372657View attachment 372658

A couple of things I can chime in on.
As far as how much should she eat, when it comes to kittens, they should eat as much as they want. They have such a high caloric requirement that they should eat any time they feel like it and as much as they want, as long as they aren't puking it back up.
As far as being "past the socialization stage", that's not true at all. You can socialize a cat at any age, although earlier is usually better and easier. But at 5 months old, you still have plenty of time. It's only been 36 hours, so give her some time to adjust and she'll come out when she's ready. Just sit on the floor, read a book softly to her, have treats near by and let her decide when she's comfortable with you. When she makes that decision, then you can pick her up.

 

[cookieandbrownie]

As far as being "past the socialization stage", that's not true at all. You can socialize a cat at any age, although earlier is usually better and easier. But at 5 months old, you still have plenty of time.

By the socialization period I was referring to the traditional up to 12 weeks rule of thumb they generally go by. She's been feral for 4 months, so she's a few weeks behind on human contact. My first two were feral for 2 years and they've warmed up quite a bit in the last 9 months so I know its possible, I just want to start as soon as possible

Thanks for the feeding advice! I'll be sure to let her eat her little heart out once she starts to eat food. She's still ignoring it and has no interest. I hope we can find something that interests her in the next day or so

 

[ArtNJ]

There is no "socialization period" in the rigid sense there might be for some animals. I've had both home raised kittens and street kittens of about that age, and the difference isn't much. Either way, don't rush things, take it slow and going at the kittens pace is actually the fastest way. You can coax and lure with toys or treats, but the most important thing is just being around the kitten, letting it see your not so bad, and avoiding anything that would needlessly stress the kitten like being grabby.

 

[kghia]

I was a little confused when you said she was TNR'd! That to me means "trapped, neutered, returned" (for cats fixed, ear tipped and return to their feral colony) so initially I thought you are attempting to adopt a feral cat who's been returned to the colony....

Definitely give her as much food as she wants. A kitten can eat. I started reducing my older girls' food when they were around 1 and have started to dial back my 8 month old's food a tiny bit. She was eating as much as our 13 lb adult, now she's eating a little less. If she's not quite eating yet, make sure you keep swapping that dry food so it stays fresh and doesn't go stale.

As for how to get her to accept pets, she needs to trust you first. Foster dad could pet her and cuddle her because she trusted him. With time, she will trust you too. Don't force it and don't try to pick her up when she's eating. My 8 month old is super cuddly but does not like to be picked up or petted while she's eating, she will run away. My older girls were like that too when they were younger. Even today, they kind of pull away form my hand when I pet them while they're eating (they're 8.5 years).

Try sitting by her hiding space and doing something quiet like reading a book or when you're on your phone or laptop. Once in awhile, pop your head down to her level and gently speak to her. If all you do is go up to her when you're trying to pet her, that might be a bit scary for her. Gain her trust first. I met our 8 month old girl at the shelter and she was super friendly with me at the shelter, but she hid for 24 hours after we brought her home and while she accepted pets from me still ,she was squished against the wall and I had to lay down awkwardly in the bathroom to do so. I couldn't entice her with treats or anything. Once she felt more comfortable in that space, she came out of her hiding spot. If you just have her out in the open in a room, keep in mind it may take a little longer vs. if you had her in a smaller room.

Honestly, she's 5 months and like other people have said, I don't really see a traditional socialization period with cats. Don't worry about "waiting too long". I volunteer at a shelter and every cat is different, I've seen ferals a few years old (who could no longer be in their colony due to loss of a caregiver, or an injury) get socialized at our shelter. It's not really about how old the kitten is, but the way you go about doing it.

It's better to do it the right way and have your kitty love you, than to force it on her and have her be scared of you. Good luck!

Edit: came back to add another trick that I use at the shelter that helps calm *certain* cats. I slow blink them. Sometimes your voice is scary, but this slow blink thing works for me. Won't be a magical thing, but if I find that once you do it enough to a cat, once in awhile they do it back even if they're super scared.

 

[lizzieloo]

I lot of feral rescue groups advocate that feral kittens need to be socailized by 4-5 months or it's too late. OP is that what you refer to when you state she is past spcialization age? If so you don't need to worry. By getting her into foster care she has already been socialized to humans and has overcome the main process, IMO. Now you just have to be patient and wait for her to get comfortable in her new environment which may take some time. I wouldn't pick her up until she is climbing into your lap purring. I also wouldn't pet her until she willingly comes out - pet her as she eats when she gets to that stage.

ps she is so pretty!!

 

[kghia]

I lot of feral rescue groups advocate that feral kittens need to be socailized by 4-5 months or it's too late. OP is that what you refer to when you state she is past spcialization age? If so you don't need to worry. By getting her into foster care she has already been socialized to humans and has overcome the main process, IMO. Now you just have to be patient and wait for her to get comfortable in her new environment which may take some time. I wouldn't pick her up until she is climbing into your lap purring. I also wouldn't pet her until she willingly comes out - pet her as she eats when she gets to that stage.

ps she is so pretty!!

I agree that since she's been in foster, she's technically already socialized!

Even when true ferals come in past the kitten stage, they're not necessarily a "lost cause". One of the staff members at the shelter adopted a 1 year old feral and even though he doesn't love other humans, he loves HIS human.