A couple months ago, we noticed a stray living under our home. He would come up on the deck and just sit there looking lonely. We started to feed him outside and he was okay being near us but wouldn't allow physical contact. I named him Elian (a mash-up of Ellen and Elliot when I didn't know if he was boy or girl!) 6 days ago, we got him in a humane cage and took him to the vet for neuter, rabies, fleas, worming, nail trim, leukemia test, etc. He doesn't seem fully feral and wasn't hanging with the feral colony in our neighborhood. He will do the slow blink with me readily and meows at me. He's extremely timid and I've never seen him act aggressive at all. These things make me think he might have once been an indoor cat but had some type of traumatic experience that resulted in him being left alone.
I couldn't leave him outside and still call myself a decent person, so he's now in our spare room and we set it up to be cat-friendly. Tables to climb on, boxes to hide in, toys, food, water, litterbox, and a low chair for the human (no other furniture). My husband and I 'visit' him several times a day, always taking food/treats. We stay for a while, talking or singing to him. I've put a couple pieces of my clothing near the towels he likes to lay on. We've tried to interest him in play with a fishing-pole toy and a remote-controlled mouse. He watches the feather on the fishing-pole fly around and land, but he doesn't interact. Other than looking at me and slow-blinking with me, he doesn't interact at all. We have another male cat, Lanny, who is 8 years old. I think they've been interacting a little through the crack under the door, but they haven't 'officially' met.
I've read a lot about strays and ferals online, but there are sooooo many opinions out there about what is best for these cats. I'd appreciate any advice from the people who have actually worked with this type of cat. I have the love and patience that I know will be needed to gain Elian's trust, but I don't have enough knowledge. Please help!!!
I couldn't leave him outside and still call myself a decent person, so he's now in our spare room and we set it up to be cat-friendly. Tables to climb on, boxes to hide in, toys, food, water, litterbox, and a low chair for the human (no other furniture). My husband and I 'visit' him several times a day, always taking food/treats. We stay for a while, talking or singing to him. I've put a couple pieces of my clothing near the towels he likes to lay on. We've tried to interest him in play with a fishing-pole toy and a remote-controlled mouse. He watches the feather on the fishing-pole fly around and land, but he doesn't interact. Other than looking at me and slow-blinking with me, he doesn't interact at all. We have another male cat, Lanny, who is 8 years old. I think they've been interacting a little through the crack under the door, but they haven't 'officially' met.
I've read a lot about strays and ferals online, but there are sooooo many opinions out there about what is best for these cats. I'd appreciate any advice from the people who have actually worked with this type of cat. I have the love and patience that I know will be needed to gain Elian's trust, but I don't have enough knowledge. Please help!!!