- Joined
- Jul 19, 2020
- Messages
- 9
- Purraise
- 42
We rescued a Tom cat that had been living under a local farmhouse a couple of weeks ago.
We know it's been caught before, neutered and released, and that it's been under the house for about a year. Had him checked and scanned for microchip. He's healthy and the vet thinks about 18 months to 2 years old.
We brought him home and placed him in a spare bedroom in a large dog crate with a bed and stuff to make him comfy, and covered the crate to try and make him feel safe.
I go in to feed him and clean out the litter box. I talk to him quietly while I'm in there and he seemed ok. He was keeping himself at the back of the cage but was calm not aggressive at all.
After a couple of days I was able to hand feed him a little and he allowed me to stroke his head, and the following day he reached out a little with his head asking for a little stroke. Over the next few days I was able to give him a good stroke all over. He was curling up a little and pushing his head into my hand and purring. He seemed to be enjoying it. When we went to the vet he allowed me to pick him up and didn't struggle when I put him in our traveling cage. He was fine at the vets and didn't protest when being examined.
I felt it was time to expand his world a little open his cage, but still restrict him the small spare bedroom. I sat with him and eventually he crept out to eat, but since then he seems to have gone backwards. He is seeking out the smallest hiding places around the room and squashing himself into them. When he sees me he looks frightened and is backing away. I'm not going force him out at this stage and have decided I'll put his food where he can see it, but will have to come out a little to get at it and I'm going to give him a bit of time and space for a few days to get used to the extra space.
It's been quite disheartening to see him hiding away like this, I thought I was making progress.
Has anyone got any tips or advice.
We know it's been caught before, neutered and released, and that it's been under the house for about a year. Had him checked and scanned for microchip. He's healthy and the vet thinks about 18 months to 2 years old.
We brought him home and placed him in a spare bedroom in a large dog crate with a bed and stuff to make him comfy, and covered the crate to try and make him feel safe.
I go in to feed him and clean out the litter box. I talk to him quietly while I'm in there and he seemed ok. He was keeping himself at the back of the cage but was calm not aggressive at all.
After a couple of days I was able to hand feed him a little and he allowed me to stroke his head, and the following day he reached out a little with his head asking for a little stroke. Over the next few days I was able to give him a good stroke all over. He was curling up a little and pushing his head into my hand and purring. He seemed to be enjoying it. When we went to the vet he allowed me to pick him up and didn't struggle when I put him in our traveling cage. He was fine at the vets and didn't protest when being examined.
I felt it was time to expand his world a little open his cage, but still restrict him the small spare bedroom. I sat with him and eventually he crept out to eat, but since then he seems to have gone backwards. He is seeking out the smallest hiding places around the room and squashing himself into them. When he sees me he looks frightened and is backing away. I'm not going force him out at this stage and have decided I'll put his food where he can see it, but will have to come out a little to get at it and I'm going to give him a bit of time and space for a few days to get used to the extra space.
It's been quite disheartening to see him hiding away like this, I thought I was making progress.
Has anyone got any tips or advice.