Semi Feral Taken In

[bethanngrove]

I've been caring for Jimmy since he was 6 months old when I TNRd him. To keep it short, I have been caring for him behind my place of work for 5 years. Actually, it was him and his brother Teddy. Teddy has disappeared and I thought Jimmy was lonely as when I would pet him and stop, he would swat at me and one day even jumped up toward me. So I now have him in my spare room. He is very scared as the initial transition did not go so well. I took him to a place to be vaccinated and FIV tested. He was lunging and growling, hissing, etc. The vet would not sedate and sent him home. I'm trying to settle him down. I haven't touched him since bringing him home 17 days ago. I thought we were making progress as I could get close and feed and was just getting ready to initiate moving closer with protection, using an object to see how he would respond. However, yesterday when I was moving something near him, he went to move away, jumped on top of a box with a rug on top, the rug slipped off and so did Jimmy, scaring him again. Now, when he hears me coming, he runs under my futon and I'm afraid I've lost him. Please help! I love Jimmy and want to be able to pet and love him like I used to when he lived outside. BTW, I have cameras and he seems comfortable in the room when I'm not there : (. No meowing, no destruction, using the litter box, eating, grooming. Today he laid on a chair and napped for the first time but now, I'm sitting in the room typing this up and he is under the futon : (

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi, Welcome!
You haven't lost him, I promise. It's just one of those setbacks (one step forward, two steps backwards) that happens so often with ferals.

he seems comfortable in the room when I'm not there : (. No meowing, no destruction, using the litter box, eating, grooming. Today he laid on a chair and napped for the first time

These things are absolutely huge steps for him, wow!

Keep doing what you're doing, sitting on the floor, reading to him or not, maybe even sitting with your back to him, lying down, but otherwise, actually ignoring him. That allows him the emotional space to continue to learn about you and that you're ok, that you're still the food giver, etc.

I'm not sure if he'll respond or not, but you could try Cat Music - there's RelaxMyCat, MusicForCats, Classical harp music, harp music written for cats, and music with purrs in it and videos of just purring.

Can you find a vet who is maybe more comfortable with ferals? Your current one is asking more than is possible with Jimmy, becuase even it he becomes more relaxed with you it could be a long long while before he's able to be calm at the vets.

 

[bethanngrove]

Thank you for your encouraging words. I do have classical music playing but will look for cat specific which I didn't know existed. I am wondering if I should return him to his outside world.

 

[shadowsrescue]

Please do not return him to the outside dangers. Bringing cats inside is a process. It takes time, love and patience. You will experience 1 step forward and 2 steps back. I have brought 6 feral cats into my home throughout the years. Each one has had their own adjustment period.

Playing soft music for sure. How about a Feliway plug in. They can be calming. I also used Composure Max. I prefer the liquid as it works a bit quicker and it's easier to give. The treat formula is very hard and some cats don't like to chew it. Amazon.com

With the Composure you can double the dosage at first. Then gradually reduce. It has helped many of my feral boys adjust.

Another tip is to bring something extra yummy when you visit. Plain cooked/boiled chicken or canned tuna in water are often a favorite. When you come in to visit, sit on the floor. Don't stand or loom over him. Keep your gaze down. Then toss the yummy treat. If he doesn't come for it right away that's ok. Just sit and be with him. You can read, work quietly or just talk to him. Keep your visits to 10 minutes or so at first. Then gradually increase. Keep telling him that he is safe.

Do you have a perch where he can look outside? Do you have a safe place for him to hide such as a cabana bed or even a cardboard box?

It takes outside cats quite awhile to adjust to inside living. Yet most do with time. As long as he is eating and using the litter box, he just needs lots of time. We are all here to help you.

I wanted to add that the first feral I brought inside to live took a solid year to adjust to inside living. I wasn't sure that I would ever get him out of the guest room. Yet slowly and surely he adjusted. He has been with me for 11 years now and is the sweetest boy. He sits on my lap, sleeps with me and has come so far.

Also, if you need to get him to the vet, be sure to find one that will work with feral like kitties. Some vets will offer gabapentin to help get the cat into a relaxed state. For now, just give him time and worry about the vet later.

 

[bethanngrove]

Okay, I am trying to be patient. I do have composure snacks and give 1/2 2 times a day. I just think yesterday's drama set him back. I also have gabapentin that I'm to give before taking back to the vet. I have 5 other rescues, nothing like this, but I need to keep them safe so want to get vaccinations and test. I'm thinking if I can give him the pills and then get him to get shots, etc. And then I can correct the futon situation so he can't get so far away from me?

 

[Furballsmom]

I just think yesterday's drama set him back.

Sure it did, for a little while. Shadowsrescue has excellent information including to avoid letting him back outside. The mantra you need for this boy is patience, patience and probably another enormous dose, or two, of patience. He's his own cat, and will adjust to you at his own pace.

Some people would say yes to moving the futon, but in my mind, it is emotionally much easier on ferals to allow them a place that they can retreat to. They literally need that, and to force them out from their safe space isn't a kindness or a positive thing.

 

[bethanngrove]

Thank you. I was going to move it while he was groggy from the pulls but will hold off. I am just afraid he will drift further away from me as long as he can avoid me.

 

[VAMama]

Cats don't actually enjoy hiding all the time. Jimmy won't live under a futon forever. When I brought home my girl (and we had some drama) I felt the same as you, that she would never warm up. It's been over a month, and she still hides behind a box. We see tiny signs of improvement. Curiosity gets the best of a cat eventually. They want to see what's going on.

My advice is to give him emotional space for now. Bring his food, clean his litter, but don't interact with him too much. Let him see you as a harmless passerby. I know it seems counter-intuitive, but it works. And let him have his futon for a bit longer. You can certainly move it in the future when he doesn't need it so much.

 

[bethanngrove]

Sure it did, for a little while. Shadowsrescue has excellent information including to avoid letting him back outside. The mantra you need for this boy is patience, patience and probably another enormous dose, or two, of patience. He's his own cat, and will adjust to you at his own pace.

Some people would say yes to moving the futon, but in my mind, it is emotionally much easier on ferals to allow them a place that they can retreat to. They literally need that, and to force them out from their safe space isn't a kindness or a positive thing.

 

[bethanngrove]

So here's an update. And I really appreciate all the advise I'm getting here, and encouragement bc I feel my heart sinking when I think of his situation. He still goes under the futon when he hears me coming. It's his new safe space and I think the cages may need to be carefully broken down and taken away? Maybe just a reminder of the big scare he had in them on Friday? Thinking of making a nice little comfy cat friendly area in its place. Large box to lay in, looking for a cat tree, I do have a kitty cabana, etc. Here's a pic of him eating and one of him with his tail up!! Remember, he's 5 years old, I've been his outdoor caretaker his entire life., he would run to meet me and sometimes me interested in being live over food. Now it's like he doesn't know me.

 

[bethanngrove]

Pics. And it was supposed to say he used to sometimes be more interested in being loved over food. Darn auto...

 

[Furballsmom]

Leave everything as it is for now. Please let him have that.

You can make changes later when he's more comfortable. Other than getting him in for shots etc, why are you in such a rush? You don't need to be.

 

[VAMama]

Yep I had the same thing with my girl, spent her whole childhood in a crate and doesn't know she's allowed to walk around. It's a good sign that Jimmy explores at all, even if at night.

What I did with my girl, I set up cardboard boxes elsewhere in the room, put some of her hair inside the boxes, and let her alone for her to find them. She eventually settled on a box as her new house. Then I fixed the bed so it's no longer an option to hide. She is happily living by her box where we can see her at the door.

You gotta get him to move on from the futon before you change it. You can certainly encourage him with motivators, but don't force it.

 

[bethanngrove]

I have off the next 3 days and thought I could try to make a little progress. I'm so stressed over the whole situation. He used to have human contact once to twice a day and now it's 20 days without. I'm so afraid we're moving away from what we had...

 

[bethanngrove]

Yep I had the same thing with my girl, spent her whole childhood in a crate and doesn't know she's allowed to walk around. It's a good sign that Jimmy explores at all, even if at night.

What I did with my girl, I set up cardboard boxes elsewhere in the room, put some of her hair inside the boxes, and let her alone for her to find them. She eventually settled on a box as her new house. Then I fixed the bed so it's no longer an option to hide. She is happily living by her box where we can see her at the door.

You gotta get him to move on from the futon before you change it. You can certainly encourage him with motivators, but don't force it.

How old is yours?

 

[Furballsmom]

Something else that's even more important than the physical things for him, is for you to understand that he is picking up on your stress. You need to adjust your expectations and calm down, because he's like a little emotional sponge for how you're feeling.

You have him in now. He's safe and sound with you, and you have all the time in the world.

 

[Furballsmom]

Sit in the room, read to him or just work on your laptop (or whatever) without talking. Don't look at him directly and don't expect him to come out. Basically, ignore him so that he can observe you at his pace.

 

[bethanngrove]

Something else that's even more important than the physical things for him, is for you to understand that he is picking up on your stress. You need to adjust your expectations and calm down, because he's like a little emotional sponge for how you're feeling.

You have him in now. He's safe and sound with you, and you have all the time in the world.

Thank you for that. I guess the other reason is I have 5 other cats that want.the room back LOL also was thinking. Once vaccinated, maybe meeting them would help. He was sniffing under the door this morning. I'm sure they were on the other side I wasn't at home. They gave me 4 gabapentin 2 to give night before and 2 to give the morning of. I'm just worried, I don't want to traumatize him again. Will that knock him out enough that he won't know what's going on?

 

[Furballsmom]

Will that knock him out enough that he won't know what's going on?

I hope so fingers crossed.

I don't know if there's anything in this that might be useful;

How To Successfully Introduce Cats [The Ultimate Guide] - TheCatSite

 

[VAMama]

My girl is 2-3 years old. We've had her several weeks. It took a month to wean her off hiding behind a bed. Her new spot is under a table behind a box. So basically in a month and a half we got her sitting under a table. But she feels safe and happy there, which enables her to socialize. We sit with her for pets. She now expects visits twice a day to socialize. That's our progress after several weeks.

I totally get what you mean about Jimmy using the futon as a crutch. My girl did that. I used scented boxes closer to the food to break her out of it. Find a motivator to get him away from the futon. Don't just rip it away from him.