Taming 6 Months Old Kitten

[Isidora]

Hello everyone!

On monday, I rescued a 6 months old kitten. He was living in an industrial site and was fed by the workers, who never petted him.

So I decided I would give him a home. I took him inmediatly to the vet, where he was vaccinated and neutered.

On tuesday, he woke up in my house, in a small room that I had set up as the safe room. He was screaming a lot and the vet recommended to use the Feliway difusor. I bought it right away and plugged it. He hasn't been screaming since then.

But, he left the safe room on tuesday evening, and found a safe spot under a couch. He stares at me from there. He eats, drinks and uses the litter box at night (when I'm not around to watch, but I can hear him from there other room).

I have been reading a lot on the topic. But there's a lot of information on the web and one can get lost. That's why I came here, to request your help!

I don't know if I'm doing things well. Should I let him be underneath the couch? Should I try to grab him and take him back into the safe room?

I would really appreciate your help! He's been under the couch for 4 days now. Sometimes he meows and sounds calm. He does not hiss at me, but doesn't move from his corner if I'm around.

 

[danteshuman]

I would start with giving him lots of safe/hiding holes .... and branching out his home base (the safe room.) In a pinch dining room chairs with towels or a sheet draped over them to cover 3 or 3 & most of the 4th side placed around the house will give him safe spots. If you can get hold of a couple of boxes that you can lay on the side with a towel draped over the entrance that would work great. You can even add peep holes to the box Later in a couple of weeks or a months you can block off under the sofa/under the bed. You can give him cat shelves or a cat tree in which ever room you spend the most time in. I would give him LOTS of scent soakers (towels, blanket on the bed, a few card board scratchers and a second litter box.) Place them everywhere in his safe room (a towel under the bed where he sleeps so it gets his scent.) Then after 5-7 days drape the blanket on the sofa, move a litter box out , the scratchers and towels to place around your place. That way the place smells like his/safe to encourage him to branch out. Don't forget to pretend you can't see him but talk softly to him. That way he gets used to your voice. If you make eye contact with him do a slow blink or close your eyes for 3-5 seconds then look away so in cat speak you are saying 'I'm not a threat/I trust you.' Just sitting in a room and ignoring him while you read a bit of newspaper daily will help him

 

[Isidora]

Thanks!!!

In once tamed a feral cat before. But he was 3 months old, not 6. Although I'm not sure if he was ever really tamed; he has never been a lap cat, he tolerates me and sometimes I can pet him. But that's it. He's about 13 years old now and lives with my parents in a beautiful countryside house.

I'm worried I will not be able to tame this little one, though, because he's "old".

But I will take your advice and take baby steps from there. As soon as I find him... Last night, he came out of his hidding spot, he wondered through the apartment all night, and I couldn't sleep at all! He's very talkative. Then, this morning, I heard him meow but I couldn't see him, and then he stopped. I know he's hidding somewhere in the apartment, because I haven't open the door. I just can't find him. I know he comes out of his hidding spot every night, so maybe I'll have to sit and wait.

 

[danteshuman]

He sounds more like a semi-feral than a straight feral kitty if that helps. I think he had some socialization maybe just not as much as one would like. Our semi-feral gets on us and kneads every day, seeks us out for attention, meows for more food and herds my roommate to bed. It took time and patience but slowly he got elevated from a garage kitten to semi-pet. If my roommates would make the effort to keep him inside, he could become a house cat. He isn't as friendly as other pet cats but he does show affection daily. He started coming around at 4-6 months old and eating food in the garage. Hope that helps.

 

[danteshuman]

4-6 months old

 

[susanm9006]

As long as he is eating and using the litterbox then it is perfectly fine for him to hide during the day and explore at night. My semi feral girl was a year old when I got her and hid under the bed and sofa for several months. It is best to ignore him, let him hide where he is comfortable and wait for him to feel it is safe to explore while you are present. Be sure there are lots of toys and treats in the open areas to tempt him out.

When he he decides its safe to be in the same room with you talk to him and have some interactive toys like a laser pointer or wand and string to try to engage him in play.

Unsocialized kittens may be fearful of being stared at, having hands reach for them, anything towering over them or even faces getting too close, so pay attention to his reactions and body language and back off if what you are doing is stressing him.

 

[Isidora]

As long as he is eating and using the litterbox then it is perfectly fine for him to hide during the day and explore at night

I'm kind of desperate right now. He finally appeared. He was hidding in the kitchen. Of course he came out of hidding at 2 AM. I haven't slept since then. And haven't slept much this week. He meows a lot, sometimes like calling his mom, and sometimes just a normal meow. I wish he could explore during the day!

I don't know what to do. Am I doing the right thing here? I feel like he is really stressed out and I'm not helping him to feel secure at all, even though I have my place full of Feliway, and I've been following all your advices. I know there's only been 6 days, but I feel I've made zero progress. Many people tell me he's too old to socialize with humans. I don't know... I wish they are wrong, because I know he does not have a future on the streets, much less on a shelter.

 

[Isidora]

He sounds more like a semi-feral than a straight feral kitty if that helps. I think he had some socialization maybe just not as much as one would like.

I can't say, really. He was fed by humans, and had some bad experiencies with them, from what I was told. Also, a girl touched him once. That's it. Would you say this a semiferal?

He started coming around at 4-6 months old and eating food in the garage. Hope that helps.

Yes! That helps a lot!! Although I don't know if you ever trapped him like I did, I believe he hates me for taking him to the vet. Anyway, how long did ir take you to socialize your feral? Thank you!

 

[susanm9006]

You are doing the right thing, letting him adjust at his own pace. He will start coming out during the day once that feels safe to him but how long that takes really depends on his personality. Some kitties are just more adventurous than others. Keep doing what you have been doing, try to sleep through the night though and soon you will see him dart past you during the day and then actually stay out.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Remember also that he was a "street cat" and is now learning to be a house cat. Being a house cat, and being with you, is really much safer and healthier for him but I don't doubt that he has quite a lot to discuss about this new situation.

I thought I would ask you, in case this might be part of it (him being a 6-month old street cat still carrying the vestiges of male kitty hormones in him), did the vet do a vasectomy or a castration? I remembered abyeb posting this post recently, and it may or may not be helpful to you. I've never had a male cat myself, but I've also read here that it can take several weeks for the male hormones to quit surging through their systems after they've been neutered. So maybe he is howling for his lost girlfriends?!

 

[abyeb]

Remember also that he was a "street cat" and is now learning to be a house cat. Being a house cat, and being with you, is really much safer and healthier for him but I don't doubt that he has quite a lot to discuss about this new situation.
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I thought I would ask you, in case this might be part of it (him being a 6-month old street cat still carrying the vestiges of male kitty hormones in him), did the vet do a vasectomy or a castration? I remembered abyeb posting this post recently, and it may or may not be helpful to you. I've never had a male cat myself, but I've also read here that it can take several weeks for the male hormones to quit surging through their systems after they've been neutered. So maybe he is howling for his lost girlfriends?!

I'm also interested if the vet performed a vasectomy or a castration. I think PushPurrCatPaws has made an excellent point here. Even castrated males are still fertile for up to eight weeks after the surgery, so that might be the reason why your kitty is yowling in the night.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

I might add another thing, as I am not sure that your new kitty has had a full chance to do this yet. But most kittens/cats when put in a new environment usually like to do what I call "a perimeter check", esp. if it is an enclosed environment like a room, an apartment, a house, etc. I'm sure he was starting to do this when you describe the below..

... Last night, he came out of his hidding spot, he wondered through the apartment all night, and I couldn't sleep at all! He's very talkative. ... I know he comes out of his hidding spot every night, so maybe I'll have to sit and wait.

Perimeter checks get ever wider, and the safety zone increases for him, as he scopes out the place more, gets used to your patterns and scent, and feels safe and confident. This may or may not take a while.

 

[danteshuman]

No we didn't trap him. He comes and goes as he pleases, I doubt your cat hates you for taking him to the vet (though he may hate the crate ) Please just ignore him until he adjusts to his new place. Cats know every scent and hiding place in their turf. He is now in a home with strange things, not on his turf and with a weird giant fur-less creature that gives him food. Give him time. Weird as it sounds having other socialized house cats around helps. They teach the stray kitty how to interact with the humans. Our garage kitty learned to sit for treats watching my cats sit for treats!!! I never taught him, one day he just did it. So if in 6 months he is still very skittish (I doubt he will be) you can get a adult kitty that is a house cat to act as a mentor for your cat.

 

[Isidora]

did the vet do a vasectomy or a castration? I remembered abyeb posting this post recently, and it may or may not be helpful to you.

Well, I checked with the vet and he was castrated. He also told me the same that @abyed said: the hormones in his blood will be decreasing slowly over the next 8 weeks. Although he doesn't think this is the reason for his nocturnal chats. He believes is part of the adaptation phase.

Last night, I got up and tried to play with him when he started meowing. This seemed to shut him up. He was very interested in the game (I bought him a mouse with a string), but he didn't feel secure enough to play with me. He did try to catch the mouse twice, but retracted quickly.

Perimeter checks get ever wider, and the safety zone increases for him, as he scopes out the place more, gets used to your patterns and scent, and feels safe and confident. This may or may not take a while.

I think he's looking for a way out, instead. He found a window last night and tried to jump through it. But he's definetly getting to know the house.

Thank you all for your posts! Here's a picture of him, hidding under the sofa.

 

[Isidora]

Please just ignore him until he adjusts to his new place.

Ok, I will ignore him. I just talk to him when I change the water and food. Also, when he meows at night. It worries me that he's SO loud sometimes, and neighbors might be bothered. Pets are allowed in the building, but I wouldn't like to wake up at 3am beacuse of my neighbor's dog barking.

I was thinking about getting a "calming" spray, yo spray

 

[Isidora]

***I meant: to spray his bed. I've read there are some natural sprays that help with fear in kittens.

Has anybody tried this kind of calming sprays?

 

[Isidora]

Well, I thought I might update you.

Not really sure if the spray did anything. The vet also sugested a natural relaxing snack... Of course, he ate the whole plate *except* the snack...

Anyway, I sprayed his bed when he decided to switch hidding spots. Later, he returned under the sofa where his bed is placed. He stayed there for a while but when I turned the light off, he started wondering around. He went to my bedroom and started meowing really loud in a corner, so I got up (I thought he was hungry or something). When I got up, he ran under the sofa. I started playing with him... And, surprise! He played a little bit and even touched my finger without nails! I never looked him in the eye (my eyes were closed most of the time). When he decided he was done playing (or looking me play), he went to the plate an ate while I was there! Then he streched and returned to the hidding spot under the sofa.

Also, I found out his father is a beautiful feral siamese... Maybe this is why he's so loud?? Really, he talks all night and has a wide vocal range. Right now I'm working at the computer and he's meowing softly. He just ate, so I guess there's nothing wrong, just chatting.

 

[Letta]

that's really great. It seems everything is on the right track. Do you have any new pictures of him?

 

[Isidora]

I don't have more pictures of him right now, I don't want to push him yet! But I will update as soon as he's comfortable.

Right now, he's eating again while I'm in the room. I believe that's some progress

I think the next step, after socialization, is getting him to adapt to my schedule (i.e, sleeping at night), if that's possible.

 

[danteshuman]

That is great. Sounds like you got a talker Expect to hear many conversations from your cat. Also because he is part Siamese & Siamese tend to be hyperactive ... if he turns out to be hyper, don't fret. We can help.