Timmy,7yr old TNR true feral! COLD TURKEY!

[tabbytom]

tabbytom
Regular dirt with some potting soil,yeah good idea ,a sieve is a much better thingy to use than a litter scooper.....I will start adding a little more cat litter everyday to transition......thanks for the suggestion,sounds good
Yeah? Ya think?He's certainly talking like he always has when he wants something.... Meowing & when I look up he's blinking with a cry,he's breaking my heart already!

Use the sieve and sieve out the pebbles and stones and twigs and slowly introduce (mix) the litter with the potting soil till you transit him over to cat litter completely.

Yeah, he knows that you care and love him. Please talk to him all the time and meowing and blinking is a good sign. He certainly wants attention from you.

 

[Kwik]

Will do tabbytom - I'm going to get to it shortly as he's very quiet at the moment so when he starts moving around again I'll go in there....
Yes,I'm actually reading out loud and when he talks to me I do sit and answer as I always have,he wants my attention and he's going to get it- I just don't want to overdo and answer every cry,he's really a little guy with a sweet personality and was just too frightened to ever approach a human,he'd sit by me to get petted and grab my pant leg if I got up to leave,I do hope it's not terribly long before he'll trust me enough to enjoy those petting sessions again...

 

[Kwik]

It's midnite,day 3 -I started getting this very sick feeling that Timmy was so uninterested in eating or drinking,just laying in his cubby up high
Well,I was woken up just now by the sound of a dish,you all know the sound of a cat moving a dish ever so slightly....yes,he ate his food-I did put it up high but tonight I opened the sliding glass door and talked to him around 10pm & he comes out to look outside,I sat about 45 minutes just in front of him until I couldn't stay awake-I was praying "Please Dear Lord,just a bite".....all I can say is God Loves all His creatures,great & small!

 

[Kwik]

Well,yeppur-couldnt keep my eyes open and dozed off for A -MOMENT-then bamm,bang,boom,rattle,clawing,yowling,lol....my Sami hissing growing,Max & Bella running around having a good Ole time (Graycie lying down watching the entertainment)...it was quite the night
Timmy was not hiding,in the bottom exposed corner yelling for me to " get me out"! Oi vey!
I had to lie on the floor next to him just to get 2hrs sleep-it was horrible but a good indication that he'll work it out,testing the enclosure,eating,relieving himself in litter box and not terrified,just not a happy camper being confined
I also had to take the carrier out,it was obvious he thought behind it might be a way out so I had a bungy keeping it secured & the door open,that was most the racket- no need,he has 2nd & 3rd tier cubbies...
Any tips or similar experiences to help ,happy endings?
I can't thank you enough for listening to all of this,it's so helpful to have experienced folks to share with ... I appreciate yall from the bottom of my heart

 

[tabbytom]

Timmy was not hiding,in the bottom exposed corner yelling for me to " get me out"! Oi vey!

Looks like Timmy is gaining his confidence but the part about 'get me out', I'm not sure if it is get me out so I can be with the rest or get me out of the house I hope it's not the latter.

 

[Kwik]

Looks like Timmy is gaining his confidence but the part about 'get me out', I'm not sure if it is get me out so I can be with the rest or get me out of the house I hope it's not the latter.

Oh no,"get me out of this house"it is and highly likely for a long time,I have no unrealistic expectations of him & so I'm working on the rest of the house to get it "escape proof"- building a second door about 4ft from the front door of the house & "caging " the big patio screens-rear door is shuttered closed- thank God my cousin is a professional carpenter- but typical Italian guy well equipped for any construction work as our family were all skilled tradesman.....plumbers,electricians,masons etc...

 

[iPappy]

Oh no,"get me out of this house"it is and highly likely for a long time,I have no unrealistic expectations of him & so I'm working on the rest of the house to get it "escape proof"- building a second door about 4ft from the front door of the house & "caging " the big patio screens-rear door is shuttered closed- thank God my cousin is a professional carpenter- but typical Italian guy well equipped for any construction work as our family were all skilled tradesman.....plumbers,electricians,masons etc...

Those are really, really good ideas!
Do you have shelving/"catification" in your house other than in the enclosure? He might feel safer if he has some safe places up high. I've heard the use of vertical space can keep tensions down.

 

[Kwik]

Hi iPappy !
I do,I have a 7ft Cat Condo with perches n 2cubbies in living room-other 2rooms have double windows one has 2 hammocks over the window & the other has 2 cat perches( shelves)..... there's another cat tree with 2 cubbies in the office room as well.....I was thinking of putting shelving straight across 2 walls in that room as well,about 7ft up like a cat walk with step shelves to get up there for them.... there's lots of dens and beds throughout the house a well
It's a real'CatHouse"...lol,no red light though!!!!

 

[iPappy]

Hi iPappy !
I do,I have a 7ft Cat Condo with perches n 2cubbies in living room-other 2rooms have double windows one has 2 hammocks over the window & the other has 2 cat perches( shelves)..... there's another cat tree with 2 cubbies in the office room as well.....I was thinking of putting shelving straight across 2 walls in that room as well,about 7ft up like a cat walk with step shelves to get up there for them.... there's lots of dens and beds throughout the house a well
It's a real'CatHouse"...lol,no red light though!!!!

That sounds amazing!! My cats read this and told me "hey, get to work!"

 

[tabbytom]

Kwik ,

How is Timmy coming along?

 

[Kwik]

tabbytom

Hi TT!!! Well,Timmy,as he's probably done for the past 7yrs,sleeps most the day away,in his cubby sprawled out with his little head & arms out-I do open the sliding glass doors to the patio in the morning and try to hang out as much as possible out there with my other 4 so he sees us( his enclosure is behind those doors - part of the reason I wanted to get this all going now,after June it gets pretty hot & I'm air conditioning Florida,LOL!
Everyone eats wet food at 5am,I put the little guys food in front of the cubby and then I sit nearby &Timmy eats,my arm and hand is right in front of his face,today I'd like to try bringing the food to the lower level shelf -Id love to go back to petting while he eats so I'd need to get him lower....
He wasn't drinking,I'm sure he has no idea what that tank & bowl is(,auto waterer) So,I brought in the big stone pot he used to drink from outside( weighs a ton!)...it worked,he drank
It's 2am,Timmy starts crying around Midnight- Im usually getting up then anyway so I put on the cat channel with birds & squirrels,lifted the tarp so he can see the screen and it seems to be entertaining him& everyone else) - he's on a shelf right across from it-
He weighs heavily on my heart,the last thing I want is to confine any cat but there are no other options for litter training and that will keep him from slamming into windows, familiarizing him to the indoors & safe introductions.....but it's really difficult to see him in there,I'm so used to my little pal running to greet me,following me everywhere outside and excited to be petted and rubbing against Sami. Timmy looks longingly at Sami but Sami's response is growing & hissing - the roles are reversed,now Timmy is in Sams territory
That's about it for right now- About midday I also bring Timmy some broth,stew or bisque Delectables appetizer-12hrs in between meals is a long time as the others free feed and can graze as they choose- Im giving treats around the enclosure and it prompts Timmy to snack on his own.....
Please feel free to make suggestions,ferals typically don't know the first thing about toys,it's not like I can throw balls of wave wands to teach him.....know of any toys that might spark interest ?

 

[tabbytom]

Please feel free to make suggestions,ferals typically don't know the first thing about toys,it's not like I can throw balls of wave wands to teach him.....know of any toys that might spark interest ?

I think you can start doing scent swaps. I'm sure while Timmy was outside and your cats gather with him, he knows the scents and so does your cats. Get a towel or two and place it in the enclosure to soak up Timmy's scents and also get a towel or two and wipe down gently on your cats and after two days or so when the towel has Timmy's scent, swap the towels so that they can get use to the scent.

Using a cat wand is a great way with ferals and they used to hunt. It may take awhile for Timmy to catch on but just don't give up Have treats standing by and reward him with words and treats if he try to catch da bird or caught da bird cat wand. Stick the cat wand through the enclosure and entice him to play. You can't throw the ball in as you cannot retrieve it unless you get inside with Timmy.

You have to get him moving and getting confidence as you don't want to keep him in the enclosure forever.

 

[Kwik]

Here's Timmy watching cat videos at 3:45am

 

[silent meowlook]

He is so handsome. When I tamed Cheetah ( my ex feral cat) I would cover her cage at night to take away any distractions that might be keeping her up. I uncovered her in the morning.

 

[Kwik]

He is so handsome. When I tamed Cheetah ( my ex feral cat) I would cover her cage at night to take away any distractions that might be keeping her up. I uncovered her in the morning.

Might be a good idea-worth a try-thanks

 

[Kwik]

I'm jumping with Joy right now-Timmy was whining by the wire on a shelf near where I was sitting so I got some treats,had everyone gather round and gave them each a few then passed some through the wirev& Timmy started eating them as well sooooo I stuck my pinky through & was scratching his neck,he did his usual response of pressing in,wanting more.. that's not even the best part..

Now it's breakfast time,brought his bowl in but this time I didn't leave .....I tapped the bowl,like I always did before the capture ,Timmy ate and I petted him,l even got a slight head butt although he was very hungry,he didn't eat much last night!

I'm thrilled,I had better get that front door addresses,this just might not take forever,lol

 

[tabbytom]

I'm jumping with Joy right now-Timmy was whining by the wire on a shelf near where I was sitting so I got some treats,had everyone gather round and gave them each a few then passed some through the wirev& Timmy started eating them as well sooooo I stuck my pinky through & was scratching his neck,he did his usual response of pressing in,wanting more.. that's not even the best part..

Now it's breakfast time,brought his bowl in but this time I didn't leave .....I tapped the bowl,like I always did before the capture ,Timmy ate and I petted him,l even got a slight head butt although he was very hungry,he didn't eat much last night!

I'm thrilled,I had better get that front door addresses,this just might not take forever,lol

 

[iPappy]

Kwik , if you use the wand keep the toy part on the ground in front of him and make it "wiggle" away from him slowly. I've found this can really get their interest, as it's easy to catch. Later on, you can encourage Kitty gymnastics !

 

[Kwik]

Kwik , if you use the wand keep the toy part on the ground in front of him and make it "wiggle" away from him slowly. I've found this can really get their interest, as it's easy to catch. Later on, you can encourage Kitty gymnastics !

It's gonna be hard to do as there's not much room space for me in his enclosure & I've not seen any that'll for through the wire mesh-thats why I was inquiring if anyone might have some suggestions that might be of interest to Timmy?He has no clue what typical"toys"are,he's not interested or attracted to catnip so if you can come up with any ideas to tickle his instincts to hunt something I'd be extremely willing to try anything....
I hate seeing my boy confined,he didn't retreat into his cubby this morning when I went in to clean so I'd love him to come down off the shelves to smell(& be smelled,lol) with my others-or is it just way too soon,it's not been 5 days-what do you think
Typically when relocating ferals( working cats) they are usually confines for a minimum of 4 weeks-but that's to be released outdoors and have a place to come back to.....I'm not so sure about inside the house,I've heard of 3 months and longer...and socializing for adoptions begin with already pretty social kitties.... hmmm,much easier in facilities,lol Probably because we don't hear them crying at night ,breaking our hearts.

 

[tabbytom]

It's gonna be hard to do as there's not much room space for me in his enclosure

How about a remote control mouse/ball? There are toys that are interactive and with this, you don't need to be present all the time. As long as he touches the interactive toy, the toy will start to move in random direction which is supposed to make the cat go chase it or paw it around.