I then try to proceed to play with him via a toy, mouse on a string... and he just seems to feel threatened by it. I have been gradually blocking out potential hiding places, yet leaving him the bathroom. i took out the cardobard box in order to slowly take away all hiding spots but when i enter the room he will wry away in a corner.
What can i do to facilitate things? i am aware this will take time, i just want to make sure i'm not slowing things down. thanks
Update:
i
realise i have been going too fast, i will leave him be with hiding
spots and whatnot, i just need to move him from the bathroom to the
living room, without startling him, any advice?
Answer:
Elaine: He
sounds pretty terrified. It can take a long time. Keep the box in
there for him to hide in, he needs that security. Keep spending time
with him but stop the play toys, he's not going to be able to focus on
them when he's still afraid of you.
Talk to him, the sooner he gets your routine the sooner he'll calm down around you. Sit there and read a book (silent or out loud) just to have yourself in the room with him. Don't turn the TV on high, or play loud music, you want him to feel safe without stress. Keep things quiet, the TV on low volume. Do the same things each day.
Remember, he's in a totally strange place, it smells wrong, he doesn't know you, he's been through hell if he's been live trapped and put up for adoption. Many cats really stress out over this.
A good thing to try is to get a long feather and touch his side with that (not his paws) as an extension of your hand - don't reach for him with your hands yet. And keep on with the food. Offering slivers of baked chicken is good, they almost all go for that.
Talk to him, the sooner he gets your routine the sooner he'll calm down around you. Sit there and read a book (silent or out loud) just to have yourself in the room with him. Don't turn the TV on high, or play loud music, you want him to feel safe without stress. Keep things quiet, the TV on low volume. Do the same things each day.
Remember, he's in a totally strange place, it smells wrong, he doesn't know you, he's been through hell if he's been live trapped and put up for adoption. Many cats really stress out over this.
A good thing to try is to get a long feather and touch his side with that (not his paws) as an extension of your hand - don't reach for him with your hands yet. And keep on with the food. Offering slivers of baked chicken is good, they almost all go for that.
HeartOfGold: You
are going wayyyyyyy to fast with this cat. Absolutely give him back
his box, put a blanket or pillow inside it and let him have as many
hidey holes as he needs. You've had him for four days, up to now the
world has been a very scary place and he will
Need weeks or likely months to start to feel safe.
I suggest setting up the entire house so this cat has one or more safe hidey holes in every room. Then you basically feed him, clean up After him and ignore him. Keep things quiet a d calm, no blaring tv or loud music and preferably no visiting strangers for at least a week. Don't try to force him to interact with you and if you want to be with him go into the room he is in, get comfortable a d read a book.
Cats are inherently social creatures who are intensely curios. Once you convince this cat that you are not a threat, that you will never chase or grab or yell or hit or scare it, it's curiosity will cause it to very slowly start to approach you.
Be patient & kind.
Need weeks or likely months to start to feel safe.
I suggest setting up the entire house so this cat has one or more safe hidey holes in every room. Then you basically feed him, clean up After him and ignore him. Keep things quiet a d calm, no blaring tv or loud music and preferably no visiting strangers for at least a week. Don't try to force him to interact with you and if you want to be with him go into the room he is in, get comfortable a d read a book.
Cats are inherently social creatures who are intensely curios. Once you convince this cat that you are not a threat, that you will never chase or grab or yell or hit or scare it, it's curiosity will cause it to very slowly start to approach you.
Be patient & kind.
FancyNan: Look
at the pet store, or on-line for a product called Comfort Zone by
Feliway. It comes in a plug-in form. I had a rescue cat that freaked
out when I had to move into a small apartment from a house.
He got
very depressed and scared. I used the plug in for 2 month (each one
lasts a month) and it was worth every penny. It is expensive but having
a mellow, happy cat was a blessing. IF you can move him and his stuff
into a larger room, do so and use the plug-in in that room.
Keep the
door closed for a couple days. It takes a little while for the stuff to
fill the air. It has no smell for humans, but cats love it. Good luck.
Them: He's
probably been kicked and beaten and starved and abandoned..... you see
this with stray cats. Many of them never get over it - the abuse
imprints on their little brains.
So the best thing is to leave him shelter - a place to hide. He might always need that. There's no sense in making him more miserable by taking away his hiding spots.
So the best thing is to leave him shelter - a place to hide. He might always need that. There's no sense in making him more miserable by taking away his hiding spots.
Mr.Tims: Have patience with this kitty:]
you might want to change his place in the bathroom somewhere else there is a lot of noise in there:[
sit on the floor and call him making sweet sounds with you mouth,he will eventually come he is just scared not of you but this new environment,it will take time for him to get used to you.i also rescued a kitten she was outside and i sat on the floor for about 30 min waiting and finally she came to lay down in my arms it was very sweet,so just wait for her to get your trust.merry christmas!
update:you can lure her with a "temptation treat" that's the brand they are delicious for them and you don't even need to touch her just let her follow you.I don't know why but i can't read the comment you or someone else wrote me i will try on my other computer:]
Paula:
Take time. One yer old... is old enough to have had bad memories...Try to talk to person or shelter where you adopted from. get more form his history. Did he/she had bad time with humans?
Try playing with it. Get a cord( wool, macrame, thick fishing line..) cut a length you don't get tense by dragging it behind you. A length leave your muscles relaxed.... and try pull it behind you.... cats just get insane about chasing cords...
try petting him/her....little by little....use food to bring it closer to you.
LOTS of Patience. Cats make their own time. A week is very little time to him be confident..
check if it grooms itself...if it is eating... those are signs it is at least a bit comfortable. Animlas Don't groom themselves if they think the are in danger...
Get an dirt sock near him... so he gets used to you smell.
respect his fear...
if you see your efforts are not working let it be...it will be used to you with time...
check if it was petted on the shelter or where you adopted it. Some cats just Don't like be touched...
Katt:
no he just has to get use to you but he shodu have place he can go to be alone and teh bathroom is not a good place.
Your room or a room that has food water and a litter box that he can get his scent in will do good too. You have to remember he was ripped fr what he knew and now he has t get used to all these new surroundings.
You'd be scared too. Once he realizes that you are giving him food treats etc he'll start coming out more and more.
One things you cat try to help him get use to your scent take blanket or towel and rub it over your self do a real good job to get your scent all over it, then put it were you are keeping your cat. His box or the room he is staying in.
Leave it in theer with him. change it every couple of days so he alwasy has your scent. Once he starts getting use to it he shoud start coming out more. Just go slowly he'll eventually be a out and about playing with you
you might want to change his place in the bathroom somewhere else there is a lot of noise in there:[
sit on the floor and call him making sweet sounds with you mouth,he will eventually come he is just scared not of you but this new environment,it will take time for him to get used to you.i also rescued a kitten she was outside and i sat on the floor for about 30 min waiting and finally she came to lay down in my arms it was very sweet,so just wait for her to get your trust.merry christmas!
update:you can lure her with a "temptation treat" that's the brand they are delicious for them and you don't even need to touch her just let her follow you.I don't know why but i can't read the comment you or someone else wrote me i will try on my other computer:]
Paula:
Take time. One yer old... is old enough to have had bad memories...Try to talk to person or shelter where you adopted from. get more form his history. Did he/she had bad time with humans?
Try playing with it. Get a cord( wool, macrame, thick fishing line..) cut a length you don't get tense by dragging it behind you. A length leave your muscles relaxed.... and try pull it behind you.... cats just get insane about chasing cords...
try petting him/her....little by little....use food to bring it closer to you.
LOTS of Patience. Cats make their own time. A week is very little time to him be confident..
check if it grooms itself...if it is eating... those are signs it is at least a bit comfortable. Animlas Don't groom themselves if they think the are in danger...
Get an dirt sock near him... so he gets used to you smell.
respect his fear...
if you see your efforts are not working let it be...it will be used to you with time...
check if it was petted on the shelter or where you adopted it. Some cats just Don't like be touched...
Katt:
no he just has to get use to you but he shodu have place he can go to be alone and teh bathroom is not a good place.
Your room or a room that has food water and a litter box that he can get his scent in will do good too. You have to remember he was ripped fr what he knew and now he has t get used to all these new surroundings.
You'd be scared too. Once he realizes that you are giving him food treats etc he'll start coming out more and more.
One things you cat try to help him get use to your scent take blanket or towel and rub it over your self do a real good job to get your scent all over it, then put it were you are keeping your cat. His box or the room he is staying in.
Leave it in theer with him. change it every couple of days so he alwasy has your scent. Once he starts getting use to it he shoud start coming out more. Just go slowly he'll eventually be a out and about playing with you
