Unsocial new kitten. (stomach, elderly, stress, best)
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Is your relative with the barn still a possible placement option? That would be a safer choice for this kitten than an animal shelter, should neither of the rescues get back to you.
Yes. He would obviously have stay inside until the weather warms up, but it is an option.
Typically "not accepting cats" is different from returning a cat that was previously adopted (at least with the rescues I've adopted from/volunteered with). I've heard of cats that are fine with the rescue, but when adopted don't come out from underneath the bed!
This cat needs more time/attention than you can give. That's ok. You just need to find him and return him to the rescue.
I suggest you call his rescue group again today and tell them that you need help finding the cat. Tell them that you need help. I also suggest sounding like you're overwhelmed with the situation (not angry).
You can call the other group too.
I agree that you need to open up his hiding space again.
Hopefully, this situation will be resolved soon. In the future, I'd suggest a foster to adopt to get to know if the cat is a good fit. Kittens/teenagers require more attention. All cats require attention and playtime. You need a cat this fits your situation.
I hope that things work out for you and this kitten.
I left a can out last night and he hadn't eaten it when I got up. I went out to McDonald's for breakfast, got back about fifteen minutes later, and the can was eaten. There were some toys behind the fridge and under the couch that I found last night, so maybe he's been doing more this week than I thought.
That's progress! And I disagree with many of the others in this thread: DO NOT open up that hidy-hole under your cabinets again, now that you know he is willing to eat. As long as he has that available, he's learning the wrong lesson: he's safe because the Horrible Two-Legs can't reach him there. The lesson he needs to learn is a different one altogether: he's safe because the Horrible Two-Legs has no interest in hurting him. In order to tame a wild animal, the animal must (gently and slowly) be forced into contact with people. With the hidey-hole available, you could end up with a cat which is perfectly fine moving around freely in your house when you are home, but who NEVER comes out when you (or anyone else) is home.
If he's eating and stashing his toys, then there's nothing in the environment that's upsetting him and it's not the behavior of an animal with health issues of any kind. He's small, though, and will manage to find a hiding place no matter what you do, so you definitely need help catching him.
Call all the numbers and leave a detailed message.
Yes. He would obviously have stay inside until the weather warms up, but it is an option.
Then if neither of the rescues get back in touch with you, I'd suggest persevering (and blocking as many hidey-holes as you can find, so when you are home Kitty HAS to face the Horribleness Of You - even if it's at a distance. Ignore him, don't try to get close to him or touch him, but don't let him hide from you, either.). One of two things will result; either Kitty gets tamer and less afraid of you and begins to adjust to his new life as your beloved pet, or Kitty gets a nice home at your relative's barn come spring, where he can hide from people as much as he pleases and earn his keep by helping keep the mice down. Either ending is far better than getting the needle at the local animal shelter.
Edited to add: If he does end up as a barn cat, once he's been trapped take him to the vet on the way to the barn and get him a second shot of rabies vaccine. The growing consensus is that two shots of rabies vaccine spaced about a year apart probably confer lifetime immunity, and there's no guarantee once he's a barn cat that he'll ever be catchable in the future.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NYC refugee
If he's eating and stashing his toys, then there's nothing in the environment that's upsetting him and it's not the behavior of an animal with health issues of any kind. He's small, though, and will manage to find a hiding place no matter what you do, so you definitely need help catching him.
Agreed. The OP will probably need a baited trap to catch him (and if he's been trapped before and is now trap-wary, it could take a LONG time to tick him into going inside of it). I'd only bother with it now if one of the rescues is willing to take Kitty back, or (if he doesn't tame down) later in the spring when it's time to take him to the barn.
Then if neither of the rescues get back in touch with you, I'd suggest persevering (and blocking as many hidey-holes as you can find, so when you are home Kitty HAS to face the Horribleness Of You - even if it's at a distance. Ignore him, don't try to get close to him or touch him, but don't let him hide from you, either.). One of two things will result; either Kitty gets tamer and less afraid of you and begins to adjust to his new life as your beloved pet, or Kitty gets a nice home at your relative's barn come spring, where he can hide from people as much as he pleases and earn his keep by helping keep the mice down. Either ending is far better than getting the needle at the local animal shelter.
Edited to add: If he does end up as a barn cat, once he's been trapped take him to the vet on the way to the barn and get him a second shot of rabies vaccine. The growing consensus is that two shots of rabies vaccine spaced about a year apart probably confer lifetime immunity, and there's no guarantee once he's a barn cat that he'll ever be catchable in the future.
Agreed. The OP will probably need a baited trap to catch him (and if he's been trapped before and is now trap-wary, it could take a LONG time to tick him into going inside of it). I'd only bother with it now if one of the rescues is willing to take Kitty back, or (if he doesn't tame down) later in the spring when it's time to take him to the barn.
I called them all and of course no one called me back.
I looked all over yesterday and still have no idea where he is. He's eating and coming out. I woke up at 3 AM this morning and heard him scrambling as I was walking down the stairs. I'm never up at this hour, so apparently he was up and about.
If he calms down, I'll keep him as a pet. If not, he'll end up being Betty's barn cat. He may never domesticate and my gut feeling is that he won't. Regardless, he's not tearing the house up or making an issue. If I have to keep him until spring, all I'm basically doing is feeding him and cleaning the box out, not the worst thing in the world.
I found him in this tiny spot on the bed frame this morning. Most of the fabric under the bed was ripped out by other cats over the years, but there was enough in the corner for him to use. I shined the flashlight under the bed and he looked back. He seemed startled at first then kept closing his eyes.
Well, at least he didn't run in fear of you. And you didn't try to grab him like last time you found him someplace you didn't want him. The rescues may call you back eventually and if not, I'd make sure other people know your experience and are wary of a bad shelter.
It's a kind decision to keep him until spring and he might warm up a bit by then.
I really don't know. My second bedroom is shut now, so he can't be there. The loft has nowhere for him to hide and I don't see him there. I haven't see him in the hall restroom again.
I'm guessing he is staying under my bed. I'll hear things go "bump in the night" sometimes, but the neighbors on that side have a big dog and I can occasionally hear them get out of bed in the morning. Hard to tell whether it's him moving around or something of the neighbor's.
My two cents is this neighbor dog may be a huge part of the problem. He can hear the dog occasionally but can't SEE or smell the dog and has found a safe hiding place. This is his survival instinct kicking in. I have dealt with truly feral kittens before and like the other opinions here yours doesn't seem like that. Even though he appears to be acting that way. You would have struggled to hold him at the adoption if truly feral IMO.
This kitten sounds like it may have been only been semi socialized when young (very common) and that's why it's taking so long. This is why I always suggest getting 2 kittens or a bonded pair. Especially if one works outside the home. Having 2 builds confidence and helps with transition into a new (sometimes scary) environment.
The critical socialization period for a puppy is 12 weeks. It's much shorter for kittens. I am not going to debate this with posters here as even my vet verified this issue. However, even a truly feral cat WILL come around but it could take years. One of my biggest "love bugs" didn't come around until 10 yrs old. She lived to 19 so I feel it was worth it.
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