follow up question re: feral kitten?

Question

i adopted a feral kitten last week, probably about 7 or 8 weeks old. He has been to the vet and he's only got worms and an eye infection, so he's ok. However, we are still having trouble taming him. When we try to pick him up (which is at least 3 times a day, since that is how often he needs neosporin put on his eyes), he hisses and scratches us and runs away if he can.
As soon as you pick him up, he purrs to sleep in your arms, he'll eat out of your hand, whatever. He is sleeping in my lap as I type. But he still runs away like crazy whenever we're not already holding him. He won't come near you unless you catch him, and I can't help but think that cornering and scaring him is not the best way to get him used to being picked up.
Has anyone tamed a kitten before? Advice would be welcome.
Also, do the worms make him this gassy or is it the food or what? This is a stinky kitten. Do they fart to repel predators? Does he just fart when we pick him up?

Answer 1

I've Tamed Alot of them in The Shelter..Do you have or can you borrow a Large Dog Carrier/Crate? It would be good to keep him in that for a bit so catching him isnt a major production freaking him out even more..You can put the crate near you but put a box for him to hide in in there so he feels Somewhat Safe, Put his Food, Litter Box Everything in there.He'll soon realize the Food , Attention Ect Doesnt Magicaly Appear It Comes from you..He will grow to trust you and Love you.... Good Luck

Answer 2

Lots of love and patience and a call to a Animal Humane Society may help.
One feral cat I took in was an adult and moved with me to one location, but the next time I moved he would have nothing to do with it and ran away.
The feral kitten I adopted after his mother was killed after by a car never tamed. Even after trying to force feed him he did not make it. Please get some expert advice and good luck.
As for your kitten being stinky, I have three cats on the same diet and one is very stinky. The vet said that some animals are just like that. So she gets to live out in the barn.

Answer 3

Yes, worms and the worm meds will make a cat gassy. Also, the change in his diet from garbage and wild caught food to petfood is changing his intestinal bacteria, so it's natural for him to be gassy. He may also have diarrhea. He expresses gas because when you pick him up, his bowels get squished and the gas pushes out.

You should seriously consider declawing and neutering him. Both will help tame his wild spirit. Cats learn their manners from their mothers from birth, and he has wild manners and instincts. You're right that cornering him isn't the best way to get him used to being picked up.
I would consider getting a cat kennel for his living quarters and keep him in it all the time until he has no need for the neosporin. It may seem unkind right now, but he will be glad to get out and have physical attention and a chance to use the kitty litter pan. When his eye infection's cleared up, he will be tamer, and you can stop keeping him in the kennel. He may actually like the kennel because it is a safe "cave" for him to hide in while watching your family's activities and getting used to you.

Also, don't let him outside! He will revert to feral, even after several years of being an inside cat. He will always hanker to be outside anyway.

Answer 4

Wow! you got him to the vet already! You are sooo good for doing that! Can you hear that kitty saying Thank You?

What you are seeing is normal feral cat behavior. Instinct tells him don't get caught, but once caught, he sees it isn't too bad. He will come to your on his own...you've noticed that. It's too bad that you have to give him the eye stuff three times a day, but it is best for him and it might help him realize that you mean him no harm when you reach for him.

My best experience with taming ferals, is when you have the luxury of allowing them to come to you because they want to. All in all though, I don't think it will take any longer than normal for you. The gassy is the adjusting to the new diet, the meds, and the stress of being a house cat. It will all settle down in a few days.

Good Luck to you. You are a hero for saving that baby.

Answer 5

Put him in a kennel or very small room. Go in or open the cage frequently. Always taking care to let him come to you. When he does reward him with a treat that he really likes or a few bites of food (don't leave a bowl of food in with him) and a pet on the head. If he has to come to you for food it won't take very long before he will be at your feet all the time. Contain him for as long as it takes to gentle him. If he is contained you will not have to corner him to get his medication in his eye. You need to interact with him many times without doing the medication thing. Good luck and remember he is afraid and is acting like any scared cat would. Patience is needed.

Answer 6

hes not used to you give him time & he will adept to his new envorment. about the gas: plant him some grass in a tray & that should help him or feed him imas for sensitive stomachs this can help to. i have raised 4-8 kittens they were this bad or worse. get the worm medicen from your vet. i ran into a problem there i was givivng one of mine the wrong med for the wrong type of worm. but it didnt hurt him thank god. hes doing great. i even had to get the femal cat antidepressent med. from the vet. she kept lossing her hair & the vet gave us the meds she needed she to is all better now.

Answer 7

I have to medicate my tamed feral too, and he has started to tolerate his medicine (granted, its oral medicine, not eye meds). I think its because we will not let him get away without taking it, and he usually gets a treat afterwards, while we are still holding him. But he used to cry and squirm trying to avoid the treatment, so your kitty may just need time to get used to it.

Answer 8

mm i think he does not like the neasporne in his eye so he notices that every time you pick him up he gets scared a wants to run

Answer 9

Taming a cat just takes time. GOOD LUCK!!!!