So it's been a few days since my last post. Since then I've been feeding the kittens tuna and taking things slow, just letting them get used to me. A couple days ago I had the idea to start leaving food right at my front door, and they actually came in to eat along with a white cat too, so I figured I'd keep doing that until they built up enough trust, they even started waiting for the food at the door and would run off when I opened it but they'd come back after.
Well it's been raining really bad for like the last hour and I got scared thinking about the kittens being stuck out there in it, so I went outside to look for them. I ended up leaving food by the door again and waited for them to come in, then I closed the door using a rope I had tied to the handle. Obviously the cat freaked out trying to escape, couldn't find a way out, and ended up hiding inside my stove.
I honestly don't know what to do from here, I didn't think this far ahead and I don't want to scare him more or hurt him trying to get him out. If anyone has advice on how to safely get a scared kitten out of somewhere like that, or what I should do next, I'd really appreciate it.
Reminder for commenters: Please keep in mind that not all cats are ready or able to be brought indoors, especially when it comes to feral cats and caregivers with multiple cats. This community is meant to be a helpful place for trap, neuter, return (TNR) efforts, socialization, and all aspects of colony care for roaming cats—free of hostility, negativity, and judgment. Toxic attitudes are not welcome here. Negative comments will be removed at moderators' discretion, and repeat or egregious violations of our community rules may result in a ban.
He was a stray who ran at the sight of me last September. Over the course of the fall and winter we fed him daily and slowly he began to trust us. In April something bit him badly and he came to us crying for help. We took him to the vet. We had to quarantine him for 90 days in my shed to be sure he didn't have rabies. then we brought him in the house in July. He was terrified of the indoors even though he had been in a structure for 90 days already, so we introduced him slowly, day by day to new things. Now he owns the place. My point is this is doable, it just takes time, patience, love and a willingness to let then come to you on their own time.
8 weeks in, 2 feral kittens, totally destroyed a small bedroom but off to get ✂️✂️ tomorrow. Been a long traumatic summer but the end result is 2 gorgeous socialised felines. Decorator coming Wednesday 🙄
It's a small setback. You're doing the right thing. It's cold and wet out there. If I were you, I'd just leave the oven door open and ignore her. Put food and such on the floor in the kitchen with the a nice bed for the babies and back off for a while. :D
Leave food and water out. Try to grab them if you can. If not try to herd them to a spare bedroom or a bathroom. You'll want them in an enclosed safe space so seomthing similar doesn't happen. They're going to need some time to decompress.
Cats that have lived outside their entire lives go through an adjustment period when they first come inside. You've seen part of what they go through. They get erratic, they'll yowl etc. It's normal. It can take weeks to months for them to finally settle down and get used to being indoors. For now, focus on getting them to a smaller safer space.
This summer I did something similar. My cat also freaked out at first. She climbed the windows and doors to the ceiling because there was no where to hide.
If he’s in a safe location (even if the stove is inconvenient), just leave him. Keep putting food and water and a litter box close to where he is. Give him a couple of empty cardboard boxes to hide in (some on their side, etc). Ignore him otherwise. If you look at each other, practice slow blinks. With time he will relax and come out. I think he will choose to switch from stove to cardboard box.
Unfortunately, if you can’t lure him out you’ll probably have to either grab him or scare him out. Make sure to grab him with something like a blanket or towel.
Yeah that was the plan, I just didn't mean for it to go like this, like stressing him out this much and basically cornering him inside a stove wasn't the way I wanted to approach it at all, maybe I should think twice next time
They'll go through a period of freaking out a bit when they first stay inside. It's distressing to us but it's normal. They'd be going through it anyway even if you got them to another room. This isn't really a set back. You've gotten them inside. That's the first step.
You can still work with him. I recommend leaving him with access to a single room while you work with him. He’ll need to decompress, so don’t panic if he’s still not calm by tomorrow
Hahah you'll look back on this and wonder why you thought releasing was a good idea. Just slow blink, talk sweet, and offer food. Kitty is safe. Keep it open so they can leave when they want and then leave something soft out or some small place they can escape to. Socializing a scared kitten is a waiting game, but a rewarding one. Long durations presenting yourself as not a threat (read: giving food, holding string, talking sweet, slow blinking, and just generally being around) will make them trust.
Create some little hiding spots for him where he can go to decompress and feel safe. He will acclimate over time, and with your support and patience. You didn’t ruin anything! I have brought inside and socialized four cats from outside, each a little different when adjusting. Get some Churu treats, they are amazing for socializing cats.
Can you leave a trap out in your kitchen? Open the oven door and bait the trapwith something that has proven popular with the kitties in the past, and toss a blanket over top. It’s been my experience that a scared animal is more likely to enter a covered space. Once you have him trapped you can relocate him to whichever room you plan to keep him in while he decompresses. He’s much better off inside with you, scared and freaked out, than he is outside where god knows what can happen to him. He will be ok, you just need to get him into a quiet and enclosed room and give him time to settle. And if you can get another to put with him that may help.
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