New baby is NOT happy.

[Tara]

Brought home the new 12 wk old F2 male baby yesterday afternoon. Poor guy had a rough day. About 7 hour ride in his carrier on the way home. He hissed at me every time I looked in on him on the way here.

Now that we are home however, (about 24+ hours) he's still hiding out. (we have him quarantined in our bedroom). I've been hanging out in here off and on for the entire day, just talking to him a bit, making no effort to touch him at all, and he's still hissing and striking out if he sees you too close. I definitely wouldn't want to run my hands up too far in any case, I kind of like my fingers attached. I put up a diffuser and sprayed some feliway around a bit ago. He took a couple bites of food last night while we were sleeping, but haven't seen him touch anything today.

Is there anything else we can do to try and help the little guy make friends? I've never had a kitty hate me on sight before.
I realize that it will take time and that he's afraid, just want to help him adjust,. He almost acts like a feral that a friend tried to take in many years ago.

 

[Patti]

Tara, I think you're doing all the right things. Try to spend as much time as possible in the room without approaching him or making any threatening moves. Sit on the floor and read aloud from a book so that he can get used to your voice. You can also try to lazily swish a wand in his direction from time to time to see if it catches his attention. Try not to make direct eye contact with him. Perhaps there is a favorite food you can offer him, but don't try to force it. Let him hide out as much as he needs... I think he will eventually come around in time, it will just have to be on his time schedule, rather than yours...

 

[MK Anderson]

Poor you and him ! When you picked him up from the breeders did you interact with him there? was he playing, let you touch him ect? If so, he just needs time to adjust, it could be the separation and be taken from what he has known as home. I'm sure he will come around with time. Try treats and what Patty has suggested.

 

[Tara]

Poor you and him ! When you picked him up from the breeders did you interact with him there? was he playing, let you touch him ect? If so, he just needs time to adjust, it could be the separation and be taken from what he has known as home. I'm sure he will come around with time. Try treats and what Patty has suggested.

Unfortunately, not. I had originally thought about having him shipped, but decided to do a road trip with a friend and just go pick him up. The breeder brought him to me at the hotel in the carrier and we left from there. Couldn't really take him out to play with in the hotel lobby. Had to go by the breeders description of personality. He seemed to be quiet and reasonably relaxed in the carrier until we got in the car. Even there, he rode along perfectly quietly, until I'd look in at him. Then the hissing/ spitting started. As soon as you looked away and left him alone, he'd relax again.

 

[MK Anderson]

Give him time, I think he will come around. I would do what Patty suggested.

 

[admin]

I'm sure he is just scared, Tara. He has been taken away from everything familiar to him. And it doesn't matter how he behaved at the breeder's...I'm sure he is a confident, awesome boy...but imagine someone taking you from the only home you have ever known, putting you in a strange machine (car) and then taking you on a long ride, and then you find yourself in a place that is not home...a strange place with strange smells, strange people and strange things...

He is just a baby and many kittens, regardless of how well socialized, will revert to being scared and protecting themselves. I can't imagine how scared he must be...

Everyone has suggested some wonderful ways of helping him not to be so scared and I'm sure he will be fine.

 

[Trish Allearz]

I'm sure he is just scared, Tara. He has been taken away from everything familiar to him. And it doesn't matter how he behaved at the breeder's...I'm sure he is a confident, awesome boy...but imagine someone taking you from the only home you have ever known, putting you in a strange machine (car) and then taking you on a long ride, and then you find yourself in a place that is not home...a strange place with strange smells, strange people and strange things...

He is just a baby and many kittens, regardless of how well socialized, will revert to being scared and protecting themselves. I can't imagine how scared he must be...

Everyone has suggested some wonderful ways of helping him not to be so scared and I'm sure he will be fine.

How is baby this morning? Any better?

 

[Eolsurion]

I'm sure he is just scared, Tara. He has been taken away from everything familiar to him. And it doesn't matter how he behaved at the breeder's...I'm sure he is a confident, awesome boy...but imagine someone taking you from the only home you have ever known, putting you in a strange machine (car) and then taking you on a long ride, and then you find yourself in a place that is not home...a strange place with strange smells, strange people and strange things...

He is just a baby and many kittens, regardless of how well socialized, will revert to being scared and protecting themselves. I can't imagine how scared he must be...

Everyone has suggested some wonderful ways of helping him not to be so scared and I'm sure he will be fine.

I think Paige has summed it up very well. I think in next to no time, you will be telling him, no he can't climb the curtains, or to get off the counter, or to stay out of the pantry etc

 

[Ashley]

Kovu wasn't like that with US when we first got him. Well, he was with my five year old but thats because he is like a tornado: fast, loud, destructive. But he did NOT like my friend Julia. Julia is THE biggest cat lover I know & was so excited to meet a Savannah in real life. It took him nearly 6 months, but this was them last night.

There is hope! haha

I'm sure he is just scared, like Paige said. Having everything taken away from him was probably traumatic & he just needs a little bit more time to adjust to his new home, new people, and new life.

 

[admin]

Awesome pic Ashley! Every kitten is different and it is difficult to access how a kitten will behave when taken from everything familiar...

I had known Taj since he was about 3 weeks old, so by the time he was ready to come home, it was a pice of cake...not everyone is that lucky