'New' arrival .. any advice welcome

Hi,

Last April I found a cat under a cupboard in my lounge! He was very scared, very thin and very hungry. I put him out but he came straight back in. When I returned home later that day he was still lurking under the cupboard. He's been here ever since, we checked him to see if he was chipped, we advertised to make sure that somebody wasn't missing him.

So .. he's still here a year and 3 months later

But .. he's still very nervy. He's more accepting to a fuss and stroke, and he does purr now but I wondered if there's anything I can do to make him more comfortable with being handled. I've not had a cat before that I can't pick up, and I've had loads!

He's a happy dude, and has made himself at home incredibly well now, he is very territorial and never leaves our home or garden area. He noses out all the time he is awake to keep check on the neighbourhood felines. Not only that, he's very hunky ... good job my girl is almost 16 otherwise I'd be in trouble ;-)

Any advice welcome, I just want him to feel as safe as he can.

 

And I'll add his cute face ...



Hope that works. I'm not sure which link to add from photobucket.

 

is he neutered? If he's still a tom he would probably be a bit more territorial and aloof. I think as I've never had a tom but I would assume that he would consider himself to be the stud man and not as intuned to people as instinct.
I think you might have to just accept him as he is (which is sounds like you have).
Not having any idea of his history you don't know if he's been abused or tormented by people leaving him possibly a bit fearful.
But to me it sounds like he knew whose cupboard he should hide in to have a safe and happier existence

 

First off, he is BEAUTIFUL! What a cutie!

I agree with Mary. Sometimes it is just their personality, but nuturing will help male cats mellow out a bit. I have 2 male cats - one I know that was abused (Aries) and one that has always had a loving home (Squeekie). Aries is not skiddish at all, but it took me years for him to let me hold him...and even then, he is not a "lap kitty". Squeekie is afraid of his own BMs. Seriously, when his poo hits the litter, he runs away like a bulldog is after him and cries. We even got a hooded cat pan and put it in a quiet, private room hardly anyone goes in - no change in behavior. What can we do but love them for who they are (and share a laugh about their odd ways). :mrgreen:

If he likes hanging under the cupboard and you want to try to get him out more, you could try this: Put a cat bed in the cupboard in the spot he likes (something that is like a box would be ideal, so he can feel hidden). Then, when he gets used to using it, try moving it to a quiet room in the house. Maybe he will migrate to the safe new cat bed instead of the cupboard.

But you may just have to accept that the cupboard is his "safe zone". When I got Aries (the abused one) he was a little scared at first, so I just left the cat carrier down. 9 years later, it is still at the foot of my bed - a place he goes to to feel loved and secure.

 

I will agree he is very handsome!!!
I have a male tabby Harley and he was very standoffish I work with the lady who's barn cat had babies and I watched him grow old enough to take him. He was the runt but adorable. I handled him all the time to get the barn cat out of him a bit. But he still doesn't like to be held he puts up a fuss and wiggles away. He doesn't like to be petted which I love to do and my female loves it, not to mention he is super soft and fluffy. He is very independent and does what he wants to do. I have had him neutered hoping that would resolve the bitting and tom behavior. Nope..... It might have settled him a tiny bit but not much.

So I guess what I am saying is the same as others have said that it may be just the way he is and not much can change that so love him as he is as you sound like you do. Let him have his safe spot that makes him feel secure.

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: lol about Squeekie and his BM's!!! (you work in the medical field??)

 

Thankyou all for your replies. Harvey is beautiful isn't he! He doesn't hide under the cupboard now, he is very comfortable lounging on my bed. He does run away from people he doesn't know, but he doesn't run away from us anymore and he is brilliant now with my 9 year old.

I think you're probably right, maybe it is a case of just accept that he is how he is because of whatever happened to him before he found his forever home. The one really surprising thing was not that long after I had him he got a poorly eye and I managed to put his eye drops in single handedly! I can't even do that with my other cats!! Funny guy :roll:

Amazing how he just knew where to come

 

Thankyou all for your replies. Harvey is beautiful isn't he! He doesn't hide under the cupboard now, he is very comfortable lounging on my bed. He does run away from people he doesn't know, but he doesn't run away from us anymore and he is brilliant now with my 9 year old.

He is neutered, had he not been I'd have had him done as I always do with all of mine.

I think you're probably right, maybe it is a case of just accept that he is how he is because of whatever happened to him before he found his forever home. The one really surprising thing was not that long after I had him he got a poorly eye and I managed to put his eye drops in single handedly! I can't even do that with my other cats!! Funny guy :roll:

Amazing how he just knew where to come

 

I think they are smarter than they let on, like how they magically forget their name when you call them - unless you have a treat in your hand.

It wouldn't surprise me to learn he had been staking your place out for months, interviewed your other cats about their living conditions, and got a background check done on you.

 

Harvey's a very handsome little fella and he found the perfect home!

 

Haha to Harvey doing a check on me! I bet he did. Him and loads of other animals that I have seemed to collect over the years. I am very obviously NOT blacklisted!

 

Harvey is so cute! I had stray who adopted us 2 years ago, he is finally warming up to people once they have been in the house awhile, he comes wandering out. he is still skittish around my husband and kids So I think he had a bad experience with both a man and kids I have just let him do his thing and not pressure him to be around people.

 

Harvey is SO vocal too. He makes everyone laugh because when I stroke him, he immediately makes this sort of chirping noise, it's so cute. Every single time.

It's good how these strays find us. 3 years ago a 6 day old kitten found me and I hand reared him .. he's such a Mummy's boy but another hunk. Here he is when he was a baby ..

 

What a cute baby pic! Monty was very skittish when we first adopted him and he still is with sudden noises. He rarely meows and chirps too, lol. When we pet him, his tail curls into a hook shape and it shivers and shakes. So funny. :mrgreen:

 

You can see what a stressful life Horatio has can't you? He is the most soppiest, whiniest baby in the whole world