Need some advice

padimus

Hi all,

Long time lurker, first time poster and i need some advice regarding a stray cat we took in a few months back.

We had a stray cat climb in the window one Saturday afternoon in June (hadn´t seen her around previously, but the neighbours say shes been around for a while.)

Anyway we tried putting her outside but anytime we opened the window she was in again within a few minutes. She only stayed in for a few minutes at first but now she has claimed our apartment as her own private fiefdom and calls at the window whenever she goes out and wants to be let back in.

I´ve been keeping an eye on the boards and Irishanimals and she doesn´t seem to be missing from anyone.

We have decided to keep her (we´ve fallen madly in love with her now as she has gotten used to us and we to her) I would like some advice as to how to get her to adjust to being an "owned" cat rather than a street cat as we aew planning to move soon and i intend her to be an indoor cat from now on.

She seems to be healthy ( but we´re bringing her to the vet for a check up just in case and we think she has had a litter (around the time she first visited) although we have not seen any kittens.

Any advice greatly appreciated!

padimus

A picture of her

BlackCat2008

Welcome to boards and well done on adopting her in to your family.

I'll start with what you don't want to hear and get the bad news over and done with first.

October is mating season so I wouldn't be surprised if she is expecting kittens at the minute ?

The vet should be able to tell you if she's got some buns in the oven or if she's feeding at the minute, you don't want to lock her in if she has babies somewere if she has then it will take time to follow her and find them, if she those bring them back to your place and chances are she will look after them there and make her home there.

First thing I'd do is get the vet check and work things out from there.

If everything is ok and you get her neutered you'll have to keep her in for at least 10 days till her stitches are removed, this should help build a stronger bond with her, she'll cry to get out for a few days but she will stop don't worry, if you have her neutered keep in mind it is a major op and she will need to be kept warm but not to hot and given only water the night before and until the morning after.

Once you move you'll have to keep her in full stop, she will stop crying after a time, if you do let her out make sure you have kept her in for at least a few weeks and go out with her when you first let her out. I stopped mine going out about 2yrs ago and their just fine now.

If she sleeps indoors at night at the minute than you stand a good chance at getting her to become an indoor cat.

Lets know what the vet says and keep us posted there are lots here that will give good advice and try to help you through the transition with her.

Don't forget pic's we love them here. Got there before me, she's lovely I can't tell her age from it but she looks very young.

comongethappy

Is the cat using the toliet outside at the moment? If so it may be a good idea to set up a litter box in the house before you move, just to get her used to using a toilet indoors. As Blackcat said, you can't let her out for a few weeks after moving.

Also, make sure to buy toys / scratching post to keep her entertained indoors. You cat will moan and scratch to be let out, but I'm afraid you can't cave in. Definetely get her spayed if she isn't already, and do microchip her. If she would manage to sneek out of an open door when you're moving, at least you'll have a better chance of getting her back if she's chipped.

padimus

Thanks for your replies

she is happy to sleep indoors and does so every night for the past month or so and she does her business outside, or at least we haven´t discovered any presents. We´ve bought her some toys and she seems quite happy so far. I think toilet training her is the next step!

seanybiker

ah she is a lovely cat. I love the little black goatee she has. Best of luck with her. Cats rule.

Dogs & Cats

We found a cat (rather he found us) when we spent a couple of weeks in the country.

After enquiring around the area we couldn't find his owners, so we brought him back to the city with us (we left a contact number with somone in the country in case) He was fairly shellshocked as we live near a busy road but soon adjusted. Turned out to be a great pet, we had great fun with him.

padimus

Just a quick update.

We brought her to the vet last week and he said she is very healthy. She´s about 18 months old, which i would have guessed myself. We have had her wormed and vaccinated.

She has been a full time indoor cat for about 5 days now. We have been giving her as much attention as possible, but she is getting a little bit depressed I think.

We are gone for about 6 hours each day and it´s not possible for me to get home at lunchtime. Any advice?

Would getting another cat to keep her company be a good idea? We were thinking of doing that after Christmas.

corincakes

I always say you dont choose the cat the cat chooses you and you have been chosen by her. its good that you kept her.

I have had about 6 cats through my life time and im 21. now we first started with two bother and sister from the same litter and then later came another we found her dumped as a kitten she was way to young to be away from her mum but we did our best shes now 15 and going well but she didnt get along with the other female cat they both lived in the same house and stuff but if they didnt get along. later we had another cat come to our door badly abused and havily beaten we took him to the vets. she said it would be better to put him down but we insisted on getting treatment first. this cat we later called fatty was skinny and missing fur when he came to us someone had even tryed to gas him and he had air bubbles between his skull and the skin and his teeth were bent and misplaced. but after a while he fatend up and he never grew back the fur and he dribbled a little coz of his teeth but what amazes me is that after all this bad treatment he was the most loving cat we had ever met he would even let you bath him we'l he liked it so he didnt complain. he loved us and we loved him. he didnt get along with one of our cats ether but all four of them lived happily here. if your looking to get a new cat the best advice you would get is from the petshop they will show you how to probley interduce them so they have a good start of being friends. your cat also might still be getting used to pet life so you might want to take it slow but you never know i guess you wil get more replys. in my point of view cats are most happy when ther the only pet cause they get more attention that way.

Fatty lived with us for at least 6 years but sadly passed away on my 19th birthday as a animal technician i did my best all day to keep him going and to diagnose him but as an animal lover there always comes a time when you know its best and i had to make the call. the first two cats have sadly past one was hit by a car and had gone missing for two weeks stil he stumbled back to our door so i also had to make another call and put him to sleep. with removal of the damaged leg he could have lived but the chances of his survival under the knife coz of his age wasnt likly and he had a bad memorie so it would have been crul to let him live like that. the kitten we found we named her kitten and shes about 15 now and still sleeps on my bed as close as she can to me. we now have two beatiful maincoon cros ragdoll cats aswell as the kitten she doesnt get along with them ether but she deals.

woofie87

Well done for keeping the kitty, she is gorgeous! And by the way, you cat people have it so much easier than us dog persons with toilet training- at least the toilet is indoors . I have been house training my new rescue doggie for over a week now and will tell you- it is a hard work! Hope Katie will get used to being in the house soon!

MsFifers

I think most cats - contrary to common thought - are happier when they have cat company so it might be an idea to see about getting another cat. I would go for a younger neutered male, as there might be a competition situation between two girl cats!

You could try fostering for a while maybe? Then you could see if she is ok with the idea of another cat, or if she is happier on her own.

Give her time though - she may just need some extra time adjusting to her new situation as an indoor cat. Give her lots of toys, hiding and scratching places, to keep her life interesting.

The Sweeper

Another cat would be good, but also, meantime, try leaving the telly on with the sound down low. My mogs love having the telly for company (Frankie particularly likes any show about China, especially documentaries that show the landscape. Don't ask me why, but he'll come from another room and sit, rooted to the spot, five feet from the telly, concentrating from start to finish. He even loses his concentration during the ad-break, and back it comes when the programme comes on again. It's very, very peculiar!)