Adopting a cat - what else do I need?

morgana

She so landed on her paws :P - all of the little ones mentioned in this lovely thread did!
So great to see that people care so much about the little furries, it is so worth it! To see them thrive and trusting is the greatest reward!

MrWalsh

Its the trust morgana - its so lovely.

Arya can be as bold as brass (lately taken to sitting looking at me while swiping things off my bedside locker), but then she pushes her head against me and purrs and all is forgiven

aonb

as a new to cats person, I find them (well my cat, which is all I know!) totally incredibly mystefying! How have they survived to be so popular when they are so independant/unbiddable/untrainable/devious/un-people-friendly etc etc etc etc!? I absolutely love my kitten - she is a loving bundle of cuddly fur - but she bites/scratches/ignores/tears everything - me/my furniture/my dog/my curtains. She does what she wants, never does anything I want - so unlike a dog or a horse or even a bloody hen!!!

Having said that, my kitten when I let her out of her "room" in the mornings, climbs into my dressing gown and purrs/batts/chirps/snuggles/kneads while I go around opening curtains, unlocking doors, getting the feeds ready etc Bliss! I am now converted to cats, but it took this one, a half dead feral kitten
to do it! As you say, wonderful to see the trust build up and these feral/strayed/lost/dumped cats finding a safe home. (Having spent a morning trying to rescue a poor dog in trouble, from people who are like another species in their barbarity - but thats another story)

OldNotWIse

aonb wrote: »

as a new to cats person, I find them (well my cat, which is all I know!) totally incredibly mystefying! How have they survived to be so popular when they are so independant/unbiddable/untrainable/devious/un-people-friendly etc etc etc etc!? I absolutely love my kitten - she is a loving bundle of cuddly fur - but she bites/scratches/ignores/tears everything - me/my furniture/my dog/my curtains. She does what she wants, never does anything I want - so unlike a dog or a horse or even a bloody hen!!!

Having said that, my kitten when I let her out of her "room" in the mornings, climbs into my dressing gown and purrs/batts/chirps/snuggles/kneads while I go around opening curtains, unlocking doors, getting the feeds ready etc Bliss! I am now converted to cats, but it took this one, a half dead feral kitten
to do it! As you say, wonderful to see the trust build up and these feral/strayed/lost/dumped cats finding a safe home. (Having spent a morning trying to rescue a poor dog in trouble, from people who are like another species in their barbarity - but thats another story)

Fair play to you

We came upon all of ours in the same way. Other people's rubbish essentially. Best things in life are free

MrWalsh

OldNotWIse wrote: »

Fair play to you

We came upon all of ours in the same way. Other people's rubbish essentially. Best things in life are free

Seriously though, if Id gone looking to get a cat I couldnt have found a nicer sweeter more affectionate little dote than Arya who we quite literally just picked up off the street!!

aonb

MrWalsh wrote: »

Seriously though, if Id gone looking to get a cat I couldnt have found a nicer sweeter more affectionate little dote than Arya who we quite literally just picked up off the street!!

Lucky Arya! Lucky you!
Tux is the same - maybe thats the payback for rescuing a cat - sweeter and more loving?? Lucky us huh?

holyhead

Opened a tin of food. Of course Oscar was first on the scene. So there I am back to the wall, on my bum legs together. Oscar braves coming on my knees to stoop down and pick at the opened tin. So I started to pet his head and then went down along his back. Could see he wasn't overly thrilled but the food kept him entertaining it. Every now and again a paw would reach in to scoop out food but I would make him use his head by lifting the tin until the paw went down. He had his fill so I got to leave the tin on the ground for Holly. She is still to timid to entertain coming to me even with food.
I love watching them move. So graceful and so quiet. There ability to climb and jump is fantastic even at the age of 14 weeks. They're hoors for cleaning themselves. Which is good apparently as it indicates a level of contentment unless I'm badly mistaken.
I now have them 16 days. They are still incredibly timid, which now I realise that they were most likely feral, makes sense. Not too despondent at the lack of bonding. Still getting my head around the fact that I have two kittens. Talked about it long enough, having seen a dog cross rainbow bridge, I was curious to have a new experience. This is certainly a new experience alright :P

on_my_oe

Princess Foxy was mimicking a meerkat today... So I decided to open the window so she could enjoy some new smells - she bolted and hid in the spare bedroom until her favourite human came home, her papa. :rolleyes:

(Excuse the mess, still tidying post renovations!)

holyhead

Major breakthrough tonight. Opened the now nightly tin of food. Oscar comes on my knees as usual and devours 1/2 it. I get to pet him as before as he is eating. Well tonight he finishes eating turns his back to me and just sits between my legs. Thinking hmm this is different. He then comes around to me left. I reach out to pet him and he pushes his head into my waiting hand and proceeds to twirl around for five minutes loving the petting. He then rubbed himself all along my left leg finally knibbling at my shoes. Words can't adequately express the feeling of breakthrough. Fingers crossed in time Holly will lose her timidity.

on_my_oe

That's absolutely brilliant Holyhead! Hopefully if she observes Oscar interacting 'safely' she will follow suit

MrWalsh

What a lovely breakthrough Holyhead!!

Holly will definitely follow suit, thats why they call them copy cats! When she see's Oscar enjoying the love she will want some too!!

Very cute pic of Princess Foxy on_my_oe, youve the same windows as me I notice and both Maisey and Arya like to use them as entrances/exits when theyre open - Maisey will sit at a closed window waiting for you to open it even though she can come and go as she pleases through her catflap!

aonb

MrWalsh wrote: »

What a lovely breakthrough Holyhead!!

Holly will definitely follow suit, thats why they call them copy cats! When she see's Oscar enjoying the love she will want some too!!

Very cute pic of Princess Foxy on_my_oe, youve the same windows as me I notice and both Maisey and Arya like to use them as entrances/exits when theyre open - Maisey will sit at a closed window waiting for you to open it even though she can come and go as she pleases through her catflap!

Tux does this too - sits outside on windowsill miaowing piteously to come in, when the door is open!!! My husband its part of her control/training of me!! So Ive started not opening in the windows for her and 'forcing' her to come in the door (hah!). (because) Someone on here mentioned something about cats coming in/out open top windows - not being safe etc? comments?

MrWalsh

aonb wrote: »

Someone on here mentioned something about cats coming in/out open top windows - not being safe etc? comments?

Im a ground floor apartment and my only windows are the same as in the pic of Princess Foxy, so the drop on the other side to the ground is not high when either cat is perched on the open window frame - although they both go to the outside window sill first and then the ground. Not the same window - Maisey owns the front and Arya owns the back - we still havent had them in the same room yet!

Pumpkinseeds

aonb wrote: »

Tux does this too - sits outside on windowsill miaowing piteously to come in, when the door is open!!! My husband its part of her control/training of me!! So Ive started not opening in the windows for her and 'forcing' her to come in the door (hah!). (because) Someone on here mentioned something about cats coming in/out open top windows - not being safe etc? comments?

I think it depends on your situation. There's a porch underneath the box room of our house, it's the same all along the terrace of houses. We had neighbours renting a couple of doors down the terrace and their kids encouraged our cats to go in the upstairs box room window. They were renting and we were worried what would happen if they moved out, in case the next tenants hated cats and found our cats in the house.

Another distant neighbour has a cat that gets up on the roof of their house via the roof of their extension and walks all along the terraces. The first time I saw him sitting on our roof I panicked and went to get them in case he was stuck.

holyhead

Friends brought the kittens to the vet for me. They got their second vacc today however the vet deemed it necessary for them to be neutered tomorrow so they are staying overnight at the vet hosp. He was afraid they would go into season. Also a possibility that I do have two girls after all. Will know for sure tomorrow. Miss having the little ones not wandering around the house. Fingers crossed all goes well tomorrow. That should be the last of the medical hoops to go through for at least another couple of months hopefully.

aonb

holyhead wrote: »

Friends brought the kittens to the vet for me. They got their second vacc today however the vet deemed it necessary for them to be neutered tomorrow so they are staying overnight at the vet hosp. He was afraid they would go into season. Also a possibility that I do have two girls after all. Will know for sure tomorrow. Miss having the little ones not wandering around the house. Fingers crossed all goes well tomorrow. That should be the last of the medical hoops to go through for at least another couple of months hopefully.

the vet couldnt sex your kittens??

My kitten was spayed a few weeks ago - when she came home she was a bit sleepy/woozy but by the end of the day was pretty much back to normal. Not too much food maybe, as with the anaesthetic they may throw up. Maybe check/ask that the stitches are the dissolvable ones (save u a trip/hassle of having to go back)

holyhead

One vet on the first visit felt that Heidi was in fact a boy hence Oscar. Couldn't sex allocate the other ie Holly as she would'nt let him. When I adopted them I was told they were two females. In the second visit another vet looked for testes in Oscar but couldn't see evidence of apparently. All should be known tomorrow.
I have been told they will have dissolvable stitches. Yes hopefully they will quickly recover and be back to their playful selves

MrWalsh

Cats are amazingly tough! Although in retrospect, while Arya was full of love and happy after her neutering, she wasn't her fully playful self for about 10 days. She was also a lot sleepier for a few days. But she was also recovering from the ordeal of being a stray momma cat, having her kittens taken away and getting fed properly for the first time in god knows how long. Maybe she had never had a safe place and full belly before. But I think she did, she was so tame she must have known humans before.

holyhead

Well I can now say without reservation that I have two girls called Heidi and Holly. Heidi is the much more social cat. She is the fmr Oscar. She is such a sweetheart. They are now home again following neutering. Their pottering around as usual but I am avoiding any chasing play as I want their wounds to heal as quickly as time allows. Heidi, for the first time, gave me non food related nuzzles and we had a ten minute petting session on the bed. It such a lovely feeling to be able to physically show them affection and love. She loves her rubs purring contentedly. Holly looks on bemused. She is very much the shier more timid of the two but in fairness her days of blank hiding seem over at least here anyway. They are both eating well and using the litter tray and there poo seems fine.

MrWalsh

Aw Holyhead, 2 lovely little girls

Over the next few days as they recover they will really appreciate being minded and loved. Arya really bonded with us when she was healing after her neutering.

Try to encourage plenty of water drinking, I sprinkled water onto her dry food, just to help with washing the anaesthetic out of their systems.

Poor little scraps, you've done the best thing anyone could do for kittens, love, safety, food and neutering.

holyhead

Very bizarre thing. Tonight Heidi has taken to firing the water out of the container to the point that it empties in no time. Puzzled as to why she would do this.

MrWalsh

holyhead wrote: »

Very bizarre thing. Tonight Heidi has taken to firing the water out of the container to the point that it empties in no time. Puzzled as to why she would do this.

Arya does this too. To combat I now serve up the food and water bowls sitting in a roasting dish so at least the floor isn't getting soaked all the time.

aonb

Tux went through a phase of doing this too. I think she was playing with the water. I put a basin full of water for her in the garage, and put some bits floating in it, and she would spend ages fishing them out. Didnt seem to mind being soaked. She has thankfully stopped emptying the waterbowl in the kitchen now.

on_my_oe

Princess Foxy is improving all the time! She is giving us lots of opportunities to pat her. She often lies down on the landing and meeps until we come running to see what's wrong, then purrs delightedly while we lavish her with pats. She started licking our hands this week, which we think is a good sign of trust.

on_my_oe

Princess Foxy is being very fussy with her food... She happily eats her biscuits, but her wet food is a problem. We have tried everything from Whiskas to Royal Canin to Bozita, and different versions of gravy, jelly and pates, but she mostly licks off the topping (gravy, jelly) and leaves the meat content.

She eats shredded roast chicken, cooked red meat and canned tuna happily, plus cooked fish. We tried cooking lambs and chicken livers, but she didn't like those. She has turned up her nose at raw meat.

Is she getting enough vitamins from her cat biscuits? Can we skip the canned stuff, and just give her cooked meat? She is putting on weight, so she isn't starving to death.

MrWalsh

Both of mine are now fussy foodies (and to think Arya was living out of the bins before we took her in so she definitely wasn't fussy then!). I've a stack of expensive tins of food here that I have to donate to Cats Aid.

They've both settled with LIDLs premium pouches with gravy (haven't tried the jelly ones yet). Both lick off the gravy initially but they do also eat the meat.

Maisey will eat any cooked meat. I don't mind her not eating wet food because she is a great drinker. But Arya isn't a great drinker and as she isn't out unsupervised really I don't think she is getting water elsewhere. So I like her to eat some wet food even though the majority of her diet is dry food. She isn't interested in cooked meat and she hates anything fishy! I haven't tried either of them on raw meat.

Nody

on_my_oe wrote: »

Is she getting enough vitamins from her cat biscuits? Can we skip the canned stuff, and just give her cooked meat? She is putting on weight, so she isn't starving to death.

Most kibble would be complete so yes it would be enough (you can check the description if it states if it is complimentary or complete; if they only recommend water with it it's complete).

holyhead

Holly is still very scared. Heidi loves her pets. Holly in fairness is getting more social but it truly is baby steps.

holyhead

Got to hold Heidi yesterday. Was well pleased. She just loves being petted. Holly is finally curious as to how Heidi is getting all this loving but petting is still not in her comfort zone.

dealornodeal23

Wishing you many happy years with the cat. Make sure she can sit and see out the window which my cats love also get something in a pet shop for fur ball

on_my_oe

dealornodeal23 wrote: »

Wishing you many happy years with the cat. Make sure she can sit and see out the window which my cats love also get something in a pet shop for fur ball

Princess Foxy has delegated herself 'guard cat' and patrols all windows throughout the night, wandering from bedroom to living room to kitchen. I can't believe I paid €500 for black out romans in our bedroom, only to leave them up 40cm at night so she can peer out the windows as she wishes. The things we do when we are completely under the paw!
She is getting into more of a routine, and knows what time breakfast is. She is also much more playful than we thought possible at the rescue home, her confidence is certainly growing. She is also adding new sounds to her chat. Difference meeps and meows, and an odd short not-quite-a-hiss. We wonder if its her cursing at the birds or laughing at her humans.

holyhead wrote: »

Got to hold Heidi yesterday. Was well pleased. She just loves being petted. Holly is finally curious as to how Heidi is getting all this loving but petting is still not in her comfort zone.

Awww thats massive progress! We still don't hold Princess Foxy, her preferred option is meeping at us until we come running then flopping down on the floor like a dog, followed by a look of "Well, since you're here, how about getting down on the floor and patting me?". You are more successful than we are, so pat yourself on the back.

MrWalsh

Maisey girl (imagine a grumpy old lady) does NOT like to be picked up and gives a complaining Mrrraaaooowww if you do pick her up. Being held is a complete no no, she will just struggle to escape. Although she is not adverse to sitting on your belly if you are not feeling well

Arya doesnt mind being picked up at all, and will allow herself to be held but she doesnt settle in and get comfy, after a bit she wants to get down. Even if she comes up on the bed with us and settles, she likes to have a bit of space to settle in. But she would give you head pushing, flop down affection all day long if you wanted, well, in between play.... her latest is playing chasing where she hides and then jumps out and touches you with her paw and then runs off madly - if you dont chase she is very disappointed!

Dandelion6

I have been reading this thread with some envy, as the rescue cat I adopted in February is particularly shy, but last night we took a significant step forward. Although he has slept in my bed most nights since I brought him home - sometimes on the pillow next to me but more often near my legs - last night we cuddled up face to face, he rubbed his face against mine at the start and spent most of the rest of the night rubbing his face into my hand. At one point I woke up to see him staring at me and I reached out and scratched his head and, contrary to his normal behaviour, he didn't flinch at all. I've never felt so close to him before

(He was also up on my lap for the first time yesterday, but that doesn't really count because he was trying to dig treats out of my hoodie pockets!)

on_my_oe

Dandelion6 wrote: »

I have been reading this thread with some envy, as the rescue cat I adopted in February is particularly shy, but last night we took a significant step forward. Although he has slept in my bed most nights since I brought him home - sometimes on the pillow next to me but more often near my legs - last night we cuddled up face to face, he rubbed his face against mine at the start and spent most of the rest of the night rubbing his face into my hand. At one point I woke up to see him staring at me and I reached out and scratched his head and, contrary to his normal behaviour, he didn't flinch at all. I've never felt so close to him before

(He was also up on my lap for the first time yesterday, but that doesn't really count because he was trying to dig treats out of my hoodie pockets!)

Awww that sounds so sweet, I love that he was rubbing his face into yours, like he was giving you face kisses.

Dandelion6

Dandelion6 wrote: »

(He was also up on my lap for the first time yesterday, but that doesn't really count because he was trying to dig treats out of my hoodie pockets!)

I might have underestimated the significance of this. Since then he's taken to crawling on my lap sniffing for treats in my hoodie pockets, even when there aren't any. I began to suspect he might just be testing the waters for safe lap-sitting and I think this may have been confirmed last night - after he did his sniffing around, he settled down, not entirely on my lap, but next to me with his front legs and upper body resting on my lap. I was almost afraid to scare him off, but I took my chances and began scratching his head and ears and we remained like that for quite some time, him purring contentedly. It's the first time I've heard him purr! My super shy rescue kitty will be a lap cat yet

holyhead

Haven't tried holding Heidi since. However when I sit down in their room she comes over for pets. She started to climb on my back tonight. She was purring louder than I have heard before. Holly made do with clawing at the sole of my shoes. Holly hasn't hissed or put her ears back in the longest time so maybe that's over with. She will also come on my lap for whiskas wet food. Petting is still some way off from what I can see. Both seem content and love exploring. It's been a very action packed near 7 weeks now at this stage. Definitely making progress though and love having them around.

Dandelion6

First proper lap session tonight. He climbed on and didn't want to leave!

aonb

holyhead wrote: »

Haven't tried holding Heidi since. However when I sit down in their room she comes over for pets. She started to climb on my back tonight. She was purring louder than I have heard before. Holly made do with clawing at the sole of my shoes. Holly hasn't hissed or put her ears back in the longest time so maybe that's over with. She will also come on my lap for whiskas wet food. Petting is still some way off from what I can see. Both seem content and love exploring. It's been a very action packed near 7 weeks now at this stage. Definitely making progress though and love having them around.

Ive never had a cat until this rescued one - never really liked cats - I LOVE having Tux - and I see now why all you cat slaves on here are such cat lovers

holyhead

Touched noses with Heidi on Friday night while petting her on the stairs. Holly is showing mini signs of being less stressed and scared. Tonight I sat on the carpet in their room and using my fingers made a walking motion towards her. Naturally she went to swat at my fingers but curiously enough didn't run away.

on_my_oe

OH and I spent the afternoon raising the fenceline around our courtyard - Princess Foxy is meant to be an inside cat, but we want to be able to open the doors during the brief Irish summer. The fence is now six foot high. Princess Foxy can't jump more than about 1.1m because of her dodgy back knees, but we want to be certain - she's so nervous and timid if she got out, no one would ever be able to catch and return her to us.

She's ventured into the courtyard for five minutes, constantly looking back to make sure we were still watching her and running inside for a moment or two before going back into the courtyard.

We are scared but excited - we want her to have a stimulating environment but are petrified we will lose her.

Nody

on_my_oe wrote: »

OH and I spent the afternoon raising the fenceline around our courtyard - Princess Foxy is meant to be an inside cat, but we want to be able to open the doors during the brief Irish summer. The fence is now six foot high. Princess Foxy can't jump more than about 1.1m because of her dodgy back knees, but we want to be certain - she's so nervous and timid if she got out, no one would ever be able to catch and return her to us.

She's ventured into the courtyard for five minutes, constantly looking back to make sure we were still watching her and running inside for a moment or two before going back into the courtyard.

We are scared but excited - we want her to have a stimulating environment but are petrified we will lose her.

Add a ~45 degree angle leaning inwards; this will stop even climbing over etc. as well.

MrWalsh

on_my_oe wrote: »

We are scared but excited - we want her to have a stimulating environment but are petrified we will lose her.

Arya cat now ventures out alone, sometimes for up to an hour. A couple of times we have gone looking for her to find her round near where we found her. She knows her way home and runs back home if she sees us looking for her. She is also wary of people and not just running up to them like she did with us when we found her.

AND - she has met one of her kittens over where we found her (a neighbour took the kitten in) and they recognised each other! Now we see them playing together occasionally.

She still refuses to wear a collar but is microchipped, however she is so good about only staying out for a while that I am happy she knows where she lives and will always come back.

on_my_oe

Nody wrote: »

Add a ~45 degree angle leaning inwards; this will stop even climbing over etc. as well.

We thought about something similar but our courtyard is only 6m x 2.5m, so we are thinking of plastic spikes on 'our' side of the fence, millimetres from the top. It should discourage her we hope!

She's started getting on the bed in the morning for her morning pats, and gets up close to our faces to check if we are awake yet. If our eyes are closed, she goes away for two minutes then comes back meeping to see if we've woken up. Who needs kids? :rolleyes:

Nody

on_my_oe wrote: »

She's started getting on the bed in the morning for her morning pats, and gets up close to our faces to check if we are awake yet. If our eyes are closed, she goes away for two minutes then comes back meeping to see if we've woken up. Who needs kids? :rolleyes:

Oh you'll look back at these days with rosy tinted glasses in the years to come; this is what you can expect down the line :P

Dandelion6

Nody wrote: »

Oh you'll look back at these days with rosy tinted glasses in the years to come; this is what you can expect down the line :P

Yep that's my boy to a T. (Well for the first minute anyway!)

Pumpkinseeds

Nody wrote: »

Oh you'll look back at these days with rosy tinted glasses in the years to come; this is what you can expect down the line :P

That was Felix at 2am this morning and he just wouldn't stop for long. I really must clear the top of my bedside locker, he seems to feel the need to sit on it and knock everything off, individually. That's how it starts, followed by purring in my ear, followed by using the headboard as a scratching post and if that fails there's the little nipping kisses on my arm. Or in todays case, I had a long sleeved pajama top on so he was holding the sleeve in his mouth and trying to pull me out of the bed.:D The most frustrating bit is when I got up to feed him he sat at the front door to be let out, he has a frigging cat flap but that wouldn't be as much fun as waking me up.

on_my_oe

Let Foxy into the courtyard unsupervised and heard squawking - went back out to see Foxy on top of the fence in determined pursuit of a bird which has been taunting her through the windows. Foxy saw me, and jumped back down... She won't wear a collar and she isn't physically able so we don't want her outside too far.

Though in hindsight perhaps she's more physically able than we thought given she was up a 6ft fence.

Junkyard Tom

on_my_oe wrote: »

Though in hindsight perhaps she's more physically able than we thought given she was up a 6ft fence.

Cats are incredibly agile creatures. They're the original urban free runners.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDKzY_NIBDo

on_my_oe

He he he

Princess Foxy cat has bung back legs (one has already been operated on after her knee popped out after an ambitious jump), dodgy eyes (faulty eyelids), and a front limp. Despite this, she is definitely more of a 'free runner' that i am!

Tonight's trick was running up the collapsed clothes rack, and balancing on the bannister. I swear she even gave a cocky little grin to say "Look at me Mama!"

Dandelion6

My boy slept in my lap for half an hour last night. It was so sweet.