Adopting a cat - what else do I need?

holyhead

Heidi comes over to me wanting petting but not Holly. Now she will sniff my fingers but still very scared.

Pumpkinseeds

holyhead wrote: »

Heidi comes over to me wanting petting but not Holly. Now she will sniff my fingers but still very scared.

You'll get there. It'll be like someone flipped a switch and they'll just become lap cats. I think back to when Jazzy was a tiny feral kitten showing up in our garden 6 years ago, far too little to be out on the street and I don't know how he survived or where he was going. It took a year with him and for the first few months if I even twitched the curtain he'd run out of the garden. Once he decided he liked laps that was it, no going back and he particularly likes to climb on my pillow and sit on my head if he's been out in the rain so he can get warm.

Dandelion6

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

You'll get there. It'll be like someone flipped a switch and they'll just become lap cats.

Yes - this is so true! I've posted before in this thread about how my super shy cat seemed to be taking ages to warm up to me. It's now almost harder to get him off my lap than on it!

This may or may not be just a very fortuitous coincidence, but his transition to cuddle-demanding lap cat happened within days after I put a Feliway diffuser in his room. Worth trying, anyway.

reallyrose

Me too - we had a little feral kitten for a while. Davy was taken in by a neighbour from outside who proceeded to kick him out after a few days. (He meowed at night) (ﾉ｀Д´)ﾉ

Then he started running in our window when no one was looking, scrafing down Swanson's food and running away. He run away if you even moved.

One day, he just got up on the couch and had a nap.
He particularly enjoyed sitting on your head, also.

(Davy left after about a year to join the circus. I assume - he didn't come back so it must be awesome there. *denial*)

CaoimheSquee

I've been sick for the last few days and my little one has slept beside me day and night purring away.
The last few nights I have woken a little to her snuggling up a little closer or wrapping her paws around my arm.
I honestly don't know what I would do without her!

This is 3 years later from adopting, it took us a while to bond I have to say but it is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. We stuck with each other and now I have the funniest, boldest most affectionate cat EVER

on_my_oe

on_my_oe wrote: »

Hopefully I won't get judged here, but now I'm looking for advice on the actual cat im adopting.

She is a rescue cat and is very timid. She never seeks anyone out, just seems to sit in one spot and watch what is going on. She will accept a pat or head rub from me, and will purr, but that's the extent of her interactions with me or anyone.

Yesterday I visited her, and when I tried to pat her, she bolted in the other direction, and hid under the cupboards. I waited patiently for an hour in the hope she might come out but she didn't. Meanwhile many of the other cats in the rescue approached me and got a pat, and several sat in my lap for a while, so I guess I'm not that intimidating. I've visited her nearly two dozen times, in the hope of earning her trust, but it doesn't appear that I have and I'm not sure I ever will.

I know she was rescued from an industrial estate as a feral kitten, and as she hasn't demonstrationed any desire to go outside, it does look like she has adapted to being an inside cat easily enough.

I'm worried we are getting a cat that is going to end up spending her life hiding under the stairs, and as selfish as I know it sounds, but I was hoping for a bit more, like sitting on my bed or couch patting her while watching TV.

So four months on, and she has made massive progress.... She loves her pats especially head rubs (and meeps to make sure we get down on the ground to give them), she loves playing feathers and mellowing out in the courtyard, and when we wake up, most mornings she's on the bed snuggling up to our legs. She loves the ugly cat tree but yes, it was too small in places and DIY OH had to expand it a bit for proper stretching space. After a slow start, she loves Dreamies and we learnt she hates wet food but loves freshly cooked chicken, canned tuna and steak, with everything tasting best off papas plate. She's never jumped up on the kitchen counter, and is a proper little lady. She hasn't yet come up and sat on our laps on the sofa, but other than that, she is pretty much perfect.
(The lumpy thing is my leg, ignore the cat hair which is a constant battle)

MrWalsh

What a pretty lady on_my_oe!

She looks like a very well loved and happy cat. Im delighted to hear the progress report. Sounds like you are all in love with each other, which is lovely.

Gold Star for Princess Foxy for being such a good human trainer

ncur

What a content cat! Clearly at her ease. Pet ownership is such a mutually beneficial thing, I'm sure you'll agree

CaoimheSquee

She is GORGEOUS!!

Nody

If she likes raw try to source chicken necks, chicken hearts, turkey hearts and pig heart (the last two you'll need to cut down a bit to chunks). Necks are great way to keep plaque from building up and hearts got a ton of taurine (but limit the amount daily due to sodium content) and since you've frozen it (always deep freeze for at least 48h) you can have small packages made up in advance to be brought out the night before serving. In our household necks & hearts tops everything else (and that's between ~20 different kibble & can brands!).

on_my_oe

I need to be a wee bit braver - tried cooked and raw chicken and lambs livers but she wasn't having any of that. She also turns her nose up at salmon, raw or cooked, but she loves cooked white fish. She seems to like her food cooked mostly, can I cook those Nody and freeze them?

MrWalsh

Im not sure is Arya is "cat" at all, she hates all fish!

Nody

on_my_oe wrote: »

I need to be a wee bit braver - tried cooked and raw chicken and lambs livers but she wasn't having any of that. She also turns her nose up at salmon, raw or cooked, but she loves cooked white fish. She seems to like her food cooked mostly, can I cook those Nody and freeze them?

You can't cook necks (bones); hearts should not be an issue though

holyhead

Heidi is now very comfortable with being petted and likes it now. Holly is still standoffish but alot less nervous and jumpy than heretofore. Have to say its a pleasure having them around the house. Cats are just so fascinating. They move so gracefully, quietly and their agility is just remarkable. I'm very lucky. The two girls are remarkably clean and are forever grooming themselves. It's definitely a different experience to having a dog but so worth it.

MrWalsh

When Maisey is grooming herself, if I stick my arm over she will give it a good groom also.

holyhead

Heidi still loves being petted thankfully. Holly continues to make progress in being less scared. She was sprawled out on the hall tiles the other night and let me walk around her without her bolting. She is starting to hop up on the bed when I pet Heidi curious as to what is going on. It surely is a slow process but I think we are getting there.

on_my_oe

I remember being both fearful and delighted when foxy began hopping up on the bed... Delighted she was doing it, fearful that she would get a fright and run off. Now I'm the one getting a fright, waking up at dawn to see her peering at me... Not sure she realises humans sleep too

Sounds like they're both making wonderful progress, well done!

Dandelion6

Sammy has come on unbelievably in the six months since I adopted him. He is always coming up to me for cuddles, nosebumps in the morning (sometimes a little too early in the morning :rolleyes:), chin scratches and belly rubs. I'm now in the process of arranging a little brother for him, because he seems very sad and lonely when I'm gone the whole day. I'll have to take it very carefully obviously, but I'm really hoping it works out!

Dandelion6

Cat no. 2 has arrived! He's in his safe room for a few days. At first he was very upset and mewing all night, but now he's beginning to get curious and coming and sniffing around me whenever I sit in there with him. Cat no. 1 seems a bit insecure so I am trying to give him lots of extra love.

holyhead

I have taken on a third cat. She is about nine months old and was a stray. She is full of personality and much more confident and assured than my two black cats. Loves being petted and sleeps on my bed. Beautiful white cat with black markings and tail.

I wont lose hope of the two black cats becoming less feral. I intend to look after the twins no matter what. They have each other and maybe with time they will become more human friendly.

holyhead

Holly is still very wary. Food is the one thing that makes her brave so if I'm eating an Aldi dinner she'll be over looking to swipe a bit! She was quite vocal today when I was talking to her. Heidi is just pure lovable. Loves to be petted. Milly Moo sleeps on my bed. She is white with black markings. She is extremely affectionate. Hopefully Holly gets there. I do see progress but it's tiny steps in over 14 months.