Aa
Have adopted older cat, have 3 others
G'day all;
My wife and I have taken in a 10 year old kitty (Teah) whose people have lost their house due to foreclosure. We got her yesterday (6/2/09) afternoon and she is currently hiding in the corner of our master bath, behind the stool.
We know its a scary thing for her; losing the only family she's known and having been a lone kitty.
We have 3 other cats, Kessie (9), Hildie (8) and Chessie (7), who are curious, but not forceful in confronting new kitty.
How long before we should be concerned that she may not be eating or drinking?
I know that less than a full day isn't do long, but we're softies for kitties ,-)
Thanks in advance!
My wife and I have taken in a 10 year old kitty (Teah) whose people have lost their house due to foreclosure. We got her yesterday (6/2/09) afternoon and she is currently hiding in the corner of our master bath, behind the stool.
We know its a scary thing for her; losing the only family she's known and having been a lone kitty.
We have 3 other cats, Kessie (9), Hildie (8) and Chessie (7), who are curious, but not forceful in confronting new kitty.
How long before we should be concerned that she may not be eating or drinking?
I know that less than a full day isn't do long, but we're softies for kitties ,-)
Thanks in advance!
Good Morning Kaydey;
No worries, I understood your intent.
We had one other cat, Cerridwen, who we think was abused by humans before we brought her into the house. Luckily, she was by nature sweet and trusting from the start, responding immediately to our overtures of friendship.
I neither believe nor think that Teia's previous family were the source of the hurt, in light of how upset they were at having to give her up. It may well be that they were/are unaware of the extent of prior trauma.
Anita and I, due to the nature of our military jobs, decided to not have children. In light of illnesses we've had since, it looks like it was the right decision...so the cats have been the repository of our affection and interest.
I think we are just trying with them as we would have if life had been different and we had become parents.
Kind of bittersweet. (You'll notice as I write more in these threads and journals that I have a realistic and open attitude about my life ,-)
Another small victory yesterday; Miss Teia let Hildiekatt get 4 - 5 feet into the room before hissing, and didn't stop batting at her leather strip either, which Anita was tugging on during a play session.
We do make sure to give the others some extra attention.
Thanks again!
Pip
No worries, I understood your intent.
We had one other cat, Cerridwen, who we think was abused by humans before we brought her into the house. Luckily, she was by nature sweet and trusting from the start, responding immediately to our overtures of friendship.
I neither believe nor think that Teia's previous family were the source of the hurt, in light of how upset they were at having to give her up. It may well be that they were/are unaware of the extent of prior trauma.
Anita and I, due to the nature of our military jobs, decided to not have children. In light of illnesses we've had since, it looks like it was the right decision...so the cats have been the repository of our affection and interest.
I think we are just trying with them as we would have if life had been different and we had become parents.
Kind of bittersweet. (You'll notice as I write more in these threads and journals that I have a realistic and open attitude about my life ,-)
Another small victory yesterday; Miss Teia let Hildiekatt get 4 - 5 feet into the room before hissing, and didn't stop batting at her leather strip either, which Anita was tugging on during a play session.
We do make sure to give the others some extra attention.
Thanks again!
Pip
First to zodiac..... I should not have used the word 'force.' But Teia had to get out of that bathroom! She needed to be shown that the rest of the house was hers also. An abused cat will contain themselves indefinately to an area where other animals in the house will not wander. And that is hazardous to their whole being. Its like a nesting bird that won't ever leave the nest, not even for food...they eventually become very sick and lonesome that it affects their whole being. Teia had to be forced out of that bathroom so she could see part of the expansion of the world that was waiting for her. It was not cruel...it was just time.
To Pip.. Very often former humans do not tell the whole truth of how the animal was treated, which is why I stated that she must have been abused or neglected. She is still very defensive....and that is OK. She comes to you on her terms. It won't be long that her trust will increase and come to you on your terms.
Abuse is very difficult to reconcile, in all animals (including humans). It does take a while.
It does sound like you are more "cat-friendly" than her last family. This would explain her hesitation in her socialization with the other cats and her excitement with playing with you.
Her hesitancy with the other cats and their not invading her "space" shows that they very much know what she has endured and will not push her. Cats have that sense of knowledge that we don't. And they take that sense of knowledge very seriously. She will begin to interact with your other cats soon enough. Especially if they see her playfullness and she sees their playfullness.
Cats learn by contact and observation.
Bless you and your family
To Pip.. Very often former humans do not tell the whole truth of how the animal was treated, which is why I stated that she must have been abused or neglected. She is still very defensive....and that is OK. She comes to you on her terms. It won't be long that her trust will increase and come to you on your terms.
Abuse is very difficult to reconcile, in all animals (including humans). It does take a while.
It does sound like you are more "cat-friendly" than her last family. This would explain her hesitation in her socialization with the other cats and her excitement with playing with you.
Her hesitancy with the other cats and their not invading her "space" shows that they very much know what she has endured and will not push her. Cats have that sense of knowledge that we don't. And they take that sense of knowledge very seriously. She will begin to interact with your other cats soon enough. Especially if they see her playfullness and she sees their playfullness.
Cats learn by contact and observation.
Bless you and your family
Hope you all had an enjoyable Fourth of July weekend.
Tomorrow makes 5 weeks since Miss Teia Honey came to live with us.
The door to the spare bedroom has been open for the past 6 days; leaving her free to leave the room as she will and the other cats to visit her if they will. More often than not, when I go into visit, she is out of "der bunker;" either laying just ahead of the foot of the bed or perched on the pillow-topped box I have at the window.
Most often, when one of the other girls comes to the doorway to look at new kitty, she'll just trade stares with them and not hiss.
Hildiekatt is most curious and has ventured a body length or two into the room. All (Kestrel, Hildiekatt and Chesapeake) seem to know that Teia likes a large personal space; none of them have tried to confront her.
She does seem to have taken to me a bit more than Anita, maybe because she tried to put Teia back in the carrier to take her to the vet on day 3. ;-)
A few times I have stood in the doorway instead of entering the room right away and got Teia to come to me. She rubs against me, peers down the hall and then skitters back to her comfort zone of the carpet in front of the foot board.
I've started moving her food and water closer to the doorway, just a few inches each day.
And, contrary to what her previous people said, she LOVES wet food; has the morning routine down pat. I usually get up at 04:30 to be at work by 06:00. I get up, put on my morning coffee, pop the top on the morning can (in the kitchen, which is at the other end of the house), feed the 3 "furies" and by the time I get to Teia, she is up, meowing a welcome and bumping my legs as I give her a portion.
She is still a little unsure if she like more than a few minutes of petting, but this is not what I think of as a standoffish, formerly feral kitty. Also, as I wrote earlier, she does have a playful side, too.
Perhaps it is just that Anita and I are just more cat-sociable than her previous family!?
Anyhow, Miss Teia is doing splendidly!
Tomorrow makes 5 weeks since Miss Teia Honey came to live with us.
The door to the spare bedroom has been open for the past 6 days; leaving her free to leave the room as she will and the other cats to visit her if they will. More often than not, when I go into visit, she is out of "der bunker;" either laying just ahead of the foot of the bed or perched on the pillow-topped box I have at the window.
Most often, when one of the other girls comes to the doorway to look at new kitty, she'll just trade stares with them and not hiss.
Hildiekatt is most curious and has ventured a body length or two into the room. All (Kestrel, Hildiekatt and Chesapeake) seem to know that Teia likes a large personal space; none of them have tried to confront her.
She does seem to have taken to me a bit more than Anita, maybe because she tried to put Teia back in the carrier to take her to the vet on day 3. ;-)
A few times I have stood in the doorway instead of entering the room right away and got Teia to come to me. She rubs against me, peers down the hall and then skitters back to her comfort zone of the carpet in front of the foot board.
I've started moving her food and water closer to the doorway, just a few inches each day.
And, contrary to what her previous people said, she LOVES wet food; has the morning routine down pat. I usually get up at 04:30 to be at work by 06:00. I get up, put on my morning coffee, pop the top on the morning can (in the kitchen, which is at the other end of the house), feed the 3 "furies" and by the time I get to Teia, she is up, meowing a welcome and bumping my legs as I give her a portion.
She is still a little unsure if she like more than a few minutes of petting, but this is not what I think of as a standoffish, formerly feral kitty. Also, as I wrote earlier, she does have a playful side, too.
Perhaps it is just that Anita and I are just more cat-sociable than her previous family!?
Anyhow, Miss Teia is doing splendidly!
Blessings of the Day to you, too.
Teia has been a very pleasant surprise, in light of the expectations we had from Anita talking to her previous "owner." (Who really owns a cat?-) It is 4 weeks, today, since we brought her home.
Big thing; she really has taken to the twice-a-day wet food snack; we were told she will not eat canned food. Used to be the other girls got 1/3 of a can, twice a day, now it's 1/4 can. Otherwise, they all seem to like the "indoor formula" dry food just fine. All but one of our kitties have made it to over 16 years on mostly dry food. (See my photos for stories about our other girls.)
Miss Teia Honey (her new official full-name) is rediscovering her inner kitten. I have a length of suede leather she likes to bat at while I dangle or drag it. Plus, I got her a plush mousie. She doesn't play with that when we are in the room, but the mouse seems to move about from place to place ,-)
She has taken to warning us of too much contact with a meow instead of a hiss, and she bats our hands with claws retracted instead of drawing blood, like the 1st 2 1/2 weeks, when she wants petting to end.
All in all, very nice progress!
AND, I am glad I'm able to bring a nice story to this forum where I have read so many sad stories of folks trying to help hurting kitties.
I'm a veteran and a hunter and pretty gruff with my fellow humans, sometimes, but the little furpers do get to me.
Thanks for thinking well of my wife and me!
Pip
Teia has been a very pleasant surprise, in light of the expectations we had from Anita talking to her previous "owner." (Who really owns a cat?-) It is 4 weeks, today, since we brought her home.
Big thing; she really has taken to the twice-a-day wet food snack; we were told she will not eat canned food. Used to be the other girls got 1/3 of a can, twice a day, now it's 1/4 can. Otherwise, they all seem to like the "indoor formula" dry food just fine. All but one of our kitties have made it to over 16 years on mostly dry food. (See my photos for stories about our other girls.)
Miss Teia Honey (her new official full-name) is rediscovering her inner kitten. I have a length of suede leather she likes to bat at while I dangle or drag it. Plus, I got her a plush mousie. She doesn't play with that when we are in the room, but the mouse seems to move about from place to place ,-)
She has taken to warning us of too much contact with a meow instead of a hiss, and she bats our hands with claws retracted instead of drawing blood, like the 1st 2 1/2 weeks, when she wants petting to end.
All in all, very nice progress!
AND, I am glad I'm able to bring a nice story to this forum where I have read so many sad stories of folks trying to help hurting kitties.
I'm a veteran and a hunter and pretty gruff with my fellow humans, sometimes, but the little furpers do get to me.
Thanks for thinking well of my wife and me!
Pip
bless you for giving this poor baby a good home and being so patient with her! its a big transition at the best of times made worse for her with the scent of the other kitties in the house, you have done a great job...takes some time but they will all come around for you........
wish there were more caring people out there willing to do this for one that would otherwise be homeless, and no doubt good therapy for your wife as well, bless u all!
wish there were more caring people out there willing to do this for one that would otherwise be homeless, and no doubt good therapy for your wife as well, bless u all!
Right now, she is resting easy out from under the bed; third day of the door being wide open while either my wife or I am around to supervise.
She locked eyes with Hildie again, who settled down just outside the doorway watching me helping Teia regain her inner kitten; she likes playing with a soft leather strip I was dangling from my fingers.
She now is getting used to the timing of morning and evening canned food snack; each of the girls gets a heaping tablespoon twice a day. Teia was out this morning, mrrping at my wife. We trade off the feedings so Teia knows we are both on her staff ,-)
I think, with some more patience on our part, Teia will settle completely into the routine of House Catamount Grange.
Thanks again all for caring. - Pip
She locked eyes with Hildie again, who settled down just outside the doorway watching me helping Teia regain her inner kitten; she likes playing with a soft leather strip I was dangling from my fingers.
She now is getting used to the timing of morning and evening canned food snack; each of the girls gets a heaping tablespoon twice a day. Teia was out this morning, mrrping at my wife. We trade off the feedings so Teia knows we are both on her staff ,-)
I think, with some more patience on our part, Teia will settle completely into the routine of House Catamount Grange.
Thanks again all for caring. - Pip
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