Adopted world's most frightened cat

[girasol]

Just take the cat to a rescue shelter so someone who wants him and has the time and patience to look after him can adopt him and then get yourself a dog ffs

But if we then get a "Oh...my dog keeps needing walking" thread I will kill you.

Or even, "Oh... my dog keeps needing walking AT LEAST twice a day EVERY DAY"

 

[sim667]

Just take the cat to a rescue shelter so someone who wants him and has the time and patience to look after him can adopt him and then get yourself a dog ffs

But if we then get a "Oh...my dog keeps needing walking" thread I will kill you.

Yeah if you dont want the cat, dont keep hold of him, get him re-homed sooner rather than later.

And dont get a dog, if you're incapable of applying some basic common sense to keeping a cat, then you really shouldn't be keeping any animals. ...... Maybe something like a pet fish might suit you.

*awaits 'Offered:Cat' thread in recycling

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Fish need feeding.

A pet cactus, perhaps?

 

[i'mnotsofast]

Or even, "Oh... my dog keeps needing walking AT LEAST twice a day EVERY DAY"

We looked after a friend's large English Pointer dog in November-December and it was great fun. Yes lots of walkies!

 

[sim667]

Fish need feeding.

A pet cactus, perhaps?

What about seamonkeys?

 

[i'mnotsofast]

If he's mewing at you I'm pretty sure that means he's not at all feral. It sounds to me like he is just a scared domesticated kitty. With some patience and perseverance he will become more comfortable. He may never be a lap cat (but even many well-socialised from birth cats never become lap cats) but he will show you affection in whatever way he deems appropriate, and that can be just as rewarding as sitting on your lap.

I think though if you really don't think you want to keep him, you either rehome him/take him to a shelter now, like right now, or wait until you have him fully socialised and comfortable. Having to move yet again half way through the settling in process would be hugely unfair on him. I know this is to a large extent about what you want from a pet, but actually you still agreed to take on the responsibility of a living thing here so you will also have to do some things you don't really want to do.

In the week when we first had the cat, before he got out, he was definitely starting to get marginally more comfortable around the flat. Well at least to the extent that he would explore at night, and one evening he came out of the conservatory and into the lounge, where he hid underneath an armchair, but then came out and walked around the edges of the room, staring at me the whole time. This seemed like a big step forward! And then he got out, and now we're back to square one.

Yes, it definitely makes sense that we should give the cat to be rehomed now, or keep him forever, not let him get settled in then make him leave!!

 

[sim667]

I'd take it if my cat wouldnt bully it into the middle of next week.

Poor cat

 

[mrs quoad]

In the week when we first had the cat, before he got out, he was definitely starting to get marginally more comfortable around the flat. Well at least to the extent that he would explore at night, and one evening he came out of the conservatory and into the lounge, where he hid underneath an armchair, but then came out and walked around the edges of the room, staring at me the whole time. This seemed like a big step forward! And then he got out, and now we're back to square one.

Yes, it definitely makes sense that we should give the cat to be rehomed now, or keep him forever, not let him get settled in then make him leave!!

Mate.

You're going to see fuck all in a week.

Absolutely fuck all, beyond the very earliest glimmerings. At best.

I'm not sure how old your cat is, but it's been through three homes and a bout of homelessness AND a cat shelter in the last... what? 6 months?

The poor thing needs a bit of stability before it can even begin to show the 'personality' beneath the scaredness and confusion. And, not being funny, but who the fuck are you to the cat at the moment? Someone who it was vaguely around for a week, and who then spent a fair while scaring the shit out of it when all it wanted was food, and who's now locked the poor bugger in.

And still it came back for food and warmth. Against its evident fear and confusion.

Cats can be truly awesome. Like, we've had our Nigel for about 18 months now (rehomed after her owners were arrested for domestic assault, and sectioned following domestic assault respectively; with the woman then bringing a guard dog into her territory). And it's amazing how she's adapted to us, and we've become a part of her world. So to speak. Step by step and increment by increment, but suddenly noticing how much more *adapted* to us, as her people, she now is.

It sounds as if your cat may never be a lapcat, or without a degree of fear / anxiety; but... if you're going to judge that on the basis of a week... that's... massively on the wrong timescale. And massively unfair on the cat.

tbh, it does sound as if you might need to adjust your paramaters for assessing cats, or rehome the poor bastard pretty swiftly. It's had a monumentally fucked up time already, going by the sounds of it. If there's going to be even more turmoil in the near future, then ffs get it done.

 

[FabricLiveBaby!]

Keep it up. I know it's difficult because our cat was a rescue cat and was exactly the same. Hiding and mewing and afraid. She was a rescue cat and we got her at about 3 months old, terrified of everyone.

The cat will love you eventually. When we first got out cat she hid under the bed for a month and tried to scratch anyone who would go near her. She was labelled *a bit rubbish*. We all regretted getting her, but we felt so sorry for her we didn't want to give her on again. We thought it charitable to give an unhappy animal a secure home.

Within 6 months she would let us pick her up and stroke her.

Within a year she was sleeping on our beds.

9 years later she was licking our hair and grooming us. She still ran away from strangers, and still liked to spend most of her time out doors.

She always carried on being a nervous rescue cat, and my dad lost his patience with her cos she didn't "love" him the way his old cat did. So he was really mean to her and deliberately did things that annoyed her like tickling her underbelly.

She died two years ago at the age of 15. Our family really miss our *rubbish* rescue cat. She loved us and gave us affection despite the fact that she was scared of us for ages, and we loved her, despite the hissing and scratching of the early years.

Keep it up. You are doing a very good thing for a very sad cat. The cat will come round, honest. It just takes a bit longer.

We miss her a lot.

 

[i'mnotsofast]

I've just remembered I've got some cute pictures of the cat, taken by the people we got him from. I'll post them.

The other thing is, the cat is a bit dirty now.... My housemate said there was some white gunk on its fur. Not sure what if anything we can do about that....

 

[i'mnotsofast]

CUTE PICS ALERT!! Here are the pics which made us decide to adopt the cat:

 

[FabricLiveBaby!]

I've just remembered I've got some cute pictures of the cat, taken by the people we got him from. I'll post them.

The other thing is, the cat is a bit dirty now.... My housemate said there was some white gunk on its fur. Not sure what if anything we can do about that....

She'll clean herself. Just keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't get worse. For now just try and keep out of her way, and attempt to stroke her occasionally when she eats, or try and tempt her out of her hidey hole with a prawn or somrthing.

Not all the time mind, give her space, but give her time to get used to your hands. She's an afraid cat and needs lots and lots of time and understanding.

Cats associate where they clean with their home. So if she cleans herself it's a good thing. What I'm saying is don't clean her! It'll just weird her out!

Her behaviour so reminds me of my old cat when we first got her! Poor little mite!

 

[stuff_it]

Looks perfectly calm and normal. You will just have to persevere. It takes months. Perhaps get one of those covered cat beds or one of those towers and dose it up with catnip and feliway?

Any 'white gunk' that the cat can't get off by itself is likely to be something like paint, it will come out on it's own eventually.

 

[i'mnotsofast]

Looks perfectly calm and normal. You will just have to persevere. It takes months. Perhaps get one of those covered cat beds or one of those towers and dose it up with catnip and feliway?

Any 'white gunk' that the cat can't get off by itself is likely to be something like paint, it will come out on it's own eventually.

Those pics were taken by the previous owner. Since then the cat spent a fortnight outside fending for itself (when it ran off and we didn't see it) then another fortnight living outside but coming in here to eat. So it is a bit dirtier, more scared and less domesticated now. But yes we can look at those photos and hope it can get like that again.

 

[girasol]

I think the cat needs a good home, perhaps time to start looking for someone with time, patience and cat experience to take it from you? I'd be willing to do it, except we have two already.

 

[FabricLiveBaby!]

Those pics were taken by the previous owner. Since then the cat spent a fortnight outside fending for itself (when it ran off and we didn't see it) then another fortnight living outside but coming in here to eat. So it is a bit dirtier, more scared and less domesticated now. But yes we can look at those photos and hope it can get like that again.

I promise it'll be even better than that. If the cat is already letting your flat mate (a complete stranger) stroke it without a scratch, then you're on to a winner.

 

[TitanSound]

She's lovely!!

 

[wayward bob]

Yeah, until cat decides to sniff candle and set his whiskers on fire

one of ours did this once, singed the whole lot off when they grew back they were all curly

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

one of ours did this once, singed the whole lot off when they grew back they were all curly

When one of my cats was a kitten and new to the house, she decided to investigate the bathroom whilst I was in the bath. She hopped up and walked along the edge and slid in. She never did walk along the edge of the bath again

 

[i'mnotsofast]

I promise it'll be even better than that. If the cat is already letting your flat mate (a complete stranger) stroke it without a scratch, then you're on to a winner.

Great... Actually my housemate let him do this before. I guess the cat remembers being stroked and picked up during the month it was with its previous owners. (And I can see it must be disturbing for the cat to have changed owners and habitat so often). So this fits in with the view it's more like a scared stray housecat, not a semi-feral.

 

[i'mnotsofast]

She's lovely!!

She's a He!

 

[TitanSound]

No way!!!!!

 

[littlebabyjesus]

btw lots of otherwise very affectionate cats hate being picked up. ime cats at best only tolerate being picked up - none of them actually likes it. If a cat doesn't like being picked up, don't pick it up! Cats normally don't like being cuddled much either. Strokes, yes please. Arms around them squeezing, no thanks.

 

[wayward bob]

When one of my cats was a kitten and new to the house, she decided to investigate the bathroom whilst I was in the bath. She hopped up and walked along the edge and slid in. She never did walk along the edge of the bath again

cats falling into baths pwns even cats falling off radiators

 

[smmudge]

My parents' cat shows my dad affection by clawing at his legs when he's playing on the wii.

 

[Greebo]

The other thing is, the cat is a bit dirty now.... My housemate said there was some white gunk on its fur. Not sure what if anything we can do about that....

Leave it for now - even tame cats often hate being washed. It'll either wash the stuff off or it won't. Trying to manhandle that cat before it's ready will only do more damage.

 

[wayward bob]

my cat has snuck under the covers and is all soft and warm and purring against my leg atm

 

[sim667]

My cat shows affection by biting us when we stroke her. And chasing our feet.

She'll only let about 2 or 3 people pick her up though, (me, ex housemate, my dad).

 

[QueenOfGoths]

My cat shows affection by biting us when we stroke her. And chasing our feet.

She'll only let about 2 or 3 people pick her up though, (me, ex housemate, my dad).

Same here - and sitting on my head when I am in bed! He lets us pick him up but I am not sure he would let anyone else, he runs off before they have chance to try!

 

[littlebabyjesus]

I still pick my cat up sometimes. We humans just can't seem to resist it. But we're doing it for our benefit, not theirs.