toggle
wobbly
our local shelter uses fosterers to socialise cats.
and there's all sorts of options for cats who can't be socialised.
Your daily cat and kitten news
- Thread starter Mation
- Start date
our local shelter uses fosterers to socialise cats.
and there's all sorts of options for cats who can't be socialised.
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
But it isn't a charity's job to produce fully socialised kittens, it is their job to stop them being put to sleep.
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
On the issue of cats having dominance battles - if there are no injuries to either party and you can easily disrupt it, then it's not a fight. Proper cat fights are scary, noisy, result in blood and injury, and are quite rare (most cats that don't get along would rather be in a staring at one another stage of threatening behaviour for as long as possible).
toggle
wobbly
i guess that depends on the charity. the one i work with does think it's their job.
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
Good for them, they must be in the back end of beyond rather than dealing with hundreds of feral kittens then.
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
What do you do with the ferals though?
Also bear in mind that socialisation is usually done by unpaid volunteers.
Have YOU volunteered recently?
dolly's gal
killing things
to be honest, individual charities will have their own specific remit. i would say, however, that whether they feel it's their job to shelter, re-home, socialise, or indeed all three, if a cat is being passed to new owners as feral, then that charity should tell said new owners, and offer some advice on how to socialise said cat. that would seem like the responsible way of dealing with it, in my opinion, at least...
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
Badass Brockley Sainsbury's cat is back:
Colin - doesn't look as large as he actually is though
Mogden
I like tea
The Italian Job
Flinty and Grey aren't related but are both female. Grey often demands head licks from Flinty. I'm not sure how they bonded given no genetic link but it works particularly with grooming. Would something as bizarre as favourite cat food smeared or crumbled on each other work for those having issues?
ffsear
Well-Known Member
ffsear
Well-Known Member
This is Bruce...
We got him form Battersea cats home. They told us he was a domestic short hair. However our vet said he's definitely a British Burmese. Which make sense as he has a very high pitch girly meow (for such a big lad). Had him a month now, its like have a mini race horse in the house. He gallops around the place all night and sleeps all day. Has destroyed the sofas also. Little beast, but love him to bits!
We got him form Battersea cats home. They told us he was a domestic short hair. However our vet said he's definitely a British Burmese. Which make sense as he has a very high pitch girly meow (for such a big lad). Had him a month now, its like have a mini race horse in the house. He gallops around the place all night and sleeps all day. Has destroyed the sofas also. Little beast, but love him to bits!
Vintage Paw
dead stare and computer glare
toggle
wobbly
oh dear.
can't say i'm entirely impressed by your choice to misinterpret my words to try to start another session of shitstirring and whittering.
but in explanation for those who prefer to discuss rather than play these stupid games.
the interests of the cats are paramount. it is in the interests of the cats to be socialised, by people that th shelter know can handle this process and with a support network to assist them in this process. it reduces their stress and means they are more likely to be rehomed rather than left in a shelter for a year. and that the rehoming is more likely to be successful. sending out poorly socialised cats is more likely to be deeply stressful to them and it means the adoption is less likely to be successful.
and sometimes it's best to admit defeat, particularly when there's other animals involved. if the situation between them cannot be resolved and keeps causing the animals involved a great deal of stress, it is time to put the human ego aside and act in the interests of the animals and seek another home for them. the only failure in that scenario would be in a refusal to consider that as an option when it was clear that there was no way to make the situation work. because that would be the decision that the animals needed the people to take, in their best interests.
and thinking some more about what is being described, the female is protecting the humans. which is very likely influenced by the fear the boys are showing. if their fear reactions had been reduced before placing them in a home with another pet, then the level of strife between the cats would probably have been less and everything would be just that little bit further along.
for your info, i'm both an employee and a volunteer (in different sections) of an animal charity. i'm also on the list of cat fosterers.
that's a national charity btw. who use animal fosterers wherever they operate.
and YOU? what's your credentials that give you the right to try to call out others for having opinions and not being an active volunteer?
and ferals tend to be handled by spey and release. not only in rural areas, but also in towns. they aren't going to be part of a discussion on socialisation, because they aren't going to be placed into a home. those that can't be released in situ tend to be released into a safer area with the agreement of the land holder. or kept by volunteers who keep them in outdoor pens. someone who knows how cat charities operate would know this already and know that the number of feral cats in an area is not going to be part of a discussion on number of cats needing socialisation.
Last edited:
scifisam
feck! arse! girls! drink!
When I got the new cat they had assessed cats as to how well they'd be likely to cope with existing cats in a household and some cats would not be homed with other cats. The alternative is not to put them to sleep, because it's a no-kill charity, but to home them with someone who doesn't already have a cat. Cats that are not so friendly with humans can also still be rehomed - some humans are better at getting cats to be friendly, some don't mind so much (especially if they work a lot; they'd feel less guilty at leaving the cat), etc, but it's still helpful to know.
StoneRoad
heckling from the back!
No, Epona I'm not a regular volunteer ! I wish that I had the time.
BUT
Next visit to Wales will include a side trip to the rescue charity that re-homed Ben de-dog with us. I regularly walk dogs and shetlands for them, and play with the resident cats & kittens, but on a deliberately sporadic pattern. To see how they react to an almost stranger - can be fun as well as socialising them. Several months back I spent quite some time with a bunch of kittens (at least three litters worth !) in the "play pen", and then ditto with a group of the ex-farm moggs. I don't think I've had worse than a playful nip and some accidental scratches. It also gives the staff and regular volunteers a chance to get ahead of the other tasks.
BUT
Next visit to Wales will include a side trip to the rescue charity that re-homed Ben de-dog with us. I regularly walk dogs and shetlands for them, and play with the resident cats & kittens, but on a deliberately sporadic pattern. To see how they react to an almost stranger - can be fun as well as socialising them. Several months back I spent quite some time with a bunch of kittens (at least three litters worth !) in the "play pen", and then ditto with a group of the ex-farm moggs. I don't think I've had worse than a playful nip and some accidental scratches. It also gives the staff and regular volunteers a chance to get ahead of the other tasks.
High Voltage
In the top 97% of Urban's most interesting posters
Existing mog arrived one week before the Chuckle Brothers - yes, the boys were kept in one room and FiFi had the run of the house but they very quickly realised that "someone" was on the other side of the door - - - it's just going to be time I think, I'm in it for the long run but what, kinda brought this to a bit of a head is that I "might" be going on a 2-3 months secondment only getting home at weekends, leaving Mrs Voltz to attend to all 3 cats needs - now as long as there's NO VET VISIT needed in that then there's not going to be any problem. Spring will be here, the boys will be turfed out in the morning and FiFi will have the run of the house and then the boys will be left in their room another day and FiFi will have the run of the house AND outside - I don't know, I'm almost certainly over thinking this and worrying unnecessarily - I just want our house to be a Walt Disney set with all 3 cuddled up on the bed and peace and tranquility reigning
toggle
wobbly
and i'd defo give the male scent stuff another try.
but you may be setting your sights too high. you may never get better than a cool diplomacy. but that is ok. because that will mean they have solved their problems enough so that no one is getting stressed. no blood = ok; no overgrooming, or protest pissing or other signs of stressed kitty and it really is ok.
Vintage Paw
dead stare and computer glare
Oh dear. How many litter trays do you have? The general rule is 1 per cat plus 1. Even if they go out, but especially if they don't.
Since I got Peggy a second tray she doesn't wee on the kitchen floor.
Stress and insecurity are usually a factor. It might take a few weeks for the new kitty to feel comfortable and understand they have a safe space for weeing. Very annoying in the meantime, I know.
Since I got Peggy a second tray she doesn't wee on the kitchen floor.
Stress and insecurity are usually a factor. It might take a few weeks for the new kitty to feel comfortable and understand they have a safe space for weeing. Very annoying in the meantime, I know.
bimble
floofy
I just want to say this:
Sometimes (like about 20 seconds ago) I pick up the cat and breathe in him and his lovely unproblematic clean and happy fur, and that makes me happy, because he is just a cat and he's ok, and looks up at me most happily, hoping for an ear-massage, or more food. And he's not confused about what happened in Cologne etc, he just smells good, and would like some more food, or an ear massage, and that is very reassuring in a deeply scary and often confusing world.
Sometimes (like about 20 seconds ago) I pick up the cat and breathe in him and his lovely unproblematic clean and happy fur, and that makes me happy, because he is just a cat and he's ok, and looks up at me most happily, hoping for an ear-massage, or more food. And he's not confused about what happened in Cologne etc, he just smells good, and would like some more food, or an ear massage, and that is very reassuring in a deeply scary and often confusing world.
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
To be fair, you could just ignore me rather than try to elicit another response, so I can only conclude that you enjoy the alleged "shitstirring and whittering" as much as I do?
People are allowed to disagree on this forum.
Vintage Paw
dead stare and computer glare
Please not in this thread.
For reasons bimble just posted, really.
There's a lot of shit that goes on in the world, in our lives, with our health, our relationships, our finances, the news we read, and this thread is just us being gooey over our cats - a place to breathe, a space to leave it all at the door. And when someone needs help, we're there to give it, even if all we can do is offer a hug.
There are plenty of other places for arguments. Please not here. Please.
For reasons bimble just posted, really.
There's a lot of shit that goes on in the world, in our lives, with our health, our relationships, our finances, the news we read, and this thread is just us being gooey over our cats - a place to breathe, a space to leave it all at the door. And when someone needs help, we're there to give it, even if all we can do is offer a hug.
There are plenty of other places for arguments. Please not here. Please.
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
Fine, I am happy with that, but please also remember to tell that to anyone who next has a go at me over the way I keep my cats.
