Feral and stray cats

[JCJD]

Congrats on the findings! I''m positive you''ve seen my cat introduction advice before in other threads, but here it is again FG:

Since Chloe is both the older cat and the scaredy cat, you''ll need to focus a ton of attention on her. Give her her favorite treats daily (or twice daily if she gets treats already), go out of your way to make her feel comfortable, etc. With Holly (great name!!!) being so friendly and young and already adjusted to dealing with other cats, she will adjust to the situation readily, so you''ll just need to focus on getting her litter trained and otherwise well behaved. You should let Holly roam around the house outside of her room ONLY after Chloe has sniffed around the doors at least a couple times. When you let Holly out the first time, lock Chloe up in your room so Chloe is safe but Holly can explore a bit. Then switch: Put Holly back and let Chloe out. Then let Chloe''s behavior guide you. If she''s freaking out, wait a week before doing the switch/scent marking again, and repeat. If she''s perfectly fine and curious, you can probably let Holly out supervised for an hour with Chloe not locked up, but let your instinct guide you here. It will be worth it in the end!

 

[Lorelei]

I can''t remember if you followed Achio''s thread a couple of years ago FG, but it might give you some light at the end of the tunnel with the kits. Hang in there, I have done this many times before with rescued and stray cats, also nervous ones, so you will get there in the end.

Kitty Updates

 

[FireGoddess]

Thanks everybody for the great advice. I loved your story Kohdy - and I'm hopeful that bringing Holly in will eventually give Chloe some company during the day while we're at work, something I've always felt bad about. I even got Chloe some catsitter DVDs - and while she does enjoy them, it's not the same as having company!

So, kitty update day two...well, I have to say that oh hell - I am in love and there is no way that Holly is ever going ANYwhere. I hope Chloe will adjust and am starting to feel a little better about the situation. When I got Holly back home I set up her bed and food and let her out. She explored her room and walked right into the litterbox, sniffed it a bit and immediately used it to let out a big stinker. That was a relief, she's got the litterbox down. She ate and head bonked me a lot, got petted and kneaded me - and then I showed her the bed I bought for her. OMG - the poor sweety love got right in it, started SUCKING on it and kneading the bed. I almost started to cry. What a poor baby having to fend for herself all this time and probably having been taken from her mom (or separated from her mom) way too early. She intermittently sucked the bed and kneaded it at least 12 times over the course of the 2 hours I spent with her. Then she snuggled up in the bed and went sleepies. No crying at all last night. Didn't even hear her. She was still snuggly in her bed when I fed her and kept her company this morning. I saw her try to scratch a mat so I got her the scratching post that Chloe refuses to use and scratched it myself in front of her. 2 minutes later she was using it. What a smarty pants. She had me at the first lick of my hand. Awwwww!

BRB with the Chloe update.

 

[FireGoddess]

Thanks for the link Lorelei - I remember the thread now that you pointed it out but had forgotten it existed. I will reread it! Thanks for the tips JCJD!

Okay, so Chloe - last night I got the rescue remedy and was all set to use it. I sat on the couch and Chloe sauntered out and hopped right on the couch next to me. Well, talk about a shock, I was not expecting that. I'm sure I smelled like Holly all over my clothes and my hands from petting her. If Chloe smelled that she didn't seem to care. I petted her and snuggled and put some of the rescue remedy on her ears (the woman at the vitamin shoppe told me that she used to use it on her Maine coon cat. Would just put it on her hand and rub it into the tops of their ears where all those very fine capillaries are. I thought that was better than the water, so I did that.) Chloe seemed relaxed before I did it but I think this may have helped. I saw that she didn't eat much yesterday so I opened a new can of food and had her follow me into the room where her food is. She was visibly wary but did follow me in. I also gave her treats. She seemed more concerned with getting out of that room though. I think by this morning she was going in there to eat some. I'm sure they smell each other, but since Holly wasn't crying all night maybe Chloe wasn't as freaked?

I am happy to say that the bed peeing was likely a result of terror rather than revenge.

She didn't do it again yesterday and used the litterbox multiple times now that it's in our bedroom. I'm hopeful that if this proceeds slowly enough it will work?!

 

[sumbride]

Good news all around!!! I''m so glad Holly has a place in your heart AND home!!! Chloe has every right to be a little freaked out, BUT I''m glad she''s relaxing a bit and I do think she will eventually adjust. It really does help that Holly is so young. That story with the bed is great! I''m so glad it made her happy!

Keep yourself calm and that may help Chloe realize that she has less to fear. Maybe.

 

[lumpkin]

FG, I''m so glad! I''m sure things will calm down soon. I''m amazed Chloe is coming around so quickly, but hey, I''m sure you''ll take that small favor from the fates! I''m not surprised you fell in love with Holly. She looks like a total sweetheart.

I can''t find it, I looked, and I''ll look some more, but I have a book about cats and it''s more a philosophy of how cats come into our lives kind of like Holly did yours. Dang! I can''t even remember the name of it, but it''s here and I will find it.

 

[FireGoddess]

Date: 5/3/2007 12:41:33 PM
Author: sumbride
Keep yourself calm and that may help Chloe realize that she has less to fear. Maybe.

Don''t think for a second that I wasn''t contemplating using the rescue remedy on myself too last night!! LOL! It''s a good point and I hope that will be the case, because I am a lot less tense about the situation!

 

[FireGoddess]

Date: 5/3/2007 12:47:02 PM
Author: lumpkin

I can't find it, I looked, and I'll look some more, but I have a book about cats and it's more a philosophy of how cats come into our lives kind of like Holly did yours. Dang! I can't even remember the name of it, but it's here and I will find it.

I would definitely love to know the name when you find out. Serendipitously last weekend at the library I took out a book called 'Think Like a Cat - how to raise a well adusted cat instead of a sourpuss" which has had lots of insight into cat behavior and thinking. Very timely read!! Was hoping to read it to think more like Chloe and her fear - not thinking about bringing a new one into the fold!

 

[kohdy]

FG, I'm glad you liked my story. I am thoroughly enjoying yours! What a journey! Phew... But it seems like everything is going to work out perfectly after all. It has only been a couple days, and the cats are already progressing!!! I bet Chole and Holly will turn into best of friends!!! I want to hear more stories as they get accustomed to one another!!! Congratulations once again on your new baby. You really are a wonderful person to have done everything that you have!

 

[Sparkles22]

FG: I love the part where you say Holly isn't going anywhere. She's latched on to your heart, how cute. I think it will work out, like others said Holly is young, so hopefully it will be easier for Chloe also. And it seems Chloe understands you still love her too. I loved the story with Holly's new bed that was just so cute! And the fact she is a kisser too, awww. And Chloe snuggling on the couch with you I am so glad to hear, maybe she wasn't mad afterall. I actually had heard that's how to use the Rescue Remedy was on the ears (again on a dog though). Sounds like you have two very sweet kitties, one an introvert and one an extrovert. Hopefully they will be great companions!

Don't forget to keep us posted. I love hearing the stories!

ETA: Kohdy: Your babies are beautiful! I love the pictures and hearing about their different personalities!

FG: Where are the pics of Chloe?

 

[FireGoddess]

I borrowed a friend''s camera and shot a few pictures of Holly. I also have a few of Chloe from before. Enjoy!

Chloe

 

[FireGoddess]

Chloe snuggly

 

[FireGoddess]

Introducing Holly

 

[FireGoddess]

Somebody likes to suck on her bed

 

[FireGoddess]

A lot.

 

[FireGoddess]

.

 

[FireGoddess]

A little grooming after a rough day (I love the pink and black feeties)

 

[FireGoddess]

A rough day at play.

 

[FireGoddess]

I''m off to home...to see how the kitties are.

 

[Kaleigh]

Awww, Holly is just adorable. Chloe is a beautiful cat. I hope they become best pals. I think it''s great you took Holly into your home. That''s awesome!!!

 

[kohdy]

Wow FG... Chole and Holly are both so beautiful! I know how hard it is to take good photos of cats, so I can only imagine how much prettier they must be in person!!!

I really hope that your babies are starting to get comfortable around each other.

Sparkles! Thank you for your compliments on my cats. Yes, they are absolutely adorable and full of personalities! They bring me so much joy every day!!!

 

[Gypsy]

AWWW Can I come over and play with the kitties?!?

Chloe is so beautiful, such a pretty girl! All snuggly on the Red bed.

And Holly!!! Oh, she looks like a little love!! Those feeties are just to die for!!! My Dodo (Frodo) has feet like that and I just love them!! Noel would suck and kneed... she loved fleece!

YAY FG''s KITTIES!

 

[Lorelei]

Gorgeous!!!

Love those feets too!

Miss Chloe is a beauty too

ETA - FG you need my avatar, it looks just like her with the kneading!

 

[lumpkin]

Awwww! They are darling. I've never seen front paws like Holly's before. They are so pink and they show through the fur!

Sparkles and Khody, your kitties are beautiful! I so want another cat. My husband so does not. He loves Eddie, but thinks one cat is enough.

 

[Lorelei]

Does Holly have some claw covers on? I remember them being mentioned here before

ETA - I guess she does on reading back, the vet put the SoftPaws on her!

 

[sumbride]

Great pics! It looks like Holly has settled in nicely! Love her pink toenail covers!

 

[AmberGretchen]

SO CUTE!!

I want to come over and play with them too! (oh wait, I have three of my own already...right...). They are both such gorgeous girls - and such nice pictures of them! Thank you for sharing those.

I love the feeties too - Oliver (the ragdoll kitten-monster) actually has those multi-colored paw pads too - combined with the paw tufties its almost too much for me, but I restrain myself because he gets crabby if you play with them

...except when he''s sound asleep

 

[marvel]

Date: 5/3/2007 10:57:03 PM
Author: FireGoddess
Introducing Holly

Did she get a manicure? Lucky kitty!!

 

[FireGoddess]

Yep, Holly has the SoftPaws on. They crack me up.

She sat in my lap this morning. So cute!!! How much should she be eating, as a potentially 6 month old (if not older)? She seems to be ravenous a lot. Don't want to underfeed her but she ate twice the amount Chloe did yesterday - 2x 5oz cans of food. Chloe is 11 though, so maybe I'm not used to how much a ravenous youngster needs to eat.

She did get dewormer at the vet, just in case...

Sometimes she thinks she needs to catch prey or something so I have to be careful with my hands - she forgets where she is and takes a death chomp on me. LOL. We're working on that. That happens rarely though, thank goodness.

I brushed Holly with Chloe's brush. She didn't care a bit or even try to sniff it. If she smells Chloe at all I think it's comforting to her. Later last night I brushed Chloe with the brush after having used it on Holly. Chloe smelled it and was a little wary, but I did brush her to intermix their smells. She hung back from me a little but then gave in and sat with me on the couch, and slept with us.

Holly actually played with some toys this morning, which made me psyched! She had no interest in them last night.

 

[FireGoddess]

Date: 5/4/2007 5:17:08 AM
Author: Lorelei
ETA - FG you need my avatar, it looks just like her with the kneading!

Lorelei - I thought of you this morning because she started sucking on her bed and kneading it, and looked JUST like your avatar. It made me laugh out loud.