I've owned plenty of cats in my life, but this situation is very different.
We live in an area where people frequently abandon their pets - a city, mind you - as opposed to surrendering them. I've seen this cat around a lot and know very well (s)he has no owner. Out of fear that it'll get hurt, as cities like this are no place for outdoor animals, especially during gang initiation time, I finally brought him into our apartment.
I've never taken in a stray before and though some of you may disagree with that, we only plan on keeping the cat until we can find someone else to. Vet visits and such are in order, our #1 priority though it seems to be in perfect health (minus someone cut half of one of its ears off, poor darling).
My biggest questions have to do with its behavior. It's just calmed down since I brought it in, which was relatively quick, so that's good. But I need the help of you cat people! Sincerely, a dog person.
1.) Why so much meowing? Will it quiet down once it gets used to the new environment?
2.) Obviously this is an animal with an established personality / behavior (seems between 2yrs and 5yrs old). How do I tell when I'm doing something it's not used to / doesn't like?
3.) I really have no idea if it's male or female. My guess would be the latter but it could just be fixed or something, right? How can I tell without being invasive and if it is a male, how can I keep him from spraying?
4.) Cat-proofing. What's toxic? What should I avoid having out in the open? Etc.
I'm sure there's a lot of stuff I'm forgetting but if you guys could give me any advice that'd be really awesome.
Regards,
j
We live in an area where people frequently abandon their pets - a city, mind you - as opposed to surrendering them. I've seen this cat around a lot and know very well (s)he has no owner. Out of fear that it'll get hurt, as cities like this are no place for outdoor animals, especially during gang initiation time, I finally brought him into our apartment.
I've never taken in a stray before and though some of you may disagree with that, we only plan on keeping the cat until we can find someone else to. Vet visits and such are in order, our #1 priority though it seems to be in perfect health (minus someone cut half of one of its ears off, poor darling).
My biggest questions have to do with its behavior. It's just calmed down since I brought it in, which was relatively quick, so that's good. But I need the help of you cat people! Sincerely, a dog person.
1.) Why so much meowing? Will it quiet down once it gets used to the new environment?
2.) Obviously this is an animal with an established personality / behavior (seems between 2yrs and 5yrs old). How do I tell when I'm doing something it's not used to / doesn't like?
3.) I really have no idea if it's male or female. My guess would be the latter but it could just be fixed or something, right? How can I tell without being invasive and if it is a male, how can I keep him from spraying?
4.) Cat-proofing. What's toxic? What should I avoid having out in the open? Etc.
I'm sure there's a lot of stuff I'm forgetting but if you guys could give me any advice that'd be really awesome.
Regards,
j
1. We have a cat that was originally feral and she meowed and whined like crazy
(also, her ear was clipped since she got fixed and had all her shots. They often do this before letting feral cats back into the wild. That might explain the cat's clipped ear). It just their way of saying they are scared or uncomfortable. It should stop or lessen as they get more comfortable with their surroundings.
2. If their tail is swishing, their ears are pulled back, their mouth is slightly opened, or they are making alarming, non-meowing sounds, it is a sign of discomfort. It is fairly easy to tell when a cat is not happy.
3. It sounds like your stray cat may have already been fixed, but it may not have been.
If you want to check the gender, wrap them in a towel lay them on their back while cradling them in your arms. If they have testicles they are obviously male, but if their is noting there check beneath their anus. Females have a small hole there.
4. Any kind of chemicals are bad. Certain plants are toxic, same with chocolate, so you should research those specifically. My mentally handicapped cat has required me to keep any loose objects out of her reach or she will eat them (but this is just my experience. It all depends on the cat).
I hope this helps a bit. I would research anything you are unsure of.
-MelTheObserver
(also, her ear was clipped since she got fixed and had all her shots. They often do this before letting feral cats back into the wild. That might explain the cat's clipped ear). It just their way of saying they are scared or uncomfortable. It should stop or lessen as they get more comfortable with their surroundings.
2. If their tail is swishing, their ears are pulled back, their mouth is slightly opened, or they are making alarming, non-meowing sounds, it is a sign of discomfort. It is fairly easy to tell when a cat is not happy.
3. It sounds like your stray cat may have already been fixed, but it may not have been.
If you want to check the gender, wrap them in a towel lay them on their back while cradling them in your arms. If they have testicles they are obviously male, but if their is noting there check beneath their anus. Females have a small hole there.
4. Any kind of chemicals are bad. Certain plants are toxic, same with chocolate, so you should research those specifically. My mentally handicapped cat has required me to keep any loose objects out of her reach or she will eat them (but this is just my experience. It all depends on the cat).
I hope this helps a bit. I would research anything you are unsure of.
-MelTheObserver
Hi there, crazy cat lady here (who's trained her cats to do a lot of things most cats won't do).
1. Meowing is a sign of 'I want something'. Considering you just took a cat from outside indoors, there are a number of reasons it can be meowing. The first is that it just plain wants to go outside because it's not used to being indoors. Wants to protect its territory and all that. Second, it may have a mate/household it belongs to and it's calling for them. Thirdly, it could be stress from being in a new environment. Cats need a couple of days to several weeks to settle in. While you're waiting to go on a vet visit, try to distract it with cat treats, play with it and groom it if you have the brushes handy (short hair and long hair require different brushes, a quick Google search will help with that). Your main goal is to tire the cat out so it will sleep and have positive associations with you and the house it's in.
2. Most cats will put their ears back and start making themselves small, then growl or hiss at you. Some swipe very fast with little warning, others are just very noisy. Highly depends on the cat. Raised fur with a very heavily bent back is pretty serious business. Just give the cat some space and walk away if it does this. Cats exhibit similar body language as dogs when they feel threatened. A tip: just sit near the cat without touching it, and keep looking at it. When you make eye-contact, slowly close your eyes for 1-2 heartbeats, then open them again. Keep doing this slow blink until the cat returns this slow blink. That's a sign of trust and feeling comfortable enough to put their guard down. You're telling it you're not being threatening, you respect its space by not trying to pet it. Feeding also creates positive associations, you can try petting the cat with wet (from water) fingers while it eats to mimic grooming. It often works well on kittens and can work well on adult cats too.
Also, what appears as aggression is most likely a lack of confidence or fright, because it has no territory to speak of. If it attacks you, it's not because it's just mean, but because it is super scared and has no outlet for those feelings - you just become a target because you happen to be there. That's why most cats are 'aggressive'. Playing helps direct this unrest. Get a feather on a string on a stick, or a mouse on a string on a stick, let it 'hunt'. Tire it out.
It will feel much better.
If the cat starts to pant even though it hasn't been running around a lot, it's a bad sign. Panting cats are a sign of severe overheating or extreme stress and their bodies can't keep up. Brief 5 minute panting after extensive play is okay, but don't push once it gets there. Panting in cats is not a good thing like it is in dogs overall.
3. If it's a non-fixed male, you will be able to tell straight away. Male cats are very obviously endowed when they have everything in working order. A female adult cat usually has her bits uncovered from fur and are very obviously female, whereas male cats who are fixed tend to have only their anus uncovered and their other bits are hidden in fur. There's no other delicate way to describe it, but if you manage to scratch its butt and it lifts its tail, you'll be able to tell.
4. Chocolate is toxic to cats. Try to avoid feeding fish like salmon - they're high in mercury because they're higher up in the foodchain and accumulate it from eating small fish and plants. If you feed fish, aim for sardines, but I recommend sticking to kibble and wet food. There are a bunch of household plants toxic to cats. The ASPCA has a pretty big list covering it: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants
Other than this, they can eat raw chicken and eggs without problem. Raw bones too, including chicken. Avoid all cooked bones like with dogs.
As for other tips, there are so many I'm not sure where to begin. First, check the cat for a microchip at the vet's. My worst fear is that my cats, without collars, will run off and someone claims them without trying to find me. It may be abandoned, if it has no chip and the vet and notice boards have no missing cat of its description, then it's totally okay to give it a new home.
If you do keep it, for whatever duration, make sure it has a high place in your house to sit. Whether that's an accessible shelf or a cat tree, cats are safe up high and it gives them confidence and a territory. Get a litterbox - if you use clumping litter, scoop it once a day for urine clumps and poop. Refill where necessary, but dump the contents and wash it out at least once a month. My litter tends to stay good for 2-3 weeks at a time this way.
The cat shouldn't spray if it's fixed, but insecurity causes peeing and spraying. Try moving the litterbox to places where it pees if it happens outside of the box. When it pees outside of the box, use water + vinegar to clean it with, NOT chlorine or other bleaching agents. Vinegar destroys the proteins that make cat pee linger in scent for humans and cats. Chlorine smells good to cats and they're more likely to pee on chlorine scrubbed spots than anywhere else. (That's why after I rinse my litterbox, I scrub it with chlorine and rinse it again.)
Most of my other advice is for long-term cat ownership, but if you have any questions at all, feel free to PM me.
1. Meowing is a sign of 'I want something'. Considering you just took a cat from outside indoors, there are a number of reasons it can be meowing. The first is that it just plain wants to go outside because it's not used to being indoors. Wants to protect its territory and all that. Second, it may have a mate/household it belongs to and it's calling for them. Thirdly, it could be stress from being in a new environment. Cats need a couple of days to several weeks to settle in. While you're waiting to go on a vet visit, try to distract it with cat treats, play with it and groom it if you have the brushes handy (short hair and long hair require different brushes, a quick Google search will help with that). Your main goal is to tire the cat out so it will sleep and have positive associations with you and the house it's in.
2. Most cats will put their ears back and start making themselves small, then growl or hiss at you. Some swipe very fast with little warning, others are just very noisy. Highly depends on the cat. Raised fur with a very heavily bent back is pretty serious business. Just give the cat some space and walk away if it does this. Cats exhibit similar body language as dogs when they feel threatened. A tip: just sit near the cat without touching it, and keep looking at it. When you make eye-contact, slowly close your eyes for 1-2 heartbeats, then open them again. Keep doing this slow blink until the cat returns this slow blink. That's a sign of trust and feeling comfortable enough to put their guard down. You're telling it you're not being threatening, you respect its space by not trying to pet it. Feeding also creates positive associations, you can try petting the cat with wet (from water) fingers while it eats to mimic grooming. It often works well on kittens and can work well on adult cats too.
Also, what appears as aggression is most likely a lack of confidence or fright, because it has no territory to speak of. If it attacks you, it's not because it's just mean, but because it is super scared and has no outlet for those feelings - you just become a target because you happen to be there. That's why most cats are 'aggressive'. Playing helps direct this unrest. Get a feather on a string on a stick, or a mouse on a string on a stick, let it 'hunt'. Tire it out.
It will feel much better.If the cat starts to pant even though it hasn't been running around a lot, it's a bad sign. Panting cats are a sign of severe overheating or extreme stress and their bodies can't keep up. Brief 5 minute panting after extensive play is okay, but don't push once it gets there. Panting in cats is not a good thing like it is in dogs overall.
3. If it's a non-fixed male, you will be able to tell straight away. Male cats are very obviously endowed when they have everything in working order. A female adult cat usually has her bits uncovered from fur and are very obviously female, whereas male cats who are fixed tend to have only their anus uncovered and their other bits are hidden in fur. There's no other delicate way to describe it, but if you manage to scratch its butt and it lifts its tail, you'll be able to tell.
4. Chocolate is toxic to cats. Try to avoid feeding fish like salmon - they're high in mercury because they're higher up in the foodchain and accumulate it from eating small fish and plants. If you feed fish, aim for sardines, but I recommend sticking to kibble and wet food. There are a bunch of household plants toxic to cats. The ASPCA has a pretty big list covering it: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants
Other than this, they can eat raw chicken and eggs without problem. Raw bones too, including chicken. Avoid all cooked bones like with dogs.
As for other tips, there are so many I'm not sure where to begin. First, check the cat for a microchip at the vet's. My worst fear is that my cats, without collars, will run off and someone claims them without trying to find me. It may be abandoned, if it has no chip and the vet and notice boards have no missing cat of its description, then it's totally okay to give it a new home.
If you do keep it, for whatever duration, make sure it has a high place in your house to sit. Whether that's an accessible shelf or a cat tree, cats are safe up high and it gives them confidence and a territory. Get a litterbox - if you use clumping litter, scoop it once a day for urine clumps and poop. Refill where necessary, but dump the contents and wash it out at least once a month. My litter tends to stay good for 2-3 weeks at a time this way.
The cat shouldn't spray if it's fixed, but insecurity causes peeing and spraying. Try moving the litterbox to places where it pees if it happens outside of the box. When it pees outside of the box, use water + vinegar to clean it with, NOT chlorine or other bleaching agents. Vinegar destroys the proteins that make cat pee linger in scent for humans and cats. Chlorine smells good to cats and they're more likely to pee on chlorine scrubbed spots than anywhere else. (That's why after I rinse my litterbox, I scrub it with chlorine and rinse it again.)
Most of my other advice is for long-term cat ownership, but if you have any questions at all, feel free to PM me.
MelTheObserver wrote:
3. It sounds like your stray cat may have already been fixed, but it may not have been.
If you want to check the gender, wrap them in a towel lay them on their back while cradling them in your arms. If they have testicles they are obviously male, but if their is noting there check beneath their anus. Females have a small hole there.
If you want to check the gender, wrap them in a towel lay them on their back while cradling them in your arms. If they have testicles they are obviously male, but if their is noting there check beneath their anus. Females have a small hole there.
Be EXTREMELY cautious with wrapping a cat you don't know in a towel. Restricting its movement when it's potentially frightened may trigger a very stressed out response. It does not feel safe and by laying on their back they're exposing their vulnerable parts, which if the cat doesn't trust you, can lead to an attack. Just get it comfortable with you and scratch its butt, it'll lift its tail for you no problem. If you can't manage it, avoid the towel thing if you can and let the vet check for the gender.
Okay, so a little bit of an update here. She's calmed down entirely since we brought her in and has no issues socializing with us.
Now beyond me still being an idiot as far as cats go, it just occurred to me that she was a TNR feral (I ready very well, clearly). People say you shouldn't keep them because of cat colonies and stuff, but if she seems content here, would it be wrong to keep her?
Thanks for the advice, by the way.
Now beyond me still being an idiot as far as cats go, it just occurred to me that she was a TNR feral (I ready very well, clearly). People say you shouldn't keep them because of cat colonies and stuff, but if she seems content here, would it be wrong to keep her?
Thanks for the advice, by the way.
I'm not a cat expert, just a cat owner, but I'm glad you got some great advice from Sanne.
We adopted our little half feral kitty from the humane society a while back.
We adopted our little half feral kitty from the humane society a while back.
I have the crazy cat lady starter pack: three cats, all rescues.
One was a surrender at a shelter, one a barn cat and one was raised in a really sketchy part of town.
Anyhow, they always miaow a lot when they are somewhere new. I moved to an apartment once and my oldest male walked the hallways screaming all night. They will settle down.
I notice you updated since last, and there's a lot of good advice here already. So as long as kitty seems happy and content (contented cats don't hide away, even shy ones, and if you find her sleeping on her back it means she trusts her environment and you have a winner). Happy cats also like to play, and playing means bonding. Even if you give her up to a new home you want to socialize her as much as possible to set the new owners up right. Toys that imitate the hunt.. chase, catch, eat are best. So string, laser pointers, balls (my cats especially like the crinkle ones) and those little feathers on a stick. Playing will exercise her (and tired pets are the best pets) and teach her that humans are fun. To simulate the wild you should give her a meal after her play session. She'll come to associate play with fun and food and that's all amazing things to teach your cat.
My biggest thing with cat proofing is not so much food dangers (unless you commonly leave food out) but check your houseplants.
Not only do my cats like to EAT every leaf that comes their way, but so many household plants are toxic. Especially any type of lily. Daylilies are also super popular indoor plants and horribly, horribly, horribly toxic. Get them out of kitty's reach immediately if you have them.
Good luck!
Edit: I also want to echo a point made by Sanne. Although I said a happy cat will sleep on its back (tummy up means it feels no threat), an alert cat on its back with its paws up means that it is ready to fight back. And is a huge warning sign for aggression. BUT it's really easy to know when a cat is pissed because they usually make all sorts of horrible noises to scare you off. No cat actually wants a fight so they'll hiss and growl first. But all four sets of paws in the air means you should back right off.
One was a surrender at a shelter, one a barn cat and one was raised in a really sketchy part of town.
Anyhow, they always miaow a lot when they are somewhere new. I moved to an apartment once and my oldest male walked the hallways screaming all night. They will settle down.
I notice you updated since last, and there's a lot of good advice here already. So as long as kitty seems happy and content (contented cats don't hide away, even shy ones, and if you find her sleeping on her back it means she trusts her environment and you have a winner). Happy cats also like to play, and playing means bonding. Even if you give her up to a new home you want to socialize her as much as possible to set the new owners up right. Toys that imitate the hunt.. chase, catch, eat are best. So string, laser pointers, balls (my cats especially like the crinkle ones) and those little feathers on a stick. Playing will exercise her (and tired pets are the best pets) and teach her that humans are fun. To simulate the wild you should give her a meal after her play session. She'll come to associate play with fun and food and that's all amazing things to teach your cat.
My biggest thing with cat proofing is not so much food dangers (unless you commonly leave food out) but check your houseplants.
Not only do my cats like to EAT every leaf that comes their way, but so many household plants are toxic. Especially any type of lily. Daylilies are also super popular indoor plants and horribly, horribly, horribly toxic. Get them out of kitty's reach immediately if you have them.
Good luck!
Edit: I also want to echo a point made by Sanne. Although I said a happy cat will sleep on its back (tummy up means it feels no threat), an alert cat on its back with its paws up means that it is ready to fight back. And is a huge warning sign for aggression. BUT it's really easy to know when a cat is pissed because they usually make all sorts of horrible noises to scare you off. No cat actually wants a fight so they'll hiss and growl first. But all four sets of paws in the air means you should back right off.
Thanks a ton, guys. Very helpful stuff here.
She seems fairly content for the most part. She's eating and drinking and all that good stuff. She'll still get up and roam the apartment meowing pitifully, but (being the crazy ass I am) meowing back and paying her attention from a distance quiets her down. Also, laser pointers, hellyeah.
Playing otherwise seems out of the question for now - at least with my fiance. She hasn't hurt me once or acted aggressively but my guy's just a silly city kid who can't read animals. For now I figure if she wants attention, she'll seek it out. I don't want to overwhelm her.
As far as the houseplants and stuff, I'd check that out but I own none
probably the most dangerous thing she could get into is herbs, which i've put away just in case.
But yeah, if y'all got anything else to add, feel free. I'll update with a pic in the morning.
TLDR: Find cat, get things, vet appointment, new furbaby! Yeah!
She seems fairly content for the most part. She's eating and drinking and all that good stuff. She'll still get up and roam the apartment meowing pitifully, but (being the crazy ass I am) meowing back and paying her attention from a distance quiets her down. Also, laser pointers, hellyeah.
Playing otherwise seems out of the question for now - at least with my fiance. She hasn't hurt me once or acted aggressively but my guy's just a silly city kid who can't read animals. For now I figure if she wants attention, she'll seek it out. I don't want to overwhelm her.
As far as the houseplants and stuff, I'd check that out but I own none
probably the most dangerous thing she could get into is herbs, which i've put away just in case.But yeah, if y'all got anything else to add, feel free. I'll update with a pic in the morning.
TLDR: Find cat, get things, vet appointment, new furbaby! Yeah!
1) I have a cat that is 17 years old and has always been an indoor cat. I got him when he was a kitten. He still meows like crazy, I have another that was a kitten when we got her and she also meows a lot. Some cats are just very talkative. they could be bitching about how you have your furniture and how they dont like it, or that something they feel is out of place. Or that they really just want something, which can be anything.
2) Cats have a great way of letting people know when they are doing something that they do not like, it is the health status stuff that you have to worry about. Cats speak with their eyes, and their tails tell a lot about their current situation. I've gotten plenty of stray cats as well as cats that people dropped off for us to just take. They've had established personalities and you learn them fairly quick. One cat that I had did not like to be petted, only by certain people and only when he REALLY wanted it. Give it time. 'slong as you're not hurting the cat, I doubt there is much that it will hide from you in the terms of not liking something.
3) Really no way to tell without getting a good look at the cat. All you have to do is catch a look from behind or check yourself. Lift the tail and find your answer. If you don't really want to do that then just take t to the vet while you're getting shots and stuff and ask them what it is. Some breeds are gender specific. Pretty sure tortoise shell and calico are female only breeds. Sometimes males will spray if you've gotten them fixed way too late. It happened with two of my outdoor cats who we got fixed. They were in that stage of marking their territory and we had waited too long. They marked everything..
4) Plants. All kinds, doesn't matter. Plants are toxic to cats, they eat grass and it makes them throw up [that is the point], but like avoid having plants out, especially those Christmas big ass flowers that I can't remember the name of, poincetta or something. Totally toxic and might kill your cat. Don't feed your cat cheese, some really like it, but cats are carnivorous and feeding them things that are not meat [like leafy things] can make them sick if it is way too much. You hear about people all the time making their cat adapt to a vegan diet, which will make your cat horribly sick and probably kill it. Make sure whatever you feed it, that it's not too big. Cats, like dogs can get choked on things and with a cat it's hard to tell. They hide how they are doing health wise REALLY well, but it's not just from that. Chocolate is a nono as well for obvious reasons.
4.a) Cats and milk usually go side by side. Some cats can drink it and be fine and others not so much. I'd personally avoid giving them milk, they don't have a need for it and like 99% of all cats are lactose intolerant, even if they will drink it. They don't get anything from the milk, especially at ages 5-7. Some just drink it to drink it, just like if you put water down, etc. I have cats who adore it and really want it, but I haven't given them any in a few years. Snackfoods are better for that.
I've stuck with things like this for a long time and I have had several long lived cats, well into their mid teens. I've pretty much always owned cats and at one point we had around 22 wandering around our home.. Be careful with your pet around roads, as is with anything, especially in a city. I cannot begin to explain how many cats I have lost due to being hit, some not even in the road. People are cruel and will be cruel because they can. Keep that in mind.
2) Cats have a great way of letting people know when they are doing something that they do not like, it is the health status stuff that you have to worry about. Cats speak with their eyes, and their tails tell a lot about their current situation. I've gotten plenty of stray cats as well as cats that people dropped off for us to just take. They've had established personalities and you learn them fairly quick. One cat that I had did not like to be petted, only by certain people and only when he REALLY wanted it. Give it time. 'slong as you're not hurting the cat, I doubt there is much that it will hide from you in the terms of not liking something.
3) Really no way to tell without getting a good look at the cat. All you have to do is catch a look from behind or check yourself. Lift the tail and find your answer. If you don't really want to do that then just take t to the vet while you're getting shots and stuff and ask them what it is. Some breeds are gender specific. Pretty sure tortoise shell and calico are female only breeds. Sometimes males will spray if you've gotten them fixed way too late. It happened with two of my outdoor cats who we got fixed. They were in that stage of marking their territory and we had waited too long. They marked everything..
4) Plants. All kinds, doesn't matter. Plants are toxic to cats, they eat grass and it makes them throw up [that is the point], but like avoid having plants out, especially those Christmas big ass flowers that I can't remember the name of, poincetta or something. Totally toxic and might kill your cat. Don't feed your cat cheese, some really like it, but cats are carnivorous and feeding them things that are not meat [like leafy things] can make them sick if it is way too much. You hear about people all the time making their cat adapt to a vegan diet, which will make your cat horribly sick and probably kill it. Make sure whatever you feed it, that it's not too big. Cats, like dogs can get choked on things and with a cat it's hard to tell. They hide how they are doing health wise REALLY well, but it's not just from that. Chocolate is a nono as well for obvious reasons.
4.a) Cats and milk usually go side by side. Some cats can drink it and be fine and others not so much. I'd personally avoid giving them milk, they don't have a need for it and like 99% of all cats are lactose intolerant, even if they will drink it. They don't get anything from the milk, especially at ages 5-7. Some just drink it to drink it, just like if you put water down, etc. I have cats who adore it and really want it, but I haven't given them any in a few years. Snackfoods are better for that.
I've stuck with things like this for a long time and I have had several long lived cats, well into their mid teens. I've pretty much always owned cats and at one point we had around 22 wandering around our home.. Be careful with your pet around roads, as is with anything, especially in a city. I cannot begin to explain how many cats I have lost due to being hit, some not even in the road. People are cruel and will be cruel because they can. Keep that in mind.
Thanks for the advice, everyone! She's been adjusting incredibly well. Strangely enough, she's already litter-trained and the second i brought out a bag of treats, she knew exactly what it was. This kind of makes me think she was a housecat, but... ahh, so confusing.
WELP either way she's settling in nicely and here's a pic, as promised:
Excuse my ugly mug, I'm just super happy about my new little friend.
WELP either way she's settling in nicely and here's a pic, as promised:
Excuse my ugly mug, I'm just super happy about my new little friend.
Such a pretty one too.
Thanks! I like to think she's a little superhero with her mask :p
Still can't figure out a name but it'll come soon enough, I'm sure.
Still can't figure out a name but it'll come soon enough, I'm sure.
I haven't owned a cat in a long time, so I gots absolutely no advice
but omggggg adorable kitty!
but omggggg adorable kitty!
Dear everyone: why is my cat up crying, looking for me at 2+ AM and refusing to let me pet her? Mind you, I only put my hand out and pet her if she touches me. I gave her a small amount of kibble, made sure her water and litter were clean and filled, but she will NOT stop meowing.
I don't mind if she wrecks the apartment jumping everywhere, but the meowing is bad as I have a partner who needs to wake up early for his job.
What do?
and ty Jynx, she's a doll but she needs to stfu right now T__T
I don't mind if she wrecks the apartment jumping everywhere, but the meowing is bad as I have a partner who needs to wake up early for his job.
What do?
and ty Jynx, she's a doll but she needs to stfu right now T__T
She probably wants to go outside to roam and hunt if she's gotten used to that. Her response to litterboxes and treats make me think she belongs to someone too.
I recommend to do the following about an hour before bed time: play with her until she's laying down breathing heavy (triggering her hunting instinct) and won't play any more. Feed her after that, as a reward for a successful hunt, then she'll groom herself for a bit and she should go sleep after that. Try feeding her set amounts twice a day instead of leaving kibble out 24/7 to help with this. An exhausted cat worth a full tummy won't have the energy to meow.
Former outdoor cats can become a nuisance with wanting to go outside and it can take time to have them adjust to being an indoor cat. You can discourage late night meowing byspraying her with a water bottle too when she does it.
I recommend to do the following about an hour before bed time: play with her until she's laying down breathing heavy (triggering her hunting instinct) and won't play any more. Feed her after that, as a reward for a successful hunt, then she'll groom herself for a bit and she should go sleep after that. Try feeding her set amounts twice a day instead of leaving kibble out 24/7 to help with this. An exhausted cat worth a full tummy won't have the energy to meow.
Former outdoor cats can become a nuisance with wanting to go outside and it can take time to have them adjust to being an indoor cat. You can discourage late night meowing byspraying her with a water bottle too when she does it.
rule-63 wrote:
Thanks! I like to think she's a little superhero with her mask :p
Still can't figure out a name but it'll come soon enough, I'm sure.
Still can't figure out a name but it'll come soon enough, I'm sure.
She's totally gorgeous! I strongly encourage naming her after a superhero because yes she looks like one.
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