I am considering adopting a 3 1/2 year old cat who was rescued from a home with over 300 other cats. She has been kept in a cage in a pet store for over a month, and while in the cage has a very sweet personality. She will roll over and expose her stomach, and interact with people (I spent much time with her this way and she was rubbing against the glass, trying to get her paw through the little hole by me, and acting all-around affectionate.) while in the cage. Today I went to go adopt her, and she had some problems going into the cat carrier. She was clearly anxious for her cage, and tried to run back to it. When she saw it had been closed she went as far as to jump up (it's second level) and cling to it until she fell. She was terrified of being touched, and reacted by hissing and swatting. Clearly she has come to associate her cage as safe and fears humans. The workers did not help, when she would not cooperate they used a broom to herd her, tapping her on the behind and cornering her.

She was also hissing at another cat, and so we asked for some time alone with her because we have other cats and do not want to endanger them if she has serious issues stemming from her abusive home. We sat with her alone and gave her space, and she did eventually walk by us, but would not allow us to touch her and was clearly scared.

I need any help anyone at all can give. We are going back again tomorrow to spend more time with her. We're hoping that we can get her used to us so that she will have an easier time coming with us. We're prepared to keep her seperated from the other cats, but if she will be a serious hazard than maybe this would not be a good idea. I can't bear to see her treated the way she is at the store, though, and I truly believe that if she was given love and time she could heal. I've already thought that we should get her a kitty condo and/or a bed to make her more comfortable. Any other ideas, and any help on making her feel more at ease both at home and at the store?

Anyone? I'm going to see her again tomorrow, and I could use the advice.

I'd use Bach Flower Remedy for the stress on this animal. Rescue Remedy comes to mind right now. I'll give this some thought and let you know if I think of any other remedy.

To give this cat Bach Flower, put some in her water dish. 

 

Could you intice her into a carrier with some tasty cat food? Or Tuna?   She does need to be out of that environment. I had a feral cat adopt me years ago.

Well I when you bring her home i think it would be a good idea to designate a roome to her so it can be her room. Let her seattle in there her and the other cats can interact under the door and after a few weeks when shes comfertible with you and who ever lives at the house interduce her to the other cats.Now i don't know if your other cats can jump over a baby gate but instead of taking her into the other cats territory that would be best as they can interact threw the cate but are safe from the other attacking if it gets that far. Also they are in there own areaand the doorway being nutral ground.if you don't have this option i would take you other cats and put them in a carrier(seeing as the new one won't be comfertible in it at all) and bring that cat into the new kitties room and let them interact threw the door. again they are safe from each other. I would do that one at a time though. Good luck can't wait to see pictures.

What Meg said...:)

 I have integrated many cats over the years, and there will always be a "rank setting" period. Each time is different; some blend in right away; I have one that is still hissing at one of the 7 after two years. The biggest thing is to have patience and not give up..it seems to average with adults about 6 months before they get totally settled with each other.  Remember to give the current kitties as much attention ...it's easy to lavish on the new one and make the others feel left out a bit (and not in a human way...you are top of the pride, and suddenly you bring in a new member, and ignore the others...that drops them in rank and they will want to work their way back up again).

Go for it!  I have  7 indoor cats and 3 "outdoor" (I put that in quotes as they have access to the basement with a cat door) and it's great to take one in from a situation like that.  And if you don't..remember, that cat will eventually find a home...it's made it past the euthanizing stage at the shelter/rescue group.

 

 

 

Thank you everyone for your advice. PR, where can I find the Bach Flower remedy, and is there a specific one to use?

We are definitely trying the food thing to get her into the carrier, I hope that will help. I have given the situation a night's sleep and feel that adopting her will be best... I think if we can show her that we're not going to force interaction and we're okay with just sitting and talking to her she may be able to cope and rehabilitate. We dealt with a feral cat once before, and though the circumstances were different she eventually opened up to us and was happy around us and the other house cats. I know there's no guarantee of this, but we're willing to try. Any other ideas will be appreciated.

I will just reiterate that it will take time and you will have to allow some hissing and spitting and swatting for everyone to work out the "new world order."  If you can give new kitty a room to herself for a while, you should.  If not, make sure everyone has enough space to get away from each other so no one gets cornered and whumped on.  I'm sure you already have multiple litterboxes, but I would throw in another one to make sure territoriality is not an issue over that.

Hi there,

When bringing a new kitty into our home we always allow a room for the new boarder to stay.  Allowing the cats to sniff each other under the door for at least 4 or 5 days.  Then I open the door (I sit in the doorway on the floor) and let their natural curiousity take over.  More than likely there will be hissing, so be prepared for it.  I let them visit across the doorway for about half an hour then close the door again separating them.  Let them sniff and play under the door for another day or so.  (depending on their behavior) then let the new cat out when you feel it is time.  If anything troubling happens with the new friend or anyone is in danger, go back to separated quarters for a while,  and try again. 

In my experience, ferol cats don't rub the cage and vie for attention.  I think you have a furry friend that was only minimally handled and/or came from an abusive situation and doesn't trust humans.  My 5 Yr. Maine Coon was such a cat and we brought him into our home when our 16 yr. old Siamese was still alive.  He now plays and snuggles with our Himalayan baby (also a rescued cat). 

When the Maine Coon came to us he was up for adoption because he chewed leather handbags and shoes, climbed the walls (quite a sight to see I tell you) scratched the walls, sat under chairs waiting to attack, ate all the other cats food, knocked over beverages in glasses, and was very noisy.  (well, dumb humans should have known M. Coons are very vocal)  I found out later the poor cat was home alone for more than 10 hours each day.  I gave him love and my time and he is a wonderful cat now.  We have had him for 4 years.  He is a model citizen in our home. 

Give the cat time but I would do it at my home, get him out of that situation.  If indeed he has an imbalance, he doesn't have much of a chance for a life unless someone takes a chance on him. You are probably his best chance for survival.  It just takes time and patience.  Good Luck.

 

 

She is home and safe now. She was a bit hard to handle at the pet store, but once we got her home she came right out of the carrier and seems to be handling things well. She let me pet her for the first time (came up to me on her own) and has found a spot under my bed. She is staying in my room with food, water, and her own litter box. She seems much better and although I am sure she will be slower to trust than others (she did come from a home in which a lady had over 300 cats! ugh) she has proved to be friendlier than it seemed at first. I'm glad I took this leap of faith with her, because she seems so much happier.

 You could medicate her to get her home (a cat form of valium?). Then have her in her own space such as a bathroom with the door shut, or a large cage, that is all hers. Cats are territorial so it would frighten her to be put in the middle of other cats' territory.

Let them get to know the new cat and vice verse either under the bathroom door or through the cage bars. After several days there should be some acceptance, the new cat will not be so new.

 In fact, Ashling who is curled up on my lap right now, is our 3rd adoptee. We used a large dog cage to introduce her to the other cats, just for a few days. She felt safe in the cage (with blankets she could hide under) and now everybody's cool. Cat #2 we put in a bathroom, for 3 weeks. He was a very sick kitten and we didn't want to expose cat #1 to whatever he had.

 The main thing is respect the cats' needs for getting to know someone new invading their territory. After a while, they should be fine.

I'm glad you took her :) I have 19 cats (all indoors) and so I'm VERY used to the new cat issues! I always start mine off in the bathroom. They get a litter box, food, bed, hidey hole thing, water, toys, ect. And I go and spend time with them. I'll just sit there and let them come to me.

I keep them in the bathroom until they are completely comfortable in there. It becomes their safe spot. Then I will let them out, but have the other cats (or most of the others, sometimes allowing out a cat or two who will literally ignore others), keeping the bathroom door open. I let them come out on their own. Depending on the cat and the situation, I usually give them a few hours of this once or twice a day, then return them to the bathroom so the other cats can come back out. Eventually I add more cats being out when the bathroom door is open, until they are one big happy family. But I never progress a step until the new cat is 100 percent comfortable at the current step. Some cats integrate in on day one, others take months.

That's just what I do, but it's worked great for me. Everyone gets along for the most part (Q hates Kadian, so when they're close to each other she makes an aweful noise, but other than that....)

Jessi

Congrats on your new addition!    Just give her time...... and that could easily be months before she's truly at "home" and comfortable with you & the other cats.

You guys would not believe the change that has occurred in Holly. I gave her some time to get used to her room last night, and when I went in there an hour later she shot out from under the bed at the sound of my voice and started purring and rubbing up against me. She is playful and happy and loves people, but still has some issues. For instance, she seems to see me as the one she trusts and when something scares her she runs to my lap. But she is still scared of humans a bit, so if I pet her or make a movement she isn't ready for she hits with her paws (still got claws for a few days... not fun.) It's hard because she runs to my lap but then she's very sensitive about being moved! Glad to have this problem, though.

The one thing that's really hard is how she is at night. She becomes EXTREMELY needy. As soon as I lay down she jumps up and lays on me, even if I am on my side, oftentimes on my shoulders. As soon as I fall asleep I tend to roll, so she would jump down and as soon as she realized I wasn't going to pet her she started crying. She would continue to do this until I woke up and started talking to her, and which point she jumped up by me and I petted her a few minutes and then tried to go back to sleep and the whole cycle began again. I tried moving the cat bed I bought for her up next to me, but she only seemed to want to lay on or right against my body. It was so bad that we went through this ritual from 11 pm till 3 am when I finally gave up and went upstairs. She cried the whole night and I felt terrible, but I needed what sleep I could get because I had to wake up at 6 to go to school and then work. Any ideas about this?

If she's that fussy at night, the best thing to do would be to try to tire her out with a play session and closing her out of your bedroom. 

Now Please tell me that you aren't thinking of getting her declawed.  If she has trust issues now, having her declawed will only make them worse.  If she is careless with her claws when playing, then tell her no in a firm voice and stop playing with her for a bit.  She will soon learn to be more careful.  If you are worried about her scratching the furnitue, then get an assortment of cat scratching posts, you can get them with carpet, rope or cardboard in horizonal or vertical positions, and encourage her to use them. 

Declawing, which is the amputation of the end of each toe, should only be considered only as a last resort cure for whatever problems it is being used to correct.  It may even cause worse problems, such as bitting and refusing to use the litter box, besides putting the cat in a great deal of pain. 

This sounds like a nice kitty, and by all means get her spayed if she isn't already, but please don't get her declawed. 

Spotted Pony