Anyone want to adopt a rescue cat?!
Discussion
Morning all,
I am fostering a very sweet little grey cat at the moment. It's owener threatened to throw it out a appartment block window so she ended up being looked after by a vet for a few weeks. 100% healthy and very sweet but needed to get out of the vet and into a home environment, I would love to keep her but she and my dog just can't get on and if the situation does not imporve over the next few days I will need to accept defeat and look for a new home for Katie the cat (rubbish name for a very, very pretty, very sweet, 7 year old).
She seems to have been kept as a indoor cat but she is a brave little thing and with a little encouragment I am pretty sure she could easily revert to going outside happily. She loves human company and realy is a very sweet beastie.
I'll make a final decison on what is best for her over the next few days but I am starting to think she just cannot live with a dog and keeping her largely confined to one room when I am not home is not a good situation long term I feel.
She has no medical issues at all but may need spaying although the vet teels me he does not think she has ever had a litter.
So, anyone interested? She is presently in North London. Will be most upset if she has to go but she deserves a good life and I don't know what else I can do to get her to relax with the dog. She has been with me a week and loves affection, hugs and will already come looking for me to get stroked. In fact, she will even sit on my lap when the dog is right there as her fear is overcome by her feeling safe and loving to be stroked and held.
I think she will be fine in homes with kids but no idea about other cats and would suggest a dog free home is best for her.
Or can anyone suggest any other way to get a very little cat and a very large, but very sweet, German Shep, to make friends?!
For those who rememeber, the German Shep, Ella, was a foster 8 months ago who I could not stand to be parted with so I adopted her and she has become an amazing, sweet, loving, loyal, affectionate hound as is hardly recognisable from the sad, sick, under-weight, cancer riddled, scared old dog who pitched up at my house. Fantastic old girl :-D
I am fostering a very sweet little grey cat at the moment. It's owener threatened to throw it out a appartment block window so she ended up being looked after by a vet for a few weeks. 100% healthy and very sweet but needed to get out of the vet and into a home environment, I would love to keep her but she and my dog just can't get on and if the situation does not imporve over the next few days I will need to accept defeat and look for a new home for Katie the cat (rubbish name for a very, very pretty, very sweet, 7 year old).
She seems to have been kept as a indoor cat but she is a brave little thing and with a little encouragment I am pretty sure she could easily revert to going outside happily. She loves human company and realy is a very sweet beastie.
I'll make a final decison on what is best for her over the next few days but I am starting to think she just cannot live with a dog and keeping her largely confined to one room when I am not home is not a good situation long term I feel.
She has no medical issues at all but may need spaying although the vet teels me he does not think she has ever had a litter.
So, anyone interested? She is presently in North London. Will be most upset if she has to go but she deserves a good life and I don't know what else I can do to get her to relax with the dog. She has been with me a week and loves affection, hugs and will already come looking for me to get stroked. In fact, she will even sit on my lap when the dog is right there as her fear is overcome by her feeling safe and loving to be stroked and held.
I think she will be fine in homes with kids but no idea about other cats and would suggest a dog free home is best for her.
Or can anyone suggest any other way to get a very little cat and a very large, but very sweet, German Shep, to make friends?!
For those who rememeber, the German Shep, Ella, was a foster 8 months ago who I could not stand to be parted with so I adopted her and she has become an amazing, sweet, loving, loyal, affectionate hound as is hardly recognisable from the sad, sick, under-weight, cancer riddled, scared old dog who pitched up at my house. Fantastic old girl :-D
How does Katie react to Ella?
How does Ella react to Katie's reaction?
Katie is already in a strange environment, so stressed. So I'm expecting hiding, hissing, spitting, back arching, tail fluffing etc Basically a LOT of warnings.
If Ella just ignores this/doesn't have much of a reaction you may be able to integrate the 2, but it WILL take time.
You've had her a week, it can take up to a month to introduce a Kitten to a Cat (safely), up until then you keep them in separate rooms with gradual introductions.
Katie will need at least 2 litter trays in 'her' room (standard is 1 per cat + a spare). Toys, a scratching post & something to climb and a bed. With lots of interaction when you are home, she'll be fine on her own for a few weeks (ie until you have found out if she/Ella can get along - once they start to be curious about each other).
Once you know they can get on, I'd still be putting one/other into a room when you are out - just in case, until you know (and you will know) that you can leave them & not come back to the Dog being slaughtered
I've just read that back to myself and laughed my head off - last time I introduced a cat to a dog (actually it was 3 dogs, a Springer, Collie 57, and Doberman) I brought the kitten home (traveled on my lap!) carried it into the house & put it on the floor. Fortunately the 3 were already used to cats!
How does Ella react to Katie's reaction?
Katie is already in a strange environment, so stressed. So I'm expecting hiding, hissing, spitting, back arching, tail fluffing etc Basically a LOT of warnings.
If Ella just ignores this/doesn't have much of a reaction you may be able to integrate the 2, but it WILL take time.
You've had her a week, it can take up to a month to introduce a Kitten to a Cat (safely), up until then you keep them in separate rooms with gradual introductions.
Katie will need at least 2 litter trays in 'her' room (standard is 1 per cat + a spare). Toys, a scratching post & something to climb and a bed. With lots of interaction when you are home, she'll be fine on her own for a few weeks (ie until you have found out if she/Ella can get along - once they start to be curious about each other).
Once you know they can get on, I'd still be putting one/other into a room when you are out - just in case, until you know (and you will know) that you can leave them & not come back to the Dog being slaughtered
I've just read that back to myself and laughed my head off - last time I introduced a cat to a dog (actually it was 3 dogs, a Springer, Collie 57, and Doberman) I brought the kitten home (traveled on my lap!) carried it into the house & put it on the floor. Fortunately the 3 were already used to cats!
Hey Ali!
How you doing? When you next in town andare you going to be at the Supercar event?
Thing is, my goal is really to give Ella a playmate when I am out of the house at work as she is alone too much. She stays with a friend some days but I thought a playmate would do her good and the cat is super sweet.
Ella can play a bit rough but shows no aggression at all, just very curious and I think a bit jelous. I am going to keep going with them but I want Katie (who so needs a rename!) to be happy as well as Ella so I want to make sure there is a back up in case the two of them just can;t get on. They both 7 or 8 so not the same as trying to get two young animals to get used to each other.
Thing is, I never really wanted a dog long term but would not be without her now and now stuck wioth a cat I don't want who is rapidlt growing on me as she is so nice.
Me? A soft touch?! Never :-P
How you doing? When you next in town andare you going to be at the Supercar event?
Thing is, my goal is really to give Ella a playmate when I am out of the house at work as she is alone too much. She stays with a friend some days but I thought a playmate would do her good and the cat is super sweet.
Ella can play a bit rough but shows no aggression at all, just very curious and I think a bit jelous. I am going to keep going with them but I want Katie (who so needs a rename!) to be happy as well as Ella so I want to make sure there is a back up in case the two of them just can;t get on. They both 7 or 8 so not the same as trying to get two young animals to get used to each other.
Thing is, I never really wanted a dog long term but would not be without her now and now stuck wioth a cat I don't want who is rapidlt growing on me as she is so nice.
Me? A soft touch?! Never :-P
Hey! 
Dunno & which one? lol. Will be @ Wilton (weather permitting!)
Give it time, you'll know if they start to settle or not, IF they do the cat will be boss!
If you change her name, then it's easier to do it to something that sounds similar, so with an ie at the end, 2 syllables are supposed to work well.
Pics?
Dunno & which one? lol. Will be @ Wilton (weather permitting!)
Give it time, you'll know if they start to settle or not, IF they do the cat will be boss!
If you change her name, then it's easier to do it to something that sounds similar, so with an ie at the end, 2 syllables are supposed to work well.
Pics?
Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff