New Cat Questions
Discussion
I asked a while ago about cat flaps and am having one fitted shortly
I collected the cat I'm adopting today and thought I would start a thread for questions I will have and also to document him
Loki is a lilac and blue colourpoint British Shorthair. He is 4 years old and I brought him home at lunch time today.
He has hidden all day unfortunately and appears to be very shy. I have settled him into a spare bedroom and he has a couple of different beds and hiding places. He also has a scratching post and several toys
At the moment he has eaten a little bit of food and has used his litter tray but he hides when I go to check on him. I look in on him every hour or so. I crouch down and move slowly so not to startle him. He watches me but doesn't seem to want to come close. He makes a short meowing type sound
I was wondering how long it would take to settle in. My parents cats have always settled straight in but they always got them as kittens. They have never adopted an adult cat so I don't really have any frame of what to expect
Any suggestions? As long as he is eating and using his littler tray is it just a case of leaving him till he wants? How will I know when he wants to come out of the spare room? I'm keeping him there in one room as that was what I was advised to do but I don't want to keep him penned up too long?
I collected the cat I'm adopting today and thought I would start a thread for questions I will have and also to document him
Loki is a lilac and blue colourpoint British Shorthair. He is 4 years old and I brought him home at lunch time today.
He has hidden all day unfortunately and appears to be very shy. I have settled him into a spare bedroom and he has a couple of different beds and hiding places. He also has a scratching post and several toys
At the moment he has eaten a little bit of food and has used his litter tray but he hides when I go to check on him. I look in on him every hour or so. I crouch down and move slowly so not to startle him. He watches me but doesn't seem to want to come close. He makes a short meowing type sound
I was wondering how long it would take to settle in. My parents cats have always settled straight in but they always got them as kittens. They have never adopted an adult cat so I don't really have any frame of what to expect
Any suggestions? As long as he is eating and using his littler tray is it just a case of leaving him till he wants? How will I know when he wants to come out of the spare room? I'm keeping him there in one room as that was what I was advised to do but I don't want to keep him penned up too long?
Thanks both,
I've got a feliway in his room and overnight he has eaten nearly all the dry food I left for him and used the litter box again.
He is under the bed this morning and when I was cleaning his litter tray I can hear him making noises but he didn't come out. I am working from home today so will go and sit in there and do some work later and see if he comes out. The adoption centre said he had been given to them because he didn't get on well with children and he became stressed so I don't want to rush him as he might be a bit nervous.
I've got a feliway in his room and overnight he has eaten nearly all the dry food I left for him and used the litter box again.
He is under the bed this morning and when I was cleaning his litter tray I can hear him making noises but he didn't come out. I am working from home today so will go and sit in there and do some work later and see if he comes out. The adoption centre said he had been given to them because he didn't get on well with children and he became stressed so I don't want to rush him as he might be a bit nervous.
I've been doing some work in the room he is in
Despite the fact he has 4 different beds in various places I found him asleep on a shelf on top of some stuff!
IMAG0017 by richtea78, on Flickr
When I went back into the room with a drink he woke up and watched me for a bit then went back to sleep. I'm thinking that is probably a good sign as well as if he was scared he wouldn't go to sleep in such an exposed place?
Despite the fact he has 4 different beds in various places I found him asleep on a shelf on top of some stuff!
IMAG0017 by richtea78, on Flickr
When I went back into the room with a drink he woke up and watched me for a bit then went back to sleep. I'm thinking that is probably a good sign as well as if he was scared he wouldn't go to sleep in such an exposed place?
This afternoon he has been eating and cleaning himself.
Untitled by richtea78, on Flickr
I put an old towel down as thought it might be better to sit on than the wood. He seems quite content at the moment. He doesn't seem to mind what he eats as he ate some wet food and some biscuits. I'm not sure how much he has drunk but he has a couple of bowls in there so it's there if he needs it.
Untitled by richtea78, on Flickr
I put an old towel down as thought it might be better to sit on than the wood. He seems quite content at the moment. He doesn't seem to mind what he eats as he ate some wet food and some biscuits. I'm not sure how much he has drunk but he has a couple of bowls in there so it's there if he needs it.
Last night I went to make a fuss over him before I went to bed and he was rolling around on his back and seemed very happy. He doesnt miaow but he chirrups and purrs. The chirrup is an odd sound, almost like a guinea pig.
He also managed to run out of the spare room and went for a walk all around the house. I followed him but didnt want to chase him as I didnt want him to get scared. He had a quick look round the other rooms that were open then went back to his spare room.
Sadly I had to go into the office today so he will be on his own till I get home tonight. I fed him this morning and have left him toys and some biscuits.
I also set up a water fountain thing for him this morning as it arrived before I went to work. Its something my parents cats love so thought I would see how he went.
He also managed to run out of the spare room and went for a walk all around the house. I followed him but didnt want to chase him as I didnt want him to get scared. He had a quick look round the other rooms that were open then went back to his spare room.
Sadly I had to go into the office today so he will be on his own till I get home tonight. I fed him this morning and have left him toys and some biscuits.
I also set up a water fountain thing for him this morning as it arrived before I went to work. Its something my parents cats love so thought I would see how he went.
I think he might be broken. I got home from work and made a fuss of him and he flopped over like a teddy bear!
Loki by richtea78, on Flickr
My parents cats are much older and have had them for years and they don't do that even now so think he must be happy
I did try and read earlier but he didn't like it!
Loki by richtea78, on Flickr
Loki by richtea78, on Flickr
My parents cats are much older and have had them for years and they don't do that even now so think he must be happy
I did try and read earlier but he didn't like it!
Loki by richtea78, on Flickr
I don't want to appear crude but what is normal when it comes to pissing and pooing for a cat? He pees about 3 times a day so far and poos once. Is that normal? I empty his litter tray as quickly as I can.
My parents cats have always lived outside so I don't have a frame of reference.
If he was ill it would be obvious from his behaviour? He would act differently? My parents cats always hide so you know if one isnt around to go and find her. They only got ill twice though that I can recall.
This evening he has been moving around more upstairs but still won't come downstairs. I am going to get some Dreamies for bribery but no rush.
Edit. Another question. Are some cats immune to catnip?
My parents cats have always lived outside so I don't have a frame of reference.
If he was ill it would be obvious from his behaviour? He would act differently? My parents cats always hide so you know if one isnt around to go and find her. They only got ill twice though that I can recall.
This evening he has been moving around more upstairs but still won't come downstairs. I am going to get some Dreamies for bribery but no rush.
Edit. Another question. Are some cats immune to catnip?
He has 3 different water bowls and a water fountain that provides running water so he has plenty to chose from.
I wanted to make sure he had plenty of choices and they cost next to nothing so figured I'd leave lots around. I know neutered males can have issues so figured it was important.
I wanted to make sure he had plenty of choices and they cost next to nothing so figured I'd leave lots around. I know neutered males can have issues so figured it was important.
thanks, I'll have a read of your site after work, its blocked on my work network as a "Personal site" but we have very strange monitoring software. PH is allowed but football sites arent for example.
Ive not seen him drink yet but he must be drinking if he is peeing!
I have had to leave him at home a couple of days this week but most of the time I work from home for most of the week. When I work in the office I empty his tray morning before work, as soon as I get home and then a couple of times during the evening as when I notice it needs doing.
I have tried both a covered and uncovered tray. He seems to like the uncovered one but despite the lip on it, he seems to manage to flick some of it out on the floor. I saw him last night and it almost looked like the last flick was deliberately to get some on the floor! He wont use the covered tray so I am going to take that away I think shortly. I dont think he likes to be enclosed as he didnt want to go in his carrier either when I collected him.
Ive not seen him drink yet but he must be drinking if he is peeing!
I have had to leave him at home a couple of days this week but most of the time I work from home for most of the week. When I work in the office I empty his tray morning before work, as soon as I get home and then a couple of times during the evening as when I notice it needs doing.
I have tried both a covered and uncovered tray. He seems to like the uncovered one but despite the lip on it, he seems to manage to flick some of it out on the floor. I saw him last night and it almost looked like the last flick was deliberately to get some on the floor! He wont use the covered tray so I am going to take that away I think shortly. I dont think he likes to be enclosed as he didnt want to go in his carrier either when I collected him.
Tonight after giving Loki his dinner he promptly threw it all up!
Now I know cats are sometimes sick to get rid of hairballs but I couldnt see any hair. Could it be because he is nervous? I left him alone in case he was stressed and he was absolutely fine. In fact he even came downstairs for a bit but went off back upstairs. I dont watch him while he eats as I think he prefers to do it on his own.
I guess my question is how do I know the difference between random vomiting and something more serious? I checked the vomit and it was entirely made up of his dinner. No blood or hair. Would it be possible the food disagreed with him?
He had a packet of Whiskas tonight, it was a lick and chew one but he had only eaten about half when he was sick so I threw it all away.
Now I know cats are sometimes sick to get rid of hairballs but I couldnt see any hair. Could it be because he is nervous? I left him alone in case he was stressed and he was absolutely fine. In fact he even came downstairs for a bit but went off back upstairs. I dont watch him while he eats as I think he prefers to do it on his own.
I guess my question is how do I know the difference between random vomiting and something more serious? I checked the vomit and it was entirely made up of his dinner. No blood or hair. Would it be possible the food disagreed with him?
He had a packet of Whiskas tonight, it was a lick and chew one but he had only eaten about half when he was sick so I threw it all away.
Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff