Little advice required please.

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Andi1111
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Little advice required please.

Post by Andi1111 »

Hi all, I'm Andi.
I adopted a female cat about 15 months ago called Poppy.
She was taken to a rescue centre as her male owner was moving and could not take her, that's all the info the rescue centre got from him as he basically threw her through the door.
They believe she was approx. 2 to 3 years old, they had no idea how she was treated but used to hide away so was waiting to be rehomed for 6 months till I came around.
As I say, she's been with me now for over a year, I live alone and work shifts so she is left at home by her self but she seems happy enough to lay out on my bed or sat on the window sill watching the world go by.
When I'm home, she stays away from me if I up and walking about ( unless I'm getter her some grub!) but once I'm sat down, she will happily come over and sir next to me and get plenty of head rubs and strokes but...................
As soon as move a leg, change position or anything like that, she shoots off to the other side of the room?
No matter how comfortable she seems while I'm sat there not moving, even likes her belly rubbed, soon as I move she's gone again?
I try to reassure her saying its ok etc. just it can then take half hour before she plucks up the courage to come over again to be stroked.
She has made massive improvements from not going anywhere near me at all spending her first week under the table.
What else can I do to relax her more??? - I have tried felloway stuff - drops and air defuser, made no difference to her at all, Vets says she's all good too.
booktigger
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Re: Little advice required please.

Post by booktigger »

I've had a lot of cats like that, who have never grown out of it, although improved with time, I just see it as their quirk
Andi1111
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Re: Little advice required please.

Post by Andi1111 »

I was sort of thinking about getting a Kitten to try and give her some confidence looking after a child, try and bring her mothering side out?

This a good or bad idea?
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Ruth B
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Re: Little advice required please.

Post by Ruth B »

Sounds similar to my Freyja, I got her from a rescue when she was about 6 months old and scared stiff of people, I couldn't even touch her to start with. Two and a half years later and she loves a fuss and will come and demand one if I'm sat at the computer or reading on the bed. Try walking around near her and she always runs to hide. She isn't as bad as she used to be as we just let her run, if she seems confused about which way is safe to go we just freeze until she has decided and run off. She is getting better but it is taking a long time and she is far better around bare feet than ones with shoes on.

When we got her she came with another cat about the same age as they had become friends and she seemed to take confidence from him, and we were wanting two cats anyway. We already had an older cat, she was about 13 then, and we thought that two youngsters would play together and give her a bit of piece. It didn't quite work out that way, Freyja soon turn her attention from Saturn to Tiggy, following her around and taking her lead from her, if Tiggy felt it was safe, then Freyja seemed to believe it was safe.

I mention this as you might want to consider an older, more placid cat rather than a kitten. Kittens, particularly male ones, can get very boisterous as they grow up and while she might be fine while it is a small kitten once it grows into a cat she might find it a bit too much for her. As she is a bit spooky and runs away from you as you walk around a kitten might take this as her running from it and suddenly she will be at the bottom of the pecking order with the kitten picking on her, which isn't what you want. It might work out but it is a bit of a gamble.
booktigger
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Re: Little advice required please.

Post by booktigger »

I'm not convinced cats have mothering instincts for unrelated cats and not sure it would help her confidence levels
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