# Rescue cat help please!



## Elsbells (Feb 18, 2011)

We got our rescue cat from a fosterer at the local cats protection almost 3 weeks ago.

He's a large build 2 year old neut male, (5kg and getting larger on 2 decent science plan meals & plenty of sleep!), dst tabby.

All they knew of his history is that he was a stray for 4 months reported by neighbours. Very friendly and not agressive.

So having seen we have 2 kids aged 3 & 9 CP thought him a good match for us.

But despite being so friendly and affectionate on our 3 visits (rubbing his face all over us, purring on sight etc) and indeed the first 2 days of his being here, from then on he has totally avoided us where possible. 

We give him enough space so he doesnt feel crowded as i figure after roaming free for weeks on end, it's a tough order to have to be kept in for 4/5weeks, but I've tried to ensure he is around the family for at least part of the day, so he can get used to us.

Since the first couple of days when he'd happily jump on my lap, curl up and enjoy being stroked, he slinks away when we bend down to stroke him, looks for any excuse to avoid us, and the closest we get to stroking him is when he's already asleep somewhere, and he then gets up and walks off .

He's like a different cat. He is in excellent health (just had his 2 visits to the vet for 1st & 2nd vaccs) eats well. Uses litter tray etc.

He will not be picked up, so we don't try - we are trying to overcome this change in desire to be a family cat first!

I thought we'd cracked it that he was happy to sit with us the first few days but he's gone backwards :confused1:.

Husband thinks is cos he's bored being inside, though we play with him 3 or 4 times a day with a laser light, ball etc, and he isn't scratching at the door or anything.

Any ideas, please?


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## Shrap (Nov 22, 2010)

Tbh I would go with him being bored. If he's been outside for all that time he will get bored...
I know it's a hard situation to deal with because obviously you need him to realise his home and all the comforts are with you before you let him out.. But he can't feel like that when he's bored :S

Maybe if he's not shy in a fearful way, make sure he sits/sleeps in the room you are normally in. Don't try to pat him just block off where he would go normally to get away (only temporarily, even just for part of the day so he has to spend time around you guys).

We just added two rescue cats a couple of weeks ago and have been working so hard to get one of them to get attached to us as he's SO shy. We've been making so much progress just going over when he's resting on the couch and finding "the spot" - maybe you can try to find his spot!
He now comes up to me and follows us about, and was sleeping on me earlier 

Like if you scratch a certain point under my Indy's chin his leg goes crazy, never seen a cat do it before, only dogs, but he loves it haha.

If he walks away there isn't really much you can do - unless you can manage to get a cat harness on him and take him out on that - let him climb some tress etc.

Make sure he knows you're the one feeding him etc.

Maybe you could try getting some really nice treats, like raw meat/fish/cheese, and reward him everytime he lets you stroke him without walking away.

If he's been a stray he might just not know/remember what his slaves are for and might need some reminding how nice it is to just have a wee cuddle!

Keep trying but don't directly force contact, it'll only push him away further, kinda like chasing a guy/girl you like 

What sorts of things have you tried to get his attention?


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## Shrap (Nov 22, 2010)

Oh yeah, forgot to add. Even my Indy cat who we had from 10 weeks slinks away from our hands sometimes. It just his way of saying - not now mum i'm busy! Normally when he's doing his patrol. In fact he does this for most of the day thinking about it haha.
He comes up for his morning and evening cuddles and a suckle from my mum's dressing gown and only occassionally attention seeks other than that.


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## Lucyh (Dec 30, 2010)

Hello there

I got two rescue cats in December and although one of them is now very affectionate and demands to sit on my lap, the other one is pretty much as you describe, he is getting better and lets me stroke him but there are still times he shrinks away from me and he still runs away from any sudden movements and hides behind the sofa. He has at least stopped hissing though which was the standard response for the first month and a half 

I am in touch with the woman who has their brother and sister and their behaviour swapped around, at first the girl was very forward and the boy was nervous, now the boy is very friendly and the girl won't be touched, she can't work out why. 

I've tried a few things-

Zylkene- tablets you sprinkle on food, I think they have helped loads, they are supposed to mimic cat milk
Feliway spray- I put it on my clothes and that makes a big difference I think
I've just got Felifriend for my hands but I think Feliway on clothes is better and you can also use it on furniture to stop them scratching it
Feliway diffuser- thought this helped at first, not sure now
Kitzymes- they are conditioning tablets for fur but say they can possibly help with nervousness too

I phoned the rescue centre to ask for advice and they said to hand-feed as much as possible (pieces of chicken maybe) or even something like fish paste they can lick off your fingers

Also it's true what's already been suggested about different ways of stroking, I found he prefers being stroked quite hard, I think I was making him nervous by being too tentative before as well

Hope some of that helps. Sometimes they are difficult to work out!


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## Elsbells (Feb 18, 2011)

Shrap said:


> when he's doing his patrol.


 I love that.

See he's very confident, he just seems very sure he doesn't wanna be fussed....at any time. When he moves on, it isn't to bolt off under a bed, he merely walks away a few feet and sits down there - a bit 'I'm making a point here!':arf:.

Husband is very pleased when I reported that there may be some truth in his 'bored' theory 

One other thing I didn't think of.... the 3 year old was rather reserved in connection with him when he arrived in the first couple of days. However her confidence has grown since she's seen he's a nice cat and won't draw claws - he'll only walk off.

She follows him round when he walks off, and goes under the the table with him when he hides from her under there. I'm keen to ensure she never tries to pet or handle him clumsily, but it's still negative (and unwanted) fuss as far as the new feline guest is concerned.

Maybe the combination of being a bit bored from no access to the great outdoors, and the fact that in the early days all the human attention was gentle, and very welcome since it was almost all on his terms (we waited for him to come to us).

Perhaps since he's experienced the unwanted attention of the threenager, he avoids all human contact because he now knows it's not always appealing to him.

Should I try to segregate them where possible? I had been trying to strike a balance between getting them used to eachother (him realising she won't hurt him and is part of his environment now and her realising if she hassles him he won't stay around to be stroked). But maybe this is too much in his first few weeks? :confused1:


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## Elsbells (Feb 18, 2011)

Hi Lucy

I read your original post when I first came to the forum with interest as I was looking for similar stories and the advice given.

I think you're fab for taking on 2 cats who weren't exactly bombproof. They are lucky pussycats, for sure!

I have tried treating him when I finally managed to get him using the scratch post (instead of the bottom staircarpet , cheese, salmon, chicken... all the things my previous cats have loved, but he sniffs it briefly and has no interest (which to be honest i was rather pleased about as my previous feline companion was a bit of a monkey for hasling for titbits ).

Can i just say, he's just woken up from sleeping on the windowsill when my husband drew the blinds, had bypassed my eldests lap (which he loved on day 1/2) and come right over to the me at the desk in the dining room brushed against me, and even reached up to put his front paws on my lap, but once i've stroked his back, he's off, affection box ticked, mocking me for thinking I was about to get close for a second!

Also i should point out that he purrs constantly when in our company but just doesn't want to be blinking stroked!! 

I always put my hands in front of him so he can choose if he wants to be stroked, but he hardly ever brushes them like he used to, and would never answer the international cat signal for sit on lap ie patting the lap :confused1:


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## Lucyh (Dec 30, 2010)

Elsbells said:


> Hi Lucy
> 
> I read your original post when I first came to the forum with interest as I was looking for similar stories and the advice given.
> 
> I think you're fab for taking on 2 cats who weren't exactly bombproof. They are lucky pussycats, for sure!


Ah thanks! Well, it was Oskar who seduced me in the rescue centre!

Max has stopped being exactly scared, he's happy in the flat but just doesn't seem that bothered with people. As with their brother and sister that have seemed to change personalities, there's probably something you haven't noticed that's changed. It took me a while to realise that me going back to work after Christmas was a big difference, and even things like drawing the blinds so they can't see out of the windows seems to upset Max.

Even if he just seems not bothered rather than scared, I would recommend Feliway spray as Max doesn't run away if I've got that on my clothes.

Anyway, I also think it takes longer than you might think to get them settled in, I'm still working on it 2 months later....


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