# Re-homing an ex-breeding ragdoll



## 1608dylan1608 (Aug 26, 2014)

Hi
This is my first post as I have only just joined. I have just rescued a two year old ragdoll who was used for breeding. She was kept in a cage for the two years. We took her on as company for our very laid back lilac British short-hair who is also a girl who is 4 years old.

We knew that the new cat would take a lot of time to settle in as she is not used to much human contact. We have given her a room of her own and we are being very patient with her, but we don't seem to be progressing very much.

Can anybody give me any advice about settling in a ex breeding queen into a normal family home.


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## huckybuck (Jan 17, 2014)

How very sad  but lovely that you've taken her on. I suppose it's just going to take a lot of time and patience and I'm not really sure what to say, but there are some lovely people on her who will have great ideas to help I'm sure.


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## lilythepink (Jul 24, 2013)

I took several cats from a breeder who had lived in a similar way. They were skinny and hungry so that really made it a bit easier.I fed them roast chicken by hand.

At first, I kept them in crates, litter tray, bed ,vet bed and a toy and kept them all in separate places.

I would bring one at a time into the sitting room at night and it was surprising how quickly they came round. As soon as they didn't run and hide from me as soon as they saw me in the room, I let another one out and pulled the previous ones cage down. It didn't take long....and they couldn't say No to sitting in front of the coal fire.

I think the biggest thing was the roast chicken but they had gone very hungry.


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## Ragdollsfriend (Feb 13, 2014)

Thank you for saving her. I love Ragdolls 

Earlier this year I gave a forever home to a retired Ragdoll breeding queen. From the start she was very aggressive towards my resident cat who is such a gentle giant. She was OK with humans. However, we had to get a cat behaviour expert involved as we couldn't think of any more tricks to introduce them even though I did lots of research and took it slow. 

Btw, the queen by default will be worried about other cats. She probably never had any positive interactions with other kitties, no play or grooming. So you need to help her build up positive experience.

I wonder if scent swapping could help in your case. This is what I was asked to do for my cats to make them believe they're best friends. But to be clear for the first 5-6 weeks they lived in separate rooms.

How many litter trays do you have? I have 2 litter trays and when Daisy moved in with us, she was locked in the room with her own tray and Leo used a separate one. But at the end of the day I had to swap them, often without cleaning them fully. The next trick was to give my cats smaller portions in the morning so they ate their food and licked the bowl. Then I had to swap the bowls without cleaning them and put more food in. Saliva is very fragrant and by exchanging saliva cats learn to recognise and accept each other. I actually used this trick with bowl swapping more than once a day. 

The next stage for me was to feed my cats at the same time but keep them a fair distance apart but still allow them to look at each other. I had to be ready to step in to stop any potential trouble. This was to let my Leo associate nice things like food with Daisy, the trouble maker. Every few days I had to make this distance shorter and shorter. Seriously, after 3 weeks Daisy was able to eat and ignore Leo who was by then less than half a meter away. Needless to say, supervision of any interaction was still necessary. They slept in separate rooms and behind shut doors. After about 5 weeks I opened the doors to Leo's room one morning and Daisy was waiting right outside. She came in and they just nicely greeted each other 

What do you think of the above ideas? Feel free to ask me any questions. I'll be very happy to help


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## 1608dylan1608 (Aug 26, 2014)

Thank you for all your information. 

At the moment we havent got to the stage of introducing the two cats, as our main concern at the moment is us humans..... Summer obviously has not had much human contact apart from probably being cleaned out and fed. When we try to stroke her she cowers down and hisses. We have given her a lovely room all for herself, a litter tray, bed, lovely food and toys to play with. Which she seems very happy with, she just doesnt like us?
We are taking it very slowly, and speak gently to her. It doesnt seem to make any difference wether we give her lots of space and time on her own, or pop in frequently.

I understand ragdoll's to be very affectionate. Do you think the damage has already been done, or do you think with time we can win her round. I hope so!


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## 1608dylan1608 (Aug 26, 2014)

Thank you for all your advice. We will take it slowly  Do you think Feliway might help her feel more relaxed?


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## kittih (Jan 19, 2014)

When I was taming feral cats and their kittens I used to go into their room and sit on the floor armed with warm chicken and a good book. I used to read silently for a few days then when the cat(s) became relaxed with that I started to read out loud. If they seemed ok or made any approaches or came out of hiding a little I used to throw some chicken. If they ate the chicken then that was a good sign as it meant they werent so stressed that they didnt want to eat.

The trick was to ignore the cat as much as possible, make slow movements, talk calmly and have my body side on and be as low as possible (hence sitting on the floor). It was a long process (several weeks) but the cats slowly gained confidence. The adult was always abit aloof but did eventually come to enjoy being petted on her terms. The kittens were very friendly and cuddly 

Once the cats were relaxed with my presence I dangled a piece of string on the ground near to them and twitched it occasionally. Even though they had never played before, the urge to catch the string became stronger and eventually I could encourage them to run after it and use it and the chicken to encourage them to come closer.

Not sure whether the above would help with your breeding queen but treating her like a feral might be a good approach.


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## 1608dylan1608 (Aug 26, 2014)

That sounds like a good idea. Thank you for taking the time to reply


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## Ragdollsfriend (Feb 13, 2014)

OK, I understand your challenges better now. You could try a supplement called Zylkene, available without prescription so you can buy it online or from your vet. It calms pets in stressful situations but won't make them groggy or anything as it's not a drug. It comes as capsules, so you open a capsule up, sprinkle on top of Summer's food and you could mix it with a smaller portion to be sure it'll be eaten.

As others mentioned, just give her plenty of time to adjust to the new situation and get to trust you. How about on some occasions getting down to her level? For example, lie flat on the floor and wait for her to approach you. If she comes, do not stare at her, just squint your eyes or close them even. It's a way to communicate to your cat you feel relaxed in her presence. If she squints back at you that's great


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## kittih (Jan 19, 2014)

You might also want to consider clicker training. These articles relate to cats in a shelter but could be adapted for your cat:

Clicking Feral Cats | Karen Pryor Clicker Training

Clicking with Cats in the Shelter Environment | Karen Pryor Clicker Training

If a clicker is too scary the quieter click of a ball point pen also works.


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## Sophiebee (Jul 9, 2013)

I rehomed an ex breeding queen in march, and although she was kept in nice conditions she wasnt too used to human contact and was terrified of us, she hid in her litterbox for a couple of days, and wouldnt come near us for weeks, i used to sit in her room with her, without looking at her, and read aloud in a soft voice (fairy stories etc.) i made no attempt to stroke her, just let her get used to me, eventually she would potter around and even began to let us stroke us her, we carried on taking small steps and never forced her to be near us, it was weeks before she voluntarily came into a room we were in, from there she progressed to sitting next to us on the sofa and now she is the biggest lap cat ever (shes purring on my lap while i type!) 

Go at her pace and she will come around. Play with a wand toy is good for helping them feel less frightened as they become distracted by the toy, it might take her awhile to understand playing though (Duchess didnt play at all when she came, shes like a big kitten now!) 

Duchess is like a different cat now, we've had visitors this week and shes been lying next to them and rolling over for tummy tickles! (this is huge for her as until very recently she would hide when strangers were in the house.) She can change but it will take time


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## 1608dylan1608 (Aug 26, 2014)

Thanks, I will go to the vet tomorrow and see if I can get some.


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## 1608dylan1608 (Aug 26, 2014)

Thank You! Your success story with Duchess has given me such hope that Summer will come round. We will take it slowly, and go at her pace. She is only 2, so has so much life to live. Hopefully she will put her bad start behind her and let us love her.


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## 1608dylan1608 (Aug 26, 2014)

Thanks it might be worth a try. I had not heard of it before


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

1608dylan1608 said:


> Thanks, I will go to the vet tomorrow and see if I can get some.


Zylkene? It's much cheaper online, no prescription needed.


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## Jesthar (May 16, 2011)

OrientalSlave said:


> Zylkene? It's much cheaper online, no prescription needed.


Even cheaper if you buy the big 450mg dog capsules and split them like I do with Charlie-girl - Zylkene isn't does critical (and you can't really ovedose either, being a natural supplement) and it's a heck of a lot more cost effective if giving it longer term.

Hope it goes well, dylan - it sounds like she's just not used to any positive human contact, so (as hard as it is not to stroke them!) it will be best to let her start to come to you when she's ready to trust that you aren't a threat.


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## 1608dylan1608 (Aug 26, 2014)

Thanks - I have just ordered some on-line. Hopefully it will do the trick!


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## Ragdollsfriend (Feb 13, 2014)

Don't forget to let us know how it's going. I bet we all are keeping fingers and paws crossed for you and your kitty  Time and lots of TLC will help you win her over  Once again thanks for saving a Ragdoll in need!


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## Britt (May 18, 2014)

The poor girl must be traumatized if she has been used for breeding. She will need a lot of patience and love.


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## carly87 (Feb 11, 2011)

I'd say she'd be traumatised because of the way she was kept. Nothing to do with the fact that she was used for breeding!


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## 1608dylan1608 (Aug 26, 2014)

Summer has been on the Zylkene 75mg daily now for 4 days. She seems a lot calmer. She comes quite close to us now, and rubs herself against the furniture and rolls on her back as if she wants her tummy rubbed. But she still will not let us stroke her, she will cower or back off. So it is still slowly slowly, but there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel.
Do you know who long we can give her Zylkene for?


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## Soozi (Jun 28, 2013)

1608dylan1608 said:


> Summer has been on the Zylkene 75mg daily now for 4 days. She seems a lot calmer. She comes quite close to us now, and rubs herself against the furniture and rolls on her back as if she wants her tummy rubbed. But she still will not let us stroke her, she will cower or back off. So it is still slowly slowly, but there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel.
> Do you know who long we can give her Zylkene for?


Sounds like you are really progressing well!:thumbup1: My Liddy isn't a Ragdoll but was an abandoned kitty when we first adopted her she displayed the same signals as Summer, like rubbing against the furniture and rolling on her back but at a little distance away! they want to trust you and they definitely want your love but are a little wary! I'm sure Summer will come round! hopefully sooner than you think Liddy did! You can give Zylkene for as long as you think you need her to have it, it won't harm her. Good luck I'm sure you won't need it!


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## Jesthar (May 16, 2011)

1608dylan1608 said:


> Summer has been on the Zylkene 75mg daily now for 4 days. She seems a lot calmer. She comes quite close to us now, and rubs herself against the furniture and rolls on her back as if she wants her tummy rubbed. But she still will not let us stroke her, she will cower or back off. So it is still slowly slowly, but there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel.
> *Do you know who long we can give her Zylkene for? *


Indefinitely, as far as I am aware, as it's not a medical drug, more a natural supplement. My Charlie-girl's been on it for the best part of a year now to help her with my young and very zoomy new cat... 

That sounds like good progress. Just remember not to push the contact/stroking issue - it's best for her to decide she wants to approach you  The life she's had, she's not had any chance to work out that many humans are actually nice and good to be with, but she looks to be thinking about it


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## Ragdollsfriend (Feb 13, 2014)

1608dylan1608 said:


> Summer has been on the Zylkene 75mg daily now for 4 days. She seems a lot calmer. She comes quite close to us now, and rubs herself against the furniture and rolls on her back as if she wants her tummy rubbed. But she still will not let us stroke her, she will cower or back off.


Yeah, Summer is getting calmer :biggrin: that's good news! When she rolls on her back it's actually a sign of being relaxed and not at all an invitation to a tummy rub. Just let her enjoy the moment.


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## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

Glad to hear that the Zylkene, along with love and patience, is working.
As someone else mentioned, buy the larger capsules and just divide them up as needed, I tend to be quite generous with my dosing when I use it.
Zylkene Capsules - Pack Of 20 - 450mg - Animed Direct
If you feed any dry food either as meals or even snacks then you should look at Royal canin feline Calm which most cats find very palatable, and does seem to be effective.
Royal Canin Canine Calm CD 25 | Food | Coat & Skin | Health & Wellbeing | Dogs | MedicAnimal.com


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## 1608dylan1608 (Aug 26, 2014)

Here is a picture of Summer  Thanks everyone for your help and advice


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## Soozi (Jun 28, 2013)

1608dylan1608 said:


> Here is a picture of Summer  Thanks everyone for your help and advice


Isn't she beautiful!:001_wub::001_wub: She has a shy look about her but with love and patience she should come round! I agree Zylkene is a great help.


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## Ragdollsfriend (Feb 13, 2014)

She is a pretty girl There is still a bit if sadness in these blue eyes but time and TLC can changed that


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## 1608dylan1608 (Aug 26, 2014)

Hi

I wonder if I could call on everyone's expert advice again? Summer has been on the Zylkene for about 12 days now and is very chilled out and letting us stroke her and wants desperately to come out of the "safe room". 

As our resident cat (also a rescue) is a totally chilled out cat (not on Zylkene). She purrs all the time, she lets you hold her like a baby, and has been like that since the day we brought her home, which was approx 2 months ago. So we thought it would be ok.......?

We opened Summer's door and Luna walked in. Summer to our astonishment walked confidently up to Luna to say hello, not at all frightened (that is probably down to the Zylkene). Luna started hissing and growled at her. This didnt put Summer off, she kept walking up to her. Luna's growls got deeper and we panicked!

I know we probably should have waited to see what happened but if there had of been a fight I wouldnt have known how to separate them!

Do I leave it a few days, Do I put Luna on Zylkene too?
Help...........?????


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## kittih (Jan 19, 2014)

Have you been swapping their scent. If not start by rubbing a clean cloth separatelyvon each cat ( cheeks and base of tail for most scent) and leave opposite clothes in each others territory. Then start swapping beds. 

When you are ready to try again make sure both cats are hungry. Get something they both find irresistible and feed it to them several feet apart but in view. Leave your newest in her room with the door open. Repeat a few times over the day. Extend time they are in each others company. Expect a bit of hissing and chasing and separate if it gets too much. Trick is slow intros with positive associations. I wouldn't medicate your other cat.


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## 1608dylan1608 (Aug 26, 2014)

I havent tried the scent thing - I will do that now.... Thanks


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## kittih (Jan 19, 2014)

When I introduced my two I also put some mesh up in the door of the new cat so they could see each other but could retreat from each other if needed. Not sure if this would be practical for you or even neccesary but thought I would mention it. Hope it goes well.


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## 1608dylan1608 (Aug 26, 2014)

If things dont go well, that might be worth doing - thanks again


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