Hi
I am a new member who has just this minute joined. I live the UK and would welcome any advice please with this extremely noisy and nervous 7 month old kitten I adopted 3 days ago..
I am an experienced cat owner, having had several adult rescue cats over the years, and having had 3 rescue cats living together with me and hubby in our flat for over 10 years. The last one left of the 3, Timmy is an extremely laid back 14 year old and very friendly cat.
Last week on Wednesday, we adopted a 7 month old rescue cat from an organisation that specialises in working with feral cats. I saw him online with lots of other cats and kittens and he looked very laid back. I originally wanted a different cat, but she had gone, and the lady who runs the rescue centre, offered me her brother who was not at that time, advertised on the site. She said she was just about to advertise him. She gave us a good low-down on him, and brought him over to us. It was clear when we met her that she really loves her cats and even phoned us the following day to find out how things were going. We did tell her but she did not offer any real advice.
The cat we adopted is a 7 month old black and white kitten. A lovely animal and in tip top condition. However, the downside as we have now found out, is that he has never been socialised. The lady who runs the cat rescue, said he had been born in her home and has never been outside it. We wanted a flat dwelling cat, so this seemed ideal. However, this poor cat is clearly is in a real state of angst with us.
We began by putting him in our small kitchen with all the necessaries as we have done with all our other rescue cats when they arrived and has always worked well. He did not like it and screamed (and I mean screamed!) the place down. We had to let him out into the flat which is a one bedroom flat, and he has gone all over it and found his own hiding places. He gets on extremely well with our resident cat so that is no problem. They play together with lots of chirrups and vocalising and he seems really happy with it all.
To make sure all was well between the 2 cats, I spent the last 2 nights in the living room, quietly observing them, and apart from the natural curiosity of the new cat, finding his way around etc. I left them alone and it went well. No screaming and wailing from this cat at all. I can play with him, stroke him etc., (he is not vicious) no problem ONLY DURING THE NIGHT.
In the daytime, it is as if my husband and myself are total strangers. As soon as he sees either of us, he goes mental, screaming and wailing, slinking around the flat, etc. and won't come near us at all. He seems to have completely forgotten who we are. However, he will return sometimes and spend some time hiding on my husband's office chair under the desk in the sitting room whilst we are in it. This is where he is now. We are using a Feliway diffuser but this does not seem to be helping. He seems a real Jekyll and Hide character.
We live in a flat as part of a house, and we are concerned about noise nuisance to the neighbours. We are also naturally worried that this poor animal is so upset. As we are retired and light sleepers, we often come down into the sitting room at night so we don't want him to have a fit of screaming in the early hours which is highly likely as it stands at present.
The lady who runs the cat rescue is German and spoke to him in German also.
I am not overly concerned that his is a cat who may always hide. Timmy, our present cat did the same for many years but is fine now. This kitten is really lovely and cute.
Any advice much appreciated.
I am a new member who has just this minute joined. I live the UK and would welcome any advice please with this extremely noisy and nervous 7 month old kitten I adopted 3 days ago..
I am an experienced cat owner, having had several adult rescue cats over the years, and having had 3 rescue cats living together with me and hubby in our flat for over 10 years. The last one left of the 3, Timmy is an extremely laid back 14 year old and very friendly cat.
Last week on Wednesday, we adopted a 7 month old rescue cat from an organisation that specialises in working with feral cats. I saw him online with lots of other cats and kittens and he looked very laid back. I originally wanted a different cat, but she had gone, and the lady who runs the rescue centre, offered me her brother who was not at that time, advertised on the site. She said she was just about to advertise him. She gave us a good low-down on him, and brought him over to us. It was clear when we met her that she really loves her cats and even phoned us the following day to find out how things were going. We did tell her but she did not offer any real advice.
The cat we adopted is a 7 month old black and white kitten. A lovely animal and in tip top condition. However, the downside as we have now found out, is that he has never been socialised. The lady who runs the cat rescue, said he had been born in her home and has never been outside it. We wanted a flat dwelling cat, so this seemed ideal. However, this poor cat is clearly is in a real state of angst with us.
We began by putting him in our small kitchen with all the necessaries as we have done with all our other rescue cats when they arrived and has always worked well. He did not like it and screamed (and I mean screamed!) the place down. We had to let him out into the flat which is a one bedroom flat, and he has gone all over it and found his own hiding places. He gets on extremely well with our resident cat so that is no problem. They play together with lots of chirrups and vocalising and he seems really happy with it all.
To make sure all was well between the 2 cats, I spent the last 2 nights in the living room, quietly observing them, and apart from the natural curiosity of the new cat, finding his way around etc. I left them alone and it went well. No screaming and wailing from this cat at all. I can play with him, stroke him etc., (he is not vicious) no problem ONLY DURING THE NIGHT.
In the daytime, it is as if my husband and myself are total strangers. As soon as he sees either of us, he goes mental, screaming and wailing, slinking around the flat, etc. and won't come near us at all. He seems to have completely forgotten who we are. However, he will return sometimes and spend some time hiding on my husband's office chair under the desk in the sitting room whilst we are in it. This is where he is now. We are using a Feliway diffuser but this does not seem to be helping. He seems a real Jekyll and Hide character.
We live in a flat as part of a house, and we are concerned about noise nuisance to the neighbours. We are also naturally worried that this poor animal is so upset. As we are retired and light sleepers, we often come down into the sitting room at night so we don't want him to have a fit of screaming in the early hours which is highly likely as it stands at present.
The lady who runs the cat rescue is German and spoke to him in German also.
I am not overly concerned that his is a cat who may always hide. Timmy, our present cat did the same for many years but is fine now. This kitten is really lovely and cute.
Any advice much appreciated.