I think this is the right place for this... please bear with my long post and help me figure out what to do.
If anyone remembers, I took in Cuddles when the owners decided that after 12 years, she wasn't an important enough part of the family to take along with them when they moved... I took her in with the intention of rehoming her. If no where else, then to my neighbors house because she helps me out sometimes with hard to place cats. The people failed to tell me, other then in an email after I had her that she has never seen another cat in her life. She was extremely scared and aggressive and defensive when I just got her, and now almost 2 months later I can still barely pet her. She loves to be around people but just not touched. She will rub against my legs, she will sit next to me and purr and meow back at me when I talk to her, but if I look directly at her or approach her, she freaks.
By freaks I mean she meows or almost screams, she will bat really hard at whatever is coming at her. She also bites, but the second her teeth touch you, she backs off. Very much a warning, hey stay back sort of thing.
But she is sweet otherwise. The problem I face now is what to do. I know it can take months or years to get a cat to be "normal". Normal as in the way she was with her previous owners for 12 long years. In the time she gets back to normal, I cannot take in any other cats as rescues to rehome because she has my bedroom. Plus if I can finally get her back to "normal" I think it will start all over again from square one if she were to go to a new home again. I couldn't even try it out in a new home as a test because I think she will revert back to the untrusting and hostile little kitty she is now.
Also the problem that no one wants an old cat, let alone one with her personality quirks and her timidness and hostility.
So what do I do? I cannot permenently keep another cat. I have too many as it is. And she cannot live her life locked in my bedroom. She is in the only space I have to take in new cats who need homes. I just don't know what to do. Some people have suggest euthanizing her. I am wondering if that might be the only thing I can do at this time. She may live another 5 years, do I not rescue a single other cat until she passes away of old age? Do I just give up on her and take the easy way out and euthanize her? But then I see her curled up sound asleep on my fluffy purple pillow that she loves or in my wool bathrobe and I am so sad to have to do that to this poor kitty who doesn't deserve it.
I know there is that one home out there just for her, with a single person or a couple with none or one other cat who would love to take the time to allow a nervous senior kitty to relax and open up to them. Or a little old lady wanting a little old lady cat to talk to and care for and sleep with but not have to worry about playing with her a lot or bending down to pick her up or tripping over her or anything like that. But REALISTICALLY, how long do I wait for that one special person to come along? I have posted so freakin many ads for her. Going about it every way, explaining her and her needs the best I can. The fact that she is very cat aggressive is a turn off right away for most people, then her age and the fact that you really can't touch her much. I can for about 30 seconds and then she freaks out and starts biting and growling and stuff.
Please tell me what you all think. What would you consider doing if you were in my shoes? Are you horrified I mentioned euthanizing her or do you think that might be the best option? Do you think keeping her for an unlimited amount of time with the almost non-existant chance that someone will want her is a better idea? It's not like she is in a shelter in a cold steel cage with no human interaction. But in the meantime I cannot take in anymore unwanted cats who need me.
Thanks for listening.
If anyone remembers, I took in Cuddles when the owners decided that after 12 years, she wasn't an important enough part of the family to take along with them when they moved... I took her in with the intention of rehoming her. If no where else, then to my neighbors house because she helps me out sometimes with hard to place cats. The people failed to tell me, other then in an email after I had her that she has never seen another cat in her life. She was extremely scared and aggressive and defensive when I just got her, and now almost 2 months later I can still barely pet her. She loves to be around people but just not touched. She will rub against my legs, she will sit next to me and purr and meow back at me when I talk to her, but if I look directly at her or approach her, she freaks.
By freaks I mean she meows or almost screams, she will bat really hard at whatever is coming at her. She also bites, but the second her teeth touch you, she backs off. Very much a warning, hey stay back sort of thing.
But she is sweet otherwise. The problem I face now is what to do. I know it can take months or years to get a cat to be "normal". Normal as in the way she was with her previous owners for 12 long years. In the time she gets back to normal, I cannot take in any other cats as rescues to rehome because she has my bedroom. Plus if I can finally get her back to "normal" I think it will start all over again from square one if she were to go to a new home again. I couldn't even try it out in a new home as a test because I think she will revert back to the untrusting and hostile little kitty she is now.
Also the problem that no one wants an old cat, let alone one with her personality quirks and her timidness and hostility.
So what do I do? I cannot permenently keep another cat. I have too many as it is. And she cannot live her life locked in my bedroom. She is in the only space I have to take in new cats who need homes. I just don't know what to do. Some people have suggest euthanizing her. I am wondering if that might be the only thing I can do at this time. She may live another 5 years, do I not rescue a single other cat until she passes away of old age? Do I just give up on her and take the easy way out and euthanize her? But then I see her curled up sound asleep on my fluffy purple pillow that she loves or in my wool bathrobe and I am so sad to have to do that to this poor kitty who doesn't deserve it.
I know there is that one home out there just for her, with a single person or a couple with none or one other cat who would love to take the time to allow a nervous senior kitty to relax and open up to them. Or a little old lady wanting a little old lady cat to talk to and care for and sleep with but not have to worry about playing with her a lot or bending down to pick her up or tripping over her or anything like that. But REALISTICALLY, how long do I wait for that one special person to come along? I have posted so freakin many ads for her. Going about it every way, explaining her and her needs the best I can. The fact that she is very cat aggressive is a turn off right away for most people, then her age and the fact that you really can't touch her much. I can for about 30 seconds and then she freaks out and starts biting and growling and stuff.
Please tell me what you all think. What would you consider doing if you were in my shoes? Are you horrified I mentioned euthanizing her or do you think that might be the best option? Do you think keeping her for an unlimited amount of time with the almost non-existant chance that someone will want her is a better idea? It's not like she is in a shelter in a cold steel cage with no human interaction. But in the meantime I cannot take in anymore unwanted cats who need me.
Thanks for listening.