Unhappy Kitty =(

cat man

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Nov 26, 2007
Messages
3
Purraise
0
Hi everyone. I just joined this forum and this is my first post.


I have this kitty that I took in a few years ago. She was a stray. She's gone from being anti-social and hissing at everything that moves, to a sweetheart.

I feel like we did a great job rehabilitating her. Now I'm trying to rehab her to the point where she's a completely normal happy kitty.

So... if you could name 3 things that make a cat happy (or something) I'd appreciate it. Although sweet, she seems a bit depressed, but I don't really believe in anti-depressants, rather more natural things. She's still also kind of timid from being starved from food and affection before we got her.

It's easy to make my other two happy. One of them you can twirl around, rub his belly, and everything. The other will sit in my lap and pump me all the time.
 

natalie_ca

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
21,136
Purraise
223
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Maybe she is bored. Try playing with her more. Interactive toys such as wand-type toys with a fur mouse on the end. A laser pointer (don't point it in her eyes) so she can chase the red light around the floor and walls. Play hockey with her. Kick a fur mouse across the room. Let her run to it. If she won't bring it back, go and kick it across the room again. Rinse and repeat. That's Abby's favourite game. It also gives me exercise chasing after the mouse so I can rekick it for her.
 

judi

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Sep 25, 2007
Messages
232
Purraise
1
Location
earth
Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

Maybe she is bored. Try playing with her more. Interactive toys such as wand-type toys with a fur mouse on the end. A laser pointer (don't point it in her eyes) so she can chase the red light around the floor and walls. Play hockey with her. Kick a fur mouse across the room. Let her run to it. If she won't bring it back, go and kick it across the room again. Rinse and repeat. That's Abby's favourite game. It also gives me exercise chasing after the mouse so I can rekick it for her.
How often do you change the litter? Clean litter will help to keep your kitty happy.
 

mowwuck

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Nov 17, 2007
Messages
53
Purraise
0
Location
Manchester,UK
Originally Posted by Cat Man

Hi everyone. I just joined this forum and this is my first post.


I have this kitty that I took in a few years ago. She was a stray. She's gone from being anti-social and hissing at everything that moves, to a sweetheart.

I feel like we did a great job rehabilitating her. Now I'm trying to rehab her to the point where she's a completely normal happy kitty.

So... if you could name 3 things that make a cat happy (or something) I'd appreciate it. Although sweet, she seems a bit depressed, but I don't really believe in anti-depressants, rather more natural things. She's still also kind of timid from being starved from food and affection before we got her.

It's easy to make my other two happy. One of them you can twirl around, rub his belly, and everything. The other will sit in my lap and pump me all the time.
it would be worth trying flower essences,these are flower oils that are put [in drops] in the cats' water,they do work [as testing has shown,because cats do not have awareness of placebo affect].
there are many different flower essences and they all do different things.
Some companies like Denes and Bach do combo mixes of essences for better effect.

Has she been checked over by the vet lately?
That would also be worth it,just to make sure she has nothing physically bad going on.

If she is shy-let her go to people rather than the other way around,shy cats like to be ready when they choose when to accept attention,and don't like it when people get too hyper with attention and eye contact forcing with them.

Get a "cat tree"-one of those big scratching post cat climbing frame thingies,
they're good for keeping kit. amused and for them to perch on looking down on humans.

Make sure the house is not too busy or noisy,and that changes in the kits environment are kept to minimum where possible.



Maybe she is bored. Try playing with her more. Interactive toys such as wand-type toys with a fur mouse on the end. A laser pointer (don't point it in her eyes) so she can chase the red light around the floor and walls. Play hockey with her. Kick a fur mouse across the room. Let her run to it. If she won't bring it back, go and kick it across the room again. Rinse and repeat. That's Abby's favourite game. It also gives me exercise chasing after the mouse so I can rekick it for her.
That's what cats' want their humans to think,when cats' are prancing about getting their human to run around after them,they are not playing,they are taking on the thankless task of training their human.
 

sillyjilly

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 4, 2005
Messages
8,730
Purraise
35
Location
Here... or There... Hmmm
One thing that makes my kitty happy, is carboard boxes. If I sit any size box on the floor, bed, chair or couch, she will stuff herself right into it and nap away!
She has squished herself into some pretty small boxes too! Kitters also likes it when we change her water a lot to give her cold fresh water! So we spoil her with that. Also, what about your kitty makes you think she is depressed? What type of behaviour is she showing that makes you believe that? She could just be a more mellow cat or more cautious due to her upbringing before. My cat is not a lap cat for some of the same reasons, but she will come and lay on you in her time! I believe she is VERY happy! Good luck with some of the suggestions!
(and welcome to the site!
)
 
Top