Hey,
I'm new to the website, so first off, hello to everyone. Thus far, the website seems to be very helpful and I wish I'd known about it when I first started getting involved with cats (if it was even a website at the time).
Typically, I'm very good at diagnosing common problems such as UTIs, etc.. And there have only been a couple of times in the past that I even had to resort to taking a cat to the vet for anyhting other than routine shots, etc... One of them was a UTI, but... regardless.
I'm a live-alone computer geek/graphics artist. I heard about a certain younger male cat that was at the local kill shelter, so I went to bail him out of that early visit from the angel of death. (twisted sense of humor, I know...sorry)
What is known of the cat's past: HE is just over 6 months of age. His mother had the litter he was in AT the shelter, and they went ahead with shots and fixing them when those times came because they assumed they would be able to find homes for all of them. He was the last one left, and they had decided to put him on death row. Anyway, I got him away from all of that. And just for future reference, his name is Bash.
He's a typical domestic medium-length coat tabbey. He looks as though somewhere down the line (not too far though) he could have some bengal in him. When I got him home, I set up the litterboxes (one upstairs, and one downstairs. I have a two story open loft apt. and he's free to roam). I got his food and water bowls out and filled. Opened the carrier door and let him be, thinking I'd let him explore on his own terms. Well, he never came out, so I eventually had to get him out. Then, he showed no interest at all in the location of the food, and he left some nice 3" long scratch marks while in a panic at the sight of the litterbox.
Well, all things into account, I picked him up and looked, and sure enough, his rectum was literally raw, and very very inflamed. I don't always have the money for visits to the vet, so I did as much research as possible, and using a combination of higher grade food, as well as some canned food, some over the counter anti-biotics and ointment, I got that all cleared up. He's eating and using the litterbox fine now. As opposed to literally LEAKING on my carpet because he was trying to hold it in from the pain, and crying out in pain when actually trying to go.
Now, my problem is that he's VERY skiddish, and has no desire whatsoever to explore the apartment. He literally stays ontop of my fridge all day long, only leaving to eat and use the box. When I walk into the kitchen, occasionally he'll hiss at me, but that instantly turns into him laying on his side purring in joy the moment I start petting him. I woke up the other day, and a cold front had hit during the night. So, I turned the heater on, and went to check on him. He was STILL ontop the fridge, shaking erratically from the cold, so I wrapped him in a fleece blanket that he now just uses as his pillow. Normally, I don't try to force anything onto a cat. That's the entire reason I like them. They've got personality that can't exactly be trained like a dog for example. BUT, I've had him a week now (the problems with his rectum were literally cleared up in 2 days... proving how much care the shelters actually show to animals
). I've tried moving the blanket, and rather than stay with it, he kind of says, "screw it," and jumps back on the fridge. Anyone know of a way I might be able to passively suggest to him that he can play around and roam freely?? Like I said, he is rather skiddish. And is still not comfortable actually being picked up. Should I just give him more time, or is this something I should buckle down on now to avoid any potential future issues, and maybe block his path that leads to the top of the fridge??
PS: sorry for the novel, apparently i write blogs that are too long as well... lol
Typically, I'm very good at diagnosing common problems such as UTIs, etc.. And there have only been a couple of times in the past that I even had to resort to taking a cat to the vet for anyhting other than routine shots, etc... One of them was a UTI, but... regardless.
I'm a live-alone computer geek/graphics artist. I heard about a certain younger male cat that was at the local kill shelter, so I went to bail him out of that early visit from the angel of death. (twisted sense of humor, I know...sorry)
What is known of the cat's past: HE is just over 6 months of age. His mother had the litter he was in AT the shelter, and they went ahead with shots and fixing them when those times came because they assumed they would be able to find homes for all of them. He was the last one left, and they had decided to put him on death row. Anyway, I got him away from all of that. And just for future reference, his name is Bash.
He's a typical domestic medium-length coat tabbey. He looks as though somewhere down the line (not too far though) he could have some bengal in him. When I got him home, I set up the litterboxes (one upstairs, and one downstairs. I have a two story open loft apt. and he's free to roam). I got his food and water bowls out and filled. Opened the carrier door and let him be, thinking I'd let him explore on his own terms. Well, he never came out, so I eventually had to get him out. Then, he showed no interest at all in the location of the food, and he left some nice 3" long scratch marks while in a panic at the sight of the litterbox.
Well, all things into account, I picked him up and looked, and sure enough, his rectum was literally raw, and very very inflamed. I don't always have the money for visits to the vet, so I did as much research as possible, and using a combination of higher grade food, as well as some canned food, some over the counter anti-biotics and ointment, I got that all cleared up. He's eating and using the litterbox fine now. As opposed to literally LEAKING on my carpet because he was trying to hold it in from the pain, and crying out in pain when actually trying to go.
Now, my problem is that he's VERY skiddish, and has no desire whatsoever to explore the apartment. He literally stays ontop of my fridge all day long, only leaving to eat and use the box. When I walk into the kitchen, occasionally he'll hiss at me, but that instantly turns into him laying on his side purring in joy the moment I start petting him. I woke up the other day, and a cold front had hit during the night. So, I turned the heater on, and went to check on him. He was STILL ontop the fridge, shaking erratically from the cold, so I wrapped him in a fleece blanket that he now just uses as his pillow. Normally, I don't try to force anything onto a cat. That's the entire reason I like them. They've got personality that can't exactly be trained like a dog for example. BUT, I've had him a week now (the problems with his rectum were literally cleared up in 2 days... proving how much care the shelters actually show to animals
PS: sorry for the novel, apparently i write blogs that are too long as well... lol
