Rescue Cat Behaviour

I was mentioning to someone how our "rescue" torti, Kasey brought home at 8 to 10 years of age in May 2008, has adapted well to indoor life but has a few reminders we did not raise here from a kitten.

None of it is bad stuff, though.

She came from one of our comany's sites, a few people liked her, some were abusive. Through all this, she somehow remained friendly and craved attention.

Litter training was not a problem, she had a box at the site. She isn't afraid of vacumm cleaners etc. (not after being around welding machines, grinders etc.)

Being picked up; at first, she was just sort of terrified, this is because she never knew what some individual would do to her when they picked her up. She has got used to this and likes the attention but it took months.

Claw trimming, we started the others as kittens. It has been a challenge, requiring patience to get to clip her claws but this is working out better, now.

Covering with a sheet etc. Our resident cats have loved this game, learned when they were kittens. The first time I did it to Kasey, she was terrified. I felt bad, relizing she had no history of this "game", I haven't repeated it since.

All in all, she is doing well and is healthy and very well adjusted, I don't think she wants to go back

Originally Posted by Claydust

I don't think she wants to go back

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I'm sure you're right about that! It sounds as if she's found a good home.

You might find that over time she becomes even *more* comfortable with you than she is now. I adopted a shy adult cat years ago. My impression wasn't that he'd been abused, exactly, but maybe neglected. The change was gradual, but the longer I had him, the friendlier and more relaxed he became. It's amazing what a little TLC can do!

What a wonderful thing! Kasey sounds like you've got her heart as much as she has yours.

All of our rescues are ferals, but they were ALL much younger. Tuxedo was a little over a year when we brought him inside, but he'd known us since he was around 5 weeks old or so. He could NOT stand to be petted at first. Just one brush on the cheek. He's seven now - but after four years or so of living inside, he could take as much petting as we could give.

for giving this kitty such a wonderful home.

Laurie

I should have mentioned, this cat has known me her whole life since work takes me to the site where she lived, she always recognized me.

She may have planted the "seed" of her own recue years ago.

I am prone to migranes that basiclly incapacitate me. If I can take the right med. and "sleep it off" for an hour or so, I can often shake it.

We had a lot of acticity on one job years ago and I cam down with a migrane, I went up to the maintenance building loft to crash on a pile of tarps (not exactly the ritz ).

I woke up feeling better and heard purring; there was the torti, sitting quite happily, watching me, a regular "nurse" cat. That really endeared her to me but things weren't bad for here then and we had four cats at home. I was glad we were able to take her when the need was greater.

The other thing about her is her capacity to play, The guys that liked her at the site would play with her, with a string and they could not tire her of it, they quit before she did.

She still plays like that and now, in a home setting, has discovered small, stuffed cat toys; she gets good use out of them.

We've always maintained that cats adopt us.

So sorry to hear about the migraines - but it may help to have a cat nurse around all the time.

Laurie