New Here- Rescue Cat

Welcome to TCS & thank you for rescuing a hoarder kitty!

From what I've seen at the shelter here, hoarder cats often take more time to adjust than your "average" kitty.

He hasn't been with you long - and has been through *many* changes since his arrival. He's still scared, unsure of things - or probably a bit defensive from the sounds of it.

Have you tried Feliway or Rescue Rememdy? I'd honestly give him a quiet place for awhile, in a few months he should settle down - but given what he's lived through, I'd probably bite people, too.

Mazy cat was an unsocialized biter when she came to me. Sent me to the ER a few times. (You may need antibitoics, and don't be surprised if the dept of health gets involved once you anounce you've got a cat bite.)

It took a long time for me to be able to handle her at all. And hands coming at her was definitely something I avoided.

I would limit the petting for now. One stroke, if he asks for some lovings, for starters.

I agree with the feliway plug ins.

Welcome, and please do keep us updated!

You can order Feliway online - many people like to order from Amazon.com - I can find it at my vet, or Petco (it's $$ in Petco, IMO).

Hi there!!!
Cheapest place to get feliway is Amazon... Here are the links for you - they are anywhere from 40-60% below store prices, plus the shipping is free or very little, like $2.50...
Plugin
Refill
Spray
3-pack Refill

What a beautiful kitty!!! Wow! Lucky was shy when she came home, and Hope was a stray, little feral kitty... Little complicated, but they were not bitters... By the way, if you have a bitter, scratcher at home, a great thing to have is Colloidal silver I put enough in a piece of cotton large enough to cover the wound and then put a bandage over it. I never had an wound get infected treated with colloidal silver, not even cat scratches or bites. I also use it on the kitties, on their scratches/injuries.
Kitties like this take a lot of patience, but it is sooooo rewarding when they start responding - and they do!
One way to get their trust is to spend a lot of time with them, but not interact with them... Sit down in the room, and just read out loud... Stay there, as much as you can... Don't reach to him - let him come to you.
Do not stare at him... When you look at him, blink several times, just keep blinking - yawning is good too ... turn your face, just don't look straight at his eyes...
Instead of petting him with your hands, get a little wand toy and pet the sides of his cheeks with it.
Keep going there and spending as much time in the room as you can with him.
Get a sweaty, used shirt of yours, fold it and put it underneath his food dish.
What you are doing is making yourself "available" in case he wants pets... You are giving him the chance to trust you - it is very important to no impose yourself into him, but let him come to you on his own terms.
So, just make yourself available, and let him know that you are not a threat - he will come to you... And when they do, there is nothing more rewarding in the World!!

Good luck!

The best price, fastest shiping, for feliway plug in diffusers is entirelypets.com: $22.99 for a plug in and a 48 oz. bottle.

google "entirelypets.com coupon" for a coupon code to save 5% or free shipping.

Amazon.com does have several stores where it is slightly cheaper, but I ran into so many shipping issues (would not ship feliway to my PO box, quoted shipping times in excess of 2 weeks) I went to entirelypets.com. The order comes in three days or less, right to my PO box.

I don't know whether the spray will help or not, I've heard mixed reactions.

Rescue Remedy added to his food or water may be a better immediate option while you wait for the feliway diffuser to come.

All I have to say is he is a beautiful cat!

EntirelyPets is having an end of the year sale going on right now. Save 10% off all orders with the coupon code NEWSTAR. I buy my Feliway from them and it's always the best deal. They usually have free shipping on orders over $100 so look around and find more things you "need".

Here's the link to the Feliway page: http://entirelypets.ecomm-search.com...liway+diffuser

I would say take it slow and easy with him. You might want to go into the room with him and sit on the floor and read to him, play with him using a wand toy or feather toy, talk softly to him. Play some soothing classical or instrumental music for him and provide him a "safe place" that's nice and dark with easy access and lots of comfy warm bedding.

He might have bitten you from being overstimulated. I have a cat that does that and it's not fun. Don't get mad at him when he bites or yell. Continue to talk in soothing tones and take care of the bite.

Welcome to TCS and keep us posted on how he's doing! You might also want to check out the feral forum for more tips and ideas.

You're already gotten great advice, so I don't have much to add. I will just say the first thing that occurred to me was that as he "solicited" the attention, that the problem is overstimulation, which he doesn't yet know how to express appropriately.

I say if he solicits attention, give him one stroke and tell him what a good kitty he is. Over time, increase it to two, then three.... maybe bump it up every week or two.

All of our cats are feral rescues, and none of the them could "take" much petting at the beginning. One of our boys could stand exactly one pet (but he let us know it was enough by putting his paw on our hand) for quite some time. Seven years later, he can be petted seemingly forever, and he LOVES being brushed.

I do disagree with Stephanie on what to do when he bites (if it ever happens again). I agree with not getting mad at him - but I think kinda yelling "OUCH" lets them know what we're feeling.

You're a love for adopting this beautiful boy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rescue Remedy has a "for pets" version which does not contain alcohol.

My Fiona came from a hording situation. She was allowed outside though so she had some psychological outlet. She was very sick with URI and even though she was very sociable I was warned she was a biter. I could get one little pet in and then she would bite me. Even though she liked to rub against me she had a limit to how much I could touch her. I learned to let her rub a little, than I would pet once or twice, than walk away.

Play was very important to her. I could see it relieve her stress greatly. Wand toys, balls. She loved to jump and run. I would eat with her because if I didn't stand there she wouldn't eat, she wouldn't let me out of her sight. I always talked to her, sang, did the whole eye blinking thing and I could see it mellow her.

It took time. She will still occasionally bite me if I pet her for too long when she is wound up, she is still what I call "high strung". But she will lay beside me and let me rub her belly what a difference!

So, long story short, my advice is PLAY, loving calm talk or singing, do the eye blinking and yawning technique, give him space to come to you, good nutrition, feliway plug-in, AND TIME.

He may always be a biter but you give yourself a good chance of seeing what he is really like underneath all his trauma if you do what people habe advised and give it time. It will be amazing to see how he changes under your TLC.

BTW: GORGEOUS CAT!

Sorry - gotta say, amazon is still cheaper right now... and I also have to say, I buy pretty much everything from them, and have been doing for many MANY years - never had a problem. Yes, they tend to quote a long shipping time, but it doesn't take that long to get here - At all.
Even when I buy from entirelypets I buy through Amazon due to cheaper prices - just did that, and just got my order yesterday... even during Christmas had no problem. Not from their own store, or affiliated stores (such as Entirelypets).

You've been very lucky. Surface treating a puncture wound does little good (information from doctor who treated my bite and from vet treating bite wounds on cats). The actual bacteria gets sealed into the wound - with the skin trying to heal fairly quickly.
If anyone needs a visual display of how this happens, make up some jello. Take a toothpick and dip it into some chocolate sauce (or something else that will show up) then poke it into the jello and pull it right back out. You'll see the chocolate inside the jello and the surface of it close back over.

To the OP: You don't have to worry about tetanus as much as you do pasteurella. If the bite doesn't get infected, it's pure luck as most bites do even with antibiotic treatment. I strongly suggest you do see a doctor as an infected bite on your hand could cause you to lose fingers or even your hand - the closer to any joints or bones the bite is, the worse it can be due to infection being able to spread into bones.


I have a former stray that was a biter. She'll still rarely nip me. With her it was over stimulation and just her not knowing any better. Because she really did want pettings she learned not to bite because every time she did I would stop petting her and would immediately leave the room she was in or put her down (mostly because if she was over stimulated enough she would lean over and bite my arm. ) I'm very lucky that she has little girl cat teeth and never bit hard enough to break any skin.
I have another former stray that was a tom for 2-3 years. He as a lot of places he does not like being touched, and though he doesn't bite if you touch those spots, he gets that look on his face that says he wants to. He's came close before, but does stop himself.
Your kitty, having been a tom for a while, could be the same way. Learn what places to avoid. Most cats are ok with head petting and shoulder scratches - avoid the butt and tail. On a cat that isn't use to it, legs and feet tend to be off limits as well. If you don't do chin scratches right it can even elicit a bite - mostly because some cats will think you're trying to grab their neck (in kittens it can be an instant invitation to rough play).

Might I suggest that if you have to leave home again that you try to find a good pet sitter with lots of cat experience - and understands he's a hands off kitty?

I guess I have.... I have been bitten throughout my life numerous times, still have all my limbs... never lost a finger... As an adult, I have been treating my kitty accidents with Colloidal Silver, and it has been working.
Note: I AM NOT ADVISING ANYBODY TO DO THE SAME. BY ALL MEANS GO TO THE DOCTOR.
I won't, unless a wound gets infected, but that is only ME.

A bite gets infected within hours. I know you're not employed atm, but if you get bit when you have insurance in the future, please please get to a doctor. I got bit one day around 1pm, by that night I was in a lot of pain from the swelling the infection caused. It left my hand and most of my arm very bruised! I know if I hadn't already started an antibiotic that the infection would have been much worse.

My step sister had the same thing happen to her a little over a year ago. Little bite to her finger, she washed it up and put ointment on it. By the next morning her hand was swollen, they had to cut all of her rings off, and she ended up admitted for a couple of days. She had to have a surgeon check her hand - he said it was a near miss, if she had waited any longer she would have had to have surgery on her hand, possibly losing the finger bitten.

Scratches, on the other hand, I always suggest that one puts some sort of ointment on them. Those back claws can really shred and leave some nasty scars - an antibiotic ointment can heal them faster and reduce scarring. (and if there's a pain reliever in the ointment it helps)

Oh don't worry, if I feel something like that, of course I will to the doctor. If it starts swelling, I will go... I won't play around with it... But I never had a problem, and won't go if I don't have a problem. Again, colloidal silver has been great for me. I don't just put on the top either.. I open the wound, and put inside... keep a wet cotton with CS in there... Has worked for me. But don't worry, I won't be with an infected wound in the house - if I notice there is something wrong, AT ALL, I will run to the doctor, but it has never happened, and hopefully never will...

That's good to hear. Did the doctor or a nurse mention soaking it in warm water and epsom salt? I was told to do that and it did help the pain a little. NSAIDs (aleve and ibuprofen) can help with the swelling if you can take them.
Look forward to at least a week or two of this.

I hope you heal up well. Boomer will just take time. I suggest you read as much information as you can about feral cats. While he's not feral, there's a lot of good socializing tips to be found. If you can find her around, hissy is a good person to ask.

Try soaking your hand in some warm water with Epsom Salt in it. The Epsom Salt will draw out the infection and the warm water will soothe your hand.