Hello all, I am just looking for a little advice...
We have had our boy Bernard for just over three years - to give you a little history he is a rescue cat from Battersea Cats' Home in London, and we think he was abandoned as it took us a long time to gain his trust. At first he would easily bite or scratch me and was very skittish, but over time he has become a lovely companion to my fiance and I, although he has always kept his streetwise 'independence'
A few weeks ago we noticed that Bernard's right eye has started to weep a bit, to cut a long story short, he had an eye ulcer, so as you can imagine we had to take him to the vet's several times, and keep him indoors for a couple of weeks to give him eyedrops. Eventually, it healed thankfully, although he will always have a bit of scarring
We let him out, the vet's advised us that this would now be okay, but now he hardly ever comes inside to see us like he used to, only to eat and then this seems to be a bit of an ordeal for him. He seems to be particularly nervous of me as I was the one who had to handle him during 'the eyedrop saga', for example, if my fiance feeds him and I'm out of the room he will be all lovey dovey around him and as soon as he sees me, he bolts outside again!
We have tried gaining his trust slowly again. If I am outside with him he seems ok, but I guess this is his territory so this is alright with him! We have given him treats along with dinnertime, but still a few weeks on he just doesn't seem to be right with us We did go away for a couple of days last week (our good friend looks after him when we do), and if anything he seems to be more distant than ever...
Any ideas to gain his trust? I just worry that our relationship will never be the same again, and as it's coming up towards winter, he's just going to stay outside being stubborn! I don't want him getting cold and more miserable when he has his loving mum and dad indoors in a warm flat! I am well aware he is remembering the vet's visits and eyedrops, maybe time will heal the wounds as they say! :s
We have had our boy Bernard for just over three years - to give you a little history he is a rescue cat from Battersea Cats' Home in London, and we think he was abandoned as it took us a long time to gain his trust. At first he would easily bite or scratch me and was very skittish, but over time he has become a lovely companion to my fiance and I, although he has always kept his streetwise 'independence'
A few weeks ago we noticed that Bernard's right eye has started to weep a bit, to cut a long story short, he had an eye ulcer, so as you can imagine we had to take him to the vet's several times, and keep him indoors for a couple of weeks to give him eyedrops. Eventually, it healed thankfully, although he will always have a bit of scarring
We let him out, the vet's advised us that this would now be okay, but now he hardly ever comes inside to see us like he used to, only to eat and then this seems to be a bit of an ordeal for him. He seems to be particularly nervous of me as I was the one who had to handle him during 'the eyedrop saga', for example, if my fiance feeds him and I'm out of the room he will be all lovey dovey around him and as soon as he sees me, he bolts outside again!
We have tried gaining his trust slowly again. If I am outside with him he seems ok, but I guess this is his territory so this is alright with him! We have given him treats along with dinnertime, but still a few weeks on he just doesn't seem to be right with us
We did go away for a couple of days last week (our good friend looks after him when we do), and if anything he seems to be more distant than ever... Any ideas to gain his trust? I just worry that our relationship will never be the same again, and as it's coming up towards winter, he's just going to stay outside being stubborn! I don't want him getting cold and more miserable when he has his loving mum and dad indoors in a warm flat! I am well aware he is remembering the vet's visits and eyedrops, maybe time will heal the wounds as they say! :s
