Patience is a virtue...

...that I am lacking. Ghost, our semi-feral hit-by-car kitty, seems to be doing well when we are not in the room. We installed a webcam so we can see what she does when we're not there. She has a "cave" with a heated pad (cat safe) that she spends her night in. Her output is improving (solidifying) and she seems healthy. Oh, and the good news...FeLV and FIV negative!!!!

Her spay was delayed because she was running a 104+ fever. She got the 2-week antibiotic shot. She seems fine now. I suspect the trauma let an opportunistic infection take hold.

I've seen her clean herself after eating. She will look out the window. I caught her meatloafing on a chair. She walks normally...not slinking. Her tail isn't up, but it also isn't tucked between her legs. All in all, she seems reasonably relaxed when she is by herself. She hasn't played that we've seen, but I'm not surprised by that. I did find a mouse toy that squeaks - maybe that will entice her to play some.

The patience part...she still isn't eating in our presence, much less coming out of her cave. I put the soft food plate just inside her cave, then hang out 5-10 minutes, talking softly to her. I've taken to playing solitaire while I'm in her room, so I'm not accidentally focusing too much on her.

I know this will take time. But come on, girl kitty...we're good people!

Wish me luck...I have to get her second worming pill in her. I'm going to try a pill pocket at a time when she's likely to be hungry. Hopefully she'll eat it before she realizes there is a pill in it. If that doesn't work...any ideas? I hate the idea of violating her sanctuary...but I also haven't been able to catch her outside her cave.

Thanks in advance.

Kalynnda

Stick with it. You're doing good work and she will come around if you don't push too hard

G

Yes, patience is a virtue and will be well worth it, if you stick with it .
There is no way you can push this with Ghost. In time, weeks or months, you will see her make small steps forward and then sometimes a few steps back, but then the forward is even farther the next time . I would spend as much time in her room as you can, reading, watching TV (if you can put a TV in there), computer, etc....

For the pill, you can make a small meatball out of Pate (Classic) Fancy Feast any flavor. Most cats go nuts for Fancy Feast. Put the pill inside of the tiny meatball and just leave that on a plate and leave the room. Wait to do this at her next regular feeding schedule so she is hungry and will eat that little meatball immediately. Then you can go back in and feed her the rest of her meal. There is also a dewormer called Profender (ask the vet) but you have to apply this to the back of her head, as it is a spot-on treatment. If you can touch her, that is......

You are doing great here with Ghost, just give her lots of time to learn to trust you completely. It is different for every cat, the time frame of learning to trust and feeling safe.

i just take soft kitty treats and squish them around 1/4 of the pill and then throw it for cynder,before he even realizes it he has swallowed it . patience is a virtue thats for sure, i after 2 months and wasting alot of wet food have finally gotten my cat to eat about a tablespoon in the morning and night,but it has been very hard and frustrating, not to mention expensive, just keep talking softly to her and give lots of love and attention and I'm sure she will come around..