About 1 month ago, I adopted Sophie, a 1-yr-old "siamanx" cat at my local humane society. She was profiled as extremely shy, and her former owner admitted that she had been neglected and isolated for the first couple of months of her development. She had to be spayed and treated for roundworms, tapeworms, earmites, a nasty flea infestation and was coming down with a URI upon coming home with me. She was also emaciated. I did my research and planned to confine her to the bathroom and commence with a very slow intro period to my home and my 3-yr-old adopted blue point ragdoll mix, Mai Tai (profile pic).
4 weeks later and Sophie is feeling better, is over her cold, and has gained substantial weight since I've been her mama. No more worms, fleas or mites, and I'm feeding her Wellness Indoor. I can no longer feel the protrusion of her ribs and spine. Her coat has also improved and she is much less danderous. Mai Tai must've contracted her cold from under the bathroom door. She was a sneezer for about a week, but she is better now too.
I've nicknamed her "Tater" because she sometimes loses her balance, being the rumpy manx that she is. She rolls over on her bum like a potato bug when we play. It's pretty entertaining to watch! Because of this, I thought she might have Manx Syndrome at first, but she moves each leg independently and doesn't have any litterbox issues. The gap in her spine where her tail should be really freaked me out when I felt it, but it turns out that there is something called a "dimple-rumpy Manx", and she meets this description. Her play stage has just recently come about, and it took a good 2 weeks for her not to cower when I entered the bathroom (her room).. After the first week, I got a bigger, wire crate, which I covered with towels, to make a bigger hidey hole that she could stand up and stretch in. I also bring her a hot water bottle for under her bed every morning and night, and I spray it with a couple of squirts of Nature's Miracle Calming pheromone spray every couple of days, and I swear the stuff really works!
I don't think she will be the submissive cat that I first assumed. She guides my hand to where she wants me to pet her, gives head butts and now eats treats out of my hand. Once, when I was tickling her tummy as I usually do, she grabbed my hand mid-purr and scratched me, emitting a hiss that shocked me, as Mai Tai has never once extended claws at me! She gave me "da stink eye" for a full day afterward, and wouldn't come out of her hidey hole. We have since made up, apparently. I think she figured out that I'm the big furless cat that brings the food, so she had better play nice, and I have since stopped petting her unless she invites it. We both learned a lesson (at least I know I did)..
Here is where I'm stuck. I haven't yet invited her to investigate the house. Sophie hissed at Mai Tai during a round of tug-o-war with the string thing from under the door about 4 days ago. Mai Tai looked freaked out at the time, but carries on with her impish antics and barrel rolls in front of the door, leaving toys and sleeping on the couch just next to Sophie's room. Also, I found one dingle berry (Sophie's) yesterday, right next to Sophie's food bowl, and in front of the door (a strategic tactical defense maneuver, or friendly fire, I can't quite decide).. Just recently, I cracked the door and they caught a glance of each other, batted paws and Mai Tai hissed at Sophie through the crack.
I'm stuck. I don't know how to do this now. Sophie has been coming out of her crate to greet me every morning for the last week. In these last couple of days she is way more affectionate with me, although she is somewhat withdrawn from Mai Tai's efforts to play. She's still in that little bathroom. What do I do next? I'm afraid that I'm going to damper our progress by pushing her too fast or not fast enough! Any advice given will be helpful.
I must admit, I just read this email and it sounds like a crazy cat lady wrote it. I've decided to resign to this fact and accept it. Regardless, any advice is greatly appreciated.
