Newly adopted rescue cats help...

Ok, so here's the story:

Two weeks ago I adopted two female cats(9 mo/old), litter mates from the local humane society. They came from a hoarding situation, were in good health, but are not too social and are currently under the bed my spare bedroom. They don't like to come out from under the bed, however one will warm up to me if I reach and scratch her behind the ears, back etc. The other barely acknowledges my existence, even gives me a light hiss every once in a while.

Took them to the vet one week after getting them for shots, and they both did well, even when having their temperature taken, then back to the humane society to get chipped. Getting home, one went under the bed, and the other went ballistically feral, hissing, lurching at swatting at me, even took a bite out of my thumb at one point after hiding behind the toilet for 5 hours.(thank goodness for a thick leather jacket or my arm would have been trashed) They have to go back in one week for their booster shots which has me worried.

They're eating, and I can tell they're moving around. I've placed toys strategically in the basement and they've moved come morning.

Does anyone have any similar experience with something like this? I realize that ALL cats have their own personalities. I just hope that one day I can have some lap cats again.

Cats from a hoarding situation are usually not well socialized to humans. With time and patience they will learn to trust you, but they may never be lap cats. Is that something you can live with?

vball91 said:

Cats from a hoarding situation are usually not well socialized to humans. With time and patience they will learn to trust you, but they may never be lap cats. Is that something you can live with?

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This is essentially my question for you as well.  If you want these cats to be lap cats, in all honesty, that may never happen.

With that said, there are things you can do to help them trust you!

1. I'd consider moving them into a smaller room if you have one for now, and keeping them there while they get used to you.  Go in and talk to them on a frequent basis, just sitting quietly.

2. Make sure you are the one to feed them, and that you are not free feeding them.  Sit with them while they eat.  This will make them associate you with something positive- food!

3.  Have you been playing with them with interactive toys? This can be a great way to bond

The bottom line REALLY is though, that this is likely going to take a LOT of time and patience, and they may never be lap cats.  Some extremely well socialized cats just aren't ever lap cats either... not all cats are.

I appreciate your advice, let me see if I can address each point:

1. They're in my spare bedroom which is pretty small and I don't have any other place to put them. I usually go into their room a couple of times per day, morning and evening and talk to them, try to scratch them, or just sit in the chair and read or watch something on my iPad. One is very receptive, rolling around and purring when I scratch her head and back, and stomach even. The other seems to just put up with me. This all happens under the bed since they won't come out so I end up spending a lot of time on the floor. I will be trying Feliway to see if I can calm them down for their next trip to the vet since I don't want another feral episode.

2. I live alone so it's only me that they hear and see, sans my vet for their shots in a week, and I suppose I'll ditch the feeder and try once or twice daily. Again they don't come out from under the bed.

3. Since they don't come out to play, yet, they're not too keen on toys. Even my laser pointer is of no interest.

I've read that it could take a month to a year for them to come out of their shells, just depends on their personality. I'm coming from my last set of litter mates, one pretty much lived on my lap and shoulders and followed me all the time. The other not so much..

tulosai said:

 
This is essentially my question for you as well.  If you want these cats to be lap cats, in all honesty, that may never happen.

With that said, there are things you can do to help them trust you!

1. I'd consider moving them into a smaller room if you have one for now, and keeping them there while they get used to you.  Go in and talk to them on a frequent basis, just sitting quietly.

2. Make sure you are the one to feed them, and that you are not free feeding them.  Sit with them while they eat.  This will make them associate you with something positive- food!

3.  Have you been playing with them with interactive toys? This can be a great way to bond

The bottom line REALLY is though, that this is likely going to take a LOT of time and patience, and they may never be lap cats.  Some extremely well socialized cats just aren't ever lap cats either... not all cats are.

Click to expand...

Just feels as if I'm fostering both of them at this point. No connection whatsoever.