- Joined
- Oct 28, 2015
- Messages
- 71
- Purraise
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Hello, I have been coming to this site for years to read advice given to others but never joined. Not because I did not want to but I felt that I had little to contribute as so many others seemed so much better with advice.
I have had cats for over 20 years. I now have one 15 year old that is in my mother's home and two cats (one 6 year old and one that is a little over a year) in my current home with my fiance. At the end of July a little gray cat appeared on our porch. He was just laying there peacefully. He just looked at us as we came and went. I assumed he was someone's cat since he did not seem afraid of us and let us walk by. But we began to notice that every time we came out he was on our porch or on my mother's (who lives next door).
I asked neighbors about him and no one claimed him. My neighbor said he was always on my porch and she thought he was my cat. The problem was we could not take him in immediately. Our house was under some renovations and we did not have a "safe room" to put him in. Even the work men that came to the house assumed he was our cat as they came in and out because he would not leave. In September my brother and I began feeding him. All of us were trying to figure out what to do and then my fiance and I decided when the renovations were done we would take him in. He was pulling our heartstrings so hard. He loved to run up to our car to greet us when we came home. Would walk us down the step just for a pet or two when we left and adores being rubbed and petted until it becomes 'too much'. We just felt that for some reason he chose us and was not taking no for an answer!
Three weeks ago we brought him into our home and so far so good. He has been seen by the Vet. Deemed healthy. Estimated at 8-9 months old. FeLV/FIV negative. Received his shots. De-flead and wormed. And has now been neutered. My youngest kitty tries to play with him under the door but he does not seem to know how to play (understandable after being in the street for so long). He is not playful at all. Just sleeps, eats, and wants a pet or two. I try to encourage him to play and he swats once or twice at the toy but is not really interested. And then back to sleep.
So where is my issue... He freaks out of I try to touch his paws or even his front arms! When he first came in I was able to trim the nails on his left paw until he wanted no more of it. I tried to do the right the next day and he carried on and swiped at me! When he went to the Vet he was so nervous he just sat still like a rock and they trimmed his nails. A week later when he was neutered they trimmed his nails for me again while he was under. Now it is time for a new trimming and he will not let me get to his paws at all. Hisses and swipes. We bought a nylon muzzle but we have not used it yet. I know that we can wrap him in a towel and fight with him but I also want to build his trust. Should we wait and not push the issue for a few weeks until he settles in more? I trim all of my cat's claws without a problem and so this is new for me.
I am happy that he is scratching on two cardboard scratchers that I introduced him to. Does not have the hang of the sisal one yet. I am doing a very, very slow introduction between him and my residents. I obviously want to minimize issues as much as I can. My 6 year old just became used to my 1 year old and now they are best buddies. Difference is that both of them came in the house when they were young kittens (about 7-8 weeks old). Kittens are SO much easier to introduce into a household IMO but I want this one to adjust and hopefully fit in as well.
I also worry that my 1 year old is very playful and is immediately trying to play with him under the door. My fear is that even if it is a month or two from now when I introduce them if the youngest tries to play with him my newest cat may attack him and not want to play starting off a bad relationship that may be hard to change.
I have taken in adult females strays in the past (both have crossed the rainbow bridge now) and I never had a problem trimming nails or combing them. I don't mind the growling or a hiss but swinging claws and trying to bite is new for me. I obviously do not want to introduce him to me residents without keeping his claws clipped. All three that are in the home are males. My two residents go over once or twice a week and visit my elder cat without a problem. I don't know if my newly adopted stray will be able to do that.
I am using Feliway and spraying it 2-3 times a day. So far no hissing or growling at the bedroom door between them all even when they have briefly seen each other as I come in and out. And my fiance just added a cheap screen door over our bedroom door so they can eventually get used to seeing each other after we do more scent exchange. I have watched the Jackson Galaxy vids and they have helped a lot.
Any suggestions on getting my stray calmer, cutting his nails and preparing him for intro to my residents??? Maybe I have been lucky to never have had a cat that did not like being combed or getting nails trimmed.
I have had cats for over 20 years. I now have one 15 year old that is in my mother's home and two cats (one 6 year old and one that is a little over a year) in my current home with my fiance. At the end of July a little gray cat appeared on our porch. He was just laying there peacefully. He just looked at us as we came and went. I assumed he was someone's cat since he did not seem afraid of us and let us walk by. But we began to notice that every time we came out he was on our porch or on my mother's (who lives next door).
I asked neighbors about him and no one claimed him. My neighbor said he was always on my porch and she thought he was my cat. The problem was we could not take him in immediately. Our house was under some renovations and we did not have a "safe room" to put him in. Even the work men that came to the house assumed he was our cat as they came in and out because he would not leave. In September my brother and I began feeding him. All of us were trying to figure out what to do and then my fiance and I decided when the renovations were done we would take him in. He was pulling our heartstrings so hard. He loved to run up to our car to greet us when we came home. Would walk us down the step just for a pet or two when we left and adores being rubbed and petted until it becomes 'too much'. We just felt that for some reason he chose us and was not taking no for an answer!
Three weeks ago we brought him into our home and so far so good. He has been seen by the Vet. Deemed healthy. Estimated at 8-9 months old. FeLV/FIV negative. Received his shots. De-flead and wormed. And has now been neutered. My youngest kitty tries to play with him under the door but he does not seem to know how to play (understandable after being in the street for so long). He is not playful at all. Just sleeps, eats, and wants a pet or two. I try to encourage him to play and he swats once or twice at the toy but is not really interested. And then back to sleep.
So where is my issue... He freaks out of I try to touch his paws or even his front arms! When he first came in I was able to trim the nails on his left paw until he wanted no more of it. I tried to do the right the next day and he carried on and swiped at me! When he went to the Vet he was so nervous he just sat still like a rock and they trimmed his nails. A week later when he was neutered they trimmed his nails for me again while he was under. Now it is time for a new trimming and he will not let me get to his paws at all. Hisses and swipes. We bought a nylon muzzle but we have not used it yet. I know that we can wrap him in a towel and fight with him but I also want to build his trust. Should we wait and not push the issue for a few weeks until he settles in more? I trim all of my cat's claws without a problem and so this is new for me.
I am happy that he is scratching on two cardboard scratchers that I introduced him to. Does not have the hang of the sisal one yet. I am doing a very, very slow introduction between him and my residents. I obviously want to minimize issues as much as I can. My 6 year old just became used to my 1 year old and now they are best buddies. Difference is that both of them came in the house when they were young kittens (about 7-8 weeks old). Kittens are SO much easier to introduce into a household IMO but I want this one to adjust and hopefully fit in as well.
I also worry that my 1 year old is very playful and is immediately trying to play with him under the door. My fear is that even if it is a month or two from now when I introduce them if the youngest tries to play with him my newest cat may attack him and not want to play starting off a bad relationship that may be hard to change.
I have taken in adult females strays in the past (both have crossed the rainbow bridge now) and I never had a problem trimming nails or combing them. I don't mind the growling or a hiss but swinging claws and trying to bite is new for me. I obviously do not want to introduce him to me residents without keeping his claws clipped. All three that are in the home are males. My two residents go over once or twice a week and visit my elder cat without a problem. I don't know if my newly adopted stray will be able to do that.
I am using Feliway and spraying it 2-3 times a day. So far no hissing or growling at the bedroom door between them all even when they have briefly seen each other as I come in and out. And my fiance just added a cheap screen door over our bedroom door so they can eventually get used to seeing each other after we do more scent exchange. I have watched the Jackson Galaxy vids and they have helped a lot.
Any suggestions on getting my stray calmer, cutting his nails and preparing him for intro to my residents??? Maybe I have been lucky to never have had a cat that did not like being combed or getting nails trimmed.
