Hi wonderful TCS members. I have been on this site quite a lot and have posted a few times and always have been met with so much helpful and nice advice that I find I again need your suggestions. Sorry for long post, I will try and give all the info I can.
My cat Abra Rose is a desexed female who is 5 years old. Abra has been living with us since January 2016. I got her from a young lady (23 years old) that was moving overseas and could not take her with her. The young lady lived with her Mum, Dad, teenage brother, 2 x dogs and my cat. These were the only owners that Abra knew and she had been with them since she was a kitten.
Abra is a very shy nervous cat and is frightened of everything (or so it seems). Thanks to this site I have managed to get Abra to come more and more out of her shell and she no longer hides 24x7 and is actually now spends time up high (instead of under the bed in the cupboard etc). Abra is scared when people visit but is slowly getting better. I give her a treat if she stays in sight when people are over and this has helped a little.
Abra currently lives with my self and my husband for the most part and every second weekend and school holidays my two teenage sons (17 years and 14 years) stay over. This is where my problem is. We have a small three bedroom house with an open plan lounge kitchen and study, bathroom and the 3 x beds.
When my sons are not at home, Abra spends the majority of her time in either of their rooms mainly my eldest sons as they are the furthest from the noise and activity of the house. They both have desks under their windows so she likes to look out on the world from there and she has decided that she likes to sleep on their beds (I have put down a blanket on each bed for her, to alleviate cat hair). At night, Abra is locked out of our bedroom so normally will sleep in their room. When they are at home, she will sleep in the study or lounge.
When the boys arrive they usually spend the majority of their time in their rooms but they are also out in the living area which makes it a lot noisier place. When they are in their rooms Abra will occasionally go in there but usually she just sniffs around and leaves.
Abra hisses at the boys when they walk, talk or are anywhere near her and the whole time they are at home she seems upset and unsettled.
We have tried:
The boys feed her dinner, give her treats when she seems quite and happy and stays in the room they are in. Play da-bird with her. Do slow blinks with her.
Possible issues that it could be: The boys have a dog at their Dad's house (so this could be an issue)? the family that I got Abra from told me that the younger teenage son did not like her (maybe he did something that she now associates with all boys)? Abra thinks the boys bedrooms are her territory so doesn't like them being in there?
Is there anyway we can get Abra to be more settled when my sons are at home or is this just going to be the way it is?
Thanks for any suggestions and if you need any other information let me know.
My cat Abra Rose is a desexed female who is 5 years old. Abra has been living with us since January 2016. I got her from a young lady (23 years old) that was moving overseas and could not take her with her. The young lady lived with her Mum, Dad, teenage brother, 2 x dogs and my cat. These were the only owners that Abra knew and she had been with them since she was a kitten.
Abra is a very shy nervous cat and is frightened of everything (or so it seems). Thanks to this site I have managed to get Abra to come more and more out of her shell and she no longer hides 24x7 and is actually now spends time up high (instead of under the bed in the cupboard etc). Abra is scared when people visit but is slowly getting better. I give her a treat if she stays in sight when people are over and this has helped a little.
Abra currently lives with my self and my husband for the most part and every second weekend and school holidays my two teenage sons (17 years and 14 years) stay over. This is where my problem is. We have a small three bedroom house with an open plan lounge kitchen and study, bathroom and the 3 x beds.
When my sons are not at home, Abra spends the majority of her time in either of their rooms mainly my eldest sons as they are the furthest from the noise and activity of the house. They both have desks under their windows so she likes to look out on the world from there and she has decided that she likes to sleep on their beds (I have put down a blanket on each bed for her, to alleviate cat hair). At night, Abra is locked out of our bedroom so normally will sleep in their room. When they are at home, she will sleep in the study or lounge.
When the boys arrive they usually spend the majority of their time in their rooms but they are also out in the living area which makes it a lot noisier place. When they are in their rooms Abra will occasionally go in there but usually she just sniffs around and leaves.
Abra hisses at the boys when they walk, talk or are anywhere near her and the whole time they are at home she seems upset and unsettled.
We have tried:
The boys feed her dinner, give her treats when she seems quite and happy and stays in the room they are in. Play da-bird with her. Do slow blinks with her.
Possible issues that it could be: The boys have a dog at their Dad's house (so this could be an issue)? the family that I got Abra from told me that the younger teenage son did not like her (maybe he did something that she now associates with all boys)? Abra thinks the boys bedrooms are her territory so doesn't like them being in there?
Is there anyway we can get Abra to be more settled when my sons are at home or is this just going to be the way it is?
Thanks for any suggestions and if you need any other information let me know.