Ping and Pong wont come out ....

Hi Ping and Pong (now renamed MAX and GINGER) our 2 English shorthairs from Australia via HK have been adopted since Sunday 4pm. It's now Tuesday evening ie 48hrs since they arrived. They were in a pet shop cage for a day (I was led to believe)

I put them in the SANCTUARY a bath room.

Now their peeing problems seem fine, as well as not sleeping in the litter (Thanks for the suggestions gang).

NOW - One threw up last night, as I found undigested food on the floor.

VERY little food has been eaten.

I brought both of them out for a sniff around the lounge and downstairs bathroom. They were quite relaxed and even used the scratching post GOOD !!.

But today they just wont come out and dart back into the sanctuary and just sit there or hide away and stare. If I go to stroke them they look scared but after a while they'll get smootchy. But then hide again.

So now I moved their litter tray, food and beds out of the SANCTUARY into adjoining the back room and shut the door of the bathroom which is bigger and connects to the kitchen and the dining room in a hope that they will venture out.

Q.How long will it take for them to adjust a week ten days, two weeks ?
They are 4 years old.
Why do they not eat?
Is this normal?
What toys can I buy to motivate them I m worried they will NEVER come out and hide for ever

Cheers Jenny and Richardundefined

Ohhh you just got them on Sunday . Well yes , they are still scared and will take a while for them to get used to the new smell and new noise . It is really up to them both how long it will take to really open up to you and the new home they have now . So really it can be a week or even weeks for both cats to open up . Please don't push them to much into new things . When they start feel comfi they will come out by themself . But you have to let them do it by their terms . If you have some cat nip toys may help play , or little ball to roll around for cats . But keep the litter box where you planing on having it for the future and the food dishes where you were planing on feeding them . Show them where everything is and let them be for right now . Keep talking softly to them , that will help and classical music will give some comfort and help relax them . You can try some can food for them and heat it up just a few sec. for them , it will smell a little stronger and may help wanting to eat .
Did you ever go with them to the vet to get them both a health check up ?

You are a dear for adopting these older kitties. Here's a quote from the article "Bringing Home a New Cat:"

"Imagine what it must be like for the poor cat if she also has to get to know new owners as well as confronting changes in food, water, household routines, and rules. It is no wonder that some cats experience difficulties when they are introduced into a new home.

Different cats react in different ways to change, but they all benefit from a gradual introduction to a new household - especially when other cats are involved. Kittens are usually more adjustable and young kittens can sometimes make themselves at home within hours. Older cats that are often more set in their ways will take longer to adjust."

The link to this article in Cat Care is here: Bringing Home a New Cat

I would move their "sanctuary" to a larger room, if possible (although a bathroom/lounge combo sounds perfect), and put their food and water on one side of the room and their litterbox(es) on the other. I'd sweat up a shirt or something real good, and put it under their food dishes, so they learn to associate your smell with good things. I'd spend as much time in the room with them as possible ignoring them. Just being in there doing something else. Let them get used to you and your home. They will, in time. It may be days, weeks or months. There's no way to rush them.

Sometimes with introducing new cats it's three steps forward, one step back: sometimes it's one step forward three steps back.

I would also go ahead and put other food dishes out (with another sweated up shirt under the bowl(s) ) where they are going to be once they're completely comfortable in your home. I'd also put litterbox(es) out wherever they're permanently going to be. I'd let them choose whether they want to be in their sanctuary room or whether they want to start exploring your home. I wouldn't push or rush, I'd follow their lead.

Because these are previousy owned cats and not ferals, I would try to engage them in play from time to time, with wand toys or whatever. I'd consider getting them some catnip toys.

You can also consider purchasing either the Feliway plug-ins or Feliway spray. I don't know where you're located, so can't recommend where to purchase. If you're in the U.S., you can order it online from petsmart. If you're somewhere else in the world (which seems likely given their origin), I'm sorry I have no idea. But Feliway is a synthetic hormone that mimcs the scent in cat's cheek glands. This is the "friendly" marker scent. It will help them relax, potentially quite a bit. I'd douse their room and the entire house with it (at cat cheek level, and it doesn't stain).

You can also try Bach's Rescue Remedy. I'll go find that thread for you with that information. Feliway I've used with great success (I rescue ferals) - Bach's Rescue Remedy I've not used, but others have. I don't know if it's available internationally.

Hope some of this helps!

Oh! I would get them to a vet, asap, just for their benefit. However, stress will make cats sick, and they are under and have been under a LOT of stress given their recent travel and new home all at once! Also, switching food usually makes cats sick. Any way to find out what they were eating and obtain that? It's best to mix the new food with the old food, gradually increasing the mix of new-to-old over the course of five days to a week before it's all new food. If that's not an option, expect upset tummies and diarrhea for a few days. This is completely normal. If it lasts longer than three days or so though, I'd definitely get them to a vet (although I really recommend getting them to one anyway).

Also, just to be clear - it is completely normal for them to be scared, upset, and sick right now.

Here's a link to the thread discussing Bach's Rescue Remedy: http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...=Rescue+Remedy

Good luck, and keep us posted!

great advice thnks to all.
so i went to the place i adopted them to find out that they were caged for ages the previous owner had imported them from Australia then got pregnant and found the baby got atshma from cats. So finally the mother in law insisted THEY GOTTA GO.
So no wonder they are a bit wary.
Anyway
I bought some toys--success !
I bought a second litter tray
I bought a cat tree 4 foot high with 3 levels and a cosy den
They are so fat (there is this tummy under their belly area) they cant jump up...gotta exercise them
Looks like They have never been up strais before !!
Gotta get a sweaty Tee shirt under the food...(which is the same brand and litter)

Thanks to you all

Originally Posted by PingPong

great advice thnks to all.
so i went to the place i adopted them to find out that they were caged for ages the previous owner had imported them from Australia then got pregnant and found the baby got atshma from cats. So finally the mother in law insisted THEY GOTTA GO.
So no wonder they are a bit wary.

Click to expand...

Poor dears!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by PingPong

Anyway
I bought some toys--success !
I bought a second litter tray
I bought a cat tree 4 foot high with 3 levels and a cosy den
They are so fat (there is this tummy under their belly area) they cant jump up...gotta exercise them
Looks like They have never been up strais before !!
Gotta get a sweaty Tee shirt under the food...(which is the same brand and litter)

Thanks to you all

Click to expand...

They are very lucky kitties to now have you as their mom!

Originally Posted by LDG

Poor dears!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




They are very lucky kitties to now have you as their mom!

Click to expand...

ACTUALLY I'm their Dad !!!!

Im Richard...

LOL! Sorry - I saw the sig was Jenny and Richard! My mom always taught me that to ASSuME makes an "ass" out of "u" and "me". She'll be so glad to know she's still right, LOL!

No worries, actualy JENNY is fond of them but it's be that's the feline lover...
I had a lovely Persian I rescued flea ridden with eye infections from a filthy cage in a petshop in Singapore but after 2 years she got out and into a monsoon drain and was devoured by a huge python that used to lurk...so I swore I wouldnt get another one, now 4 years later when I saw these 2 British Shorthairs so big and chubby and in great condition for 480 US$ I had to help them out of the cages.
Yep Im a softy huh ?
Richard

Richard, the tales most of us at TCS could tell about being "softies" when it comes to cats, LOL!

I can understand after that horrible experience why you'd be a bit shy about getting attached again. Do you have any other pets? Or do you just stop by pet-shops.... keeping an eye out for cats?

I'm so glad you rescued these two. I'm sure they'll love you, Jenny and the new home, it'll just take a little time.

Originally Posted by LDG

Richard, the tales most of us at TCS could tell about being "softies" when it comes to cats, LOL!

I can understand after that horrible experience why you'd be a bit shy about getting attached again. Do you have any other pets? Or do you just stop by pet-shops.... keeping an eye out for cats?

I'm so glad you rescued these two. I'm sure they'll love you, Jenny and the new home, it'll just take a little time.

Click to expand...

Over the years Ive lived with:
A German Shepherd in Singapore, 3 West African grey parrots in East Africa, we then moved to West Africa and had 3 West African grey parrots and Senagalese one and a horse, dog and local cat, then we moved back to the UK and adopted a huge billy goat, and a horse,
I moved to the BVI after university and adopted a local stray cat who i had for 2 years.
Then moved to Bahrain,and lived in a hotel-no pets allowed.
Thailand, Indonesia and China no nets all living in hotels (I manage 5 star hotels) Singapore ...the Persian who was eaten by a snake,,,,then 4 years no pets
Until now.