- Joined
- Mar 3, 2019
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- Purraise
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I have owned cats for all my life, I love them but this is probably the first stray or abandoned kitty that I have taken in and I want4ed to share my experience and see if anyone had any tips!
Last year I noticed the most beautiful white kitty roaming my garden. I looked at him and thought, he is way too beautiful to be homeless and went about my day. As we went into winter I started to notice kitty even more and so I put out a little food for him which he seemed to wolf down. This was not a shock for me as my cat Stevie wolfs food as though I have never fed him!
One day I happened to hear the neighbour calling kitty behind my garage (where the cat hangs out) and I popped my head over. Long story short kitty had been lost nearly a year ago and even though the previous owners had been contacted, they had never come to get him or made any effort. Well! I certainly would be making the effort!
After about a week of feeding every morning around the same time, I would then sit as close to him as I could while he ate and I just talked to him, about my day, how beautiful it was or how I was feeling. Anyone who walked past would probably have thought I was quite mad!
By the Thursday I nearly jumped with excitement as he sniffed my hand and then ran off. Then it all happened... Friday came, my day off and as I sat there with my hand out for him to sniff after he had eaten his food, he strolled down off the wall and onto my bench and let me stroke him. I sat outside in the cold all day with him, numb bum and cold nose, I didn't care I wanted to show this boy that not all people are horrible! He followed me around and even played with Stevie when Stevie came out. Kitty went for a look in the kitchen but didn't feel comfortable. So I went to bed and woke up to my CCTV going bing! Kitty had come meowing for me all night! So off I went outside to have breakfast and our chat. I decided to open up my office which has French doors into the garden. I put pillows, blankets, food, water and toys out. He came in, lay with me on the floor and snuggled (By this point I am so excited and in disbelief I feel like I may be dreaming!). He then started to go outside and hide under a tree. Hiding, coming back in, hiding. I was so unsure as to what to do. Will he be upset if I put him inside? Should I leave him outside? Is it too soon? WHAT DO I DO?! Will he know how to use the cat box? (Actually he did and like a pro, covered it up even better than my other two!). Would he yowl all night? So when we went back inside at about 7pm, it was dark and certainly cold, I asked him if he minded if I closed the door... and I did. All night he snuggled with me and was super happy.
Now I have two other cats and two dogs and a husband who all seem to make so much noise when I am trying to relax a very nervous kitty in the room (none of them can enter without my permission). So I sit all day Sunday in the room, stroking, talking and hoping that kitty feels comfortable. My husband volunteered to go shopping and went to PetsAtHome for food, toys and a Feliway plug in (I am not sure how much of a difference it has made). He slept most of Sunday and I was worrying that maybe he was unhappy but he made no movement to go to the doors leading outside. So we slept and I woke up 3 or 4 times to him purring and chatting and running around the room. I felt so much happier! He has not been neutered so he has been humping a fluffy blanket - I do not mind as he seems to do it before curling up and relaxing so maybe it helps him feel safer. He seemed a little sad today and tired but still purred and was happy to snuggle under my arm. In fact his favourite position seems to be on his back, head on my arm and with a little snore - the cutest thing in the entire world!
So it is now Monday and I called the vet and will take him tomorrow to get neutered, checked out, microchipped and the matted fur cut out that I cannot get to. I had to go out this morning and I came back in the afternoon to find him hiding and looking very depressed. No chattiness or purs. I was thinking oh no what have I done now?! What should I do? Is he happy to be with me? (Yup, I sound crazy but I have found it so difficult to know what is the right thing to do. I feel as though if he is dry, warm and well fed then I am doing right by him) I gave him some food and picked him up for a snuggle. I didn't get much from him and I was starting to wonder if he was missing outside or if I was doing the right thing. Anyway after a hump and a short nap he got up and we had a chase of some toys and a nice play. This seemed to perk him right up again and his eyes were happy
Now he has just used his litter box, had some food and is now having a clean.
I am nervous to take him to the vet tomorrow - I feel as though he has just settled into the room we are in and trusts me and now he has to go through the upset of being put in a carrier and taken somewhere different and be left without me. It is for the best though, I know this. All my animals are spayed, but they were all spayed as kittens and puppies (all are rescues) so it didn't seem like such a huge deal. So we will settle in for a nice sleep soon and will head to the vets tomorrow. I hope all will go well and then I can bring him home, look after him and when he feels up to it, start introducing him to the rest of the house and pets
Any advice is most welcome! Goodnight all x
Last year I noticed the most beautiful white kitty roaming my garden. I looked at him and thought, he is way too beautiful to be homeless and went about my day. As we went into winter I started to notice kitty even more and so I put out a little food for him which he seemed to wolf down. This was not a shock for me as my cat Stevie wolfs food as though I have never fed him!
One day I happened to hear the neighbour calling kitty behind my garage (where the cat hangs out) and I popped my head over. Long story short kitty had been lost nearly a year ago and even though the previous owners had been contacted, they had never come to get him or made any effort. Well! I certainly would be making the effort!
After about a week of feeding every morning around the same time, I would then sit as close to him as I could while he ate and I just talked to him, about my day, how beautiful it was or how I was feeling. Anyone who walked past would probably have thought I was quite mad!
By the Thursday I nearly jumped with excitement as he sniffed my hand and then ran off. Then it all happened... Friday came, my day off and as I sat there with my hand out for him to sniff after he had eaten his food, he strolled down off the wall and onto my bench and let me stroke him. I sat outside in the cold all day with him, numb bum and cold nose, I didn't care I wanted to show this boy that not all people are horrible! He followed me around and even played with Stevie when Stevie came out. Kitty went for a look in the kitchen but didn't feel comfortable. So I went to bed and woke up to my CCTV going bing! Kitty had come meowing for me all night! So off I went outside to have breakfast and our chat. I decided to open up my office which has French doors into the garden. I put pillows, blankets, food, water and toys out. He came in, lay with me on the floor and snuggled (By this point I am so excited and in disbelief I feel like I may be dreaming!). He then started to go outside and hide under a tree. Hiding, coming back in, hiding. I was so unsure as to what to do. Will he be upset if I put him inside? Should I leave him outside? Is it too soon? WHAT DO I DO?! Will he know how to use the cat box? (Actually he did and like a pro, covered it up even better than my other two!). Would he yowl all night? So when we went back inside at about 7pm, it was dark and certainly cold, I asked him if he minded if I closed the door... and I did. All night he snuggled with me and was super happy.
Now I have two other cats and two dogs and a husband who all seem to make so much noise when I am trying to relax a very nervous kitty in the room (none of them can enter without my permission). So I sit all day Sunday in the room, stroking, talking and hoping that kitty feels comfortable. My husband volunteered to go shopping and went to PetsAtHome for food, toys and a Feliway plug in (I am not sure how much of a difference it has made). He slept most of Sunday and I was worrying that maybe he was unhappy but he made no movement to go to the doors leading outside. So we slept and I woke up 3 or 4 times to him purring and chatting and running around the room. I felt so much happier! He has not been neutered so he has been humping a fluffy blanket - I do not mind as he seems to do it before curling up and relaxing so maybe it helps him feel safer. He seemed a little sad today and tired but still purred and was happy to snuggle under my arm. In fact his favourite position seems to be on his back, head on my arm and with a little snore - the cutest thing in the entire world!
So it is now Monday and I called the vet and will take him tomorrow to get neutered, checked out, microchipped and the matted fur cut out that I cannot get to. I had to go out this morning and I came back in the afternoon to find him hiding and looking very depressed. No chattiness or purs. I was thinking oh no what have I done now?! What should I do? Is he happy to be with me? (Yup, I sound crazy but I have found it so difficult to know what is the right thing to do. I feel as though if he is dry, warm and well fed then I am doing right by him) I gave him some food and picked him up for a snuggle. I didn't get much from him and I was starting to wonder if he was missing outside or if I was doing the right thing. Anyway after a hump and a short nap he got up and we had a chase of some toys and a nice play. This seemed to perk him right up again and his eyes were happy
Now he has just used his litter box, had some food and is now having a clean. I am nervous to take him to the vet tomorrow - I feel as though he has just settled into the room we are in and trusts me and now he has to go through the upset of being put in a carrier and taken somewhere different and be left without me. It is for the best though, I know this. All my animals are spayed, but they were all spayed as kittens and puppies (all are rescues) so it didn't seem like such a huge deal. So we will settle in for a nice sleep soon and will head to the vets tomorrow. I hope all will go well and then I can bring him home, look after him and when he feels up to it, start introducing him to the rest of the house and pets
Any advice is most welcome! Goodnight all x
