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- #61
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and if I can't handle him to give him worm meds and such, then it's pointless for him to be here, because he won't be cared for properly
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Help! Just adopted an adult cat. and he bites!
- Thread starter madamenordica
- Start Date
That is one awesome cat tree
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #63
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- Jul 15, 2015
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it'll be more sturdy once it's flat against a wall, but they still enjoy climbing on it. This morning I opened my bedroom door to find that Tom had left his fave Fish toy in front of the door - not sure if he spent the night there or just left it there. He has his really adorable moments, honestly, I just can't deal if he won't accept humans. From my research I've discovered that basically Tom was a stray in a neighborhood wherein there were people who feed strays, and they decided he should be a housecat, but I doubt that anyone he has come into contact with so far has spent as much time with him as I have at this point, which basically makes me the expert now LOL He has literally been lovable today. I'm not letting that lull me into complacency, as that is usually when he nails me, but if he were this well behaved daily, I know he would eventually be ok with the girls. I have to see that he can do it, and I know it's difficult for him, because he is used to being outside on the streets of NC with his homie cats, making his rounds to get food from the humans who fed him and his friends and now he is closed up in a house, which is completely foreign to him.
A swarm of dragonflies just happened by my house, and he is now sitting in the window fascinated with them. We'd been playing, but he stopped completely to watch the dragonflies. I am committed to keeping my mind open the next 3 weeks while trying to guard my heart to keep myself out of an untenable position. The rescue lady told me not to feel bad if I need to bring him back. I know if I do, he will backslide, because the cats there don't get human attention on a daily basis, except for cleaning/feeding purposes. I know the volunteers there are loving, wonderful people, but they have a job to do. Tom isn't just a surrender, he is a project and a long term one. I honestly didn't realize what I was getting into. The stray cats I've had weren't RAISED outside as Tom likely was. They were dropped here by their owners because they saw a barn out back and assumed it was a working one.
I am going to journal the next three weeks every night how Tom is doing just so I can look back and see how he is doing. Today he has been amazing. I realize that may never be every day, but for today, he's been amazing. We had a good play session first thing this morning before I let the girls out of my room, so he could run the whole house. I have a screen between the kitchen/studio and the living/bath room/upstairs - Azzy has started showing interest in Tom - enough to hiss and growl, but it's more than she has previously shown. Onyx just hisses for the most part. Jinny hides LOL - she's a cave dweller. I feel like Tom is a bush cat - he likes to be around legs of furniture and under things, but not necessarily hiding, just blending in.
A swarm of dragonflies just happened by my house, and he is now sitting in the window fascinated with them. We'd been playing, but he stopped completely to watch the dragonflies. I am committed to keeping my mind open the next 3 weeks while trying to guard my heart to keep myself out of an untenable position. The rescue lady told me not to feel bad if I need to bring him back. I know if I do, he will backslide, because the cats there don't get human attention on a daily basis, except for cleaning/feeding purposes. I know the volunteers there are loving, wonderful people, but they have a job to do. Tom isn't just a surrender, he is a project and a long term one. I honestly didn't realize what I was getting into. The stray cats I've had weren't RAISED outside as Tom likely was. They were dropped here by their owners because they saw a barn out back and assumed it was a working one.
I am going to journal the next three weeks every night how Tom is doing just so I can look back and see how he is doing. Today he has been amazing. I realize that may never be every day, but for today, he's been amazing. We had a good play session first thing this morning before I let the girls out of my room, so he could run the whole house. I have a screen between the kitchen/studio and the living/bath room/upstairs - Azzy has started showing interest in Tom - enough to hiss and growl, but it's more than she has previously shown. Onyx just hisses for the most part. Jinny hides LOL - she's a cave dweller. I feel like Tom is a bush cat - he likes to be around legs of furniture and under things, but not necessarily hiding, just blending in.
Tom is doing incredibly well for a feral cat with little experience of socialising with people or being indoors before he came home with you. You have made a tonne of progress with him although there are still down days and I am really heartened to read your update today: keeping a daiily journal of how things go for the next three weeks is a great idea. It can get very difficult to remain objective, and also to remember what you start with in comparison to what you currently have in terms of behaviours and relationships. A journal, and updates in threads like this, can really show you where you have been and if things are changing over all.
Tom sounds highly motivated to be around people, and with you both getting to know each other more each day and learning how to communicate and understand one another these 3 weeks can give you a good impression of how he would settle long term. I will be sending positive vibes in your direction every day - for Tom to settle and for you start to see your fur family getting along more together, able to share your home.
Tom sounds highly motivated to be around people, and with you both getting to know each other more each day and learning how to communicate and understand one another these 3 weeks can give you a good impression of how he would settle long term. I will be sending positive vibes in your direction every day - for Tom to settle and for you start to see your fur family getting along more together, able to share your home.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #66
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The hardest, hardest part is figuring out how to introduce them with just me. In this instance, being single sucks. LOL
