how do i regain the trust of two rescue cats

[louise1987]

I'm so upset, I just started to gain the trust of my two rescue cats and they would come up to me to play and get treats and attention and were getting used to been in a house they would only be abit worried if I stood up. I had to catch them yesterday for a vet visit they didn't take been put in a carrier to well and scratched me. When I got them home they hid and are not eating and if they see me they hide, they have stoped playing. I feel so bad I am not sure how to gain their trust again. I've spent houres in quiet room with them and no luck. I haven't even heard thgem move when I'm out. Room.

 

[red top rescue]

It's just going to take time, because by grabbing them, you have betrayed their trust.  It would have been better if you could have lured them into the carrier with food or treats without grabbing them, and then closed the door -- much less threatening and personal.  Hopefully if you must take them back to the vet again any time soon, you can avoid a repeat.  You could start now by getting them used to going into the carriers by leaving treats such as chicken etc. in the carriers when you leave the room.  In the meantime, just keep apologizing to them and talking in a soothing voice, stay low, and offer more treats.  The memory of the "assault" will leave them eventually as long as it isn't repeated.

 

[louise1987]

Yeah I agree it could of been handled better, I tried luring them at first but as I only have one large carrier I would get one in then the other saw it was a trap and ran away, probably should of been more patient but I guess I can't change that now, will just have to try and regain their trust. They have already forgiven the carrier caught them sleeping in it earlier as I started keeping it out ll the time

 

[red top rescue]

I'm glad they have forgiven the carrier and would suggest that you invest in a second large carrier as well.  The chances of you getting both of them in at the same time and being able to close the door are rather small.  Also, cats ALWAYS read your mind about vet visits so don't count on fooling them.  If you have 10 cats in a house and one is going to the vet, 9 cats will just lie around and No. 10 will be missing in action, hiding somewhere.  It never fails.  They are so much smarter than we think they are!  Now that they trust the carrier, you have to get them to trust YOU again (it will take time).  Then they need to trust you near the carrier at the same time they are near the carrier.  Ideally, you will be able to shut one or the other in the carrier for just a few minutes at a time, feed them some wonderful treat, and then let them out.  Since you aren't taking them to the vet now, they will not be hyperalert.  We do the same thing with horses and loading them into a van.  Lead them in and out, in and out, in and out, not traveling anywhere.  Then when you wantto load them, they will load.

 

[di and bob]

If it was just yesterday it will take a while. I would say at least 3 days before they start to forget. But really, what could you do? I would go get some Gerber turkey meat baby food, or chicken and offer it to them on your finger.They won't be able to resist! Just sit with them as often as you can, and talk softly. I stepped on my feral accidentally and he didn't even let me see him for two days, so it takes a while. They WILL come around, just give it time. Good luck and post us back on how you did.

 

[louise1987]

Yeah animals always seem to know what's going like they have a sixith sense or something thankfully we don't need to go to vet again for ages, unless there's an emergency and hopefully if I keep two carriers out at once all the time with blankets in migt be easier next time to close the door when they are napping or thgy might follow toy in there.
I sat with them earlier and didn't have much luck so I went out for a walk with my dog and as suggested got some yummy food, the more confident one came out to eat only centermeters before me and we played for the last hour and was rubbing himself agaist me and rolling on his back to play, purring away so I think he is coming around. His brother is tge shyer one and hid mosy of the time dispite his brother trying to get him out to play, he did come out to move beds.I supose even though they are feral like your cat they haven't had much to do with people exept for meal times so I'm hoping he forgives me soon or at least make an apearance

 

[louise1987]

Just an update on dusty and dashes progress, they are doing great. Dusty forgave me a day after I was worried id lost their trust I just put food in the room and quietly read my magazine, he came out to eat and after a while he kept coming up to me head butting me and rolling on his back, we played and now he comes to play everytime I go in room, yay.
Dash the shyer one came out to eat when I was in the room to days ago, he will sit on cat tree and eat cms away from me, he even played with me with a peice of string, so cute. He is still shy so I haven't tried to touch him but he will sit close to me, play and take treats from my had, even purring.
Thanks for all your advice so glad they are starting to forget.

 

[red top rescue]

I don't really think they forget, I think they just go by your actions, and if you haven't grabbed them for awhile, then perhaps you aren't going to, so you can continue where you left off.  If you did it a second time, however, it would be a lot harder to regain their trust again.

 

[louise1987]

Yeah they haven't forgotten probably the wrong choice of words, just happy we are starting to get back to been able to get back on track, so I can show them I'm sorry, I really didn't mean for to turn out like this, I love animals and would never do anything to hurt or upset them on purpose.
I know what I did was a mistake and I know it will never happen again, I just want them to be happy. I'm not a bad person I just made a mistake and I'm doing everything in my power to put this right,

 

[red top rescue]

It's a common mistake.  I had to actually manage the vet techs the first time I brought Grey Boy in for a bandage change in his double decker zip tied laundry basket.  The dummies did not return him to it after his bandage change (for which he was anesthetized) and instead had put him in a regular vet cage!  This guy is feral!  Wounded, groggy, both front legs bandaged, but still feral.  I could hear them discussing getting a cardboard carrier for him since he didn't come in a carrier, at which point I went flying in there and explained about the laundry basket, where he should have been put right after surgery, then zip tie the second laundry basket on top and when he wakes up, he's in his portable cage/bed.  Cardboard carrier???  Are you kidding me???

(Anyhow, for all the rest of the bandage changes, I waited in the waiting room, took him home in the double laundry basket and removed the top, putting the bottom back where it usually was, and when he would wake up, he'd be home in his usual space.  It worked very well.  SO the moral of th  They know you love them.  e story is that when you know better, you do better.  You meant well, the technique just wasn't the wisest but they'll get over it and so will you.  You are doing a great job with them.

 

[louise1987]

Thanks I'm really struggling knowing what the right way to handle these guys and if what I'm doing is right, progress is slow as everything is new and its hard to see it when im with them everyday, obviously I have set them back abit so I do worry but I've tried to do everything else as well as possible.
I've had cats before but I've had them since kittenhood so taking on two rescue cats who haven't been in a house before and had limited eperience outside of their cattery.
I'm sure I'll get used to their ways and they will get used to mine