My first cat and ?s!

[susies1955]

I just took in a stray on Friday.

I have never ever had a cat before.

Is there a book to read that will help me learn about her?

Will she come to me when she wants attention? She seems very quiet and wants to be alone most of the time. She may come to us a total of about 5 or 10 minutes a day.

Is there anything important I need to know?

I feed her twice a day with 1/2 cup each time. I give her fresh water several times a day.

I clean out her lumps in the litter box every other day and I plan to change her litter once a month.

She was pretty dirty from being a stray so I took her for a bath and to have her nails cut yesterday. I don't plan on getting her anymore baths as she cleans herself a lot.

She goes today for her exam, shots and worming and will schedule her spaying but I'm not so sure she hasn't already had it done. She is very calm.

Thanks,

Susie

 

[rad65]

It sounds like you are doing everything correctly. She is avoiding you a lot because she was a stray and doesn't understand yet that you took her in and gave her a new, better home. She will come around if you are patient and let her adjust at her own pace. Whenever you are doing something quiet, make sure you do it near her. For instance, read a book in the same room as her, or get on a laptop in the same room. That way, she'll get used to your presence and you won't be doing anything loud or scary, so she will be more likely to come out and investigate. One week is a relatively short time for a cat to adjust, and I would say if she is coming out of hiding at all it's a good thing. Some cats can take weeks just to leave their original hiding spot in a new house beyond eating and the litter box, so don't worry too much about that.

For feeding, it depends on which brand of food you are feeding. If it is a brand from a grocery store, then 1 cup total per day sounds about right. When you get to the super premium brands, then they usually recommend 1/2 cup.

If she isn't filling up the litter box every day, then scooping every other day should be fine. You might want to try scooping every day just because cats are very  hygienic and can develop bad habits like eliminating outside the box if they feel their box is too dirty.

You are right that you most likely won't have to give her a bath again. Cats can take care of themselves in that regard, unless they get into something that you don't want them licking off their own fur, or they are particularly dirty and smelly. I have to give one of my cats a bath rarely because he will sometimes get poop stuck in his fur, but I have never once given my other cat a bath in the two years I've had him.

It's good that you're getting her all vetted up. You have only had her one week, so it would be difficult to determine if she is spayed or not since the spay scar is usually difficult for even a vet to see, and behavior doesn't necessarily give it away. Female cats don't always act like they want to get it on, they go into heat cycles every few weeks. Believe me, you will know a heat cycle when/if it sets in. It's good that you are getting her spayed.

As for books about cats, this website is a trove of information. The forum is only a part of the whole site. There are tons of articles here: http://www.thecatsite.com/atype/45/Cat_Care

 

[Willowy]

Was she hanging around your house a lot before you took her in, or did she just show up? What brands/types of food and litter are you using? It would be nice to get some canned food. . .the extra moisture is good for her, and most cats like canned food so feeding time can be a bonding experience, too .

 

[susies1955]

Rad65,

Thanks for your very 'full' reply. 

Ok, my husband and I are going to her to pet her so we will refrain from that and just give her the space she needs and let her come to us. She has sat with us a few minutes everyday and has actually kneaded on our chest. 

Thanks for the tip on doing things quiet around her. Great idea.

I will be sure to clean out the litter everyday. There does seem to be a lot in there. Had no idea how much there would be. 

The vet said she was a year to a year and a half and 8 lbs 2 ounces. She is already spayed. I thought she was VERY calm. She was perfect at the vets and got her shot and worming done.

Thanks for the info on the books too.

Susie

Willowy,

No! I could see her across the road and over to the neighbors house. She was feeding her outside on her ramp for the last few months. 

I'm using Purina One Indoor Hairball dry and Arm and Hammer Super Scoop litter. I will try a can and see how see does. I've heard they can get diarrhea. She drinks quite a bit of water.

Susie

 

[sugarcatmom]

Make sure you have the vet check her for a microchip. Depending on how she came into your life, you may also want to put up "Found Cat" posters around your neighborhood and contact local shelters to see if anyone is missing her. All that said, how awesome that you are looking after her well-being and have taken her in.

A good all-around cat care book for you to check out (covers everything from scratching posts to litter boxes to feeding to common health conditions) is The Cat Bible by Tracie Hotchner.

I also strongly recommend scooping out the litter box at least once a day, and maybe even getting a second box (many cats don't like to pee and poop in the same box). By scooping everyday, you significantly minimize the chance that she'll start going outside the box. If you think about, cats pee around 3 or 4 times a day, and poop at least once a day (more if eating plant-based kibble). That potentially adds up to 8 or more "deposits" in a box over 2 days, which is quite a mine-field to have to wade through. Plus, it will smell less and each time you scoop, it will be faster and easier than if you let it pile up.

As suggested, would be good to feed her at least some (if not ALL) wet food. Kibble isn't really a great choice for cats and can result in diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, allergies, dental disease, kidney disease, etc, when fed exclusively. There's really good info at this link on feline nutrition: www.catinfo.org

 

[sugarcatmom]

Sorry, I was still typing when you responded so some of my comments might not be as pertinent. Glad that you rescued her! Hope you both have many happy years together.

 

[susies1955]

Sugarcatmom,

I missed your reply somehow.

The vet didn't find a microchip. He said she was a year to a year and a half old. I told him she was very quiet and asked

him to check to see if she had been spayed already and she had.

Katie has been a stray now for over 4 months. 

Thanks for the advice on a book.

She pees and poops just fine in the same box and I am cleaning it every day.

Thanks,

Susie
 

 

[mrblanche]

Cats are very different animals from every other domesticated animal, so it does take some learning about their ways.

There is a "Cats for Dummies" book available that answers many of the questions you might have.

However, keep in mind your cat is an individual, just as you are, and her behaviors will be both instinctual and habitual.  In other words, some things are in the genes, but others are the result of her previous experiences.  If she was exposed to a friendly dog, she may like dogs; if she was abused by a child, she may be terrified of children.

Some things, though, are common to all cats.  They like being clean.  They like a secure place of their own.  They like a high spot to survey the world from (hence the popularity of "cat trees").

If you keep your cat indoors, she may well live 16 or more years.  This is the result of being protected from parasites, predators, cruel humans, cars, etc.

 

[orientalslave]

So glad you have taken her in.  One thing about cats is that they are all very different to each other, so maybe she's quiet because it's all a bit much, or maybe she's a quiet cat.  Anyway, giving her space to get to know you is best for her.  Hopefully she will become a purry lapcat in time.

If she was mine, I'd get a microchip put in.  It's not expensive, and if she goes missing it can be a saver.

 

[susies1955]

Thanks you two.

I saw that Cats for Dummies book on line.

Yes, she is starting to be a tad more active and sits with us once in a while.

I just had her at the vets and he didn't mention getting her chipped although he did look for one.

Susie

 

[mrblanche]

I just had her at the vets and he didn't mention getting her chipped although he did look for one.

Susie

I don't know what they charge up there for a microchip, but our shelter has special days that they do it for $20.  I think our vet charges $65.
 

 

[misty8723]

Thanks you two.

I saw that Cats for Dummies book on line.

Yes, she is starting to be a tad more active and sits with us once in a while.

I just had her at the vets and he didn't mention getting her chipped although he did look for one.

Susie

I would just suggest being patient, talk to her a lot, and she will probably get more and more loving over time.  When we rescued Cindy from the shelter, she hid under the bed a lot.  We spent a lot of time just laying next to the bed talking to her and that, pet her a little when she would let us.   Now she follows DH everywhere, often sleeps on his chest or his hip, and is just the sweetest most loving cat you can imagine.  Out other cat Swanie (who we got on the same day) took no time at all to adjust to his new environment and us, so all cats or different.  Good luck with everything, and it sounds like your kitty has a new loving forever home

 

[susies1955]

Thanks for the tips.
Susie