About 12 years ago I got Ridley at the age of two from the local animal shelter. I was told he had been mistreated and would act a little shy.
Well, during those 12 years he was indeed the most timid of my 4 cats, running and hiding when strangers came to the house or when he heard a loud noise. But the evening hours, when the world around him quieted down, these were his special hours. He would come out for a big dose of love, playing with me and the other cats.
But this all changed when I had to take him to the vet recently. He had an infected paw and also needed dental work. I was afraid to even take him to the vet, because I anticipated it would only add to his condition, but I had no choice.
Well, the worst scenario happened. The day he got back from the vet,he started to hide under the bed and for 3 days refused to eat or even to drink. Not even the food he loved so much, fresh tuna, would coax him out.
After three days I noticed that he started to move around the house during the night hours, but as soon as he hears the slightest noise, he hides under the bed again and during the day he is nowhere to be seen.
I could cope with all off that and let him live this life, BUT and even bigger problem awaits him.
I live in Florida and need to move back to Europe in about 4 weeks. I had planned to take all my cats along with me, but now I am at a loss what to do with Ridley. If he is already so extremely paranoid from a vet visit, he will totally loose it after a 10 hour plane trip and might never recover.
So what are my options here? My heart hurts when I see how scared Ridley is and I have no clue what to do, how to ease his paranoia. Any suggestions please?
Well, during those 12 years he was indeed the most timid of my 4 cats, running and hiding when strangers came to the house or when he heard a loud noise. But the evening hours, when the world around him quieted down, these were his special hours. He would come out for a big dose of love, playing with me and the other cats.
But this all changed when I had to take him to the vet recently. He had an infected paw and also needed dental work. I was afraid to even take him to the vet, because I anticipated it would only add to his condition, but I had no choice.
Well, the worst scenario happened. The day he got back from the vet,he started to hide under the bed and for 3 days refused to eat or even to drink. Not even the food he loved so much, fresh tuna, would coax him out.
After three days I noticed that he started to move around the house during the night hours, but as soon as he hears the slightest noise, he hides under the bed again and during the day he is nowhere to be seen.
I could cope with all off that and let him live this life, BUT and even bigger problem awaits him.
I live in Florida and need to move back to Europe in about 4 weeks. I had planned to take all my cats along with me, but now I am at a loss what to do with Ridley. If he is already so extremely paranoid from a vet visit, he will totally loose it after a 10 hour plane trip and might never recover.
So what are my options here? My heart hurts when I see how scared Ridley is and I have no clue what to do, how to ease his paranoia. Any suggestions please?