- Joined
- Jul 26, 2015
- Messages
- 2
- Purraise
- 1
This is probably an easy one for some of you. I thought it would be easy for me, as this is not my first rodeo with new kittens. I am honestly lost, though, and could use some help because I'm not ready to give up just yet.
Two weeks ago, I adopted two eight-week old female litter mates. I knew it was too early, but the guy seemed determined to get rid of them any way he could, and I figured, better me than the street. Technically, it could be called a rescue, since the previous owner kept them outdoors, allowed them to roam a neighbourhood filled with stray cats and high-traffic thoroughfares, and fed them dry, adult cat food as soon as they were weaned. They were both underweight, dehydrated, brutally infested with fleas, riddled with both round and hook worms, and had colonised so many ear mites that one had scratched clear through the outside of her ear. I took them both (mostly to get them out of there), and two weeks and a $300 vet bill later, they're healthy.
Here's the problem...while one, (the calico in my avatar) has adapted well, and loves treats and cuddles. The black and white one positively disdains human contact. She runs, hides, and hisses when I come near her. She hasn't learned to use her teeth and claws to fend off a human yet, but it's coming. She is litter trained and did well for a few days, but then took it upon herself to use the couch instead, with her sister following her lead. They would get up there and pee TOGETHER. I was already diligent about the litterbox, but I started being diligent twice a day while they ate, so it would be clean when they finished their meal. That's when she started peeing on my bed.
I understand that this kitten is not human, and therefore has no understanding of gratitude. I understand that she has to learn not only cat-behaviour, but cat-owned-by-human behaviour. I also understand that she has never had a good experience with me. I show up, take her away from her mother and home, pack her into her first carrier for her first car-ride, bring her to a strange place, give her a flea bath, flea-comb her, brush out her fur, (they are both long-haired cats), take her to the vet where she is poked, prodded, and given shots. Then I bring her home, give her nasty-tasting medicine, and twice a day, every day (still) hunt her down, snatch her up, and put drops in her ears. She really has no reason to like me.
She is spending all of her time in the bathroom. I cannot leave her out when I cannot watch her like a hawk. I can’t let her out when I’m uncertain of being able to catch her again, and I can’t catch her alone. My roommate and I can’t catch her together, and it’s at that point I feel like I’m terrorising her. I feel like a terrible pet owner, but I don’t know what else to do. I take her out for five minutes at a time, and put her in my lap. I pet her and talk softly to her. I offer her treats, and even made her purr once, but just once and I’m pretty sure it was against her will.
I don’t force her. If she is freaking out, I let her down…in the bathroom. She has all of her toys in there, as well as food, water (on the opposite side of the room from her litterbox), her “baby blanket”, and more treats than are probably healthy because I feel guilty. She still runs from me, hisses when I come to close, and even when she’s just sitting in my lap, it’s like this frozen paranoia with her ears laid flat like she’s just hoping I don’t eat her before the perfect chance to escape presents itself. She needs the medicine, and I try to be soothing when I do it, but she’s not having any of it. I feel like I’m permanently damaging my relationship with this animal.
However, in my mind, these traits make her unadoptable. No one wants a kitten that avoids them like the plague. Anyone I give her to may be disappointed or frustrated enough to just put her out. She is 2.2 lbs, female and un-spayed. She would never survive, and I won’t take that chance. I need serious, valid advice on how to socialise this animal so that she and I both can be less stressed out in our own home.
**I’m sorry for being so long-winded, but I figured a clearer story would help some of you cat experts put a solution into more solid perspective. I’m also sorry if this, maybe, should have been posted in the Feral/Rescue forum. I think I was hoping that this forum would net more people who might be able to help. As always, thank you for any help you can offer. I appreciate you.
Two weeks ago, I adopted two eight-week old female litter mates. I knew it was too early, but the guy seemed determined to get rid of them any way he could, and I figured, better me than the street. Technically, it could be called a rescue, since the previous owner kept them outdoors, allowed them to roam a neighbourhood filled with stray cats and high-traffic thoroughfares, and fed them dry, adult cat food as soon as they were weaned. They were both underweight, dehydrated, brutally infested with fleas, riddled with both round and hook worms, and had colonised so many ear mites that one had scratched clear through the outside of her ear. I took them both (mostly to get them out of there), and two weeks and a $300 vet bill later, they're healthy.
Here's the problem...while one, (the calico in my avatar) has adapted well, and loves treats and cuddles. The black and white one positively disdains human contact. She runs, hides, and hisses when I come near her. She hasn't learned to use her teeth and claws to fend off a human yet, but it's coming. She is litter trained and did well for a few days, but then took it upon herself to use the couch instead, with her sister following her lead. They would get up there and pee TOGETHER. I was already diligent about the litterbox, but I started being diligent twice a day while they ate, so it would be clean when they finished their meal. That's when she started peeing on my bed.
I understand that this kitten is not human, and therefore has no understanding of gratitude. I understand that she has to learn not only cat-behaviour, but cat-owned-by-human behaviour. I also understand that she has never had a good experience with me. I show up, take her away from her mother and home, pack her into her first carrier for her first car-ride, bring her to a strange place, give her a flea bath, flea-comb her, brush out her fur, (they are both long-haired cats), take her to the vet where she is poked, prodded, and given shots. Then I bring her home, give her nasty-tasting medicine, and twice a day, every day (still) hunt her down, snatch her up, and put drops in her ears. She really has no reason to like me.
She is spending all of her time in the bathroom. I cannot leave her out when I cannot watch her like a hawk. I can’t let her out when I’m uncertain of being able to catch her again, and I can’t catch her alone. My roommate and I can’t catch her together, and it’s at that point I feel like I’m terrorising her. I feel like a terrible pet owner, but I don’t know what else to do. I take her out for five minutes at a time, and put her in my lap. I pet her and talk softly to her. I offer her treats, and even made her purr once, but just once and I’m pretty sure it was against her will.
I don’t force her. If she is freaking out, I let her down…in the bathroom. She has all of her toys in there, as well as food, water (on the opposite side of the room from her litterbox), her “baby blanket”, and more treats than are probably healthy because I feel guilty. She still runs from me, hisses when I come to close, and even when she’s just sitting in my lap, it’s like this frozen paranoia with her ears laid flat like she’s just hoping I don’t eat her before the perfect chance to escape presents itself. She needs the medicine, and I try to be soothing when I do it, but she’s not having any of it. I feel like I’m permanently damaging my relationship with this animal.
However, in my mind, these traits make her unadoptable. No one wants a kitten that avoids them like the plague. Anyone I give her to may be disappointed or frustrated enough to just put her out. She is 2.2 lbs, female and un-spayed. She would never survive, and I won’t take that chance. I need serious, valid advice on how to socialise this animal so that she and I both can be less stressed out in our own home.
**I’m sorry for being so long-winded, but I figured a clearer story would help some of you cat experts put a solution into more solid perspective. I’m also sorry if this, maybe, should have been posted in the Feral/Rescue forum. I think I was hoping that this forum would net more people who might be able to help. As always, thank you for any help you can offer. I appreciate you.