Hi everyone
I just adopted a cat yesterday, who I named Magnus. I am told he's a Maine Coon mix. He's six months old, weighs 6 lbs, 12 oz and has yellow eyes and a black smoke color coat (the smoke color is more apparent on his ruff and under his belly, though you can't see this color all that well from the photos I have of him so far).
The rescue group I got him from said that his mother had had a litter back in June near a condo complex and one of the residents had been feeding the kittens. The rescue group took them in and had them fixed and vaccinated etc. They had to let the mom go back outside as she was too used to being outdoors but they thought Magnus would be suitable for an adoption as he had a good personality. He was with the rescuer for nine days before I adopted him, and she had been socializing him by keeping him int he bathroom and playing wtih him and getting him acclimated to people. She said he was very friendly once he got to know you and was very sweet.
Anyway, I went and adopted him and during the car ride home, although he was not overly affectionate, he was a champ in the carrier. He didn't cry or anything and he did let me pet him while he was in the carrier and didn't try to bite / hiss or scratch but was just calmly watching everything going on. We brought him home and put him in the bathroom along with his food / water bowls, toys, bed, scratching post etc, as we has been advised to give him a quiet spot to acclimate first.
He stayed in the carrier for probably an hour or so. I hung out in the bathroom on and off talking to him but didn't try bother him (i.e. picking him up or trying to drag him out of the carrier) to just to get him used to me.
Anyway, he eventually came out and was lying on the little bed thingee that I had for him and was investigating his toys. I lay down on the ground next to him and brought out the hairbrush that the rescuer game me that she said he really liked. Anyway, he LOVED it and after that we were pals. He was purring and was letting me rub his belly.
I told my husband to do the same thing. He let him brush him but was a little more reserved, but not hiding or anything. He started to relax a little. (However, I should mention whenever my husband or I would stand up, or first enter the bathroom, he would get nervous. But he was OK with us if we were down by his level)
The rescuer also said he ate only Fancy Feast in the cans. I had bought some quality, high protein cat food that is supposed to be better for them but as of yet he wouldn't eat that so I gave him the Fancy Feast. Maybe if I try mixing in the fancy feast to the new food he'll eat that? I'd prefer him to eat something that didn't have a lot of fillers in it but I also want him to eat and not starve if he's picky
Also, after we went to bed last night he kept crying by himself in the bathroom. I Kept going in to him to play with him and then he’ d be fine and playing with his toys and his scratching post and purring but as soon as I left he started crying again. I thought he might be lonely. Finally around 3:30 AM or so, I decided to open the connecting door to the bathroom that goes into the bedroom. I closed all the other doors in the bedroom and he came in and was checking out the bedroom. He cried for a little bit but I picked him up and was petting him and he was OK while I was doing that. Eventually he found a “safe spot” in the bedroom (in one of the closets, by my husband's shoes) that he seems to like and he’s been hanging out there for the time being (but the bathroom door is still open so he goes in there to use the litter box or get his food).
So we’re letting him do that for the time being and keeping all the other bedroom doors closed so he just has the run of the bathroom and the bedroom. The bedroom only has two places he can hide (under the bed or in a closet) so I think he’s OK. We’ve been petting him and he’s been purring. I figure once he starts exploring more and is more confident we’ll gradually let him into the rest of the apartment. I also put his carrier in the bedroom in case he wants to go in there at all. And I put my pajama top in his “safe spot” (which he's lying on) so he’s get used to my smell.
so he's super friendly and plays with us from the safety of the closet,. but as of yet he still wants to hang out there and not out of the closet. So my question, after his LONG-WINDED set up is do I just leave him be and let him come ouf of the closet himself when he's comfortable? he's only been with us for about 24 hours so I realize we just have to have some patience with him.
I've included some photos of him below. They are not the best photos, just what I happened to snap last night with a flash, plus a couple of photos the rescuer sent.
Thanks in advance for reading my super long post. Sorry!
These are photos sent to me by the rescuer
I just adopted a cat yesterday, who I named Magnus. I am told he's a Maine Coon mix. He's six months old, weighs 6 lbs, 12 oz and has yellow eyes and a black smoke color coat (the smoke color is more apparent on his ruff and under his belly, though you can't see this color all that well from the photos I have of him so far).
The rescue group I got him from said that his mother had had a litter back in June near a condo complex and one of the residents had been feeding the kittens. The rescue group took them in and had them fixed and vaccinated etc. They had to let the mom go back outside as she was too used to being outdoors but they thought Magnus would be suitable for an adoption as he had a good personality. He was with the rescuer for nine days before I adopted him, and she had been socializing him by keeping him int he bathroom and playing wtih him and getting him acclimated to people. She said he was very friendly once he got to know you and was very sweet.
Anyway, I went and adopted him and during the car ride home, although he was not overly affectionate, he was a champ in the carrier. He didn't cry or anything and he did let me pet him while he was in the carrier and didn't try to bite / hiss or scratch but was just calmly watching everything going on. We brought him home and put him in the bathroom along with his food / water bowls, toys, bed, scratching post etc, as we has been advised to give him a quiet spot to acclimate first.
He stayed in the carrier for probably an hour or so. I hung out in the bathroom on and off talking to him but didn't try bother him (i.e. picking him up or trying to drag him out of the carrier) to just to get him used to me.
Anyway, he eventually came out and was lying on the little bed thingee that I had for him and was investigating his toys. I lay down on the ground next to him and brought out the hairbrush that the rescuer game me that she said he really liked. Anyway, he LOVED it and after that we were pals. He was purring and was letting me rub his belly.
I told my husband to do the same thing. He let him brush him but was a little more reserved, but not hiding or anything. He started to relax a little. (However, I should mention whenever my husband or I would stand up, or first enter the bathroom, he would get nervous. But he was OK with us if we were down by his level)
The rescuer also said he ate only Fancy Feast in the cans. I had bought some quality, high protein cat food that is supposed to be better for them but as of yet he wouldn't eat that so I gave him the Fancy Feast. Maybe if I try mixing in the fancy feast to the new food he'll eat that? I'd prefer him to eat something that didn't have a lot of fillers in it but I also want him to eat and not starve if he's picky
Also, after we went to bed last night he kept crying by himself in the bathroom. I Kept going in to him to play with him and then he’ d be fine and playing with his toys and his scratching post and purring but as soon as I left he started crying again. I thought he might be lonely. Finally around 3:30 AM or so, I decided to open the connecting door to the bathroom that goes into the bedroom. I closed all the other doors in the bedroom and he came in and was checking out the bedroom. He cried for a little bit but I picked him up and was petting him and he was OK while I was doing that. Eventually he found a “safe spot” in the bedroom (in one of the closets, by my husband's shoes) that he seems to like and he’s been hanging out there for the time being (but the bathroom door is still open so he goes in there to use the litter box or get his food).
So we’re letting him do that for the time being and keeping all the other bedroom doors closed so he just has the run of the bathroom and the bedroom. The bedroom only has two places he can hide (under the bed or in a closet) so I think he’s OK. We’ve been petting him and he’s been purring. I figure once he starts exploring more and is more confident we’ll gradually let him into the rest of the apartment. I also put his carrier in the bedroom in case he wants to go in there at all. And I put my pajama top in his “safe spot” (which he's lying on) so he’s get used to my smell.
so he's super friendly and plays with us from the safety of the closet,. but as of yet he still wants to hang out there and not out of the closet. So my question, after his LONG-WINDED set up is do I just leave him be and let him come ouf of the closet himself when he's comfortable? he's only been with us for about 24 hours so I realize we just have to have some patience with him.
I've included some photos of him below. They are not the best photos, just what I happened to snap last night with a flash, plus a couple of photos the rescuer sent.
Thanks in advance for reading my super long post. Sorry!
These are photos sent to me by the rescuer
