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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

The litter tray

Please help, my sons cat

16 replies

theoldtrout01876 · 02/05/2018 23:52

I have a thread in chat about my son and his cat.
Basically he has been admitted to a mental health unit, I have his cat at my house. This cat is his world and the only thing thats kept him going for the last 18 months.
I had to catch the cat at his apartment and stuff her into a carry box and drive 30 miles down the highway with her. She is traumatized.
She is very skittish at the best of times and a rescue that no one wanted because she is so skittish. It was love at first sight for the two of them
I left her in our spare room with food, water, a couple of her toys, her blanket and one of my sons shirts out his laundry basket.
She is up inside the box spring of the bed and has not come out at all in 24 hours. Has not eaten or drunk anything and the litter tray is unused.
Will she be ok?, if anything happens to that cat it would kill my son. Im very worried about her now. I go in every couple of hours and sit close to the bed on the floor and talk to her. Should I be doing anything else, I have no experience of indoor, skittish cats.

Thank you

OP posts:

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Ollivander84 · 02/05/2018 23:54

She will probably come out in her own time, it's quite common for them to hide. Maybe pop some tasty food down - most cats can't resist hot roast chicken
Just keep going about your day, chat/sing away. Make sure the water is away from the food as some cats won't drink if it's too near

SimonBridges · 02/05/2018 23:55

I’ve got no real practical help but I didn’t want to read and run. It seems like a very stressful time for you.

I would suggest leaving out food, water and the litter tray in the spare room and leaving the cat to it.

Crispbutty · 02/05/2018 23:57

Can you see her inside the bed? Is she stuck or is it clear that she could get out if she wanted to?

OliviaStabler · 02/05/2018 23:58

Some Feliway might help

www.feliway.com/uk

Ofthread · 02/05/2018 23:59

The roast chicken is a very good plan. Just leave it within smelling distance and leave the room, she’ll come out and get it.

theoldtrout01876 · 03/05/2018 00:07

I can see her, she is not stuck. I lost her this morning and got in a bit of a panic. I remembered years ago I had a cat that liked to hide in the box spring so I pulled the fabric off the frame along the front, enough to see in. She is chillin. Not squished up in the corner or anything, just laying in the middle. she is walking around in there too. I threw a couple cat treats in but she wasnt interested. Im just worried as she hasnt eaten or anything. I tried to get the feliway stuff but my pet store had never heard of it.

OP posts:

theoldtrout01876 · 03/05/2018 00:08

I have no roast chicken, I am doing chicken on the BBQ tonight, will that work instead?

OP posts:

mybumpisonlypudding · 03/05/2018 00:11

If it has nothing else on it (garlic,onions,salt,pepper) it's probably fine for her? But to be honest if she looks relaxed where she is I wouldn't bother, she's probably eating and drinking a little when you're not around. As long as she's got plenty of fresh water and her food is topped up you are good to go!

mybumpisonlypudding · 03/05/2018 00:14

Also I've re read your posts and I can just feel the love you have for your son and by extension his sweet cat ❤️ you sound wonderful, I really hope everything works out for you all

OliviaStabler · 03/05/2018 00:19

I have a very shy cat but that does change when Dreamies are present

You can buy Feliway from the vets or Amazon

Pikachuchu · 03/05/2018 00:29

When DSD came home with a cat it hid under a bed for a couple of days. Then gradually explored a bit when it thought no-one was around, hiding under the sofa when anyone appeared. It gradually got braver bit by bit and was largely fine after a week or so. It didn’t take it that long to reach the stage of bothering any passing human for food and/or attention!

So I think it’s probably fairly normal. I’m sure it will drink and eat a bit in it’s own time.

MercianQueen · 03/05/2018 00:42

I have two rescues that have been with us for ten years, and at times of stress they still clamber into the workings of the sofa bed, so relax on that point.

My two are both incredibly skittish. Things that have worked:
Feliway, but you need one on EVERY floor to make inroads
Zylkene in their food - get it from Amazon
Sounds silly, but we leave classical music playing for them - really calms them

I also do all my "quiet jobs" in the same room that they're hiding. Reading, writing, working. Nothing stressful or intrusive, we just all get used to each other being there. And I love hearing the sofa snore whilst I work from it 😻

But most importantly, you're doing a wonderful thing. Skittish cats are challenging enough, but when they're essentially being rehomed, it's so tough. Go at their pace, give them space, but let them know that love and fuss is there when they're ready. They will come round.

You're doing a wonderful thing for your son.

viccat · 03/05/2018 08:57

I don't think OP is in the UK so specific product recommendations might have different brands names in other countries.

Don't worry, at the cat rescue where I volunteer it's perfectly normal for new cats to go without eating/drinking or using their litter tray for the first 48 hours or so. You could put some really tempting food down - sardines, or tuna warmed a bit in the microwave, chicken as mentioned etc. to tempt her.

Sometimes a strong catnip toy will help to relax them too. I believe Yeowww is a brand available in most countries and usually loved by most cats.

Crispbutty · 03/05/2018 12:48

hope you are having a better day. the cat will come round at some point, they are stubborn creatures, but as long as she isnt stuck, which she isnt, then she will eat and drink once you have disappeared. :)

theoldtrout01876 · 03/05/2018 23:17

She came out last night
Ate, strolled around and went back in. She has been out hanging with my daughter today, all over her and purring etc but she wont come out that room. Its ok though she is eating.
They are letting my son out tomorrow so Im going to pick him up and bring him here so he can catch her himself, that way I am not traumatizing her again.
He will stay for a couple of hours then I will drive him and his cat back home. I offered to let him stay here for a few days but he misses his own place and all his services are set up for the town he lives in (30 odd miles away)

Thank you so much for all your reassuring reply's. I have been so worried about him all week and I think projecting that on to the cat. I have been in such a flap about her.

Fingers crossed that this is the start of him getting well.

OP posts:

mybumpisonlypudding · 03/05/2018 23:20

Crossing my fingers for you and your son ❤️🤞 you're doing a great job

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