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Original poster

Got our cat from Cats Protection today - come talk cat!

45 replies

Northernlurker · 09/01/2010 14:47

She is utterly lovely. Been in the house two hours and showed great interest in anything even slightly food related. She was a stray and I think food is a big thing. We are holding out and not feeding her till teatime as was the practice at the shelter. I've bought her up to the study and she's settled a bit. Sat down twice and now washing herself. Up to now she's been in ceaseless movement. I've filled her litter tray and showed her where it is. Also given her water. Do I need to do anything else? We are lifting her off worktops as she jumps up - any other tips?

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TippyTumbles · 09/01/2010 14:51

Our cat was a stray too - I'd just say let her chill out and get used to her new surroundings, it's a good sign that she feels comfortable enough to sit and have a wash. I'm sure you will soon be the very best of friends

JamesAndTheGiantBanana · 09/01/2010 14:52

Aaw I would have given her food the minute she got there, to assure her she was welcome and she would be fed here. But if the shelter recommend limiting them to mealtimes only fair enough, I'm sure they know best!

She sounds lovely and you sound like you're doing everything right! Some cats just hide for days behind the sofa and don't explore straight away so she sounds quite outgoing. Have you got a name picked out for her?

FabIsGoingToBeFabIn2010 · 09/01/2010 14:58

Does she have a bed? I would probably carry her round the house to show her where everything is .

Original poster
Northernlurker · 09/01/2010 15:00

The shelter said she was very keen on food and would ask but to be strong! I don't think it's fair to feed her at lunchtime today when it's not a time she would usually be fed. Her name is Mia - that's what CP had called her and we like it. She's off out now looking round the house again.

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Original poster
Northernlurker · 09/01/2010 15:01

Yes Fab we spent £15 off our human pounds on a bed - the best, cosiest one I could find and she has....totally ignored it! I love cats

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FabIsGoingToBeFabIn2010 · 09/01/2010 15:14

LOL. My cat got a new bed a few weeks ago and was so annoyed to see her old one in the bin she sat by it all day. She does go in her new one now but is mostly on the sofa.

Original poster
Northernlurker · 09/01/2010 18:40

Still ignoring the bed, has been sitting on our knees briefly. Found and used her litter tray without any fuss. Ate her tea like someone was going to take it away All besotted here and learning to shut the kitchen door when cooking!

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FabIsGoingToBeFabIn2010 · 09/01/2010 19:24

She will slow down with her food once she knows it is all for her. My cat took a few days to go in her new bed so don't worry, she will go in it when she feels ready.

Bella32 · 09/01/2010 19:37

Many congrats

She sounds fab. Cats never sleep in their beds btw - on your knee, on your bed, on your pile of clean laundry, but never in a cat bed

ClaireDeLoon · 09/01/2010 19:43

She sounds lovely and like she's settling in nice

ly. Very pretty name too - what colour is she?

ClaireDeLoon · 09/01/2010 19:44

ooh freaky post - sorry about that no idea what happened

differentID · 09/01/2010 19:48

We have had several beds for oour 2. At the moment, he sleeps in the hall on the floor next to the radioator and she seeps on top of a pile of washing balanced precariously on top of the tumble drier.

In summer, he'll sleep in the futitiy room on the windowsill and she'll take the living room windowsill.

Ingles2 · 09/01/2010 19:58

Fantastic NL... she sounds lovely and Mia is such a pretty name. So, what is she? a DSH?
as for tips,.. just be strong from the off on no going on worktops, tables etc, cos she'll try and sneak on forbidden surfaces the minute your back's turned

MadamDeathstare · 09/01/2010 20:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Bella32 · 09/01/2010 20:26
tulpe · 09/01/2010 20:36

NL - congrats on your new addition Mia is a lovely name

Our two cats sleep anywhere too. They have 3 baskets in total - a large wicker affair in the laundry room and two fabric jobs on the landing upstairs. Our boy has just about decided the fabric beds are okay but he still insists on sleeping sprawled half on the floor and half on the bed.....with all 4 legs in the air, usually

MadameDeathStare - I have been saying that my girl cat and I communicate via long slow blinks for the last 2 years and DH has totally poo-pooed it. Have just shown him your post in a "told you so" type fashion

Bella32 · 09/01/2010 20:38

It's true re the blinking - scrunched up eyes in cat language signal contentment.

I am always doing it to mine

MadamDeathstare · 09/01/2010 20:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ingles2 · 09/01/2010 20:53

Talking of eyes, one of my kittens was doing something strange this morning. I woke up and she was on my bed, lying with her face really close to mine.. I opened my eyes and she was staring into my eye...really staring, then came up so close, I couldn't focus and was examining my eye for ages! have to say it was quite unnerving

Ingles2 · 09/01/2010 21:40

right who suggested the scrunched up eye thing?
I just tried it on both the kittens
kitten no 1 immediately leapt up and lay completely flat on the floor, all limbs out, like she was trying to disappear
and kitten no 2 swiped me across the face!
so what does that mean?

SilveryMoon · 09/01/2010 21:49

My cats are both 6 months old. We got them about 5 weeks ago. They are the most beautiful animals I have ever seen! I did buy them a bed, but they much prefer to sleep on ours which is fine
They are indoor cats as we live in a flat.
When they first got here, they spent 2 days under the sofa, so I decided to shut them in the bathroom for a while with their food and litter tray just to get them used to all the new smells and noises in a smaller area iyswim. I took my ds's (2.5yrs and 11mnths) in there every half an hour or so. That went on for about a week and now they are alot braver although still hide from ds1 quite a bit, but he is still a little rough with them, but in time, will all be fine.

My cats didn't have names when they arrived and I didn't want to name them without knowing them iykwim, so they have both been called cat/puss
I have named them today, they are now Toby nd Oscar.

Bella32 · 09/01/2010 22:54

Ingles - your cats are loons

Maybe the one staring in your eye could see her reflection? Or is a qualified opthalmologist?

Original poster
Northernlurker · 09/01/2010 22:56

Right I'm going to try scrunched up eyes and see what happens!

Mia is black and white. Black along her back and mostly white underneath but with a variety of spots and marks. Really pretty imo. She has all white shoulders with a single black spot on the right one - very classy.

Currently she is sitting on the sofa bed washing herself. We feel a bit upset about what her life must have been like before Cat Protection got her. If you drop even a tiny bit of food she pounces and then looks everywhere carefully for more. It's impossible at the moment to eat with her in the room. As long as food isn't present she is amazingly settled for a cat who only arrived today!

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Original poster
Northernlurker · 09/01/2010 22:57

Oh and silvery - love your cat names! They sound like cool guys

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SilveryMoon · 09/01/2010 23:00

Thanks NL
They are both laying on sofa next to me atm. They are quite stubborn little things