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The litter tray

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

Original poster

How long did it take your rescue cat to pluck up the courage to leave his chosen place of safety?

48 replies

BlueSprite · 25/08/2013 18:22

I have a lovely little beige ginger and white boy - 7 months old - who came home with us at about 11am today. He immediately found a quiet little shelf on our bookcase and hasn't moved from there yet. He had a bit of wet food but no water. He is more relaxed around me now and has purred a little when I've gently stroked him and talked to him.
Just wondering how long it might take him to pluck up the courage to leave his bookshelf!

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 25/08/2013 18:25

Hi Blue and congratulations on your new arrival. Smile

It could take a while, all the new sounds and smells-very overwhelming for him.

Just keep talking to him and give him the occasional fuss, but let him stay in his bookshelf as long as he knows where food/litter tray is.

cozietoesie · 25/08/2013 18:28

Seniorboy wasn't a rescue but had to move house when my Mum died. He's a pretty anti-social cat with anyone but his person so it took him several weeks! (We only knew he was still alive because the tray was being used and bits of ham used to disappear overnight.) You're lucky in that you know where your new boy is - it may be a big- ish house but we never did find Seniorboy's hidey hole.

He'll be fine. He's hardly been with you any time at all as these things go. He'll want peace and quiet to think about life so if you're all busy a-doing he'll likely keep out of the way while you're at it. Once you've settled down for the evening, he'll probably be bolder. Are his water and tray easy to hand?

Original poster
BlueSprite · 25/08/2013 18:46

Thank you, I can't believe how attached I am to him already. He really is precious.

Water is within his sight and so is the litter tray. I was thinking about moving the tray further away as I was worrying it's too close to the bowls.
He has washed his paws a little and had a few short naps with me sitting near him - hoping that's a good thing?

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 25/08/2013 18:55

That's good. It will be dozing rather than real sleep but it still shows he's relaxing.

When things quieten, and as the night draws in, he'll likely get more confident although you may find he doesn't use his tray until night time. Do you have DCs around?

cozietoesie · 25/08/2013 18:59

PS

Myself, I believe in the power of studied ignoring interspersed with the occasional love word. I'd switch on the telly, radio or music (all fairly low) and settle down with a book or something.

moonbells · 25/08/2013 20:24

Ours hid behind the washing machine and under the shoe rack! They came out the day after, for food, but went back overnight for a couple of days.

They have since been allowed to go in the bedroom, so under the bed gets furries. Or they go in the large cardboard box we put in the living room, lid taped down but with two CD-sized holes in it.

Original poster
BlueSprite · 25/08/2013 20:43

He came out twice for me (but shot back in when my husband came in). He didn't really want to be petted - just very tentatively moved around the room, crouching most of the time. However, it's a great start. I'm delighted!

I have just played him some Brahms and Debussy and he has totally relaxed.

I do have a 3.5 year old son, and SpriteCat definitely wary of him! (although DS hasn't approached him on my orders, although obviously he's very keen to get to know him)

Thank you for your advice - SeniorBoy sounds lovely :) I wonder where he got to? You must have been dying to know!

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 25/08/2013 20:48

We had a rescue cat and she was here for a day, and had just started coming out from under the dining table. Then my Dad came round and stated to be loud and enthusiastic and she disappeared back underneath for 24 hours. Grrrr.

Our current cat was v confident and slept on our bed with us on night one, but I think that she's an exception.

piratecat · 25/08/2013 20:52

3 days.

nextphase · 25/08/2013 20:58

Ours was a massive scardy cat. We were warned it might take him over a week to come out other than for litter tray or water.

We left him in the kitchen, with food, water and litter from Sunday afternoon (takeaway, so limited time in the kitchen), and then went to work on Monday. We didn't see him move.

I came back from work on Mon, and sat on the stone tiled floor reading a book. Eventually he came out for food when it was very close to his litter tray.

On the tues he was asking to come out of the kitchen, so we let him out. I still have the photos (he is now 10) of him playing with a catnip mouse, and sitting on my knee on that tuesday evening.

He still won't leave the garden, and is reluctant to sit on anyone other than me - or my mother, but think he is confused between us - as soon as he sees me he gets off her looking puzzled!

I'd say your doing really well. Enjoy him!

Original poster
BlueSprite · 25/08/2013 21:48

Thanks everyone - I'm getting a better idea of how long it could take him to gain confidence. I was a bit worried that the shyness might mean he's quite an insular character. The last time I lived with cats, it was years ago at my parents' house, and we either got them as either rescue kittens who were too small to be very anxious, or very soppy pedigrees who draped themselves all over me as soon as we met.

Anyway, we are still progressing! I played SpriteCat some gentle jazz ballads, which he seemed to really enjoy, relaxing immediately and even half rolling on his back. DH is a big jazz fan, so he's pleased that our cat is already demonstrating a classy taste in music Grin

With the jazz playing, he came out again (with husband in room this time), ate some food, and did a wee in his litter tray. Then had a quick and cautious look around before retreating again. Fingers crossed in the next couple of days I'm able to give him a proper fuss...

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 25/08/2013 21:51

That sounds very promising Blue. Smile

cozietoesie · 25/08/2013 21:53

Eaten, used his tray and had a roll stretch? I reckon it will be up and at 'em tomorrow morning now.

I do hope you've put away all the Ming vases for the duration?

Smile
cozietoesie · 25/08/2013 22:09

PS

You do realize that having started a thread about a kitten on The litter tray, you now have to put a picture of him up on your profile for us? I'm afraid that that's the law.

Grin
sashh · 26/08/2013 07:09

I've fostered loads. Most wold find a place to hide the first day but in the morning food has gone and the litter has been used. Some would come out of their carrier, look around and seem to purr "Well this isn't so bad".

Sam was found on top of a wardrobe and for 3 months he appeared to never move but he was obviously eating in the night.

Him hiding where you can see him is good.

Have you got any toys for him?

cozietoesie · 26/08/2013 07:57

How is he this morning?

Fluffycloudland77 · 26/08/2013 09:15

Fluffycat was very shy when we first viewed him, his mothers anti-social too but he soon came round.

Food helped.

Original poster
BlueSprite · 27/08/2013 09:34

Thank you so much for more advice :) Sorry for the lack of updates - my DS and now SpriteCat are keeping me busy.

He came out properly Sunday night for a good fuss. It was so sweet - I went over to him and all of a sudden he chirruped at me and came out, tail raised high. Still nervous, but very much wanting to be friends.

He purred like a little machine. He is a lot bolder now - these last couple of days he's hardly been running away and while still cautious, he's definitely showing a cheeky side!

He did his first scarily huge poo last night, so got lots of praise for that. He's eating well, after a shaky start where he turned up his nose at Waitrose(!) cat biscuits and would only accept Hills Science Plan dry food.

He doesn't want picking up yet, and is doing a lot of crouching his rear end down, sort of slinking about - what does this mean? Assuming it means he is trying to be submissive? He is letting me stroke him though, without crouching down to avoid my hand.

He has the sweetest little miaow. He seems to be quite playful, and has nibbled me a couple of times and batted at my hand, with claws out. He's been doing it gently, but obviously I want to discourage this behaviour. Is this normal, and any suggestions? My great big wuss of a husband called me downstairs in a panic because the kitten was running around his feet, 'trapping' him in the room! He is terrified of being scratched, silly man - I've tried to explain SpriteCat is only playing, and isn't trying to hurt, but my FIL brought DH up to be nervous of animals. Typically SpriteCat seems particularly drawn to DH, because he thinks DH dancing around trying to avoid him is actually a game - haha!

Picture - I'm on the case!

OP posts:
Original poster
BlueSprite · 27/08/2013 09:46

I've marked my profile as being visible to other Mumsnetters, but it's not working. Any ideas?

I might need help in adding a photo as well...

OP posts:
OP posts:
Original poster
BlueSprite · 27/08/2013 09:53

Sorry Sashh, didn't answer your question. He does have plenty of toys, but seems to be far more interested in interacting with people. In fact, I rolled a jingly ball towards him and he ran away! He is more drawn to the tablecloth, and he keeps trying to nibble the fake grass in a bunch of fake flowers in a bucket in our fireplace, so I've had to remove those and have told him I'll get him some real cat grass, if he promises not to vom it up on our floorboards Grin

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 27/08/2013 10:34

Our cat only plays with claws out, you've just got to make sure you always have something inbetween you and the cat. Like a piece of string or a toy on a stick.

Nemanemo · 27/08/2013 10:45

He is really beautiful!

cozietoesie · 27/08/2013 10:52

Those eyes!

(Check you've 'saved' the changes on your profile - but there have been some problems over the past week or more so if you've done everything right, it may be a site issue and you should just wait.)

It's scary how much poo can come out of one small body, isn't it? That first poo is an important thing though. He'll feel good about it as well as better physically.

If he's given to eating fake flowers/leaves/grasses, I fear you'll have to get rid of them if you can't put them to somewhere inaccessible. (Which sort of defeats the purpose of having them.) Seniorboy was a fake plant leaf eater so they all had to go. Luckily, him being trained not to go on surfaces, I can have the odd vase of fake lilies around on tables/piano etc. Not being able to have the real thing of course.

I would, myself, stop any claws-out batting right now. Is he still doing it?

piratecat · 27/08/2013 12:18

you are doing everything perfectly op. remember, cats rule 'us' not the other way round :)

My lovely boy rescue hates being picked up, hates laps but loves fuss and being talked 'with'. They are all so different. In a minute you'll look at him and wonder how there was ever a time he 'wasn't' a part of your home.

He is beautiful, really unusual.