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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.

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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:

piratecat · 27/08/2013 12:20

agree, and bad claw behaviour gets a firm no, or oi from me.

they are so full of energy they can't curb it sometimes!!

cozietoesie · 27/08/2013 12:56

Which is why you have to be firm when they're young.

HellonHeels · 27/08/2013 16:16

ooo he's a stunner isn't he!

I got two rescue kitties at the same time. Older kittens. One was very bold and the other hid inside a chest of drawers. They were kept in our spare room for a day. Very late at night I heard the litter tray being scratched.

I'd go in there and sit on the bed and they would pop out every now and again. By the second day the bold one was all over the bed with me and that afternoon we let them out to explore the whole house. Happy days!

hugoagogo · 27/08/2013 18:36

He is really cute.

Our latest rescue settled in straight away, she is full of confidence and cheek.

cozietoesie · 27/08/2013 18:39

Is she the yawning one or the comatose one?

hugoagogo · 27/08/2013 19:09

She is the yawning one

(The comatose one we lost in june to the bastarding cancer, I should probably take that picture down.)

cozietoesie · 27/08/2013 19:12

Maybe aye, maybe no. She was a part of your life after all.

cozietoesie · 27/08/2013 19:14

She/He.

Fluffycloudland77 · 27/08/2013 19:20

Doesn't matter how often I click on the link its not working for me.

Humph.

Original poster

BlueSprite · 28/08/2013 11:13

Argh, I have saved changes, made my profile visible to all Mumsnetters, added a photo taken this morning, viewed it myself via my profile and STILL I don't think it's working. Anyone want to confirm this?

Okay, some more questions.

He is 'batting' a lot less, and when he does I say 'no' in a firm voice and he stops immediately. He hasn't nibbled me for about 2 days (and when he did it really was him gently closing his mouth around my fingers, not properly biting).

I can't quite work him out. He seems to have real moods - sometimes he seems to crave attention, other times he won't come out from under the table or behind the sofa. If the latter, I leave him to it, after saying hello and checking he's okay. I got a horrible fright yesterday when he's wedged himself behind the sofa, and also behind the 'flap' thing at the back, so I couldn't find him anywhere and thought he'd escaped!

When he is in a playful mood, his tail sort of arches into an 'n' shape, the tip pointing down level with his back but the rest of the tail arched. I think this means he is playful? When I stroke him, his tail raises in the air so he seems happy.

He really charges about the house sometimes, getting under our feet! (I think this is funny; DH hops around trying to avoid him which inevitably means they bump into each other). Other times when I move to stroke him, he slightly flinches first or even jumps in the air in apparent fright. His pupils are often very dilated (constantly when he first arrived), but his eyes also return to normal a lot now, hopefully meaning he's less scared. Sometimes when I'm making a fuss of him, he walks around with his bum and tail low to the floor - it feels like he is being submissive and unsure, but I'm not sure.

He has lived with children in a flat apparently, so I'm wondering if they were a bit heavy-handed sometimes. My own son has been firmly told to leave him alone unless SpriteCat approaches him (which SpriteCat does sometimes for a quick stroke).

Lastly, does the fact he is making digging movements around his food bowl mean he thinks the food I've given him is shit?! (it's the same food he had at the shelter, so shouldn't be the case)

OP posts:

Original poster

BlueSprite · 28/08/2013 11:19

Also I've had to pick him up a couple of times when he's got into a part of this house he's not meant to go into yet. He definitely doesn't like it; he wriggles around after a couple of seconds (I let him down straight away - would never hold him against his will).

Is there any hope of his eventually becoming a lap cat? He will be greatly loved whatever, but I would like to know if it's likely his character is already 'set'. He clearly does want to be around people (the rescue centre confirmed this). He miaows for attention, although I suspect at the moment it's actually an "Please give me some decent food" sort of miaow. He got me up at 6 this morning yelling for breakfast! (just when I'd got DS to stay in bed til 7...)

OP posts:

HellonHeels · 28/08/2013 12:30

sounds like he's settling in

one of mine was not keen on being picked up; I trained her to tolerate it by picking her up carefully, then putting her down again gently and giving her a treat, then over time holding her for a little longer. You could do that once he's properly relaxed around you? Feeling ok about being handled or picked up will make vet visits easier for him.

hugoagogo · 28/08/2013 20:17

I wouldn't too much, he will have his own little personality, but as he's only 7 months it will mellow.

He will still be settling in and growing up for months yet. He will adapt to your family just as you all adapt to having him around.

hugoagogo · 28/08/2013 20:18

I wouldn't worry too much, he will have his own little personality, but as he's only 7 months it will mellow.

He will still be settling in and growing up for months yet.

He will adapt to your family just as you all adapt to having him around.

hugoagogo · 28/08/2013 20:21

Oh buggery

cozietoesie · 28/08/2013 20:32

Oh I'll hold any of my boys against their will if necessary. I do it in a matter of fact way without love words so that they know that this is 'business'. And they do learn to distinguish.

I'd be real firm if I were you. Don't anthropomorphize. Cats don't generally get upset in the long term by discipline - in my experience, they actually enjoy structure. Loving structure of course.

And of course he might want to be on your lap. He's only young at the moment so time will tell.

Original poster

BlueSprite · 28/08/2013 22:58

Thank you for the reassurance!

Hopefully he will like to be on my lap eventually - although it's the cuddles I like most . Poor creature; I do know he's not there to fulfil my needs.

Ooh, I think my profile is working now - new pic of him in the My Photos section.

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 28/08/2013 23:08

Oh my - he's so handsome!

woozlebear · 30/08/2013 10:29

The shy Woozlecat took several days before she'd venture out from under the bed she scuttled under, and even then it was only to slink into a familiar basket that came with her in the same room, or behind the curtains. She'd only eat in the hiding place, although we moved the bowl further and further out very gradually.

After a couple of weeks she started venturing out once a day to explore other rooms, but only when she thought we weren't looking (we had to freeze and pretend not to look). It took her about a month to venture upstairs and a good 6 weeks for her stop spending nearly all her time wegded behind this bed. We spent a lot of time sitting on the bed talking to her and stroking her head when we could reach her (she loved that, and would purr, but was just too nervous to come out).

Within a few months she was a different cat and 2 years is now a big bumptious shouty bossy girl, athough she still panics with strangers and runs for a hiding place. It does take time though. We did start to worry she'd never leave that room

woozlebear · 30/08/2013 10:34

Lastly, does the fact he is making digging movements around his food bowl mean he thinks the food I've given him is shit?! (it's the same food he had at the shelter, so shouldn't be the case)

One of mine tries to 'bury' her bowl all the time - whether there's food left in or not. I've never met another cat who does this so don't know if it's normal cat behaviour or if she's just part squirrel (she's the least cat-like cat in many respects). She does have a habit of coming back to her bowl during the day so I suppose she just thinks she's saving it for later. Although it's normally completely empty and she just comes back to plaintively lick the empty bowl while fixing me with poor-starving-orphan eyes.

Original poster

BlueSprite · 31/08/2013 12:48

Woozlebear, I think SpriteCat is like yours! He does seem to be trying to bury it for later.

He is really coming out of his shell and is forming a bond with me, chirruping, purring and rolling next to me (he even tried to give me a kiss - well nose my face - but I was a bit cautious about nibbles and he moved away,sensing I was uneasy). He is still wary of DH and DS.

When I went to bed early last night,he followed me and miaowed outside my door mournfully. I suspect when he is ready for full run of the house,he will insist on being in our room. He's lovely.

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 31/08/2013 12:53

Ah - take him to bed with you. Quickest way to bond with them and relax them.

Catmint · 01/09/2013 19:50

He is lovely!

And your one as well, Hugo.

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