Back again for advice on another urchin that has 'found' me!

[Applecrumbly]

Hi to everyone that helped me a few months ago when I found a kitten and kept it and was literally shellshocked at the madness of a new kitten ,having only ever had dogs.But our little Cleo is now 7 months,been spayed and we love her to bits and is much calmer(well thats what I thought until we put the xmas tree up).
Last Tuesday however,I found a large tabby crying pitifully in the garden-we are rural so surrounded by fields etc) - and of course I fed her and off she went,except of course she didnt go anywhere and was back the next day and is still here.She is really friendly and keeps rubbing herself round my ankles and pushing her head into my hand to be stroked and purring etc.She seems to be very vocal,crying even when she has been fed etc.
I have made a bed for her in the woodshed,under a table and lots of blankets etc because heres the thing..I think she might be pregnant.Im not sure but I think so.She is eating an awful lot...approx 3 pouches a day and lots of dry also.
What will I do? Is it ok to just carry on like this,providing shelter and food.Will she be warm enough? I cant bring her indoors as we have a dog and an indoor kitten and if she has kittens we will be over run with cats and I dont really want that.
She is a large tabby and is really lovely and friendly.
Sigh!Why do they always find me?

[cozietoesie]

Wait until late evening. I reckon she's just out checking the neighbourhood.

[LittleNoona]

I had no idea kittens could be aborted. I'm irrationally upeset about this - God knows why

[Applecrumbly]

Sparkling!
Still no sign cozie!

[cozietoesie]

late evening. I still reckon she'll be back.

[Applecrumbly]

I'll have a peep again before I go to bed.Bloomin monkey!Mind you I dont mind so much now I know she is not pregnant and is spayed.

[Fluffycloudland77]

I'm going for 11pm, our cats used to be back by 11 most nights.

[Applecrumbly]

Ha-Ha Fluffy...are you actually a cat? She was back at 11pm! ! ! !.You were bang on.
I fed her and she was looking at me as if to say 'let me in now please' but I decided to keep her in the shed.I feel very mean but after 4 days she was still gunning for the kitten and I noticed a big difference in the kitten after she left actually..kitten was much more confident again and happier in herself.So I have made as comfy a bed as I can in the shed,I will feed her 3 times a day and we will visit her regularly for some attention etc -she can also come and go as she pleases.The strange thing is she seems to be much more affectionate towards us in the shed.

[Fluffycloudland77]

They will get used to each other eventually, more so when the kittens grown up a bit.

My childhood cats always came in at that time after an evening patrol.

[Corygal]

Apple - this is a lovely story, so nice to have an extra cat in one's life. I bet she's set to stay with you now.

[Applecrumbly]

I know cory but I feel so mean keeping her in the shed having had her indoors for 4 days but she just does not like the kitten at all. She seems to be spending all her day curled up in her bed in the shed and just getting up to eat and go out to the loo etc.Please reassure me that she will be fine in the shed..I have a pile of blankets/rugs under a table and a screen half round it in the form of an old curtain and her food and water next to it.The door is ajar just wide enough for her to get out and I will add even more layers if the weather gets really cold.Do cats have the common sense to burrow down into layers of blankets if its really cold?I am too much of a fusspot arent I?.

[Applecrumbly]

cozie forgot to say you were of course spot on again with your predictions.

[boofted]

We have a stray cat that has been living in our greenhouse for 2 years now. I have made several boxes for him to sleep in. They are insulated and filled with straw which keeps them warm and dry. I also put a heat pad in with him at night and a hot water bottle during the day. I have put a couple of candles under some terracotta pots to keep the frost out too. I'd bring him in but he isn't too friendly and we have other cats inside the house. I'm sure your wee cat will be warm enough. Although I'd persevere with her and the kitten. It doesn't sound like it would take them long to tolerate each other. I've had cats that have had major fights for a week or two and then became best friends.

[Applecrumbly]

Oh okay boofted thats interesting to know.Yes I do keep thinking will I or wont I?

[cozietoesie]

The kitten is still only young and being faced with a feisty full grown female is probably a lot for her - she's wanting Mom-type treatment and isn't getting it so is likely confused. Things may get easier with time and as she grows in confidence.

Oh - and the big girl will be fine in the shed. (As evidenced by the fact that she's staying in there rather than creating mayhem to get back in the house.) If it gets really bitter, there are heat sources (heat pads, hotties etc) that you can put in there to add to her blankets.

[Applecrumbly]

Thanks cozie I do really value your advice...Thats interesting,would a cat really create mayhem if they desperately wanted to get back in?

[cozietoesie]

Verbally, yes. If she really wanted to you'd hear the yowls from deep inside the house.

[Applecrumbly]

[Applecrumbly]

Just an update on my little stray friend.Well,last saturday I thought 'sod it I cant give up on her not settling in to the house so soon' and decided to try again.I coaxed her into the carrier and brought her indoors again but this time I thought I would give her her own room as her own little safe haven as opposed to plonking her straight into the living room which is what I did last time.
She seems very happy there,has food,water,litter box and an old duvet on top of a double bed to snuggle into,and a couple of toys(which she ignores).The first few days she simply stayed put in there and I made sure the kitten didnt go near but once a day I would take the kitten in to her in my arms for a few minutes etc.It soon became apparant to us that the stray is not the aggressor at all but the kitten.She kept going up to the door and would hiss and spit and growl at the stray when she would catch a glimpse of her and the odd time she escaped into the room she would go to eat the food etc.The stray would simply watch from a distance.
A few days ago then I started to confine the kitten for half hour or so and I would leave the strays bedroom door open and lo and behold the stray began wandering out and exploring the other bedrooms etc.She wanders into dds room and gets up on the bed but the slightest noise and she runs straight back to her own room under the bed,She is terrified of dh and scarpers as soon as she sees him or hears him on the stairs-I have no idea why,he likes her but cant get near her.
So,at the moment herself and kitten have become sort of used to each other...I leave the door open all the time now as long as I am in the house and kitten wanders in and out and stray doesnt seem to mind and then stray might wander out and go back in again then...I close the door at nightime or if the kitten is being very annoying etc.
So my question to you guys now is will I simply be led by her and see what happens?There is no way she will come downstairs..I have tried and tried but no good.Does it sound like she is happy enough with this set up?I feel like she is a prisoner .
She is eating really well,using litter box etc.She made me laugh yesterday as I have another open litter tray in the bathroom which the kitten uses upstairs but I saw the stray hop into it yesterday and do a big poo as if to say 'right ,that will fix you pesky kitten'.Kitten was there watching looking rather stunned.
So does it sound like she will get more confident but it will simply take time?

[cozietoesie]

Yes it does. If a cat was deeply unhappy by 'confinement', you'd soon know about it, believe me. She sounds as if she's steadying and getting her bearings after a rough time.

I wonder why she dislikes your DH so much. Maybe badly treated by a man previously?

[Fluffycloudland77]

Maybe that's the cat equivalent of fuck you kitten.

It'll go one of two ways, mutual ignoring or eventual friendship.

Watch shorty and kodi videos on youtube, their owner introduced them very carefully and they are great freinds. Kodi was an annoying little bugger to start with though.

[janeyjampot]

We adopted a stray and his behaviour was quite similar. Initially when we shut him in he shot upstairs and hid under a bed. He stayed there for ages, and when he finally started to explore he'd run back under there at the slightest noise. It didn't last that long though. A few days later at most he was exploring the whole house, but sometimes in a very wary manner. Similar to your cat, he didn't like DH at first and was nervous if he moved around. A year on he's very settled with us but doesn't like my Dad at all - I think he must have had a bad experience with men at some point. My Dad does tend to stride around though :)

[Applecrumbly]

Thanks everyone for your replies.Thats interesting janey..very similar.Thanks as usual cozieand fluffy.

[boofted]

I am so glad you brought her back in Sounds like she is making herself at home. You're a nice person.

[Applecrumbly]

Aw thanks boofted.Yes she is getting there slowly but surely bless her.

[Iwouldratherbemuckingout]

I'm loving this story on Xmas eve :) specially cos I'm feeling grotty so am snuggled under the duvet with little black cat.

I think she just needs time to explore and to feel safe. My little Lillie was born at the rescue she came from, and it took her a good time to extend her boundaries to the whole house. She started off in the conservatory and worked her way out from there. Just let her do things in her own time. The thing my Lillie took a long time to get used to was the tv, she would only come into the living room when it was off for ages.

Now it's a different matter and she likes nothing better than some knee time in front of the tv!

Good luck, I think Bella is a lucky girl :)