My lovely new cat!

[JessieEssex]

I brought our new cat home yesterday, she's so lovely. Just thought I'd share because this is the first pet I've had (as in not owned by my parents!) and I'm stupidly excited. My two girls are beside themselves but have managed to rein it in on the cat's behalf so far...
She's spent most of her time either behind the washing machine or under the cooker but she's getting braver. She's eaten well and used the litter tray so is doing really well.

Thanks all - a small step forward at lunchtime - my two year old was having a noisy lunch and Ariel popped out from under the cooker without any prompting! She must have known my dd was there as she reacts to the slightest noise, so I was really pleased to see her. She didn't last long but I was very proud
Dd is now napping and Ariel is wandering around while I studiously ignore her! (Thanks cozie!)

Oh that's good! It's great that she purrs too. Sounds as though she wants all certificates signed before she officially decides to own you. Sensible Cat!

Another good day today - I came downstairs to the kitchen and she was lying on the armchair, and didn't budge when I approached her. We had a lovely little bonding session and she even showed signs of wanting to play

She's getting/got her confidence in the household.

Ha!great news. She's claiming some territory! She has lovely thick fur, doesn't she.
Have you got a flying frenzy toy?

She is pretty..sounds like she is settling really well now.

She's still doing really well and is making her presence felt more and more. It's so nice to have her sitting on the chair just 'being there'.
She still wants to stay downstairs in the kitchen / utility room (in the basement) but seems more comfortable in her territory.
HOWEVER, I think I saw a flea on her yesterday - what's the best thing to apply?!

zinxie I don't know what a flying frenzy is, but I'll look into it!

Is that uncut moquette covering your armchair? I haven't seen that in yonks!

Jessie

Do you know when she was last flead/wormed/vetted? She might actually need a full MOT and service.

I wouldn't dare to have moquette in this house except by design - it's a magnet for cat claws.

Jumty I don't know what it is - it's a very old chair that we inherited - it's so comfortable but Ariel seems to have claimed it...I do hope she doesn't rip it to shreds but her previous owner told me she was never a problem re scratching furniture

cozie her previous owner told me she had recently had a complete vet 'service' including de-fleaing and worming. Presumably she picked fleas up again from the other cats in her house before she came to me.

When my parents got married their first suite was uncut moquette. It had been in one of the first class suites on the Queen Mary so - even secondhand - it oozed quality and was built like an ocean liner: until their first cat was let loose on it. Cat 1 Cunard 0!

ASBO never scratched a sofa until I bought a Duresta one. He made himself scarce for the rest of the day. The cheap leather one from dfs survives.

I'm still bitter about that.

I'd take her to the vet and get her some Broadline for the fleas.

My experience with cats and moquette-covered chairs (or enticingly-covered chairs to be more general) is that if cats select a particular chair, it's doomed - but the rest of the furniture and carpets survive quite happily. Seniorboy has a once very expensive but now completely disreputable armchair downstairs that he uses as his scratching post. Thank goodness for throws because we'd likely be committed if officialdom ever made a visit here and saw it uncovered.

PS - see if you can get the details of the vet and what was done to her from her previous owner. Any new vet you take her to will also likely want to get her clinical records across (they do that all the time for completeness and so that they can time procedures like annual vaccinations etc.)

Hi, I'm back again!
Ariel is getting much braver, but still likes to hide under the kitchen units when the children are being noisy or when she's not sure what's going on!
Problem is, we are having skirting put round the units in a couple of weeks - the last job in a long new-kitchen process... Am I being mean blocking off her safe place? Should I postpone the work for a while or just assume she'll find a new hiding place?
Or am I just turning into one of those cat owners who puts the cat before everything else...!

...but still likes to hide under the kitchen units when the children are being noisy or when she's not sure what's going on...

Well that's just being prudent so progress sounds very good.

Have you anywhere else which she could use and to which she's been introduced?

Firstly, what a lovely cat

Secondly, I would get my units finished off as planned, cat will easily find another safe place I think.

Thirdly, you can get capsules which you squeeze on the back of the cat's neck for worming & de-flea ing. Ours we do monthly and get them from the vets, they're called Advocate.

And for Goodness sake, remember to keep her out of the kitchen before the kickboards are put in place. You don't need the final one put in and someone suddenly saying 'Anyone seen Ariel?'..........

Does she go round the rest of the house at all yet?

Cozie, she can still get behind the washing machine so I guess she'll go back there! And I've already planned to move her out of the kitchen way before the fitters arrive! If she's under there, there's no way of getting her out so it would be a nightmare
I got the Bob Martin flea stuff and applied that on Sunday night. She was furious with me but haven't seen any scratching for a day or so now.
She still hasn't ventured upstairs, but the basement is quite big - she has claimed the kitchen, dining room and utility room as her domain! I carried her upstairs a few days ago but she looked terrified and bolted back downstairs as soon as I put her down.

Maybe try another flea spot on next time - possibly a flea wormer combo? I seem to recall that TCN said that Bob Martin had changed their formulation (it used to be really quite dangerous for some animals) but it's not the best company. Remind me - when is she due to go for her first vet checkup and for shots etc? You could ask the vet then.

You've still got two weeks so I'd be trying to get her used to the rest of the house in that time. It doesn't need to be overnight but you don't need to leave it until the day before.

Ariel update - the shy moggy who wouldn't come out from under the cooker is now playing with toys, tolerating the children, and following me like a shadow (still downstairs only though!) The breakthrough moment seemed to coincide with me giving her a bit of roast chicken... I think she realises we're worth persevering with!

What a beautiful cat... and very lucky to be adopted by such a dottily devoted slave.

You'll have to make a roast chicken a regular dish then for her. I'm so pleased she's come round to you all.