Tips to make my new 10mth kittens feel safe

[tortietimestwo]

We adopted two gorgeous tortie girls on the weekend. When we met them at the shelter they were very shy, but we fell in love with them even though we knew they might take a while to warm up.

We have them safely confined in their own room (as our house is not large the best option was the front room) with water fountain, food, litter trays and so on. Littlest cat had diarrhoea on first night from stress, poor baby, but since then they've been using the litter trays well and from yesterday started eating.

They had an explore the first day we brought them home and were tucked up in an igloo bed together, but for the past couple of days they've been squeezed into a tiny gap at the back of our bookcase (which we didn't even think they could get into!). We can barely even tell they're there.

I know they are coming out, mostly at night, as the food is being eaten and they're using the trays - although we were out for an hour last night and my husband caught them through the window enjoying the cat tree. The little monkeys scarpered back to their hidey hole the second they spotted him of course!

They are adjusting and I know hiding can be normal at first, but is there anything else I can do to help them feel safe to come out when we're there? We've tried putting items with our scent near them, we are giving them time in their room alone but also going in for short periods and chatting to them, having the TV on low etc. I know it might take a while, but I just hope there's nothing I'm doing wrong. I've used treats and a feather on a stick toy to try and tempt them out, but I think it's a bit early.

@CatChant @Compash Thanks both for your kind and reassuring comments.

My husband has now blocked off under the sofa with plywood as it's hardest to reach them in there, but they have plenty of other safe and cosy hiding spots in the room. Today's eye drops were more of a success - one took two tries as she escaped first go, but using gardening gloves meant no scratches this time. Brave girls 🥰 - I still feel dreadful at having to give them drops, but it's necessary and their eyes look much brighter and less weepy already.

They have been sitting in their usual hiding places i.e. under our cuddle chair but have been facing us and looking towards us directly with interest when we're around. Sometimes they even sit near us in the evening, although one is more skittish than the other and darts back to her hiding place at the slightest noise. Little madams 🤣 we shall see how they get on in next few days.

I really feel for you, it's horrible having to do this to cats who don't trust you. Sounds like they are fluey. I foster for an animal charity and often get cats with flu who need treatment and vet trips. It feels awful and like the bond will never develop but I can tell you that's never been the case. Every cat, especially kittens, has eventually accepted eye drops and they've never hated me forever. It's great that you spotted this early as it can cause nasty eye ulcers if untreated and it's not always easy to spot in shy and unfamiliar cats. You're doing a great job.

Aw thank you @ella142 💐. They're doing well and their eyes look much brighter. Had some success with littlest cat today. I was stroking her, she was purring and I managed to get her eye drops in quickly while she was relaxed, with minimal trauma. Other cat still has to be caught for doing it and is v shy and starts at the slightest noise. She's still hiding most of the time, but the little one mentioned is getting braver and has started to sit places where she can watch us with interest from a distance.

They have been exposed to cat flu in the past unfortunately but have never been super poorly with it, hopefully won't be too much of an issue for them going forward but that was another reason we got them to vet sharpish. They are just the loveliest wee cats. Here is little in one of her favourite vantage points where she can see us and survey the room.

She is so pretty.

It sounds like things are going well and they are getting used to you.

You make me crave a pretty sortie now... (my black girl would smite me senseless for the very thought...).

This is the hardest part, when they're new and skittish and not well. But you're doing so well and it will pay off, I'm sure, and they will settle and become part of the family and enchant you every day... 😻

Not sortie, tortie. 😼

It's been very nice to have encouragement along the way 😊 from lovely posters such as yourselves. Today they're quite hidey again but will just give them time and see how it goes from the end of the week when their eye drops course finishes and we don't have to manhandle them.

@CatChant Now I need a pic of your lovely black cat, do you also have others?

@tortietimestwo It’s @Compash who has the black cat not me. But I agree black cats are beautiful.

We had a lovely one from the RSPCA many years ago, with bright emerald eyes and a solid, cuddly body shape very like a British Shorthair, only she was a moggy. She was a glossy jet black, even her whiskers, and the only trace of white on her was a little circle, smaller than a penny, on her chest.

She was placid, confident, cuddly and very sweet-tempered. However she ended up with the RSPCA as an adult cat, you could tell she had been loved and cared for very much in the past. We thought she had been an indoor cat because she seemed very uncertain about stepping onto the grass when she first went into the garden.

We had for seven years before she developed kidney failure and she was a delight. I still remember going into my parents’ bedroom one morning and seeing her tucked up under the covers with her head on the pillow between them. All three of them were snoring!

How are the tortie charmers doing today?

Whoops sorry @CatChant similar sounding names 🤣 and I tagged the wrong person. Aww your former cat sounds absolutely lovely.

They're ok thanks, were quite stressed this morning with their drops and little has had an accident on the carpet again, a mix of diarrhoea and solid (lovely description!) Not had that since the first day. Could be stress, she's still eating and drinking as far as I know so we'll keep an eye. The bigger super shy one peeped out from behind the armchair and was following with her eyes as I shook a feather toy near her this afternoon - she won't engage with it yet but she was watching with fascination.