introductions...

[Evie]

Please could I ask a little more advice? My kitten has now been in quarantine for just over three weeks but she is now getting keen to explore the house and meet my other two cats. They have met each other behind closed glass doors and just look keen to get to know each other in the fur!. I am letting Kitoko explore for a few hours a day. She does start calling and takes a while to calm down after wards. (I am following Deborah's introduction advice) she runs tail up in greeting to my cats and to be honest looks as though she would rather be with them than me. I had hoped to be on touching terms with Kitoko before she met the cats but I now see that it could be a very long process. Deborah pointed out that it might help her to see me pet my other cats and with that in mind do you think I will still be able to work on handling her once she is at large in the house? What I think is sad is that she really wants comfort sometimes and she will come to me crying and not be able to allow herself to be stroked. Maybe she will be able to snuggle up with my other cats? I think I am worried that she will find somewhere to hide in the house and I won't be able to move her or she will stay hidden. I am feeding her treats now which she takes from my hand nicely - with the occasional paw bat! Or finger in the mouth before she realizes that fingers don't taste good! She hasn't scratched or bitten purposely. I know I am making progress and am happy to wait a while until they meet they just look so keen to get to know each other. Anyone have similar issues?

 

[WitchyWoman]

Evie,
If you decide to let her out, you most certainly keep handling her and do all the things you are currently doing. I can only tell you the results of my personal experience and I hope it helps you in some way:

When I brought my F2 Maliik home, he was not socialized very well and he had coccidia and giardia. He had to stay in quarantine longer to ensure he was cured of both parasites and because he was not bonding very well with me or my husband. He was in quarantine nearly a month and while there was progress in our relationship, it was slow going. I decided to let him meet the other cats. His response to us started to get better after about a week. Maliik much prefers the company of cats over humans. And I worked with him daily for 2 years before he truly trusted me although he still gives me the impression I'm on thin ice. He is now 5 yrs old and the last 2 yrs have been good, not great. I can pet him and rub his belly and feet and he will play with me and sometimes even purrs for me. In those 5 yrs, he has approached me for affection only one time and it was the night he escaped from the house and was out for about 30 minutes. When we got him back into the house, he climbed into my lap and I sat there and cried like an idiot. So if I want to spend time with him, I do it on his terms and I love him dearly.

 

[Patti]

Evie, I think you are right - this will likely be a long process. Some cats just aren't touchy-feely, and some have a really hard time adjusting to a new home and establishing new bonds with humans. You can't keep her in quarantine forever, and if she is happier with the other cats that would make me happy too, because I don't want her to be miserable. Just continue to be patient with her and appreciate the progress that you've made. I think the treats will continue to be important, as well as regular one-on-one play time with her. As Deborah and others have pointed out, this process can sometimes take months or even years. I know this is not what you wanted in a kitty but I hope you can love her for all of her other wonderful traits.

 

[Patti]

BTW, I'm moving this thread to Savannah Cat Behavior - not sure how it ended up under Savannah Cat Legal Advice...

 

[Evie]

Evie,
If you decide to let her out, you most certainly keep handling her and do all the things you are currently doing. I can only tell you the results of my personal experience and I hope it helps you in some way:

When I brought my F2 Maliik home, he was not socialized very well and he had coccidia and giardia. He had to stay in quarantine longer to ensure he was cured of both parasites and because he was not bonding very well with me or my husband. He was in quarantine nearly a month and while there was progress in our relationship, it was slow going. I decided to let him meet the other cats. His response to us started to get better after about a week. Maliik much prefers the company of cats over humans. And I worked with him daily for 2 years before he truly trusted me although he still gives me the impression I'm on thin ice. He is now 5 yrs old and the last 2 yrs have been good, not great. I can pet him and rub his belly and feet and he will play with me and sometimes even purrs for me. In those 5 yrs, he has approached me for affection only one time and it was the night he escaped from the house and was out for about 30 minutes. When we got him back into the house, he climbed into my lap and I sat there and cried like an idiot. So if I want to spend time with him, I do it on his terms and I love him dearly.

Hi, thank you For sharing your experience. I will carry on following my instincts and hope that we will reach a place where I can handle her when I have to without causing her too much stress. I think that apart from being scruffed and held on a daily basis she had little human contact. I do think she is doing really well in a relatively short time. She is happy to play on my bed and sleep! She doesn't hide away when I am with her so she must enjoy me being around and especially the play. I haven't bought her basket/carrier in to her room yet but will do this today and make a new game out of it! In the hope I can get her in it if I need to. I will gradually introduce her to my boys and hope that they will look after her - until she takes over of course!! I will carry on working with her everyday and keep you posted

 

[Evie]

Evie, I think you are right - this will likely be a long process. Some cats just aren't touchy-feely, and some have a really hard time adjusting to a new home and establishing new bonds with humans. You can't keep her in quarantine forever, and if she is happier with the other cats that would make me happy too, because I don't want her to be miserable. Just continue to be patient with her and appreciate the progress that you've made. I think the treats will continue to be important, as well as regular one-on-one play time with her. As Deborah and others have pointed out, this process can sometimes take months or even years. I know this is not what you wanted in a kitty but I hope you can love her for all of her other wonderful traits.

Hi Patti, I am only worried about not being able to get her to the vet if I need to or down to my enclosure - I can't afford to connect it to my house quite yet - I have never been a person who needs to pick up my cats for a cuddle as I have always worried they could be stolen. I don't need to worry about this with her or my Pixie-Bob as they won't roam. I just need to work towards touching her and getting her in and out of the carrier - simples!! Sorry if I am sounding disappointed with her as I couldn't be happier with her. I love being with her. She looks stunning and as someone else said to me on the forum how lovely will it be when I do make progress. The breeder did point out - just before she came home! - that she was quite fiesty! So I was warned. Iguess I naively thought that if she was being handled everyday that she would have gotten a bit used to it by 12 Weeks. I wish I'd found the forum before she came just would have made me feel less worried that I was doing something wrong. I can't get rid of the emoticons! BTW I have filled in the survey - we don't seem to have the issues over ownership for F2's and down, over here but people do love a scare story. I wish there was more effort put into educating people about spaying and neutering their domesticated cats or making it a requirement that this is done before they are homed.that would surely help reduce the number of abused and neglected pets. That's my gripe for the day sorry for sharing - Its almost 7am here and Kitoko has been playing for two hours - think we might be due another nap! Thanks again for your help

 

[Patti]

You're on the right track bringing the crate out to get her used to it. I think it was discussed on another thread to feed her treats in the crate and she will hopefully get used to, and comfortable with, going into it. She might even decide she wants to sleep in it!

I am right there with you on the speuter issue - I was astounded to find an intact male wandering around in my neighborhood not long ago! I was sorely tempted to TNR him, but he was clearly well cared for so didn't feel comfortable altering someone else's pet.

 

[Evie]

You're on the right track bringing the crate out to get her used to it. I think it was discussed on another thread to feed her treats in the crate and she will hopefully get used to, and comfortable with, going into it. She might even decide she wants to sleep in it!

I am right there with you on the speuter issue - I was astounded to find an intact male wandering around in my neighborhood not long ago! I was sorely tempted to TNR him, but he was clearly well cared for so didn't feel comfortable altering someone else's pet.

Yes I'll get started on that today!!
Yes I know someone that seems to let her cat have litter after litter - "well she makes such a good n
Mum!" I had to say something last time I saw her and she has said she will spay her after this litter! Makes me cross x

 

[Patti]

Its almost 7am here and Kitoko has been playing for two hours - think we might be due another nap! Thanks again for your help

Where are you located Evie??

 

[Evie]

Where are you located Evie??

South of England ,