Max the Closet Cat

[MissB]

I don't know if you remember me, but I posted about my very shy kitty a few weeks ago. Dh and I adopted him from the humane society and he would not leave our room. I posted looking for advice on how to get him to venture beyond the master bedroom.

So just an update- thanks for all the advice - he's wandering the house and the fenced-in yard. He's climbed the chain link fence a few times, but he climbs back over the fence when he wants back in (there is a dog door into the house). His shyness is gone. He is still trying to make friends with my older kitty, but she isn't dealing well with any of his antics yet.

Other than laying down in the fireplace ashes and tracking grey ashes throughout the house, he's doing fine!

[Dookus]

1. excellent...

they just need a little time to settle in.

I had a cat who just LOVED the fireplace ashes. Quite a little mess-maker he was.

[DenverDem]

2. You are blessed for saving a kitty life.

Our five cats are angels who bless us every day with their loving presence.

[bbmykel]

3. What was the advice?

I've taken custody of a kitten that was rescued by my sister and niece. Apparently the poor little thing was just walking bones and covered in fleas. She didn't even have the energy to eat. They cleaned her up and got her eating. My sister's house is overflowing with animals and people so she convinced me to take her in (since my Jesse's been dead a year now <sniff> ) but kitty has hidden herself and I've only seen her (briefly) twice in a week and half. She eats the food I put out and is using the box so I think she's doing ok.

It would be nice to see her though :-)

Mike

[MissB]

4. The general advice was to give it more time.

My older cat was also adopted from the humane society, but she adjusted within a day or two. This one took nearly two weeks to walk beyond the doorway of the bedroom. He would dash back in the closet at the drop of a pin.

Once he decided that this was home (after nearly two weeks!!!), he got up the nerve to start exploring. He'd still race back to the bedroom if something bothered him, but now he doesn't even do that. About 5 days ago, he decided he wanted to explore the deck area, which he did for about 2 seconds, and then he dashed back in. Now he begs to go out several times a day.

He just needed way more time to adjust than I expected.

[Beaverhausen]

5. Yes- just give it time

it's good if they have a safe place to run back to as they get braver and go exploring.

I had one cat take about 2 months to come out from under my bed and another 6 months to finally have the nerve to sit in my lap.

[Unperson 309]

6. That's Wonderful!! For Those Who Are Rehabbing Kitties...

It's always best to let them have a safe place to hide. What we used to do when rehabilitating cats was to give them their own room or area which was out of the traffic and very quiet. Daily, when we fed, we would sit down in a far corner (so Kitty could have the food and not feel threatened by us) and gently talk in a soft voice. What was said was chosen to sound gentle, pleasing, with as few sibilants as possible. Sometimes I would read poetry or tell Kitty about my day or even sing. The key was to keep my voice barely above a whisper and pitched high.

Cats hear at higher frequencies even than dogs and our normal voices probably sound like growling to them. The Missus' voice is much higher than mine and so she had more success. The cats' curiosity did the rest. If we sat, talking quietly, for a while, eventually the cats just HAD to know what was going on. We didn't make any effort to pet or touch them until they had been able to sit beside us for several days. Usually Kitty made the first tentative overture.

Soft talk plus food and hiding places give cats confidence that we aren't out to harm them. They do crave love and friendliness, even if they don't have the courage to show it at first. Sitting on the floor murmuring, I often watched shining eyes, hidden in the closet *yearning* for the courage to come out and be loved. Time is on your side!

309

[Pied Piper]

7. My kitty story

I adopted 2 sisters from the same litter last summer. Their names are Miranda and Minerva; both are all-black females with somewhat longinsh hair. I live in a large studio in a high rise building. Their safe places are under the bed and under the couch. Their first night in their my apartment (which soon became their home, and I am their servant...), they hid under the bed for about 3 hours. When they finally ventured out into the open, and jumped up onto the couch, I picked up Minerva, and she peed all over me (I supposed that is a nervous reflex) - easily taken care of, except Miranda then proceed to pee on the couch (again, a nervous response, I suppose). Since I caught them in the act I was able to quickly clean and sort of sanitize the area (kitten piss is easy to clean up, if you catch it soon enough). Since then, there have been no "accidents."

They have each developed their own personalities, and it is so fun to watch. I helped to raise 3 other kitties with my former roommate, so i was able to avoid the mistakes I made the first time around (2 have since gone on to the rainbow bridge, and the 3rd lives with my former roommate in NC - by all accounts she is doing well at 12 years of age...).

As soon as I register with Photobucket and upload some pics, I will post them here. So nice to have so many kitty fans here at DU!