Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Rescue & Rehoming => Rescue & Rehoming General => Topic started by: HelenD on June 20, 2016, 18:01:25 PM
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DH and I are thinking about possibly rehoming a cat, after loosing our beloved Moo earlier this year.
I just wanted to ask for some advice on what to expect from going through the rehoming process? We have been looking at all our local rescue websites, but not many seem to go into detail on how things work. I'm especially curious abut the 'meeting' process? How long do you get to spend normally with a cat that you would like to meet?
Moo adopted me, so I've never done this before and have no idea what to expect!
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good luck with your search! I think it depends, I've always rehomed from rescue centres so you just wander about and they let you go in and meet whoever takes your fancy, for places who foster I suppose you probably get to spend a bit more time, I'm sure there are others who will come along with better advice. I know that they do sometimes still choose you! Amber (who we hadn't gone to see) jumped into oh's arms and the rest is history!
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Thanks Dawn :)
I'm just hoping we get to spend a while with the cat/s so we can get to know them. One of my friends said they got to spend quite a while, but another said they had about five minutes, which doesn't seem long enough to get to know what they are like!
Also just nervous in general about how it will feel looking at new cats, wether we will be ok or sad? If we find a cat, will we just know?
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I went via both blue cross and rspca, in both cases they were happy for us to spend as long as we wanted and in both cases we couldn't take the cats for a few weeks after choosing and both were pleased for us to visit and spend time with the cats
in both cases we were very keen to get another cat after loosing a previous one, I think you will have a feeling, and remember they won't be moo they will be completely different but likely just as lovely
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Good luck with your "toe in the water" research. :) :hug: :hug:
I think rescues can differ greatly, but if you're fortunate, a good rescue will let you spend as much time as possible with the prospective cat. Any who didn't or refused a reasonable request for a repeat visit, would be one I'd considering giving a wide berth.
With our rescues, we were able to spend as much time with the cats as we required (and got three little smashers as a result :Luv: )
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Try and get home checked before starting to look for your new companion. I found it incredibly difficult waiting to be home checked after we had found Fred. I just wanted to scoop him up and bring him home but had to wait for a home checker to become available and whilst it was "only" about 7 to 10 days, it felt like an eternity :hug: :hug: :hug:
They (RSPCA)put no limit on the time I could spend with him during the waiting process though and I visited daily and twice daily some days.
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Before they got to know me, I tended to go for 'oldies' that tend to get overlooked before Bob, Pippa and Pirate, the local rescues always did a home check. TBH I wouldn't think much of a rescue that didn't do one. Of course the downside of oldies, although they were all fantastic, rewarding cats, was that I didn't tend to have them for long. One 17 year old I only had for 6 months before he succumbed to kidney failure, but he was so affectionate and at least he died knowing a home again and was PTS in the arms of someone who loved him. Bittersweet.
Our local rescues let you repeat visit for quite a while during their open hours.
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Helen, I think you might well have a pang of sadness when you go to see the other cats :hug: Hopefully, that will be outweighed by excitement ;D
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Aw thanks guys xx
We will keep you updated on how we get on. I think we are aiming for a cat around 2-4yrs ideally. Having lost Moo so recently, although I would love to help an older cat, I don't think either of us could take it emotionally.
The fact we have both been looking at rehoming sites so much I think means we are ready to meet an new family member, but I do think there will be some sadness too.
DH is now also now looking into cat flap fitting! Moo wasn't much of an outdoor cat when she was younger and we just let he out in the day through the patio doors, and then she become an indoor cat when she got poorly.
But now thinking about a younger cat, we probably need to get a flap! Only problem is that we have sliding glass back doors, or we have to find a way of knocking through a wall into a garage, then out that door to the garden!
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I was always sad when at the rescues - it was seeing them all scared and unloved. This was at the RSPCA one - I wanted to take them all.
At a local rescue where I got Robbie from - it was a different environment as was run from her home and all the cats were freerange! Robbie (then a kitten) wouldn't come to me so I knew it was him I wanted - didn't want a cat that would be easy to approach. Lilly was adopted from the same place a couple of days later - didn't meet her but we needed a companion for Robbie as he was so shy and scared.
Sky I never met - I just saw her picture and knew somehow she was meant to be with me. Travelled over 2 hours to get her! Homechecking was nerveracking - only had it done for Sky!
good luck in your search :hug:
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Lynn, lovely to hear how you acquired your beautiful babies. :) :hug: :hug: It's always a process which fascinates me, how we bond with our chosen furkids. (Or not, if you adopt two semi feral velociraptors ;) :evillaugh:)
No, No, Helen - I jest about the velociraptors. :shify: I wouldn't be without them now, although I do wish we could pick them up so we could transport them more easily for vet checks and the like. I know what you mean about the doors for flap fitting. Apart from the sliding patio doors and our bedrooms and bathroom, every other door in the house has a cat flap fitted. If I move again in the future, it'll cost me a fortune in replacement doors! :evillaugh:
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Never had to do it myself, but I believe you can get cat flaps that will fit into double glazed patio doors. Try googling them? :hug: :hug: :hug:
Good on you for wanting to hear the thunder of tiny paws again :Luv:
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First quote from a glass company to fit a flap came in at £300!! Yowch! Hoping the others we have asked might be a tad less :shocked:
Also looking into option b - tunnelling through the kitchen wall into the garage, then out the standard UPVC back door!
We've also seen an adorable cat on an RSPCA site....but he's an hour away, and I'm working the next two weekends, so not sure if we could get over even if we wanted to......
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I wouldn't just go on looking at websites, I would just go & have a look at the cats. I recently totally fell in love with a huge stray called bullseye at our rescue. He looks a bit scary, but the biggest softest sweetheart you could ever meet!
Plus, we always ask (if taken from an owner) if they can use a cat flap. It took our adults a good 2 months to learn to use it. We didn't have one til we got new double glazing. The doors need to have a PVC strip halving them to strengthen the glass.
Pic of Bullseye :Luv:
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Hope you find the cat you want, very hard to tell how they are when in a rescue.
I agree with Rosella about thenhome check.
What area of the country are you in and how far will you travel?
I was not rushed but very stressed and had only lost my cat 3 days earlier but couldnt cope without a cat...........Misa and Sasa now coming up to 15 and 18 ! Been here 11 years. Even Lupin has been her 5 years and is coming up to 6...................where does the time go. ish I had got 2 of him LOL..................monster cat!
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Thanks Gill and Emmy :) We aren't going to see any until we are really ready I think, but I do worry about how different they behave in a rescue compared to how they really are. But I guess as long as we find a centre that will allow longer or repeat visits that will help :)
The 'through the wall' option is a no go it seems. Checked with our builders and because the kitchen wall joins the garage, it's over 300mm thick and I don't want a cat to literally have to tunnel into the house! So it's back to more patio door fitting research at the moment!
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I really think unless you are looking for a harder to home cat, any cat will be more friendly, feel more secure, but will be a lot more relaxed in a home environment. We always give 2 weeks (ish) and if the home isn't right we would find another.
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Couldn't agree more, Emma. :hug:
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Morning All :)
I have a quick question if that's ok for those in the know? We have contacted one of the local cat rescue centres (CP) to arrange a home visit check, but I was just wondering, would this be 'valid' if we ended up finding a cat at another centre, for example Blue X etc? Or would we have to get visits done by all of them, just in case?!
We had seen a cat we thought was utterly perfect, but sadly we missed him as someone else had already booked to see him :( We were really gutted, but it has definitely made our minds up that we really want another cat, we just need to keep searching..
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It's been a long time, but I ended up being home checked by CP, the local rescue and then the breed rescue as I was exploring all options, eventually I ended up with Hey Jude from the NFC Rescue.
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Most rescues like to undertake their own home checks, but it may still be worth mentioning when you have been home checked by one, as others may well accept that as a follow up, especially if a quick phone call would verify it..
Some rescues don't do any home checks. I appreciate they may come in for criticism in that respect, but rescues do what they can with the resources available.
So sorry you missed out on one furbabe already. There will be a cat out there just waiting for you. :hug: :hug:
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Our local CP say they don't always home check - they look on google streetview first and only visit if there are any concerns or uncertainties. I certainly think it's worth discussing and arranging where necessary so that you don't miss out again :hug:
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It may even be worth asking the rescue to home check in advance, that way there wouldn't be a delay before your furbabe comes home?
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It may even be worth asking the rescue to home check in advance, that way there wouldn't be a delay before your furbabe comes home?
That's what I meant, sorry I didn't make myself clear :-[
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Ah ok, well we will still get the CP visit done and then see how we get on. Hopefully it will be taken into account by the other rescues as and when :shy:
We've contacted CP already to arrange a visit, just waiting for them to contact us back, and also the RSPCA too as there are a couple of branches nearby (we are in Oxford/Bucks area) so seems sensible to get them done so we are ready!
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Counting down the days until you tell us you've bonded with a cat, and have a date to bring them home. :) :hug: :hug:
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oh Helen I'm in Bucks, I used to volunteer at the blue cross in lewknor, have you tried them?
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Thanks Sue, us too! :Luv:
Hi Dawn, yes they are on our list - my sister got her dog from there a few years ago! We hadn't seen any cats on their site who seemed a match for us, but we will get in contact just incase :)
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the site isn't always a good reflection of who they have in, my Oscar and Algie came from there, its a lovely place - I'm near great missenden
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That's true - rescues don't always have time to post all of their occupants online. The rescue we go to very often has far more cats and kittens available than there are advertised on their site, so definitely worth popping in. :hug:
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Ooh ok I didn't know that, well we will definitely contact them too then just in case!
Small world Dawn, I'm the other side of Aylesbury now, but I grew up around Missenden and went to the C of E school! :)
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Wow well I must be doing well, spoke to both Blue Cross Lewknor and RSPCA MK today and both said no home check was needed! BX said I just needed to take ID and photos of our house etc if we go to visit any cats, and RSPCA just said I sounded fine as we had had a cat before! Part of me is happy we are good to go with them, but the other is a tad perturbed by the lack of checks.....!
Either way, we are another step closer :)
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blue cross used to home check - my house was never so clean!! I think lots of people are only concerned about roads anyway so google earth places
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I got the impression it was workload related from both to be honest, both look like they are advertising for home checkers, so maybe they just can't get all of them done and if you sound like a relatively normal person (haha!) than they aren't so worried?
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Also, bit of an odd comment from RSPCA that I just remembered, she asked if it would be an issue if we took one of their cats to go to a vet in MK if it got poorly in the first few weeks, as they have their own vet there that they use? Is that standard? Just seemed a bit strange as it was almost implied that the cat might get poorly after coming home?
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That is a bit odd, maybe they just want to assess the condition of the cat if it gets ill to make sure it has been cared for correctly in the absence of a home check????????????????????
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No. I think the remark was fine. Virtually all rescues recognise things can and do crop up after rehoming, and good ones will factor this in. It's not something I'd fret over to be honest. And whilst in a perfect world, home checks would be done each and every time, we don't live in a perfect world. Cats still need homes, and the expression "gift horse" and all that? There are all too many "free to good home" cats irresponsible or spur of the moment homers can access, that those who approach rescues tend to be a tiny bit more trustworthy, if you get my drift. Not foolproof, no, but sure you can see my point. :hug:
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That makes sense.
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I think re the vet they probably just have an account with them and rather than offering insurance for you in the first few weeks to cover things they ask you to see the vet - by the by Sheila did deliver one of her cats to a work colleague of mine in aylesbury
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Well we went to look at a couple of cats last night :innocent: I'm not sure how I feel about it this morning though, which I wasn't expecting.
So so sad that there were soo many cats there looking for homes - makes me sooo angry at people who just don't care about their pets at all! They were so busy at the fosterers that they were having to put 3-4 cats together per pen, which meant it was pretty busy! :/
We went to see three cats, two we didn't seem to get 'the feeling' for when we met them, but one was very cute, plus his pen-mate who we hadn't seen before was also lovely - my husbands favourite. But I'm not sure what I'm feeling, they were both really lovely, but I'm not feeling as I thought I would in terms of an attachment?
Is it a case of you'll just find 'the one' and want it no matter what, or choose a cat that we do seem to bond with and let that develop?
Ugh I sound so silly don't i? I think I was expecting to feel more than I am and I'm not sure if it's my nerves and emotions about getting a new cat, or the cats themselves? I don't want to take a cat and then find we don't actually bond, that would be horrible for them and us, and one of the ones we are thinking about already got returned once :(
DH wants to go back and see them again which I think we should do, but I'm also still checking other sites as well, and we have an appt at another centre tomorrow lunchtime....?
Sorry, ugh, someone give me a slap LOL!?!
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go back and see, you might feel different you might not - go with an open mind, nobody here thinks you are silly though
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:evillaugh: :hug: :hug: No harm at all in keeping your options open, or in going back to view the cats again. I've had cats with whom I've felt an immediate and powerful bond, and I've had cats where that bond wasn't there initially, but grew to be very special indeed, so don't let that put you off. What counts with cats is how much work you're willing to put in once you've made your choice.
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very true Sue, I actually wasn't keen on star at all when I got her home :-[ the only reason she didn't go back was because the lovely girls caring for her said as I was leaving with her, we won't see those two back again and I felt I couldn't let them down. She clearly couldn't stand amber and was a horrible bully for a while and I just couldn't warm to her - fortunately things turned around and she is now a total babe who I adore
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Aw thanks guys :) Have called the fosterer to see if we can go back tomorrow afternoon, after we've been to our other appointment. Figure that will hopefully give us some perspective and we can go from there.
The cats are both lovely, I just don't think I spent much time with them individually, because there were so many in there it was somewhat distracting! Hopefully seeing them again (and how they react to us a second time) will tell us all we need to know x
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Well. That was unexpected - we now have a cat!?! :shocked:
On second visit to the first two cats, we couldn't leave one of them, and have brought him home! Can't believe it happened that fast. We are normally huge planners before making any decision and I'm not sure what happened....
His name is Buddy (we may change that) and he's a 1-2yr old tabby and white with v green eyes :)
Just letting him settle in to the living room at the moment, as that's the main room he will be in, although getting a bit stressed already - he's really kneading absolutely everything - carpets, furniture, us! Not sure why though, but I hope that stops as DH is not a happy bunny re carpets and sofas! We did get one of those cardboard scratch boards but he's not bothered at all and just kneads around it......! :/
Hopefully he's just setting in and will calm down after a while, he's very curious at the moment and getting in everything. Having had a very chilled relaxed cat before who didn't get into much trouble, I think this is going to take some getting use to......!
If anyone had any advice it would be much appreciated :shocked:
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Well Helen, what a surprise!! ;D
He sounds lovely. Try not to fret about the kneading. Cats have scent glands on their paws, and he's so delighted to be with you and exploring his new home, so he's scent marking his new gaff. I'd go out and get a number of those cheap cardboard scratching boxes that you've got him- hang some vertically and some on the floor, upstairs and down. You could sprinkle them with cat nip. Then show him they're his - mimic scratching them. If he goes to exercise his claws on the furnishings, just gentle disengage him, say "No" gently, and show him the scratch boxes instead. This should do the trick.
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I know - really not what I had planned for my Saturday night! :shocked:
Thanks for the tip, I did say to DH I think that's when he's doing, so I do hope it eases up!! He was also in a tiled floor pen at the fosterers so I suspect all this carpet is very tempting! We are going out first thing tomorrow to stock up on loads of scratching posts etc so hopefully they will draw his attention! We are keeping him downstairs at the moment, once we have the house rules sorted we will look at upstairs!
He's very chilled though considering - currently sprawled out full stretch in the middle of the living room floor! So much for the nice new igloo bed we just got......! I'll try and get a decent pic if I can :)
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I am so pleased for you Helen :hug: :wow:
I would just say catnip, catnip, catnip, unless he is one of those cats who aren't interested, in which case you could try valerian instead. I would recommend Zylkene as well, it has made all the difference to Merlin.
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Tried to post a pic from my ipad but it says it's too big :(
He does seem to like catnip - we did put some on the cardboard scratch thing but he didn't seem to get the idea. We also got a catnip stick toy thing which he's loving :)
We are going to get some Feliway tomorrow so hopefully that will help. He does seem to easing off the kneading a little, mainly it's when we are talking to him LOL! He just stands looking at us flexing his feet :) I've not used Zyklene before, what is that for?
He's eaten some biscuit and been drinking ok, and sleeping on and off in the middle of the room! Worrying about leaving him down here alone tonight though :/
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if he turns out to be a horizontal carpet scratcher, you will probably find a cheap coir doormat will satisfy him - and in the past I've had success with gluing carpet samples to a bit of wood
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Hi Kay, thanks for the idea of carpet on wood, might try that! He's funny though, he's not scratching in the typical sense, it's where he seems so happy that he's just constantly kneading wherever he is lol - even does it on the tiled kitchen floor! Think we will be popping to the vets for a claw trim at some point!
First night seemed to go fine thank god! Left him alone downstairs and didn't really hear a peep from him! There was one loud scrabbly crash sound, but I think he tried to get on the kitchen worktop and I had put foil all around them to discourage him and one of them is a bit scrunched up this morning. No toilet accidents that I can see, and his litter tray was used, so couldn't really have gone better. I got loads of fuss this morning coming down, but now he's flat out on the floor again. Never met such a chilled cat considering how long he's been here! :Luv2:
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Kneading and treadling are signs of pure joy in a cat. What could be nicer?! :Luv:
Zylkene is a capsule with magic powers. ;) It doesn't require a prescription and is safe to use. You open the capsule and mix the powder in with food or cat milk - you can just sprinkle on top of a treat. Most cats seem to love it happily enough, and it has a calming effect.
Sounds like you've had a great first night. Well done. :)
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Didn't mean to post twice - forgive I. Kindling again - always troublesome. :innocent: Ah- removed it.
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It sounds like a great start!
Cleo used to do the treadling - on my tummy, chest, legs, for about 15 minutes every morning. She would stamp round in circles, purring, we called it her 'happy dance'. As her claws often got quite long I learned to put a throw over my legs - so I have just the one skirt with a pattern of pulls ;D
No-one has done a happy dance on me for a few weeks now :'(
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Ah ok Sue. I'll bear it in mind, he seems pretty calm but if things change I will look into it!
Aw Lynn bless you x We just need to trim his claws and then all will be well. Not sure if it's something I should try soon, or wait, or pop to the vets for though. The scratching is not going well with DH, so sooner would be better but I don't want to upset Bud up to soon..
He's done ok today, slept a lot this afternoon, and eaten all his food! Seems to have second wind this evening though and has got a little hyperactive! Getting on things he shouldn't a bit more tonight, which is not ideal right before bedtime! :( Had a good play with him so really hoping he will zonk out for tonight and be a good boy...
He also hasn't pooped again yet since the iffy one yesterday :sick: Am sure he's a bit out of sync with the move etc, but I sort of want to be around for the next one incase there are any accidents! Hoping he will go soonish so I can go to bed, so tired but I know I won't sleep well again as I'll be on alert listening lol!
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Hi All!
Just a little update on our new arrival - I can't believe it's only been 5 days since we got him! :Luv2:
He's doing so so well, totally relaxed and on the whole a really good boy! Eating and toileting are all totally fine thank goodness, after night ones incident he's been normal and regular, and he's a very neat boy and always covers things nicely in the litter tray!
The kneading has reduced a little, but he's still prickly pawed! We are off to the the vets on Monday for his second booster jab, so I will get his claws trimmed while we are there! I just hope he doesn't freak out for that car journey - I have to take him half an hour away to the RSPCAs vets on my own as DH has to work. I've got some Feliway ready, so I just hope that helps! :-:
He loves a good play, which we tend to do a few times a day, mainly when he starts looking like he wants to go adventuring into places we dont really want him going! A 5-10min mad play session with wand toys and his kickeroo knackers him out for a while and he forgets what he was about to do - so far......!
I wish I could work out how to post photos, he does make us laugh with the way he lies asleep at full 'commando' stretch! I did also get a proper cuddle last night, he hopped onto my lap for a knead, then lay down facing me with his front legs outstretched up to my neck - adorable!
Only thing we need to work on now is stopping him wanting to jump on the kitchen work tops. Currently they are kept shrouded in tin foil that's trapped in all the cupboard doors so they stick up a bit, and that does seem to be working, I just hope it carries on and we can eventually remove the foil and not have to worry!
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aww what a lovely update!!
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Photo attempt...!?
Ooh yay it works!
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He is absolutely gorgeous, I love the one of him sprawled on the window ledge :Luv:
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Oh Buddy!!! You hansum little beast you! :wow: :wow:
He's gorgeous Helen. Reminds me a little of our Tinks when we had him. he's clearly settling in really well.
With regard to the kitchen worktops, any chance you could give him a perching post nearby, so he can be part of what goes on in the kitchen, without actually being on the worktops?
The gurlies did initially show an interest in getting on the benches, but we just kept on lifting them down and saying "No" firmly. Moray still sometimes gets up on the bench when he is being particularly loving and trying to sneak some extra chikkun cos he's Da Boss Cat. I find bleach invaluable. :innocent: (I also seem to find it on my jeans, my sweaters, my trainers :evillaugh: I take after me mother - she would use bleach everywhere and always managed to get it on her clothing too)
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lovely pics :Luv:
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LOL, that white tummy is just too tickleable! :) I just can't get over how much he is showing us his tummy though, considering that's a vulnerable pose! He's totally not phased though, which is lovely :)
I love the window pic too, complete chillax'd cat :Luv:
Not sure we have space for a pole in the kitchen unfortunately Sue :/ I'm hoping the foil and repeated firm 'no' if he does get up will work eventually. I will see how he is with bleach smell though, I do my sinks with that once a week normally (with normal cleaning & sanitiser spray in between of course!) but I haven't actually done that yet since he has been here, so might try it today and see if he reacts. Be great if that puts him off, simple fix!
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You can see by his poses that he's so totally at home with you. What an enormous compliment. :Luv: :Luv:
Believe me, that tummy pose isn't lightly given. :) I've only recently begun to get those from Malt, and by gum I treasure them. :Luv2:
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It's amazing how well he's settled in he's so relaxed.
I've found that bleach actually attracts cats. So usually use eco friendly cleaners or vinegar to clean areas where they might put their feet.
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I think mine are so afraid of being domestos-sed they steer clear. :rofl:
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Thank you for this lovely update - and photos! It's great to hear how well this hansum lad is settling in ;D
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yes tilly loves bleach as well I found her rolling and hugging a cloth I had been using once - I know have to keep doors shut while I'm cleaning!
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Bleach contains something that attracts cats!
He is gorgeous and nothing nicer than a paddling cat :Luv2: :Luv2:
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Well, no reaction at all to my cleaning the sink with bleach, so I suppose better than him loving the smell LOL! He's not paying too much attention to the kitchen in general at the moment though, we aren't giving him much interaction while we are in there to hopefully teach him it's a dull place to go!
He has taken to sleeping on one of the dining room chairs yesterday, so I think we need to sort a new bed out ASAP before that becomes a habit. Such a tricky one though, no idea what he will actually like, igloo bed is a total non interest but I would like to get something that he adopts as a regular bed rather than the dining room, or all over the floor lol! It ends to be long though, I measured and he's 2.5ft at full stretch!!
Still being a good boy though, his new treat dispensing ball arrived yesterday, and he's just figured out how it works and is now happily batting it about the floor like a mad thing! :Crazy:
So glad he likes it, as I got it for when we start leaving him for longer periods of time, to keep him occupied and reward him at the same time while we are out. Have dinner with friends arranged for tomorrow, and am I little nervous, but I'm sure he will be ok :)
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willow is the only cat we've ever had that slept in a cat bed! not all night but for the first part then she comes to us. tilly favours a dining chair herself and star the sofa and when they are upstairs a human bed each!
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Moray's partial to the dining chairs too. We just put a fleece blanket over the cushion for him. Then again, we don't use our dining table that much, so shifting him is never much of an issue.
I think Buddy will be fine when you go out tomorrow. he'll find various ways to amuse himself, then when he's finished, he'll curl up and sleep. May be a good idea to have a strenuous play session with him before you get ready.
When it comes to getting him a bed, use where he prefers sleeping now as a clue - the fact he's looking to access worktops and dining chairs suggests he may prefer something raised up off the floor. If he sleeps in places where you and your OH hang out, then he probably wants company, so don't tuck a bed away somewhere no-one goes - that might not be what he's looking for. A platform bed on top of a climbing tree might be a good idea. Do you have an old comfy chair or sofa that could become "his" special place?
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good point sue, yes willow has her cat bed on a coffer, she wouldn't sleep on anything on the floor!
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single duvets make very cheap beds, and of course have covers to protect them
I put one folded in 4 on the floor by the fire for Tiffany every night, and move it to my bed, folded in half, during the day, and she uses it all the time in both places
and if it turns cold she creeps inside the folds
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LOL this is what I suspected re beds, we are trying to encourage him to sleep on a blanket on the sofa at the moment, which seems to sort of be working! Like the idea of the folded duvet though Kay, might give that a go for the corner of the room, as a slightly more secluded safe place.
Leaving him last night was fine in the end, he was a little aloof when we got home, but soon forgave us! We had a play before we left and pooped him out, and the treat ball was deployed with cut up bits of webbox stick in it to keep him occupied, and he loooooved that! :naughty:
DH also bought a motion camera yesterday for the kitchen, and we did detect a worktop jump while we were out :tired: We had altered the foil arrangement though (it was flat, rather than sticking up like it had been) so we stood it all up again overnight and no more jumping! Think we need to construct something a little more re-useable though if we are going to have to do this regularly....! If it works maybe we'll patent it LOL! ;D
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I like the single duvet idea too - I think a cot bumper covered in a blanket would work too if he wont choose a conventional bed (Moray doesnt like conventional beds particularly - he loves his shower mat, and his dog bed. :evillaugh:)
Nice idea to give him a choice of beds - some in a quiet secluded space for when he wants "alone" time, and some where he can hang out with his family and enjoy your company -
cats do that, even when they aren't up for cuddling. :)
I suspect he was a bit aloof last night as he'll have been worrying privately to himself whether you were coming back. Cats do that, too.
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LOL I haven't heard of a shower mat bed before! They are funny creatures! Funnily enough though we were looking at dog beds too, they seem larger and flatter and less furry, which I think is what he would prefer at the moment. I do think he needs a couple of different spots to sleep, he moves around a lot at the moment so I think he will be happier with a choice depending on his mood! :)
Re aloofness, it was totally what I was expecting to be honest, Schmoo always gave us the cold shoulder when we had been away too long! I'm just glad we got that, and didn't come home to a wound up/stressed out angry cat!
I do have a random question though - a tad personal for him lol! The RSPCA obviously said he's been neutered, but, well, there are still, um, 'boy parts' showing? :-: Not had a boy cat before, is this normal?
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Hmmm. Boy parts. We never had any "left over" boy parts on any of lads, but that said they were all neutered as kittens under 6 months old. Might be worth having a word with the RSPCA just for a quick double check. ;)
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although the sack contents have gone, the collapsed sacks are still there, and if he was done as an adult they will be noticeable
if you're feeling brave you can have a quick feel to see if there is still anything in them
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if you're feeling brave you can have a quick feel to see if there is still anything in them
:rofl: :rofl: A braver wummin that I am Gungadin...... ;)
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Hahaha :rofl: Um, I'm not feeling that brave just yet!!!
Hmmm....they don't look very, erm, deflated?! I'm taking him the to vets tomorrow though, so I'll maybe asked them to double check? :shocked:
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Yep, let the vet chance his arm (hand?) if he's getting a check up tomorrow anyway. ;) :evillaugh:
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Yep, let the vet chance his arm (hand?) if he's getting a check up tomorrow anyway. ;) :evillaugh:
:rofl: :rofl: It takes a while for boy bits to shrink if they're neutered when fully developed so if he's only recently been done then I wouldn't worry but no harm in checking since he's going to the vets anyway.
Re: the beds, you mentioned that he's a long cat so he might like one of the round beds with a cutout. Biggles isn't a big cat but he is loooong and he loves this pink spotty bed that I bought for Bunty because he can stretch out as well as curling up. Of course it's not the only place he likes to sprawl. :evillaugh:
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Lovely photos of Biggles!
So glad that Buddy was OK when you got back.
Alfie likes a covered bed. Sometimes he uses his travel basket, which is always open behind the sofa, especially if we have visitors. He also adopted his cube to sleep in, I put a soft pad in the bottom of it for him. That actually lives in our wardrobe now (with the wardrobe door open)! Other than that, he sleeps where he likes - he's currently stretched out at the bottom of our bed, I'm at the top end of it ;D
I haven't bought Sky a proper bed yet, want to see what she seems to like first.
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Aw love the pic of him flopped out the front of the bed lol!
Just a quickie, am off to the vets in half an hour - for a half hour drive there - yikes! Getting nervous about how Bud is going to react, and not sure where to put him in the car. Schmoo used to go on the back seat in her carrier, but I'm wondering if he will be calmer on the passenger seat so he's closer to me, or if the back seat is better so he's less distracted? Totally overthinking it I know!
Got a couple of towels, the Feliway and his box all ready, so just hoping he stays calm. Last time I transported a cat that far on my own was when we moved to this house and Moomin freaked and started really panting and getting very upset, so I can't help remembering that :/
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Loving Biggles piccie. :Luv2:
Initially I'd try Buddy in the back seat, as seeing you change gear may be a visual stimulant and could upset him. If he's okay in the back, then next time or on the way back, you could put him in the front.
Half an hour to your vet has my absolute sympathy. We have a 5 minute run to ours, and it still feels like an eternity. x
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We are back. And all still in one piece! :wow:
He was *not* happy about getting in his box again - veeeery wriggly, with legs everywhere!! Managed to get him in with some bits of webbox stick in the end, tummy won out lol! I did end up with him on the back seat, as I had the same thought as I was taking him out to the car, and he was actually pretty good bless him. There was quite a bit of shouting at first, but I think the Feliway must have kicked in after a little while and he ended up lying down with his front laws out the front bars of the box :Luv2:
The vets was very abrupt/brief, makes me glad we don't have to go back there again, and appreciate our vets even more LOL! He was a good boy in there though, the hardest part was stopping him trying to go adventuring all over the vets room! Got a very sarcastic 'they do grow back you know' to my request for his claws to be trimmed (err yes I do know that!?!) but he did do them, so no more prickle paws for a while - yay!
Feel like I need a large Pimms now though, too hot and stressful for a Monday afternoon LOL!
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for a moment there I thought the 'they do grow back you know' comment was about his man bits :shify:
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for a moment there I thought the 'they do grow back you know' comment was about his man bits :shify:
So did I. :rofl:
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:rofl: :rofl: Hahahaha!!
I did ask about that, he said they will have been removed, and the 'leftover bit' will shrink eventually! Apparently he may have been rather well endowed, hence why it's so visible still :shocked:
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glad it went well and the bits you didn't want were gone!
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for a moment there I thought the 'they do grow back you know' comment was about his man bits :shify:
So did I. :rofl:
And me. :rofl:
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Merlin still has large pockets even though they have been 'picked'. if you didn't know you'd think he was an entire Tom.
Glad the car wasn't too traumatic for either of you :hug:
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We'll at the end of week two, Buddy is well settled in! Definitely got more confident/cheeky this week, with a little more boundary pushing and adventures! But he is such a good boy in general! :Luv2:
I think he thinks he's a dog though, as he does actually seem to respond to some commands!? So far he's got the hang of sit, down, window (to hop up onto the living room window ledge!) and release! That one happened as a bit of an accident, we were playing with his Da Mouse, which he loooooves, and he started to grab the mouse in his mouth, and walk off with it, taking me with him LOL! I was trying to get him to let go, said release and he dropped it immediately! Tried a few more times when he did it again, and it pretty much works 95% of the time LOL! Fab news for when he does head outside hopefully, although a live mouse may be more difficult to let go! :shify:
The treading and kneading has decreased over this week, but he still does it to us everyday, and especially when we come back from being out, but it's nowhere near as constant as it was the first week so he must have fully scent marked the house by now LOL! And he's regularly using the cat scratcher too, so our carpets and furniture are breathing a sigh of relief :)
We've ordered a new bed, which hopefully he will take to, and we are also getting a hidey cat house pole thing, for him to play on, as he does seem to like being off the ground, so hopefully this will give him lots of stimulation and a nice perch to rest on!
DH has ordered some of that sticky paws tape for us to try on the work tops, as he is still getting up there, although not loads admittedly. Hopefully the tape will put him off!
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Aw, Buddy's making fantastic progress Helen. The reading and kneading is his way of showing affection as well as scent marking you both. I'd take it as the compliment it is and make sure you're wearing old clothes. I have a fetching (not) onesie which I keep for Barley Gurlie's treadling sessoins, and OH has a "snuggy blankie" which he uses for Malt's treadling sessions. :Luv:
What a lovely boy you've adopted. Aren't you both very fortunate? ;D
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LOL! I might resort to a onsie come winter! :D
He is doing so well so quick, it's been really lovely! We are very very lucky, he's definitely a good'un bless him! :Luv2:
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Your little lad is doing sooo well, credit to all of you ;D
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Well, we are rapidly approaching the next little hurdle with our lovely Buddy - letting him venture into the great outdoors! :shocked:
He's still being a absolute cutie, and is totally king of the castle! He's been with us four weeks now, and I can't believe how quick that's gone, seems like he's been part of the family forever! :Luv2:
He has now met nearly all of our family, who adore him too LOL! The latest was our 14month old niece, who he was a little wary of (lots of noise for a tiny human!) at first but he wasn't too phased and ended up sat on the back of an armchair while she was on DHs lap playing.
We have got all his Petlog and insurance details all sorted - and now it's time to let him venture outside......! I'm terrified LOL! We are planning to have the first go before his breakfast on Saturday, so we are both around (for moral support :shocked:) and so we can hopefully tempt him back in after a little exploring with his food.
Any advice or tips would be hugely appreciated though! Everyone we've mentioned it to has said about buttering his paws, but I've always assumed that's a bit of a wives tale??
Also need to coordinate with our neighbours - they have dogs, so I'm hoping we can ask them to let them out on leads when we let a Buddy out, so that he learns they are there and not to go over that way, but so he's in no real danger!?
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My neighbours have two spaniels that will chase the cats if they are out in the garden and can see them. The cats just usually avoid that side although they do come over occasionally. It's a good place to release the (few) live mice I rescue.
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Buddy sounds amazing!
Nearly everyone in our street has cats or dogs - I never thought about asking those next door to put their dogs on a lead. It is such a worry, but you just have to do it!
I'm sure Buddy wont venture far at first, and will gradually expand and find out where his own safe territory is. Our 3 regularly sit somewhere they know they are safe, but know the dogs can see them just to annoy them! :rofl: :evillaugh: :rofl:
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Buttering their paws doesn't do any harm, but it doesn't make them stay close to home particularly, either. That boils down to what they have there, and how adventurous they are.
I'd begin letting him out when you're able to be with him for a decent period. Start when he hasn't been fed, so he has a vested interest in staying close to home. Leave the access door open, so he can retreat when he feels the need.
At first, Moray and the Gurlies would venture out a little way, then a sudden noise would drive them back to the door, but with Mac, Ross and Tinks, they were explorer kitties, who were off at the first opportunity, checking out the neighbours and following interesting trails. :innocent:
I would take some treats and toys out with you to engage his interest and to give him an opportunity to have fun in "his" space before going further afield.
Our neighbor has two dogs, but thankfully, both are very good around the cats. We did however have a neighbor who had a visitor with a large border collie that loathed cats and would hunt any cat it got a glimpse of, intent on maximum damage. Most cats will be quick at assessing potential danger (save for roads - some do and some don't) but as with Emma's experience, our cats Paddy and Flynn used to wind up our neighbour's two Pulis by sitting on the backyard wall and "baiting" them :-[
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Sounds like we are on the right track then, we will let him out before breakfast on Saturday, and will both be going out with him - I'll remember to take a few treats as well to keep him within bounds (hopefully!). I can't tell if he's going to stay close or leg it at the moment, he looooves looking out and he's definitely nosy, but he does hide at sudden strange loud noises, so it's hard to tell!
We also have a silver birch tree in our garden which he looks at longingly, as the birds perch in it. Sadly it's on the boundary with the neighbour with the bigger dog - I can already imagine him getting up there and either getting stuck, or just teasing the dog :shocked:
I do feel a bit daft asking them to do the leads, and they don't have to but I'm being a big worrywart LOL and trying to minimise possible problems! Plus we are at least making them aware that he will be going out now, and can show them his pic etc so they know who's he is.
We weren't planning on a collar either, he's not worn one and I've heard so many stories about them causing injury? He's chipped so hopefully that's ok?
I'm sure he will be fine, he's lightning fast so I'm sure he can get out of trouble, but if he gets spooked I just pray he will know to get back to us and not panic and run off!
Also worrying about hunting - I know it's part of normal cat behaviour, but our last cat never did anything, so I've never had to deal with that before :sick: At the back of our garden is a big Hawthorne hedge so it's full of birds and probably small furries - I hope they learn to steer clear when his Highness goes on the prowl, he's been watching intently from the windows....... :shify:
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We have bird feeders in the garden. For the most part, the birds and the cats manage okay together. When they have had birds - or mice - they're often from further afield to the rear of us. Good hunting grounds alas, as lots of rough ground and attractive trees, shrubs and undergrowth.
I always prefer our cats to wear collars even though they're all microchipped, but I'm afraid Moray is the only one who is a good lad and will tolerate a collar, so I've given up with the others. Am not altogether happy about it, but hey-ho. In the scheme of things......
It's natural for us to worry abut our cats when they're indoor/outdoor, and I know it's not easy to do otherwise. :hug: :hug:
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Cats do a lot of there hunting at night so it's worth getting him used to coming in and then closing the cat flap in the evenings. My parents do this with their cats and seems to work well. They would like to go out at night but have gotten used to the rules as haven't known anything else since they adopted them.
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That's a good point actually Mymbles, we were already planning to keep him in at night anyway, so fingers crossed that will mean fewer "presents"!!
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Well today's the day, we are letting his Highness out this morning - wish us luck!! :shocked: :scared: :shify:
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Phew, well that's done! He was out for about 20mins in the end. Had a good sniff around the garden, ate some grass and even ventured out the front of the house a tiny bit too. Looked up at the hedge and the tree, but thank god he didn't try to climb up (I'm sure that's to come though!!) :scared:
He kind of ignored us for the most part, but did come over to me a couple of times, although treats suddenly weren't so interesting!
He came back inside on his own after DH rattled his breakfast bowl though, which was a good sign!
Only problem now is that's he's meowing away at the back door loads - he's not made this much noise since we got him! :shocked: Now terrified that when we let him out again later has not going to come back LOL! Ugh so scary, felt nauseous the whole time, and still do a little! Wish I could fast forward to a point where he's all chilled and settled into going outside and I don't have to worry every time!
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That was a good start though Helen.
It'll come. :hug: :hug: :hug:
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It was a good start, and you can build on that gradually. I so know how you feel though - I think we all do, when our cats go outdoors. :hug: :hug:
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LOL :thanks: The things we go through for our furry family members! :shy:
He's chilled out again now thank goodness, not hassling at the back door, and fast asleep on the armchair at the moment :)
Letting him out again around 5.30pm, before his dinner around 6pm.....! Fingers crossed for another good foray into the great outdoors, and a return to the house for his dinner!
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Well this morning was interesting - DH was up a ladder at 8am helping Buddy down from our tree!! :shocked:
He adventured over the fence to next door yesterday afternoon but their dog was out for his walk so Bud had a safe nose around and then came back to us - luckily! However of course this morning he thought it would be a good idea to do it again! Then next door let their dog out LOL! One bark and a scrabble later, and he was up our silver birch, which is right next to the adjoining fence! DH did his best fireman impression and climbed the ladder to fish him out bless him!
Buddy was ok after his little ordeal, although a tad scared and big eyed, but he is now still meowing to go outside so it can't have been too traumatic! I just hope that was enough to stop him going over there again! (Ha ha)
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Well all is going ok still with His Knibbs going out, he's avoided the garden with the big dog since the tree incident at the weekend, so all good there!
He's been pretty good at coming back home, although we did have a scare this morning as he disappeared off in the other direction for about 40 mins, during which we heard a distant cat fight! :shocked: Luckily he appeared about 20 (very nerve wracking) Mins later, as cool as a cucumber and seemingly fine!
I'm wondering if I should go knock on more neighbours doors though, and just let the nearby ones with gardens he's likely to go in know who he is? We aren't especially chatty with the houses more than two doors down, and DH thinks I'm being daft and worrying too much and don't need to, as no one else ever does that. But I'm thinking if they know where he's from, they might be a bit kinder if they spot him, and also if there are any incidents they know where to come?
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Sounds like things are going really well Helen. I do understand how worrying it is, and my own view is that we let all our neighbours know about our cats - even the ones who don't care for cats very much, as they can be very helpful in letting us know whether or not they've been round and about. I would tell them and introduce yourselves.
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I kept feeding someone else's cat along with two regular strays because I didn't realise he had a home, so I think it's an excellent idea to let your neighbours know there's a new kid on the block
in fact, a little leaflet with his photo on and your contact details would be really good, in case he ever gets lost in someone's garden - and you might find some cat-loving friends that way, who you could swap feeding duties with to cover holidays
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Really sensible idea Kay.
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Thanks ladies :) x Nice to know I'm not being totally weird in thinking its worth doing! We have already told our immediate neighbours, as they have the dogs LOL, but now he's venturing a bit further I thought it would be worth doing, for exactly those reasons.
Can't wait until all this settling in part is done, I'm a worrywart at the best of times, so this is driving me nuts LOL :Crazy:
Hoping he will be ok over the next couple of weeks - timing is a bit pants but we have someone coming in to redo our garden next week (been in the diary for ages as he's hard to get hold of) so I hope Buddy doesn't freak when things get dug up and moved about a bit :/ Also have a big family BBQ planned for my birthday on the BH weekend, and hoping he won't get freaked by too many people being over, even though he has met them all now. Am sure he will be fine, and if not he can now go upstairs so he can hide up there is needed I guess!
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You're not a Worrywort. You're a good Cat Mum. :hug: :hug:
Ours generally take off if we're having any work done or if we have visitors. They go out, or seek out a hiding space until all is quiet again.
If you hang out in the garden occasionally whilst the works are underway, he'll see that you're not concerned, and hopefully it will help to calm his nerves, if he has any.
Which leads me to another thing.... :shify: :shify: I would ask your workmen to keep their van doors shut whilst not getting stuff in or out of the van, and ask if they'd mind checking the interior of the vehicle before leaving each day, just in case. I'm dreadful like that. So's my OH, but better safe than sorry. :hug:
Who said having cats was "easy?"
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Aw thanks :hug: I went to a few of the neighbours today (those that were in) and they were all fine, so feel a bit better about him wandering now they know where he's from :)
I'm hoping if we stick to our current routine during the garden work, and we will let him out early morning/afternoon when the workers aren't here, then get him in during the day. But a very good point about checking vans just in case, duely noted!
I just hope if he does need to hide, it's going to be upstairs and not outside anywhere!!
I suppose worrying = caring, so I'd rather worry than not from that perspective! ;)
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Caring and worrying are part of the same spectrum. You aren't weird at all Helen, and some very good advice offered.
I hope your Birthday do goes well, and as long as he has somewhere quiet to escape to I am sure he will be fine. :hug: :hug: :hug:
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I've got 2 nervous cats that don't go outside. If we are having work done on the house etc I move them to the bedroom with food and cat litter trays. Saves the stress of them running for their lives on laminate floor and doing the Scooby-do run. If he's not too nervous of new people he will be fine.
One of the joys of cat ownership is worrying.