Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK

Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: Mitramonday on January 19, 2009, 19:23:49 PM

Title: Help please!
Post by: Mitramonday on January 19, 2009, 19:23:49 PM: I have already put this in a post in the 'newbie' section (subject: Another Purr's 'virgin'?!) so you can read the recent history if you want more detail, but now feel it should be under the Health & Behaviour section. Yesterday I brought home my new life companion who is, at the moment nameless (other than 'xyz'!) and my worry initially was that I just wanted him to feel settled asap. I have, apparently, done 'all the right things' but it is now 32 hours since he last ate (his last feed at the shelter) AND, more worrying perhaps, 32+++ hours since he has used his litter tray? I am getting more concerned about his lack of peeing and pooing than anything - although he was pretty extrovert at the shelter, this is his first 'home' (he is 'ex'-feral) so he is obviously
sh-one-tting himself emotionally, if not physically!
Title: Re: Help please!
Post by: tillywilly on January 19, 2009, 19:54:44 PM: I feel for you

I got a rehomed cat a while ago, she would not come out from the sofa, she was there for about a week.
she came out to eat and use her litter but this took a while, I was out of mind, thinking what had I done, and then she came out and sat with us, I was so happy.
be patient, especially if the cats never had company or been in house, they will take things at their pace.
Hang on in there.........
Title: Re: Help please!
Post by: Millys Mum on January 19, 2009, 20:20:35 PM: Is he in one room or can he move about? You may find he has peed on the floor, is he used to using a tray?
Does he have food down overnight?

It must be so scary for him :( he will settle down eventually, well done to you for giving him a chance ;D
Title: Re: Help please!
Post by: CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls on January 19, 2009, 20:48:49 PM: Hi I just took on a very scared stray, he was very timid although he would let me stroke him. He came here on the 29th Dec and he didn't eat for a few days, which did worry me. But I have put his food out and left him to it, he's now eating 2 meals a day. So I guess your little one just needs time to settle in. Always leave food and water there for him and he will come round in his own time, a cat is not going to starve itself.

You will have to have patience as its a slow process :)
Title: Re: Help please!
Post by: Mitramonday on January 19, 2009, 20:53:05 PM: Thanks Milly's Mum and ccmacey - He is shut in the kitchen at the mo (as per most advice that I've read?) - lino floor, and no signs of any pee/poo. I know it's not good for them in the long run, but he has just lapped up a (tiny) bit of milk.....
Title: Re: Help please!
Post by: Wibblechick on January 19, 2009, 21:45:58 PM: Seems as if you are doing all the right things! :) Ive befriended a number of cats who were holed up in bolt holes (I used to foster) by lying on the floor and offering food from the palm of my hand. Messy, byt satisfying when a little face appeared and a little tongue came out for a lick .....

Tabitha Twitchit who I took on full time (she had been a stray) spent a week behind my sofa, only coming out for a hand-feed, until she decided I was Ok. I dont think she pooed once in all that time but she did pee in a tray which I hd let at one end of the sofa. I never saw her drink, either, but the water bowl level had always gone down overnight - more than just evaporation.

When she finally pooed I felt like opening a bottle of Champagne!

I cant see a tiny bit of milk hurting too much - if it makes you and him feel better

I used to leave the radio on - just a murmur - and dim light (actually a plug in night-light)

It all worked out OK in the end - it is a slow business, but so worth it :)
Title: Re: Help please!
Post by: Mitramonday on January 20, 2009, 12:29:47 PM: He's Pooed - x2! :party: :Party 3: (no sign of a pee yet). He's also eaten the little bit of salmon I left for him - plus a little bit of the dry food - and is now in the comfy (and dark) cardboard box :clap: ! So, BIG progress! Now that the concern about his bowel movements (or lack of them) has been resolved, it's 'just' a matter of slowly gaining his trust.

As for a name.....well, at the moment it's between Paris(akkati - which is Pali for 'to try' or 'endeavour'; as a Buddhist, this has some meaning for me) or Percy(vere - which is what I'm having to do at the moment!). I've uploaded the only pic of him that I've been able to get so far ......

(http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo327/Mitramonday/1stpicxyzweb.jpg)

what do you think? VOTE HERE!
Title: Re: Help please!
Post by: Wibblechick on January 20, 2009, 12:35:52 PM: Hooray!! That is good news :) Id choose "Percy" as I had a Perseus who everyone thought was called Percy-Puss! He looks like a dear little cat - doesnt he have a sweet little face?
Title: Re: Help please!
Post by: Stuart on January 20, 2009, 12:36:47 PM: Brilliant news :wow:

and isn't He a stunner :Luv: :Luv: :Luv:
Title: Re: Help please!
Post by: Janeyk on January 20, 2009, 12:49:57 PM: I just love that kitty's face, his markings are sooooo cute :Luv2:
Title: Re: Help please!
Post by: Gail Bengal Slave on January 20, 2009, 13:43:14 PM: He has a very scrummy kissable face :Luv: :Luv:
Title: Re: Help please!
Post by: Bonkers Mad!!! on January 20, 2009, 13:54:44 PM: i love his little 'tache, so so cute :Luv2:
Title: Re: Help please!
Post by: Mitramonday on January 20, 2009, 20:23:52 PM: :thanks: to you all for your lovely comments about.....................(No icon for a drum roll??!)....PERCY! Having spent another 12 hours with him (on and off) he is most definitely a Percy - he's got the tache, just needs a flat cap and a :beer: !

Now for the next update (another non-existent drum roll)..........he has just :lick: some flakes of salmon off my hand! I was so sure that I'd imagined it, or that it was a fluke, I had to do it again!! Mind you, he wouldn't poke his head out of his box, I had to put my hand inside ....... hmmmm treating me like his slave already! :bow: :ha ha : :cat laugh:

(Oh, and P.S. - when I cleared the poo out of his litter tray, what did I find lurking underneath ..... yes, you got it - some pee!!:stupid: So all's going well so far!)
Title: Re: Help please!
Post by: blackcat on January 20, 2009, 20:34:43 PM: Yay!! Good ole Percy puss - what a great effort and good to see he is starting to function normally :Luv: - see, I told you not to stress ;)
Title: Re: Help please!
Post by: Wibblechick on January 20, 2009, 20:38:48 PM: Quote from: Mitramonday on January 20, 2009, 20:23:52 PM
:thanks: to you all for your lovely comments about.....................(No icon for a drum roll??!)....PERCY! Having spent another 12 hours with him (on and off) he is most definitely a Percy - he's got the tache, just needs a flat cap and a :beer: !

Oh, I think we can manage that!!!! :naughty: :rofl:
Title: Re: Help please!
Post by: Bonkers Mad!!! on January 20, 2009, 21:02:19 PM: :rofl: that really suits him
Title: Re: Help please!
Post by: fluffybunny on January 20, 2009, 21:09:11 PM: Oh bless he's a poppet :Luv2:

You could try buying a feliway plugin, that might help him to relax and feel more at home. It certainly made a big difference with my two when I brought them home from the rescue last year :wow:
Title: Re: Help please!
Post by: Mitramonday on January 20, 2009, 21:31:30 PM: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Wibblechick.....YOU ARE AMAZING!!! How the :censored: (heck) did you do that - and so quick too??! :larf: :bow:

:thanks: to all of you for your encouragement over the last 48 hours.....this is a brill site and I will be 'PIPO' (popping into purrs often!) .... xxxxxx :hug:
Title: Re: Help please!
Post by: Millys Mum on January 20, 2009, 22:12:00 PM: He looks like a Percy to me :Luv: Im glad hes been to the loo ;D

In regards to food be careful he isnt training you ;) try weighing his dry food and you may find he is eating more than you think. Have you the same food in that he ate at the rescue?
Title: Re: Help please!
Post by: Mitramonday on January 20, 2009, 22:59:00 PM: No, the rescue 'mixed and matched' their food according to what donations they had in?! But I am only putting very little down, nowhere near a 'full' meal......I'm going to mix some wet food with the remains of the salmon tonight, so that he doesn't get used to having salmon all the time!!

Thanks, Fluffybunny for your suggestion - I have got a Feliway already plugged in .......but never sure how many 'square feet/metres' my kitchen measures so whether one diffuser is enough?! I'm pretty dumb at that sort of thing......not that I've got a palatial kitchen, but it's bigger than some!
Title: Re: Help please!
Post by: CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls on January 20, 2009, 23:41:57 PM: Aww what a cutie :Luv2:

Wibblechick you always make me laugh lol
Title: Re: Help please!
Post by: Millys Mum on January 21, 2009, 18:53:49 PM: Thats not ery useful then as you have no idea what his preference is :tired: what are you currently offering?
One feliway plug in would be enough ;D