Calling on all doper cat owners (or those owned by cats, as the case may be).
Monday I stayed home from work so that my wife and I could take our 20 year old calico cat to the vet to be euthanised. She had stopped eating and drinking, and we couldn’t bear to watch the decline any longer. Our other cat had to be put down about a year and a half ago, so when we got home we were catless for the first time in 20 years.
Wednesday we went to a cat rescue shelter, and came home with two 10 month old orange tabbies, one male and one female. We introduced them to the (new) litter box, food, water, etc., and… they disappeared.
Now, there is some evidence that we do still have cats in the house. The dry food and water levels are declining, there was at least one deposit in the litter box, and last night a number of things were moved (office garbage can turned over, shoe dragged about 10 feet from where it was previously). While mucking about in the basement, I did get a quick glimpse of what may have been a cat; then again, it was moving so fast I can’t be really sure.
Seriously, what can we do to make friends with our new residents? There are no small children in the house, nor any other pets, so I’m at a loss for why they are so spooked. Should we just be more patient? Is it time to go on a trapping expedition? Maybe I should talk to our priest about a rite of exorcism for our poltergeist infestation? Thoughts, opinions, stories of your own experiences all welcome.
Well, they are not kittens anymore…I’d say give them some time and wait. They should come around. Have you bought any new toys?
Also, if you had cats for the past 20 years…they’re smell is surly still ripe in the house…how about a carpet cleaning…like a steam cleaning or other such professional job. Have you tried cat-nip?
I’m so sorry for your loss! It’s tough putting down a pet, but at least she won’t suffer.
About your kittens, I’d guess that a combination of being in a new home and the lingering smell of your other cat is probably freaking them out. It’s usually best to introduce them to their new home one room at a time. Like Phlosphr said, they’ll come around eventually. Kittens are curious by nature, and once they feel comfortable with their new surroundings, they will probably come out to meet you.
But I feel your pain - when I got my youngest kitten last year, she somehow managed to hide under the bookcase. I thought it was too small a space for her to fit, so I discounted the notion when my fiance suggested it. I couldn’t find her and got terrified that she had somehow gotten out and couldn’t find her way back. Eventually I found her there and got made fun of by my fiance for not believing him. It was worth it, though.
Phlosphr, I’m sure you’re right about the smell of our previous cats, and while a carpet cleaning is not practical at this time a thorough vacuuming is definitely in order. The only new toy we bought was a lure, but that kind of requires the cat to be there to play with. A couple of catnip toys sounds like a great idea, and will be purchased this evening. Thanks!
Well, I wouldn’t give them the run of the house, I’d confine them to a room or two if possible (for awhile) and then I would have a regular feeding time. This way you can find them when you need to or when you allow them supervised play out of the confined area, they will associate you with the freedom. They will also come when the food is placed down.
My cats are 11, 11 and 3 and they all still greet me at the door everynight when I come home and even though I now free feed with dry food, if need be I can open a can of food and all three come running. Comes in handy if you think that maybe one of them got out while the front door was being opened by houseguests.
overlyverbose, thanks for the condolences. It of course hurt to say goodbye to our old girl, but for the last six months or so we knew that the time was coming. My wife was giving her 100ml of subcutaneous fluids every day, without which she would have been gone back in June.
MissSwish, unfortunately, that cat is out of the bag. (Sorry, couldn’t resist). They’ve had the run of things for two days now, and I really don’t want to confine them at this point. Plus, there’s really no good room in the living area of the house to put them, and the basement provides such ample hiding opportunities that confining them there (which is where the food, litter, etc. are now situated) doesn’t really help the situation.
This is Perfectly Normal. When I brought Haiku home, he hid under the sofa and I didn’t see him for almost two days. But once he decided I was his family, he only came off my lap when I picked him up and put him off.
Give the kittens a chance to get used to the strangeness of it all, don’t force interaction any more than you have too, and when they approach you, give them gentle petting and treats.
FisherQueen, that’s what I thought, but I was hoping for a faster technique that doesn’t require me to exercise, you know, patience. Maybe if I rub tuna all over my arm and then lay down for a nap…
I adopted my two in August from a friend who’s fiance turned out to be allergic. They will be 3 in April (littermates), and they did exactly the same thing.
For the first week or two that they were here, I knew they were here - I had to clean the litterbox and refill the food/water, but I didn’t see them at all. Instead, they hung out under the bed, occasionally poking a head around the corner into the living room, but only rarely and only for a minute - running as soon as I stood up and stepped toward them.
Give them some time. It’s a big change for them to come into a new place and they need to adjust to their surroundings. If you want to bribe them, you could try treats in the kitchen or some other central area to try to bring them out of hiding, but they might just eat it and run to hide again.
I’m sorry about the girl you lost. I’ve only had Jake and Scout for five months and I already hate the thought of not having them around - I know someday they will be gone, but I hope it’s not for a long time.
If you want to speed up the situation a little bit, stop leaving food out for them. In a day they’ll get hungry and start coming round “asking” you about their lack of rations. Then provide the food for them when they’re in your sight. This will help them associate you with something good (in their eyes the best thing possible in the whole, wide world) and will go a long way towards their socialization.
Ping pong balls. Bounce them lightly on any linoleum, hardwood or tile floors you have upstairs and/or spin them around in the bathroom sink or tub. Might take a while, but I have always found that a cat will eventually come around to find out what on earth is making that noise.
I’m sorry about your calico, that is always sad even when you know you’re doing what’s best for her.
For the new kitties, I think they will be happier if they get used to your house at their own pace, rather than being rushed. To encourage them to venture out, you might move their food a little closer to the stairs each time you put it down, and then even up the stairs (of course you then have to remember that you put a bowl of cat food on the stairs, I’ve stepped in a lot a cat food). Eventually you can put it back in the place you like to feed them, they’ll find it.
Can you hang out in your basement? They need to get used to you, too. Pull up a lawn chair and read the paper, or even better, have a chat with Mrs. M so the kitties get used to the sounds of your voices.
If they have a cat bed, or a box they might nap in, line it with one of your old shirts (flannel or fuzzy sweatshirt is nice for cats), an unwashed one, so they will associate your smell with their personal space. I mean, not that you smell … you know what I mean. That also comes in handy down the road, so if you need to bring them to the vet or anywhere else in a carrier, you can throw their sweatshirt in with them so they have something familiar.
Personally, I would hold off on bombarding them with toys. I think cats in a new environment already feel overwhelmed by all the new stuff that surrounds them. Maybe one or two catnip toys, but not more than that.
Once again, thanks to all for the kind thoughts on the passing of our old cat, and for the advice regarding the new ones. Over the 3-day weekend things have progressed significantly; some petting/purring has occurred with the girl, while the boy will accept treats tossed from a safe distance. The latest development is that both have turned into climbers in their basement habitat, and have been sighted in the rafters, on the ductwork, and on various shelves. Casualties of their adventuring include a bottle of Troegs lager, and a jar of Zatarain’s horseradish mustard. If this keeps up, some cat-proofing of the basement is going to have to take place.
That also comes in handy down the road, so if you need to bring them to the vet or anywhere else in a carrier, you can throw their sweatshirt in with them so they have something familiar.