Kitty doesn't take to strangers
Hi,
I have a cat named Shera, she is 1 going to be 2 yrs. old in April. I got her from the shelter and the main issue she had was that she didn't like to be around children. She was an abused kitty who got her tail tugged on by some children before she was put into a foster home. When my boyfriend and I adopted her she was 7 months old and we were told of her past abuse and also told that she would not do well around children and that it would take a while for her to warm up to us. As soon as we got her home however, she immediately started demanding to be pet and loved. She seemed to do so well with new people, even jumping on their laps and letting them pet her. Then, for whatever reason, a little bit past her first birthday she started acting different when it came to strangers. She usually hides under the bed and refuses to venture out of our bedroom unless all the strangers are out of the house. Sometimes she'll go on the bed but as soon as she hears a loud noise she'll go right back under the bed again. If she happens to be out and about and a stranger comes into the house she either runs upstairs as fast as possible (that's where my bedroom is) or stands there and does a long, aggravated meow and sometimes she'll scratch or growl. Not saying that we have a lot of strangers coming in and out of the house all the time but we do get the occasionally visitor. My concern is that my boyfriend's sister is going to be moving in with us and so is her three year old little boy. I'm worried to death that Shera is going to wind up being traumatized by this whole ordeal. They may be here for months and I don't want her to be afraid and hide under the bed all the time. I'd like to give her the benefit of the doubt and say she might take to them, but when they were here two months ago for two weeks she spent all her time cowering in a corner under the bed. I have no idea what to do. I need suggestions and would appreciate any advice on how to calm her down or at the very least keep her mentally unscathed from these soon to be visitors. Jenn |
Kitty doesn't take to strangers
You already know the answer to your question - they were visiting
before and she didn't do well. It isn't going to change - you were told that when you got her. On Feb 9, 7:16�pm, wrote: Hi, I have a cat named Shera, she is 1 going to be 2 yrs. old in April. �I got her from the shelter and the main issue she had was that she didn't like to be around children. �She was an abused kitty who got her tail tugged on by some children before she was put into a foster home. �When my boyfriend and I adopted her she was 7 months old and we were told of her past abuse and also told that she would not do well around children and that it would take a while for her to warm up to us. �As soon as we got her home however, she immediately started demanding to be pet and loved. �She seemed to do so well with new people, even jumping on their laps and letting them pet her. �Then, for whatever reason, a little bit past her first birthday she started acting different when it came to strangers. She usually hides under the bed and refuses to venture out of our bedroom unless all the strangers are out of the house. �Sometimes she'll go on the bed but as soon as she hears a loud noise she'll go right back under the bed again. �If she happens to be out and about and a stranger comes into the house she either runs upstairs as fast as possible (that's where my bedroom is) or stands there and does a long, aggravated meow and sometimes she'll scratch or growl. �Not saying that we have a lot of strangers coming in and out of the house all the time but we do get the occasionally visitor. My concern is that my boyfriend's sister is going to be moving in with us and so is her three year old little boy. �I'm worried to death that Shera is going to wind up being traumatized by this whole ordeal. They may be here for months and I don't want her to be afraid and hide under the bed all the time. �I'd like to give her the benefit of the doubt and say she might take to them, but when they were here two months ago for two weeks she spent all her time cowering in a corner under the bed. I have no idea what to do. �I need suggestions and would appreciate any advice on how to calm her down or at the very least keep her mentally unscathed from these soon to be visitors. Jenn |
Kitty doesn't take to strangers
wrote
didn't like to be around children. She was an abused kitty who got her tail tugged on by some children before she was put into a foster home. When my boyfriend and I adopted her she was 7 months old and we Make sure the cat has a safe place the kid can NOT get at and do NOT leave both untended alone for even a second. Do NOT let the child try to 'play with kitty'. We are talking danger to the child here. A truely scared cat will go for the face and eyes. This is why they mark cats behavior with children and do not relase ones known to not deal with to people with children. An experienced cat owner can work with this but you seem too new to do so safely with a toddler. Warn the mother now. |
Kitty doesn't take to strangers
On Feb 9, 7:16*pm, wrote:
I have no idea what to do. *I need suggestions and would appreciate any advice on how to calm her down or at the very least keep her mentally unscathed from these soon to be visitors. Keep them apart. Period. Focus on keeping the cat in a safe and secure place (as the cat defines it) while the kids are around. Warn the parent(s) of the kids, warn the kids. Repeat as needed. Eventually the kids will get older. Eventually the cat will learn that the kids are not a direct threat. But this will _NOT_ happen overnight. Funny thing, our big guy (16 pound Maine Coon) absolutely dotes on kids and will allow no end of abuse from them - well, he was raised with a golden retriever - up to and including grabbing and (minor) tail-pulling (which he has always enjoyed since a very young kitten). But let an adult try it and it is an entirely different story. Our grands were over most of Sunday (2/2/5) and he was right in the middle of them for most of that time. We supervised the entire time to make sure that the kids did not go too far, and we also showed them that the younger cat, although more playful did not like being picked up or carried. So, just as our kids learned, they are learning how to play with cats at a very young age - and that all cats are different. Now, the 2 & 5 year old brother and sister have just gotten a kitten of their own after their parents saw them with our two on several occasions. That kitten (named Bob) will lead a very good life. Patience. Your cat may never fully relax around the kids, but she will learn to adjust once she establishes that they are no direct threat. Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA |
Kitty doesn't take to strangers
Rethink this whole plan. Your boyfriend's sister? Once people move in on
you it is not easy to get them to move out. I feel badly for the little cat that you are foisting all this on in addition to what you are doing here. If this is your place have no one move in. If it's your boyfriend's place and he wants this whole group moving in, then you move out. Barb |
Kitty doesn't take to strangers
Patience. Your cat may never fully relax around the kids, but she will
learn to adjust once she establishes that they are no direct threat. When we first got Shera the lady at 9 Lives told us that if she got used to us enough, when we decided to have kids she may eventually be alright with it. That isn't going to be any time soon but hopefully by the time that happens she'll have gotten a little older and mellowed out some. I'm not expecting a miracle for her to all of a sudden be ok with children. I know she may never like them. Even though Shera is the first cat I've own, she isn't the first cat I've had in my life. Growing up my parents always had cats around the house. They would always adopt them from the nearest shelter and a lot came from abused homes. I understand not to force her on anybody because I know what the outcome could be. I just can't understand why the first few months she did fine with strangers and all of a sudden she can only deal with my boyfriend and I. I have no idea what could've made her change so drastically at the drop of a hat. I thank everyone for the input. I'll keep an eye out and make sure that both the kid and Shera don't get too close to one another. I'm just afraid that hiding under the bed for months without her venturing out she'll develop a nervous tummy and either stop eating or stop using her litter box. I don't want her to be a nervous wreck, but seeing how this isn't my house I have no say in who comes to live here. Especially when it comes to family. |
Kitty doesn't take to strangers
On Feb 10, 1:04*pm, "Barb" wrote:
Rethink this whole plan. *Your boyfriend's sister? *Once people move in on you it is not easy to get them to move out. *I feel badly for the little cat that you are foisting all this on in addition to what you are doing here. If this is your place have no one move in. *If it's your boyfriend's place and he wants this whole group moving in, then you move out. Barb To clarify, it's not my boyfriends house or mine, it's his parents and moving out is unfortunately not an option at this point. |
Kitty doesn't take to strangers
wrote in message ... On Feb 10, 1:04 pm, "Barb" wrote: Rethink this whole plan. Your boyfriend's sister? Once people move in on you it is not easy to get them to move out. I feel badly for the little cat that you are foisting all this on in addition to what you are doing here. If this is your place have no one move in. If it's your boyfriend's place and he wants this whole group moving in, then you move out. Barb To clarify, it's not my boyfriends house or mine, it's his parents and moving out is unfortunately not an option at this point. It is ALWAYS an option. Grow up. |
Kitty doesn't take to strangers
On Feb 10, 5:50*pm, "cybercat" wrote:
wrote in message ... On Feb 10, 1:04 pm, "Barb" wrote: Rethink this whole plan. Your boyfriend's sister? Once people move in on you it is not easy to get them to move out. I feel badly for the little cat that you are foisting all this on in addition to what you are doing here. If this is your place have no one move in. If it's your boyfriend's place and he wants this whole group moving in, then you move out. Barb To clarify, it's not my boyfriends house or mine, it's his parents and moving out is unfortunately not an option at this point. It is ALWAYS an option. Grow up. Thanks for the insight, Barb. |
Kitty doesn't take to strangers
wrote : Thanks for the insight, Barb. Mastering your newsreader is also an option. That was ME, not Barb. |
All times are GMT +1. The time now is 12:44 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
CatBanter.com