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What Can I Do To Help This Cat?



 
 
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  #101  
Old November 15th 03, 11:10 PM
MaryL
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"Luvskats00" wrote in message
...
Latest update....

Newbie cat (named Nellie and I added Isabella as her middle name) is so
skittish that she will jump 10 feet if I clear my throat! She was
trusting/loving, but being forced into the bathroom makes her more afraid.

I
move in slo-mo and talk softly, but she's jumpy anyway. Trouble is, she

has
been moved to the bathroom but, once again, peed on the sheet, not in the

box.
Also, I applied Feliway to the sheet, btw, hoping that will discourage

her
from peeing on the sheet. I also bought litter and will use that - not
newspapers - in the box. Hopefully, that might help.

She hasn't thrown up in 30 hours...yay!


Oh, definitely use litter and not newspapers. Have you been using
newspapers before this? Some cats will use it, but many will not. It also
is not effective at absorbing odor. I would suggest non-clumping litter.
Also, some people have had success with Cat Attract, a type of litter that
supposedly is formulated for litter-training. Here are some links, if you
want to read about it:
http://cats.about.com/cs/litterbox/fr/catattract.htm
http://www.ivillage.com/pets/cats/ar...599155,00.html
http://www.petsmart.com/cat/shopping...ct_27921.shtml

MaryL


  #102  
Old November 15th 03, 11:10 PM
MaryL
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Luvskats00" wrote in message
...
Latest update....

Newbie cat (named Nellie and I added Isabella as her middle name) is so
skittish that she will jump 10 feet if I clear my throat! She was
trusting/loving, but being forced into the bathroom makes her more afraid.

I
move in slo-mo and talk softly, but she's jumpy anyway. Trouble is, she

has
been moved to the bathroom but, once again, peed on the sheet, not in the

box.
Also, I applied Feliway to the sheet, btw, hoping that will discourage

her
from peeing on the sheet. I also bought litter and will use that - not
newspapers - in the box. Hopefully, that might help.

She hasn't thrown up in 30 hours...yay!


Oh, definitely use litter and not newspapers. Have you been using
newspapers before this? Some cats will use it, but many will not. It also
is not effective at absorbing odor. I would suggest non-clumping litter.
Also, some people have had success with Cat Attract, a type of litter that
supposedly is formulated for litter-training. Here are some links, if you
want to read about it:
http://cats.about.com/cs/litterbox/fr/catattract.htm
http://www.ivillage.com/pets/cats/ar...599155,00.html
http://www.petsmart.com/cat/shopping...ct_27921.shtml

MaryL


  #103  
Old November 15th 03, 11:10 PM
MaryL
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Luvskats00" wrote in message
...
Latest update....

Newbie cat (named Nellie and I added Isabella as her middle name) is so
skittish that she will jump 10 feet if I clear my throat! She was
trusting/loving, but being forced into the bathroom makes her more afraid.

I
move in slo-mo and talk softly, but she's jumpy anyway. Trouble is, she

has
been moved to the bathroom but, once again, peed on the sheet, not in the

box.
Also, I applied Feliway to the sheet, btw, hoping that will discourage

her
from peeing on the sheet. I also bought litter and will use that - not
newspapers - in the box. Hopefully, that might help.

She hasn't thrown up in 30 hours...yay!


Oh, definitely use litter and not newspapers. Have you been using
newspapers before this? Some cats will use it, but many will not. It also
is not effective at absorbing odor. I would suggest non-clumping litter.
Also, some people have had success with Cat Attract, a type of litter that
supposedly is formulated for litter-training. Here are some links, if you
want to read about it:
http://cats.about.com/cs/litterbox/fr/catattract.htm
http://www.ivillage.com/pets/cats/ar...599155,00.html
http://www.petsmart.com/cat/shopping...ct_27921.shtml

MaryL


  #104  
Old November 15th 03, 11:46 PM
Cheryl
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Posts: n/a
Default

In m,
Mary composed with style:

I just want to say that I saw this coming. Megan is nothing if not
predictable.


She also knows cat behavior pretty well. She was right on with my
feral, and this feral and the other two cats are all much less
stressed due to her advice. Some people could learn a thing or two.


  #105  
Old November 15th 03, 11:46 PM
Cheryl
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

In m,
Mary composed with style:

I just want to say that I saw this coming. Megan is nothing if not
predictable.


She also knows cat behavior pretty well. She was right on with my
feral, and this feral and the other two cats are all much less
stressed due to her advice. Some people could learn a thing or two.


  #106  
Old November 15th 03, 11:46 PM
Cheryl
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

In m,
Mary composed with style:

I just want to say that I saw this coming. Megan is nothing if not
predictable.


She also knows cat behavior pretty well. She was right on with my
feral, and this feral and the other two cats are all much less
stressed due to her advice. Some people could learn a thing or two.


  #107  
Old November 16th 03, 12:42 AM
Iso
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Alison,



I agree with you to an extent. As I have already said, you cannot force cats
to like each other, especially in this situation, with a 10 year old
resident alpha male. Some cats will live with a newcomer easily, others will
never relate, or they may just manage to live alongside each other in an
uneasy truce - you can only try. However, if there is no competition for
food or safe sleeping places, then cats will accept each other eventually
and some will even seem to form close bonds with one another. In my opinion,
at this juncture of the resident cat's life, it's almost unkind to try to
force two middle age cats to adjust to one another. Talk about stress for
the cats and unneeded strain. Sometimes another cat isn't the best idea, or
a solution to the problem.



I understand the sympathy and the irritation that the original poster went
through, when they heard the story about the female cat, which was taken
from her home when the owner threatened to dump her in the street. I'd be
tempted to take her too. But in this case, if the prognosis of the new cat
doesn't improve, then what? The original poster said that her resident cat
"claimed every part of the apartment since" and that the resident male cat
"jumped on her (the new cat), a habit he had with his former companion." Do
you keep the cats separated forever; one cat in the main living area, and
the other in a spare bedroom, master bedroom, or a spare bathroom? Granted
the resident male cat has been jumping on other cats its whole life; that
action is probably never going to change. Will the two cats ever get along?
Who is to say? Nevertheless, one thing is certain there will be a lot of
fighting regardless of if the new female cat can be helped, and her problems
corrected. One has to wonder; CAN the problems of the new cat be corrected?
If the cat CAN be helped and the cats DO NOT get along, then what" Take it
back to the shelter? Do you force the relationship? What if the problems
with the new cat CANNOT be corrected and the new cat continues to urinate
and defecate outside the litter box, continuing to ruin mattresses, soiling
on carpet, blankets, aggravating the resident cat, and the original poster?
Is there a line? Does the original poster say enough is enough?



In my opinion, since the two cats are now forced to share a domain, a clear
understanding of territory has to be established. The new cat cannot "run
away and avoid a confrontation" for long. My gesture of "just let them go at
it" may have been a bit over the top, but it's going to happen if the poster
wants to keep the cats in the same apartment. Nonetheless, out of all my
years of dealing with animals, I have never, never taken a cat to the vet
because of puncture wounds, or any damages inflicted by the incisors,
canines or molars of another cat. I could be wrong; maybe her cat has ardent
taste for blood. They are cats; they will bat at each other with their
declawed paws, and hiss and meow really loudly at one another. Once they go
through the motions of "going at it", they will most likely stay away from
each other until its feeding time. Nonetheless, I hope that the poster works
through this predicament. I wish her or him the best of luck.






  #108  
Old November 16th 03, 12:42 AM
Iso
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Alison,



I agree with you to an extent. As I have already said, you cannot force cats
to like each other, especially in this situation, with a 10 year old
resident alpha male. Some cats will live with a newcomer easily, others will
never relate, or they may just manage to live alongside each other in an
uneasy truce - you can only try. However, if there is no competition for
food or safe sleeping places, then cats will accept each other eventually
and some will even seem to form close bonds with one another. In my opinion,
at this juncture of the resident cat's life, it's almost unkind to try to
force two middle age cats to adjust to one another. Talk about stress for
the cats and unneeded strain. Sometimes another cat isn't the best idea, or
a solution to the problem.



I understand the sympathy and the irritation that the original poster went
through, when they heard the story about the female cat, which was taken
from her home when the owner threatened to dump her in the street. I'd be
tempted to take her too. But in this case, if the prognosis of the new cat
doesn't improve, then what? The original poster said that her resident cat
"claimed every part of the apartment since" and that the resident male cat
"jumped on her (the new cat), a habit he had with his former companion." Do
you keep the cats separated forever; one cat in the main living area, and
the other in a spare bedroom, master bedroom, or a spare bathroom? Granted
the resident male cat has been jumping on other cats its whole life; that
action is probably never going to change. Will the two cats ever get along?
Who is to say? Nevertheless, one thing is certain there will be a lot of
fighting regardless of if the new female cat can be helped, and her problems
corrected. One has to wonder; CAN the problems of the new cat be corrected?
If the cat CAN be helped and the cats DO NOT get along, then what" Take it
back to the shelter? Do you force the relationship? What if the problems
with the new cat CANNOT be corrected and the new cat continues to urinate
and defecate outside the litter box, continuing to ruin mattresses, soiling
on carpet, blankets, aggravating the resident cat, and the original poster?
Is there a line? Does the original poster say enough is enough?



In my opinion, since the two cats are now forced to share a domain, a clear
understanding of territory has to be established. The new cat cannot "run
away and avoid a confrontation" for long. My gesture of "just let them go at
it" may have been a bit over the top, but it's going to happen if the poster
wants to keep the cats in the same apartment. Nonetheless, out of all my
years of dealing with animals, I have never, never taken a cat to the vet
because of puncture wounds, or any damages inflicted by the incisors,
canines or molars of another cat. I could be wrong; maybe her cat has ardent
taste for blood. They are cats; they will bat at each other with their
declawed paws, and hiss and meow really loudly at one another. Once they go
through the motions of "going at it", they will most likely stay away from
each other until its feeding time. Nonetheless, I hope that the poster works
through this predicament. I wish her or him the best of luck.






  #109  
Old November 16th 03, 12:42 AM
Iso
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Alison,



I agree with you to an extent. As I have already said, you cannot force cats
to like each other, especially in this situation, with a 10 year old
resident alpha male. Some cats will live with a newcomer easily, others will
never relate, or they may just manage to live alongside each other in an
uneasy truce - you can only try. However, if there is no competition for
food or safe sleeping places, then cats will accept each other eventually
and some will even seem to form close bonds with one another. In my opinion,
at this juncture of the resident cat's life, it's almost unkind to try to
force two middle age cats to adjust to one another. Talk about stress for
the cats and unneeded strain. Sometimes another cat isn't the best idea, or
a solution to the problem.



I understand the sympathy and the irritation that the original poster went
through, when they heard the story about the female cat, which was taken
from her home when the owner threatened to dump her in the street. I'd be
tempted to take her too. But in this case, if the prognosis of the new cat
doesn't improve, then what? The original poster said that her resident cat
"claimed every part of the apartment since" and that the resident male cat
"jumped on her (the new cat), a habit he had with his former companion." Do
you keep the cats separated forever; one cat in the main living area, and
the other in a spare bedroom, master bedroom, or a spare bathroom? Granted
the resident male cat has been jumping on other cats its whole life; that
action is probably never going to change. Will the two cats ever get along?
Who is to say? Nevertheless, one thing is certain there will be a lot of
fighting regardless of if the new female cat can be helped, and her problems
corrected. One has to wonder; CAN the problems of the new cat be corrected?
If the cat CAN be helped and the cats DO NOT get along, then what" Take it
back to the shelter? Do you force the relationship? What if the problems
with the new cat CANNOT be corrected and the new cat continues to urinate
and defecate outside the litter box, continuing to ruin mattresses, soiling
on carpet, blankets, aggravating the resident cat, and the original poster?
Is there a line? Does the original poster say enough is enough?



In my opinion, since the two cats are now forced to share a domain, a clear
understanding of territory has to be established. The new cat cannot "run
away and avoid a confrontation" for long. My gesture of "just let them go at
it" may have been a bit over the top, but it's going to happen if the poster
wants to keep the cats in the same apartment. Nonetheless, out of all my
years of dealing with animals, I have never, never taken a cat to the vet
because of puncture wounds, or any damages inflicted by the incisors,
canines or molars of another cat. I could be wrong; maybe her cat has ardent
taste for blood. They are cats; they will bat at each other with their
declawed paws, and hiss and meow really loudly at one another. Once they go
through the motions of "going at it", they will most likely stay away from
each other until its feeding time. Nonetheless, I hope that the poster works
through this predicament. I wish her or him the best of luck.






  #110  
Old November 16th 03, 12:50 AM
Iso
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Cheryl,



No one is disputing Megan's' knowledge of cats. It's the way in which she
disrespectfully disagrees with others opinions. There are ways that one can
respectfully disagree, and offer advice on the topic.


 




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