I did it!

I took it as a sign when I tore off the page of the 365 cats calendar
and the cat for today (June 2nd) was an orange tabby. :-D

I'm now owned by Buffy, a very small (compared to Persia) light orange
tabby. She has very pretty light green (almost blue-green) eyes.

It turns out Buffy *was* feral at one time; she's got the notched ear to
show she was caught and spayed. You sure couldn't tell she was once
feral from the way she was acting. She was rolling around on a chair,
loving getting scritches and purring like mad.

She's a small cat but she's plump. She doesn't know it but she's going
on a diet.

The woman who has been looking after Buffy and Frankie (they do NOT get
along, Frankie is a bully cat) since the owner died didn't know what
kind of food the dry kibble is since it was stored in a bin. She'd been
giving her a little bit of 9 Lives canned along with it every day.

Before I went over I went to the dollar store and bought some cans of
Sheba, a couple of cans of Friskies and a bag of Meow Mix.

You know I don't know much about store-bought cat food. Persia was
pretty much on prescription from the first or second year she lived with
me. This is a just to get the ball rolling until I can figure out
what's best for her. (Please don't tell me not to feed her dry food;
this move is enough of a change for her ATM and it's what she's used to.)

I got a nice little scratch trying to pick her up to put her in the
carrier. We finally put a tiny bit of wet food in a bowl and put it in
the Sherpa bag... she got curious enough to go in after it and we zipped
that sucker shut. MEOW!!! G

She's currently hiding under my bed. The food and water is in the
bedroom and the litterbox is in the adjoining bathroom. I rattled the
bowl of dry kibble at her so I know she knows it's there.

She'll come out when she's good and ready. Meanwhile I'm just
talking to her softly and leaving her alone. It's going to be quite an
adjustment for her, I'm sure.

Jill

On 6/2/2015 11:35 AM, jmcquown wrote:
I took it as a sign when I tore off the page of the 365 cats calendar
and the cat for today (June 2nd) was an orange tabby. :-D

I'm now owned by Buffy, a very small (compared to Persia) light orange
tabby. She has very pretty light green (almost blue-green) eyes.

It turns out Buffy *was* feral at one time; she's got the notched ear to
show she was caught and spayed. You sure couldn't tell she was once
feral from the way she was acting. She was rolling around on a chair,
loving getting scritches and purring like mad.

She's a small cat but she's plump. She doesn't know it but she's going
on a diet.

The woman who has been looking after Buffy and Frankie (they do NOT get
along, Frankie is a bully cat) since the owner died didn't know what
kind of food the dry kibble is since it was stored in a bin. She'd been
giving her a little bit of 9 Lives canned along with it every day.

Before I went over I went to the dollar store and bought some cans of
Sheba, a couple of cans of Friskies and a bag of Meow Mix.

You know I don't know much about store-bought cat food. Persia was
pretty much on prescription from the first or second year she lived with
me. This is a just to get the ball rolling until I can figure out
what's best for her. (Please don't tell me not to feed her dry food;
this move is enough of a change for her ATM and it's what she's used to.)

I got a nice little scratch trying to pick her up to put her in the
carrier. We finally put a tiny bit of wet food in a bowl and put it in
the Sherpa bag... she got curious enough to go in after it and we zipped
that sucker shut. MEOW!!! G

She's currently hiding under my bed. The food and water is in the
bedroom and the litterbox is in the adjoining bathroom. I rattled the
bowl of dry kibble at her so I know she knows it's there.

She'll come out when she's good and ready. Meanwhile I'm just
talking to her softly and leaving her alone. It's going to be quite an
adjustment for her, I'm sure.

Jill

Wonderful to hear you have a new owner. Keep us updated. You might want
to try going into your room and sit there reading or something else
quite and let her get use to you being around and let her get curious
and come see you.

Ann

On 6/2/2015 10:35 AM, jmcquown wrote:
I took it as a sign when I tore off the page of the 365 cats calendar
and the cat for today (June 2nd) was an orange tabby. :-D

I'm now owned by Buffy, a very small (compared to Persia) light orange
tabby. She has very pretty light green (almost blue-green) eyes.

It turns out Buffy *was* feral at one time; she's got the notched ear to
show she was caught and spayed. You sure couldn't tell she was once
feral from the way she was acting. She was rolling around on a chair,
loving getting scritches and purring like mad.

She's a small cat but she's plump. She doesn't know it but she's going
on a diet.

The woman who has been looking after Buffy and Frankie (they do NOT get
along, Frankie is a bully cat) since the owner died didn't know what
kind of food the dry kibble is since it was stored in a bin. She'd been
giving her a little bit of 9 Lives canned along with it every day.

Before I went over I went to the dollar store and bought some cans of
Sheba, a couple of cans of Friskies and a bag of Meow Mix.

You know I don't know much about store-bought cat food. Persia was
pretty much on prescription from the first or second year she lived with
me. This is a just to get the ball rolling until I can figure out
what's best for her. (Please don't tell me not to feed her dry food;
this move is enough of a change for her ATM and it's what she's used to.)

I got a nice little scratch trying to pick her up to put her in the
carrier. We finally put a tiny bit of wet food in a bowl and put it in
the Sherpa bag... she got curious enough to go in after it and we zipped
that sucker shut. MEOW!!! G

She's currently hiding under my bed. The food and water is in the
bedroom and the litterbox is in the adjoining bathroom. I rattled the
bowl of dry kibble at her so I know she knows it's there.

She'll come out when she's good and ready. Meanwhile I'm just
talking to her softly and leaving her alone. It's going to be quite an
adjustment for her, I'm sure.

Jill
Concatulations, Jill! I hope this works out very well for you.

My first cat was feral, but he became the most wonderful companion
imaginable. It took a considerable amount of time, but most of the
early indoctrination has already been done for you since Buffy was
previously adopted.

I suggest that you don't try to put her on a diet until she becomes used
to your home. As you know, I also suggest using exclusively a canned
food with no grains. Cats are obligate carnivores, and they do not
digest grains. It would be good if you could first start out with the
diet she is used to, whatever it is. However, you have already
explained that you don't know what brand was used.

It is common for cats to hide under the bed after coming into a new
home, sometimes for several days. Spend some time with her, but don't
try to force her out. As someone else said, it is a good idea to sit in
the room for awhile--possibly reading or even watching TV if one is
available. It is also a good idea to leave a TV or radio set to an
"easy listening" or classical station during times when you cannot be in
the room. That seems to be comforting to many cats.

Good luck with Buffy. I hope this is "the beginning of a wonderful
friendship."

MaryL

When I worked in cat rescue, my trick for socializing the timid ones
was to give them a small room (we had a spare bathroom) with a place
to hide (the vanity cupboards). I only gave them food when I was in
the room. At first, I would set the bowl at one end and I would sit
quietly at the other. When I left the room, the food went with me.
Over several days, I gradually sat closer and closer until finally the
food dish was in my lap. When I got the cat eating in my lap, I was
mostly home free.

Dick Evans

On 6/2/2015 12:03 PM, MaryL wrote:
On 6/2/2015 10:35 AM, jmcquown wrote:
I took it as a sign when I tore off the page of the 365 cats calendar
and the cat for today (June 2nd) was an orange tabby. :-D

I'm now owned by Buffy, a very small (compared to Persia) light orange
tabby. She has very pretty light green (almost blue-green) eyes.

It turns out Buffy *was* feral at one time; she's got the notched ear to
show she was caught and spayed. You sure couldn't tell she was once
feral from the way she was acting. She was rolling around on a chair,
loving getting scritches and purring like mad.

She's a small cat but she's plump. She doesn't know it but she's going
on a diet.

The woman who has been looking after Buffy and Frankie (they do NOT get
along, Frankie is a bully cat) since the owner died didn't know what
kind of food the dry kibble is since it was stored in a bin. She'd been
giving her a little bit of 9 Lives canned along with it every day.

Before I went over I went to the dollar store and bought some cans of
Sheba, a couple of cans of Friskies and a bag of Meow Mix.

You know I don't know much about store-bought cat food. Persia was
pretty much on prescription from the first or second year she lived with
me. This is a just to get the ball rolling until I can figure out
what's best for her. (Please don't tell me not to feed her dry food;
this move is enough of a change for her ATM and it's what she's used to.)

I got a nice little scratch trying to pick her up to put her in the
carrier. We finally put a tiny bit of wet food in a bowl and put it in
the Sherpa bag... she got curious enough to go in after it and we zipped
that sucker shut. MEOW!!! G

She's currently hiding under my bed. The food and water is in the
bedroom and the litterbox is in the adjoining bathroom. I rattled the
bowl of dry kibble at her so I know she knows it's there.

She'll come out when she's good and ready. Meanwhile I'm just
talking to her softly and leaving her alone. It's going to be quite an
adjustment for her, I'm sure.

Jill
Concatulations, Jill! I hope this works out very well for you.

My first cat was feral, but he became the most wonderful companion
imaginable. It took a considerable amount of time, but most of the
early indoctrination has already been done for you since Buffy was
previously adopted.

Yes, she's quite used to people. She's guestimated to be about 6 years old.

I suggest that you don't try to put her on a diet until she becomes used
to your home. As you know, I also suggest using exclusively a canned
food with no grains. Cats are obligate carnivores, and they do not
digest grains. It would be good if you could first start out with the
diet she is used to, whatever it is. However, you have already
explained that you don't know what brand was used.

True, I have no idea what she was being fed and neither did the
caregiver. I won't change things up too much right off the bat. I just
bought what I thought she might like. The caregiver said Buffy isn't a
picky eater. I do try to buy food with good ingredients but I have to
say unless it was Fancy Feast or Sheba brand, Persia *loved* her R/x dry
kibble. Yes, I know all the arguments against dry food but she really
preferred it.

It is common for cats to hide under the bed after coming into a new
home, sometimes for several days. Spend some time with her, but don't
try to force her out.

I will not force her by any means. She needs to do this on her own
terms. When I first moved Persia here she hid under the bed for about a
week.

As someone else said, it is a good idea to sit in
the room for awhile--possibly reading or even watching TV if one is
available.

I can do that. I often read in bed and yes, there is a TV in there I
can turn to some sort of soft music channel.

It is also a good idea to leave a TV or radio set to an
"easy listening" or classical station during times when you cannot be in
the room. That seems to be comforting to many cats.

She had been meowing when we put her in the carrier but when I got her
in the car and started it up, she seemed to settle right down to the
radio. (At least she didn't throw up as Persia was wont to do!)

Good luck with Buffy. I hope this is "the beginning of a wonderful
friendship."

MaryL

Thanks, Mary! I'm sure it will be. She just needs to get used to her
new surroundings and her new human. Eventually she'll venture out. I
also closed the door to the walk-in closet. Under the bed is fine if
that's where she feels safe. I do not want encourage her to hide in
dark corners at the back of the closet.

Jill

On 6/2/2015 11:50 AM, ann791 wrote:
On 6/2/2015 11:35 AM, jmcquown wrote:
I took it as a sign when I tore off the page of the 365 cats calendar
and the cat for today (June 2nd) was an orange tabby. :-D

I'm now owned by Buffy, a very small (compared to Persia) light orange
tabby. She has very pretty light green (almost blue-green) eyes.

She's currently hiding under my bed. The food and water is in the
bedroom and the litterbox is in the adjoining bathroom. I rattled the
bowl of dry kibble at her so I know she knows it's there.

She'll come out when she's good and ready. Meanwhile I'm just
talking to her softly and leaving her alone. It's going to be quite an
adjustment for her, I'm sure.

Jill

Wonderful to hear you have a new owner. Keep us updated. You might want
to try going into your room and sit there reading or something else
quite and let her get use to you being around and let her get curious
and come see you.

Ann

That is an excellent suggestion, thanks Ann!

Jill

"jmcquown" wrote in message
...
I took it as a sign when I tore off the page of the 365 cats calendar and
the cat for today (June 2nd) was an orange tabby. :-D

I'm now owned by Buffy, a very small (compared to Persia) light orange
tabby. She has very pretty light green (almost blue-green) eyes.

It turns out Buffy *was* feral at one time; she's got the notched ear to
show she was caught and spayed. You sure couldn't tell she was once feral
from the way she was acting. She was rolling around on a chair, loving
getting scritches and purring like mad.

She's a small cat but she's plump. She doesn't know it but she's going on
a diet.

The woman who has been looking after Buffy and Frankie (they do NOT get
along, Frankie is a bully cat) since the owner died didn't know what kind
of food the dry kibble is since it was stored in a bin. She'd been giving
her a little bit of 9 Lives canned along with it every day.

Before I went over I went to the dollar store and bought some cans of
Sheba, a couple of cans of Friskies and a bag of Meow Mix.

You know I don't know much about store-bought cat food. Persia was pretty
much on prescription from the first or second year she lived with me.
This is a just to get the ball rolling until I can figure out what's best
for her. (Please don't tell me not to feed her dry food; this move is
enough of a change for her ATM and it's what she's used to.)

I got a nice little scratch trying to pick her up to put her in the
carrier. We finally put a tiny bit of wet food in a bowl and put it in
the Sherpa bag... she got curious enough to go in after it and we zipped
that sucker shut. MEOW!!! G

She's currently hiding under my bed. The food and water is in the bedroom
and the litterbox is in the adjoining bathroom. I rattled the bowl of dry
kibble at her so I know she knows it's there.

She'll come out when she's good and ready. Meanwhile I'm just talking
to her softly and leaving her alone. It's going to be quite an adjustment
for her, I'm sure.

Jill


Yay! Congrats! I wish you both many happy years together.

Jay

On 6/2/2015 1:30 PM, JJ wrote:
"jmcquown" wrote in message
...
I took it as a sign when I tore off the page of the 365 cats calendar and
the cat for today (June 2nd) was an orange tabby. :-D

I'm now owned by Buffy, a very small (compared to Persia) light orange
tabby. She has very pretty light green (almost blue-green) eyes.

It turns out Buffy *was* feral at one time; she's got the notched ear to
show she was caught and spayed. You sure couldn't tell she was once feral
from the way she was acting. She was rolling around on a chair, loving
getting scritches and purring like mad.

She's a small cat but she's plump. She doesn't know it but she's going on
a diet.

The woman who has been looking after Buffy and Frankie (they do NOT get
along, Frankie is a bully cat) since the owner died didn't know what kind
of food the dry kibble is since it was stored in a bin. She'd been giving
her a little bit of 9 Lives canned along with it every day.

Before I went over I went to the dollar store and bought some cans of
Sheba, a couple of cans of Friskies and a bag of Meow Mix.

You know I don't know much about store-bought cat food. Persia was pretty
much on prescription from the first or second year she lived with me.
This is a just to get the ball rolling until I can figure out what's best
for her. (Please don't tell me not to feed her dry food; this move is
enough of a change for her ATM and it's what she's used to.)

I got a nice little scratch trying to pick her up to put her in the
carrier. We finally put a tiny bit of wet food in a bowl and put it in
the Sherpa bag... she got curious enough to go in after it and we zipped
that sucker shut. MEOW!!! G

She's currently hiding under my bed. The food and water is in the bedroom
and the litterbox is in the adjoining bathroom. I rattled the bowl of dry
kibble at her so I know she knows it's there.

She'll come out when she's good and ready. Meanwhile I'm just talking
to her softly and leaving her alone. It's going to be quite an adjustment
for her, I'm sure.

Jill


Yay! Congrats! I wish you both many happy years together.

Jay



Thank you, Jay. She's still freaked out about being moved but I know
she'll come around sooner rather than later.

Jill

jmcquown wrote:
I took it as a sign when I tore off the page of the 365 cats calendar and the
cat for today (June 2nd) was an orange tabby. :-D

I'm now owned by Buffy, a very small (compared to Persia) light orange tabby.
She has very pretty light green (almost blue-green) eyes.

It turns out Buffy *was* feral at one time; she's got the notched ear to show
she was caught and spayed. You sure couldn't tell she was once feral from
the way she was acting. She was rolling around on a chair, loving getting
scritches and purring like mad.

She's a small cat but she's plump. She doesn't know it but she's going on a
diet.

The woman who has been looking after Buffy and Frankie (they do NOT get
along, Frankie is a bully cat) since the owner died didn't know what kind of
food the dry kibble is since it was stored in a bin. She'd been giving her a
little bit of 9 Lives canned along with it every day.

Before I went over I went to the dollar store and bought some cans of Sheba,
a couple of cans of Friskies and a bag of Meow Mix.

You know I don't know much about store-bought cat food. Persia was pretty
much on prescription from the first or second year she lived with me. This
is a just to get the ball rolling until I can figure out what's best for her.
(Please don't tell me not to feed her dry food; this move is enough of a
change for her ATM and it's what she's used to.)

I got a nice little scratch trying to pick her up to put her in the carrier.
We finally put a tiny bit of wet food in a bowl and put it in the Sherpa
bag... she got curious enough to go in after it and we zipped that sucker
shut. MEOW!!! G

She's currently hiding under my bed. The food and water is in the bedroom
and the litterbox is in the adjoining bathroom. I rattled the bowl of dry
kibble at her so I know she knows it's there.

If you sleep in the same room with a scared kitten or an old cat under
the bed, they'll get cold at night, come out in the dark to sleep
against your ankles after you're asleep.

The dry food...I think it's coated with fish oil or whatever to make
them eat it, like they coat corn flakes and cheerios with sugar.
That's what makes them eat it. If that's the only thing a cat will
eat, and that worries you, you can put 1/4 of kibble in a dish, pour a
little water from a hot teakettle in it, stir it up with what you think
is better for them. That's what I do.

On Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at 4:35:56 PM UTC+1, jmcquown wrote:


I'm now owned by Buffy, a very small (compared to Persia) light orange
tabby. She has very pretty light green (almost blue-green) eyes.


HOORAY! May you both be happy

She'll come round as long as she has somewhere safe to retreat to and you don't make a big thing about her being there. The worse thing is people who immediately want to make a big fuss, We didn't see Bonnie for 3+ days when we got her she'd hide under the sofa if we were In the room as demonstrated on day 2, we had her carrier in the living room with food dish and some toys.

Dave and me were in the bedroom (checking some photos before you all get any ideas) I went to the kitchen to get a beer and as I walked past the living room, there was Bonnie rolling about on the living room carpet with a toy- really getting into it, she looked up and saw me and immediately bolted back under the sofa

Funnily enough Spirit was fine. I suspect as the people she came from didn't expect kittens (mum feeding stray) they'd been brought up indoors. I brought the carrier in put it on the sofa and Dave was watching telly "Boardwalk Empire" she watched it (Almost like she was worried she'd miss an episode!) then settled down for a sleep followed by dinner

Less than 12 hours after she'd arrived she had the run of the place as Dave said watching her inhale her breakfast "I like her spirit...Isn't that a good name for her?"

I asked her what did she think of being called Spirit? She looked up and chirped so that's how she got her name

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs