Scaredy-cat - Voltra Online

RainbowPanda

Friend PM Trade

I am fostering a kitty that is very very scared because of the situation she comes from. It has been hard giving her medicine to her because I have to crawl all the way underneath my bed. She runs around a lot when I am sleeping and makes such a mess, but I don't mind it. I just wish she would come out when I am awake so I can give her some more love. I actually ordered one of those little playpens and it came today. I put her in it but she hates it. She keeps trying to scratch her way out of it. I will say that when I first got her she was very feisty and she ended up scratching my face (still marks remaining and a tiny bit swollen, getting better). I got a cat scratch disease from her but I am feeling a bit better now. The shelter gave her to me when she was still very dirty. I can not give her a bath as she would literally kill me but I am ordering one of those flea combs to help get all of the poop and nasties out of her skin. Okay now to get to the point...how do I get a scared kitty to come out of her shell? I let her be up until now (I gave her 5 days). She is eating and drinking A LOT and using the litterbox (she wasn't the first couple days). I want to be able to hold her and cuddle with her and make sure she knows that not all humans are bad. I know her last owner did not treat her right but I want to make sure she knows that she is loved and cared for. I just do not want to get attacked again if I try to pick her up.

Update on other kitty: she got adopted on Friday and I started fostering again the next day. I miss her so much!

Priestess of Pie

Friend PM Trade

With cats it's hard because you can't force them. THEY have to decide it's ok to do something. The best you can do is to just be present. Talk to her and stay in the room with her for a while, even when she doesn't come out. You can give her the slow blink to show her you're not a threat. Bribe her with toys and/or treats. If you can get her to play that's a fun activity that doesn't require a lot of contact.

Basically it just takes time to build trust.

As for the playpen (or any new furniture) cats don't like things that smell foreign to them. In your case it may not help since she's still new to your household, but it may help to put like... a blanket or something in there so she has something more familiar.

Mallow

Tumbleweed
My Sons

LilMissKushy

Friend PM Trade

@rainbowpanda: she will come round to you eventually.. she will learn to trust and love you and know that you only want to love and care for her

Klawaw

Friend PM Trade

@RainbowPanda: I actually adopted a much older kitty with many of the same issues! I very much second the "lots of treats and pets and loves", slow blinks are amazing, and if she has a spot that she likes to sleep a lot, I recommend putting a well-loved and frequently worn piece of clothing down so she really gets used to your smell! For other advice, I'd recommend making sure she has somewhere up high she can safely go to. Many cats feel safer when they're up above everything and they can see anything that's trying to reach them (but I also know that can be a bit of a money investment and might be a no-go, there's still plenty of ways to make her feel safe with smells and the like).

Priestess of Pie's suggestion of play is also a really good idea! If you can coax her into play and help her forget that she's scared, it'll help her adjust to you and her new home much faster! Just give her time, keeping showing her love and support and leaving out food and water for her. Talk softly around her, even reading a book to her to help her get used to the sound of your voice! I hope she starts to come out of her shell soon

Please ping me! Responses may be slow~ I often don't have internet or cell coverage

RainbowPanda

Friend PM Trade

@Priestess of Pie: update
@Totalanimefan: update
@Bioshock: update
@LilMissKushy: update aha
@Klawaw: It took her 2 weeks to come out of her shell. She ended up being very vocal and literally sounded like a human. She was like a cat version of me haha. She loved attention and if she didn't get it from me she would cry or get mad at me lmao. I miss her so much. Long story short...I took a 15 hr shift on Saturday and my mom let her go without me knowing while I was at work. I wanted to talk with the shelter a bit more but he had already arrived at my house early (he was supposed to arrive on Sunday but was super impatient). He constantly texts and calls me and has crossed boundaries. I was not comfortable with him adopting her (he got her for free for some ODD reason). He even said "love you" to me once. My mom let him take her even after he said he would kill her if she hid on him!!! WTF MOM!?!? I'm literally so scared for her right now because he keeps texting me saying weird shit and it's making me so upset. I've told him so many times he needs to be patient and that not all cats are the same. He threw her in his bathroom after trapping her so he could constantly touch her. What threw me off even more is when he texted me saying his cat was licking herself while checking him out...now I see why he wanted female cats only AND he was looking for a specific age. None under 3. My heart is truly broken because I was willing to adopt her if it meant she was safe because she is not safe with this pyscho. There is nothing I can do now because he traveled here from Illinios to get her :( (which doesn't make sense to me...). He sent me a pic and she looked scared to death and his face was disturbing. It seemed as if he was choking her. My parents told me to block him as well as my friends and boyfriend, but I need updates even if he is extremely annoying and weird.

LilMissKushy

Friend PM Trade

@rainbowpanda: yeah that is serious and there is something you can do about it since you have proof .. im sure it's very stressful for you.. omg I'd hunt him down and beat the shit out of him.. not saying that's what u should do lol I'm just saying that's the kind of person I am.. I would phone the shelter and Illinois police like total has said .. it's illegal to hurt animals now .. get him done so he won't be allowed anymore animals

RainbowPanda

Friend PM Trade

@Totalanimefan: Will do! Unfortunately, I do not know much else about him. He hasn't texted me in a bit because I was leaving him on read. Everyone was saying there was nothing I could do about it and the shelter said they'd take care of it. Apparently they sold him another cat years ago which is why they trusted him. Still do not understand why they trusted someone like him.

Forums General Chit-Chat Scaredy-cat

RainbowPanda

Priestess of Pie

LilMissKushy

Klawaw

RainbowPanda

LilMissKushy

RainbowPanda

You must be logged in to post