I work on a farm, and yesterday a woman dropped a cat off because she couldn't take w/ her when she moved to a nursing home. I took it home and gave it everything a cat wants, but shut it off from my other pets (a 150 pound dog and 3 vicious cats). It seems scared, which I understand, but its displaying some weird tendencies. It sucks on the tip of its tail whenever I'm in the room. I can't get it to stop. It "burrows" underneath a 30 pound comforter on the floor, and I don't know how it breathes, but it can stay under there for hours at a time. Its eating, sleeping, drinking, and going to the bathroom, but I don't know how to make it more comfortable. It has a vet appointment to see what we can find out about it (like the gender). If it gets injections, I'm afraid it'll get even more scared. It has mood swings, sometimes I can pet it but other time it hisses at me when I touch it. What should I do?
-Adam
2006-07-28 07:36:02 · 19 answers · asked by ajw5899 2 in Pets ➔ Cats
There is a product called Feliway that will help with anxiety. You can get it at the pet store. They make a spray and a wall plug-in. Basically it is a calming hormone that the mother cat emits to make the kittens feel at ease. I use the plug-in to keep my two cats from fighting, and to help them get used to our new house.
2006-07-28 07:42:13 · answer #1 · answered by drumrchick 3 · 5⤊ 1⤋
I am kinda having the same problem. I took in this cat that no one else wanted not because she was a bad cat but because her orginal owners moved away, then her sudo owner was allergic. I am the third person to have this poor thing. One moment she's sweet and nice, the next she's hiding under my bed, the next she's hissing and bitting me. These poor animals have been through a lot in short period of time. Remember your cat was with one owner for a while, so it doesn't only have to get used to you and learn to trust you but it also has a dog yelping and other cats smelling it try to seek it out. The poor thing must be terrified! No worries once you see the vet and give it the tender loving care it needs, I am sure it will come around. Best of Luck!
2006-07-28 08:12:38 · answer #2 · answered by sweetcaraline_27 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Everyone is right, except the one who said kill it. The cat is adjusting, whenever we move do to military life, we take our animals to my moms, the cat seems to like to hide and did it for a week on my mom, she was scared something was wrong but I told her, when the cat is hungry she'll eat, probably doing everything at night when it's quiet or when they were at work. As for the sucking on the tail, I thought my cat was the only one that did that, she's nine and about every night or when she jumps on our lap (rarely, very high strung) she curls in a ball, starts kneeding and sucks on her tail, it must be a comfort thing. Give the cat some time, it'll come around.
2006-07-28 08:11:48 · answer #3 · answered by Karla A 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's anxiety behavior. If the lady had it for a long time, it's REALLY freaked out because he/she is now gone from everybody and everything he/she knows. His/her mommy is gone, and now there's this new human, new smells, new sights, etc.
You said you just got the kitty yesterday. It's going to take a WHILE for the kitty to settle down. Keeping it in it's own room is a really good idea, and you are going to have to accilimate it SLOWLY to the other animals. What you can do is go into the room whenever possible, sit very quietly, and just talk to the kitty in a soothing voice. Pet when possible, but don't try to hold or constrain it right now. It might come to your lap on it's own. Take toys in with you -- even a piece of string -- and try to get the kitty to play. (Remove string when you leave so it's not ingested!) Also introduce some catnip, as this helps calm them down. There is also stuff called Rescue Remedy you can get at healthfood stores or from a vet that helps with anxiety.
Just imagine if YOU were suddenly yanked out of your home and plunked down in some foreign country with people and things you didn't know or understand. That's what the kitty is feeling, so you just have to be very patient and calm and give him time to come around on his own. Lots of love and affection, treats, patience and time!
2006-07-28 07:44:32 · answer #4 · answered by Shadycat 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My cat, Blue, had to stay with a boarder because we moved and couldn't put him in billeting (military temporary housing). He died the Friday before we moved into our new home. The vet told me that once cats get attached to a person who takes good care of them for a long time they sometimes don't adjust. My cat was 13 1/2 years old and I feel like he thought we had abandoned him.
I would talk to a vet. I hope the poor thing adjusts.
2006-07-28 07:42:51 · answer #5 · answered by rltouhe 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree, give it time and ease into "bonding". A vet appointment is usually traumatic, but it might be a good place to ask questions and at least get the gender question answered. Let it come to you.
As for the burrowing, one of my boys sleeps under the covers all year round for hours on end. Sometimes he is even under the mattress pad literally all day. I used to worry but he's be doing it for years. Just remember s/he is there and don't sit on it or yank it away.
Good luck and thanks for doing a good deed.
2006-07-28 07:50:57 · answer #6 · answered by metaphoroflife 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The kitty kitty has been displaced. When it is ready to accept it's new home it will come around.
Just make sure you leave food and water out for it and give it a warm place to sleep.
My daughter moved several years ago to St Louis for a job. Bought a cat. The Plant closed she moved home about Novemeber of last year with the kitty. That thing ranaway and hid for 4 days.
When he got hungry he came out and he has been a people kitty ever since.
Leave him/her alone and it will come around.
2006-07-28 07:42:36 · answer #7 · answered by mikeae 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are some herbal anxiety pills out there u could try. Or you could try a product called Feliway. It's pretty $$ but its used to calm cats down. Ask the vet more about this product
2006-07-28 07:43:47 · answer #8 · answered by M C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oh sure! All the time lol, it makes me bounce up with fright and ask for forgiveness (cats title) after which I realize it's only one of the most cats rubber balls that I am stepping on. It is so humorous whilst that occurs! lol
2016-08-28 16:25:49 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
leave it entirely alone for awhile. it is making an adjustment. I had a friend whose cat hid in his home for two weeks and never came out. He thought he had let it out by mistake and it was gone. Finally after two weeks, it came out and was just fine. It is scared because it is used to a different space and different smells, give it time
2006-07-28 08:19:21 · answer #10 · answered by Patricia S 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋