Adopted My First Cat Yesterday, And Now I Can't Find Him.

[lavishsqualor]

He must REALLY like you! It usually takes cats a lot longer to acclimate to new owners. The fact that he was snuggling and kneading you says a lot. He's a lucky kitty to have you.

 

[Ashleyannmerk]

I’m just reading this now thank goodness you found him!!! My 6yo I just got hangs out in the heated garage (we have a million toys and a couch and tv it’s really like a normal room) and then she has access to a second staircase that leads up to a small, cozy, warm room upstairs where she loves to take naps. She was the neighbor’s cat who adopted us and when we finally brought her inside after 2 months (and her sleeping outside on our front porch in nearly freezing temperatures) and she kept disappearing. You’ll be reeeeeally surprised where they can get into and it can be really nerve wrecking and scary. I have a motion activated camera in both of her rooms, which helps a lot and lets me check in on her while I’m out and check on her temperature. It took our girl nearly 4 months to cuddle up on us and knead me.. now whenever I sit down on the couch in there, I wind up with a kitty on my shoulder/neck or my chest. It takes time. Your kitty will learn very quickly what’s safe to hide in and what’s not. What I do with under the couch recliners is I stuff pillows under there so she can’t get in there. My sister goes in there to hang out with her and is a huge spaz and would wind up sitting on the couch with the cat under there or closing the recliner. I say this bc she did it with one of our kitties when we were younger. She looooves enclosed spaces even stupid stuff like a cardboard box with a blanket. Try to give him little “fake” hiding spots that you know of and block off anything dangerous and he’ll be absolutely fine. It sounds like you guys “saving” him from the cabinet was actually a great bonding thing so maybe it was meant to happen! I never got close with the cats we had growing up but now that I have this little peanut, I see just how funny and adventurous they really are! I worry about her constantly and my family laughs at me bc she’s a 6 year old who was essentially living outside and survived but I’m the crazy lady who comes down every two hours during the night to check on her and make sure her cartoons are on and the room is a comfortable temperature. You three will all adjust don’t worry! Congrats and thank you so much for adopting an older kitty. I wouldn’t trade adopting Ari (or well, being adopted by her lol) for a little kitten, although they are super cute!!! Good luck with everything keep us updated!!!

 

[Ashleyannmerk]

Ari kept climbing up on the storage shelves in the garage, which would give me a heart attack. So I cleared a spot and put a cozy $5 bed from Five Below on a lower shelf to trick her into thinking it was her idea, and as you can see it worked perfectly lol.

 

[SeventhHeaven]

Great News! So happy for you it's so stressful until you are reunited again!

 

[daisyd]

Thank god you found him. Gracie hides under the throw on the settee which is fun trying to find her as she managed to do it without moving a thing ! Thank you for rescuing him ! Sick that people move and leave their cats ! Still shocks me

 

[tarasgirl06]

Just read through this all now -- maeglutz , conCATulations on adopting your gorgeous boy, on joining us here at TCS, and on finding him! Cats need to eat every day or they could have some serious health issues; you can talk about that with his vet when you take him in for his checkup. Hope your sweet boy gains in confidence and never scares you like that again!
Ashleyannmerk -- I notice you have an open outlet beside Ari's bed. Hopefully that won't be a problem, but I personally would slap a switchplate cover on there right away, just to be sure.

 

[Ashleyannmerk]

You know I said that to my mom and she told me I was being crazy and that it’s fine to just leave it. I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks it should be covered!! I’m going to get a cover for it. Thanks!!

Just read through this all now -- maeglutz , conCATulations on adopting your gorgeous boy, on joining us here at TCS, and on finding him! Cats need to eat every day or they could have some serious health issues; you can talk about that with his vet when you take him in for his checkup. Hope your sweet boy gains in confidence and never scares you like that again!
Ashleyannmerk -- I notice you have an open outlet beside Ari's bed. Hopefully that won't be a problem, but I personally would slap a switchplate cover on there right away, just to be sure.

 

[Maxxwell]

Lol I'm going through this too. Killer hides in the closet while Zoey prefers hiding under my bed you would never know I have cats thankfully I keep him and Zodiac in my room so I don't have to worry so much. I was worried they weren't eating or using their litter box. I've learned Killer only comes out at night and he'll eat and drink use the litter box and walk around but he only does this if I'm either gone or sleep. Zoey on the other hand is still young so she's not as quiet plus she's also extremely curious so she'll come out if I'm on my bed not moving or making too much noise. She thinks she's a ninja but she's not subtle at all I usually pretend I don't notice her for her sake lol. Killer is still warming up since he is a little older I'm not pushing him I figure he'll warm up to me in his own time and will slowly start to bond with me in his own little ways.

 

[maeglutz]

Thanks guys!! We've been doing great!! Kitty comes when called most of the time, and he's getting a little more confident in the 'safe room' and I'm hoping to let him explore the entire apartment again in a few days.

Unrelated to original post, but.. you guys have been helpful! I'm having trouble learning kitty body language. When I'm petting him he sometimes reaches his paws out and gently taps my hand, sometimes he bats them, and yesterday he full on bit my hand, no blood was drawn but it scared me pretty bad. He didn't hiss or run away after, he kinda just went back to loaf form. He did make a little bit of a grunt but I think it's because I pulled away. He wasn't twitching his tail, his ears were forward, he was purring, eyes weren't dilated, and I wasn't touching his belly.. And he's begun attacking ankles! I bought him so many different toys, & a scratching post, but he shows minimal to no attraction. I've been attacked in the face by a dog, and I've had a ferret latch on to my arm.. I'm so fearful of animals biting me & I'd like to know how I can prevent a kitty attack. He's very lovey, and rubby, and loves to get pet but whenever he starts rolling over to a position where he can see my hands I get really scared he's going to chomp me!

 

[mightyboosh]

All's well that ends well. A Persian of mine went missing for two days. He was inside the cavity of our king sized bed. You'd think he would have made cat noises whilst we were in bed but no. We noticed a smell after these two days and his poop led us to him.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Thanks guys!! We've been doing great!! Kitty comes when called most of the time, and he's getting a little more confident in the 'safe room' and I'm hoping to let him explore the entire apartment again in a few days.

Unrelated to original post, but.. you guys have been helpful! I'm having trouble learning kitty body language. When I'm petting him he sometimes reaches his paws out and gently taps my hand, sometimes he bats them, and yesterday he full on bit my hand, no blood was drawn but it scared me pretty bad. He didn't hiss or run away after, he kinda just went back to loaf form. He did make a little bit of a grunt but I think it's because I pulled away. He wasn't twitching his tail, his ears were forward, he was purring, eyes weren't dilated, and I wasn't touching his belly.. And he's begun attacking ankles! I bought him so many different toys, & a scratching post, but he shows minimal to no attraction. I've been attacked in the face by a dog, and I've had a ferret latch on to my arm.. I'm so fearful of animals biting me & I'd like to know how I can prevent a kitty attack. He's very lovey, and rubby, and loves to get pet but whenever he starts rolling over to a position where he can see my hands I get really scared he's going to chomp me!

Jackson Galaxy, cat behaviorist extraordinaire, recommends two things: Never play with your cat using your hands as "toys" -- use wand toys and other interactive toys where your cat can stalk and catch them rather than your hand. When he becomes overstimulated, call of the play time and give him some time to calm down. It's absolutely normal for healthy young cats to want to play a lot (and older cats do this, too!).

 

[Maxxwell]

Thanks guys!! We've been doing great!! Kitty comes when called most of the time, and he's getting a little more confident in the 'safe room' and I'm hoping to let him explore the entire apartment again in a few days.

Unrelated to original post, but.. you guys have been helpful! I'm having trouble learning kitty body language. When I'm petting him he sometimes reaches his paws out and gently taps my hand, sometimes he bats them, and yesterday he full on bit my hand, no blood was drawn but it scared me pretty bad. He didn't hiss or run away after, he kinda just went back to loaf form. He did make a little bit of a grunt but I think it's because I pulled away. He wasn't twitching his tail, his ears were forward, he was purring, eyes weren't dilated, and I wasn't touching his belly.. And he's begun attacking ankles! I bought him so many different toys, & a scratching post, but he shows minimal to no attraction. I've been attacked in the face by a dog, and I've had a ferret latch on to my arm.. I'm so fearful of animals biting me & I'd like to know how I can prevent a kitty attack. He's very lovey, and rubby, and loves to get pet but whenever he starts rolling over to a position where he can see my hands I get really scared he's going to chomp me!

Sounds like he wants to play. Just redirect him to the toys when he does that eventually he'll catch on.

 

[orange&white]

He was either playing, or he was overstimulated from being petted and gave you a "love bite". My senior likes to be petted a short time, then gives me a bite to let me know he wants to stay on my lap, but that I can stop petting him. He's done that 13 years and has never broken the skin. It's more like a pinch with his teeth.

If he was playing and bit you along with bunny thumping with his hind legs, then as others suggested, say "Owww!" and redirect him with toys. Either get him to move away with a string toy, or keep a kick-a-roo toy close by to hand him to bite and kick.

It's not very common at all for a cat to break your skin with a bite unless they were taken away from the mother and siblings too early and didn't learn bite inhibition.

 

[LAL]

Thanks guys!! We've been doing great!! Kitty comes when called most of the time, and he's getting a little more confident in the 'safe room' and I'm hoping to let him explore the entire apartment again in a few days.

Unrelated to original post, but.. you guys have been helpful! I'm having trouble learning kitty body language. When I'm petting him he sometimes reaches his paws out and gently taps my hand, sometimes he bats them, and yesterday he full on bit my hand, no blood was drawn but it scared me pretty bad. He didn't hiss or run away after, he kinda just went back to loaf form. He did make a little bit of a grunt but I think it's because I pulled away. He wasn't twitching his tail, his ears were forward, he was purring, eyes weren't dilated, and I wasn't touching his belly.. And he's begun attacking ankles! I bought him so many different toys, & a scratching post, but he shows minimal to no attraction. I've been attacked in the face by a dog, and I've had a ferret latch on to my arm.. I'm so fearful of animals biting me & I'd like to know how I can prevent a kitty attack. He's very lovey, and rubby, and loves to get pet but whenever he starts rolling over to a position where he can see my hands I get really scared he's going to chomp me!

Shortly after I adopted my 4 1/2 year old from a shelter last October, my sister gave me a book: 'How to Speak Cat', by Aline Newman and Gary Weitzman, DVM, and put out by National Geographic. It has REALLY helped me understand what Melody is 'saying' to me.

 

[rubysmama]

Here's an article that might have helpful info:
How To Deal With Cat "love Bites"?

And for fun: How Well Do You Speak Cat?

 

[maeglutz]

He just swatted my boyfriends hand, like a half dozen back to back swats, with his claws out, and drew blood.

 

[orange&white]

Was your boyfriend playing with him with his hands, like roughhousing around with him. What was happening when the cat struck out?

 

[doomsdave]

maeglutz , some kitties just want to hide.

Here's my biggest one, so shy, stayed hidden for a month.

Still stays hidden, except to come out for bed.

Kitties that want to hide, will astound you with where they'll do it. If your doors and windows are closed, he's in there somewhere.

IMG_2235.JPG

• doomsdave
• Apr 1, 2017

IMG_2084.JPG

• doomsdave
• Feb 28, 2017

 

[maeglutz]

Was your boyfriend playing with him with his hands, like roughhousing around with him. What was happening when the cat struck out?

I was on the floor petting him, my boyfriend came in the room, and put his hand down to get on the ground as well, and kitty batted it, hard, with claws

 

[orange&white]

Well, I'm sorry that happened to your boyfriend (and you). The cat was probably relaxed with you petting him and your boyfriend's hand seemed like a "sudden movement" in the cat's perception, which startled the cat. I think your cat is so new to his environment that he's still very skittish with any new movements or sounds.

Even though cats have excellent hearing, I still announced my entrance to the room with a soft voice while I was getting my last kitten socialized, to "warn her" that I was about to open the door and come in. I know she could hear my footsteps, but with a shy cat it's best to give them as much heads up as possible. A "hi kitty", "hear I am", or anything in a pleasant voice should help disperse much of the "newness" and shock.

What seems logical to cats is not always logical to humans. I think your cat will settle in fine. Give him a little more time and just speak softly and calmly, and move slowly. The cat will do better once he knows he's 100% in a safe place where nothing will ever harm him.