Advice on my new cat

[Suljas]

Recently adopted female long hair at age of 1yr. Had the friends here who helped with my enquires before the adoption. It's been 3 days since with me.
1. She sleeps in a particular room on particular area mostly. Even in say time she lazes here. Not active for 1yr.
2. She has started to roam the house on her account. But does not let anyone touch her except I have been allowed by her to pay her and rub her chin etc. But not sure she is allowing me or just nervous to reduce me.
She does not brush against my leg or anything like that so how to know she is accepting me?
3. Only eats wet food but very little. I split my 85g can food to 2 portions morning and night and yet there are left overs. She refuces to take dry food (wellness indoor).
4. Allows to brush her hair but need to hold her down gently. But gave me deep scratch when tried to groom the belly hair. So how to groom her belly area?
5. Eyes still round and big. Is this her normal eyes or is still considered dilated of nervous or fear?

Thanks

 

[verna davies]

It's still very early days yet, some cats take weeks to settle, all the new smells, sounds, places and she had to get used to you. Give her time, let her set the pace, don't force her to do anything and don't hold her down. Sit in the same room as her, talk quietly to her or read a book aloud so she will get used to your voice. Play with her toys even if she doesn't join in yet. Rub catnip on your hands and offer them to her to smell. With patience, she will be fine. As far as eating is concerned, she needs more than one sachet a day, try to encourage her to eat, offer different brands and flavours and leave a little in her room or area to eat when she is alone. Is she using the litter tray ok?

 

[Suljas]

Hi. Thanks. Wet food ok. Only dry food not eating. Litter ok as using litter robot

 

[verna davies]

Just leave a little wet food, it should be good for several hours. Let us know how you are getting on.

 

[Suljas]

Hi.
No issues with wet food but have to feed her in short meals as doesn't finish in one sitting. Vet recommended more on dry food. Hopefully she gets used to the dry food.
Previous owner fed some inferior dry food more on non-meat in ingredients

 

[ArtNJ]

V verna davies gave you a lot of great information, but I want to highlight one of her tips which is hugely important -- at this stage, you shouldn't be forcing her to do anything. Pretend you are courting the shyest girl in school. You lure her to a motel, feed her and three days later start brushing her hair, holding her down, even though she is giving you all kinds of signals to stop. She thinks you are a serial killer! Ridiculous example? Ok, yes, but you really do have to think this way. At this stage, you do ONLY what the kitty likes and will accept unless you need to get her away from something dangerous or take her to the vet. Kitty has to be the boss of how it goes.

Its totally normal that she has only one area of the house she is comfortable in. She may only allow you to pet her in one spot, or when she is sleepy. Thats ok. Things start slow. With patience, the shyest girl in school will come to dig you, I promise!

I'm not sure how big or how old this cat is, but 85 grams would be somewhere between 1/2 and 2/3 of what my cats eat per day. This is very far from starvation level and not an emmergency for a nervous cat three days into a new home, but yes its good you are working to help her eat more. Find out what she ate in her prior home / at the shelter if you can and try that. Also, leave more food out for her at night. She is most likely to eat when you are sleeping, as she doesn't trust you yet.

 

[Katy Perkins]

The cat is a living being. Treat it how you would like to be treated in its place. - Be patient, give the cat it´s space, let it´s warm up to you at its own pace, respect it´s nature (this also means not to declaw your cat), always make sure that your cat has enough fresh drinking water in attractive containers (this is so important, as many cats are super picky about what they drink out of, picky to the point that they will simply not drink if the bowl isn´t acceptable to them), never punish your cat by yelling or by hitting them, and always be there for your cats when it needs you.

 

[Suljas]

Thanks guys. She drinks from the cat fountain. She eats wet treats from my hand. Have stated to follow me around occasionally but at night. Daytime she currently wired to be lazy as she pops next to me at my study to sleep. Currently still putting her in the study at night. Will observe how she roams with the rest at night.

 

[Suljas]

ArtNJ- she is 1yr acc to previous owner and weghs 2.7-2.9kg.

 

[Suljas]

Update:
She allows me to touch, pet her and also comb using the pin brush. She also give chirping noice and took me a while to figure that she actually wants me to follow her around. She eats half of 85gramd wet food in the morning and another half at night. So it's 85grams of wet food per day. Is it his considered low? She only takes few bits of dry kibbles before moving off.
She sleeps and rests throughout the day. Only active at night walking around. Not the playful type.
I am putting her up in the study at night, door closed. Is it bad? Coz seen her climbing kitchen stove few times do not sure what she up to in the night. Daytime the door is always open but she prefer to sleep in her areas in the study rather than explore.