I need some input from someone with some experience. I got a new foster kitty Saturday. She is 1-1/2 years old. She has six 3 week old kittens who are totally tame and loving. She was nice at the vets office (with her prior owner there) for an exam and shots. She is reported to be a nice tame kitty, who became even nicer after having kittens. She was nice in the carrier in my car, even rubbing against my fingers. The moment the carrier crossed my doorstep into my house, she began growling and hissing...and has been a crazy girl since then.
She is closed into a bedroom with the kittens who are loose. When I or dh enter the room, sometimes she hisses or growls, sometimes rubs against our legs. If she is calm, and I talk to her nicely, she hisses and growls. She seems to not like hands, in fact attacked dh's hands today-he was sitting on the bed, with her and the babies rubbing on his legs. He reached a hand down to pet her and she attacked scratching him badly.
I have picked up the kittens...so long as they are about 1-2 feet from her...but petting her gets her growling.
The walls on the room are made of weird material so light shines through from the hallway. Today (following the attack on dh's hands) she is hurling herself at the wall as we walk past, and she sees our shadows.
It is so bizarre...like there is this nice kitty inside, but she is so overreactive to sounds and motion. She is also overreactive to scent...smelling my pants, etc. By the end of yesterday, my pants smelled (safe), and she rubbed against me. I had been working outside in the grass, so probably smelled different. She scares me...I mean she is viscious, but it doesn't match with how she was in the car and at the vet.
I go into the room with a towel so I can shoo her, and once she attacked the towel.
She is going to another foster home within a few days, because my kids aren't safe with her in the house. But what can I do in the meantime? What is wrong with her?
She is closed into a bedroom with the kittens who are loose. When I or dh enter the room, sometimes she hisses or growls, sometimes rubs against our legs. If she is calm, and I talk to her nicely, she hisses and growls. She seems to not like hands, in fact attacked dh's hands today-he was sitting on the bed, with her and the babies rubbing on his legs. He reached a hand down to pet her and she attacked scratching him badly.
I have picked up the kittens...so long as they are about 1-2 feet from her...but petting her gets her growling.
The walls on the room are made of weird material so light shines through from the hallway. Today (following the attack on dh's hands) she is hurling herself at the wall as we walk past, and she sees our shadows.
It is so bizarre...like there is this nice kitty inside, but she is so overreactive to sounds and motion. She is also overreactive to scent...smelling my pants, etc. By the end of yesterday, my pants smelled (safe), and she rubbed against me. I had been working outside in the grass, so probably smelled different. She scares me...I mean she is viscious, but it doesn't match with how she was in the car and at the vet.
I go into the room with a towel so I can shoo her, and once she attacked the towel.
She is going to another foster home within a few days, because my kids aren't safe with her in the house. But what can I do in the meantime? What is wrong with her?