Feral Kitty Loose In My Cabin

[Jcatbird]

Shadow! Don’t sample the human!!The flavor has not changed.
I think as the weather changes ( cool weather can make them frisky at first)!and it gets darker and colder you will see a definite shift in Shadow. He is going to understand how great being safe inside is during the winter. A nice warm spot can cause a kitty to feel like a hibernation nap. Lol My BJ gives me these appreciative looks during heavy storms. I know what he endured the past years and I feel he understands that it’s great to be dry and safe. No wet and shivering nights. No flood waters. Shadow is getting more mature and , although rough play may happen, he’s made giant leaps forward. I don’t think this was a setback as much as a slip up. He didn’t continue to try and eat bubby after bite? I notice he bites hubby but swats you. I think he is playing and it is rougher since he recognized hubby as being male. He would do a male sibling or his Dad the same way.

 

[Catzmeow]

LOL Hubby will be away for a couple of weeks at work now so hope he doesn't go back to sampling me! I think those 2 will miss each other.

Zoomies are a daily occurrence at our house! We had to take down some screens before they get destroyed!

As for the dogs, they are all at least a little scared of him. Pretty much the same as with my previous cats. The cats were always amused to keep the dogs in their place. But Shadow can be...ummm...assertive. He runs up to the dogs and pretend swats and enjoys the way it makes them nervous. Herbie will give back a little growl when Shadow bugs him. Cody is cautious but he doesn't really mind Shadow. I just wish Shadow wouldn't bug Bella - she's scared of him. No harm is coming to anyone though. All just part of learning to live together.

 

[Catzmeow]

I wish I could change the name of this thread. Or maybe I should just start fresh? Becuase now Shadow is no longer feral and he is free in the house! I thought I'd post a picture of the favourite hangout. Used to be mostly Cody up there but now he's sharing with Shadow. They watch birds and squirrels at the feeders and lots of people and dogs walking down the street.

 

[Catzmeow]

I think Shadow terribly wants to be Cody's friend. Today he slid up to him on the bench you see in previous post and tried to get really cuddly. Then Cody leftShadow tried to rub up to him several times today.

It's a sad soap opera right now. Shadow loves Cody but he is scared of Shadow, Shadow wants to play with Bella but she is terrified. Shadow wants to play with Herbie but he thinks he should bark at anything that moves.

Poor Shadow wants to love everyone but they are scared of him and his claws I guess.

 

[Catzmeow]

There hasn't been any fighting between anyone just so you know.

 

[Catzmeow]

Anyway all the pups and Shadow came to me to get a treat tonight. This is perfect but what is a good goodnight treat for Shadow?

 

[Buffster7]

Oh my goodness, this pic is too precious!! I think it's amazing that shadow wants to be friends with the dogs - that just melts my heart! I bet the more he learns how to not use his claws and not be as bitey, the dogs will begin to feel more comfortable with him. They might still sense a little bit of 'wildness' or unpredictability in him.

Finn was so wild when I brought him in, and he was bitey, and he had no idea how not to use his claws. I yelped exaggeratedly in pain when he used them on me, and just today he reached through his cage to tap me and I noticed all his claws were sheathed. He's learning! It looks like you and I took in our guys close to the same time. Shadow has come so far - congratulations!

As for the goodnight treat, I just give my cats some Greenies for cats, and they love them. Can't wait to hear Shadow's story unfold as he tries to win the pups over!

 

[Catzmeow]

Thanks Buffster7 I do think they are so similar. I had to deal with many bites and claws. Just now I had a lovely hour+ snuggling with the little monkey so sweet and now hes gone back to crazy. I know the dogs are afraid of that unpredictability

 

[Jcatbird]

Well, I was going to suggest Greenies. I see that Buffster7 tipped you off to that. Much better than having Shadow sample you!
I have been posting to you both as things have progressed and the similarities of some of the kitty issues did occur to me. Very smart kitties with lots of spirit.
Poor Shadow. Poor scared Bella too. Hopefully the pups will understand that Shadow wants to love them as they get used to each other. It’s all going very well.
I actually like the title of your thread! It got my attention. Those first days/weeks were really something!

 

[Catzmeow]

Am I doing the right thing letting life happen to this guy? A friend came over today and he seemed ok and I was so happy, but he spooked when she moved too fast. Then at one point a dog walked by which made my pups go crazy barking. He just keeps coming back out after a while so I guess its ok. I can't make life any more calm.

 

[Jcatbird]

Yes! You are letting him live safe, loved, fed and protected. You don’t know what he experienced before you found him but you know he is in the best place he could possibly be now. Something I tell people here a lot is to go back and read your thread from the start. It’s hard to get perspective sometimes but if you do that you will see he has come a very long way. He may be jumpy at times in his life but he will continue to make progress. Love does amazing things. You are absolutely doing the right thing.

 

[Catzmeow]

Today Shadow and Cody were actually playing! My dogs don't really play even with each other very often, this was quite amazing and amusing! Shadow comes upstairs at night and sleeps with all of us for short periods during the night. He still likes to play a lot at night but thankfully downstairs!

A big issue I'm having is that he really wants to get our food at mealtimes and comes onto the table and doesn't take no for an answer. He did that to the dogs at meal time so he is fed in his room with the door shut until the dogs eat. Don't want any food aggression happening between them. But I feed the animals twice a day not at lunch. Sometimes I'm having my lunch standing in the middle of the kitchen so he can't get at it. I'm not always home at lunch time so I don't want to start feeding him at lunch but he always has dry food available if he's hungry. He just wants what others are eating and quite aggressively tries to get it. And of course I don't want him up on the table trying to eat our dinner off our plate. Can you imagine how Thanksgiving dinner will go? How in the world did he get so pushy after being so scared?

 

[Jcatbird]

I am having terrible trouble staying on site and posting. Glitch! I just wanted to try and express happiness at Shadow playing with Cody!!
Going after your food? Oops! Remember that he did go through a time where he had to grab the best food he could find whenever he had a chance. The higher the quality of nutritional content, the more likely to pursue it harder. Just keep being firm and saying no as you , repeatedly put him off the table. You might try putting some greenies down if he stay down. Lead him to another room with them and put a few there. If he returns, try putting him in another room with his own food while you eat. My cats just like to eat if I eat. It doesn’t have to be my food, they just think it’s impolite for me to eat without offering them something. I still have two who like to jump on the kitchen counter when I fix their food. I put them down but if they persist, it’s out to the cat room until all food is fixed. Whistle once grabbed an Oreo cookie out of my hand and ran off with it! An Oreo!!!! I got it back but he wasn’t happy about it.

 

[Catzmeow]

OK Thanks I'll/we'll keep trying. The greenies something to try. I haven't seen them in my area yet. Just worried that most advise says not to discipline, and saying no seems like a bad thing but I really think he needs to know its not ok,

 

[Jcatbird]

Well, my way may not be everyones’ way. I do agree that negative discipline is bad. I don’t ever yell and I don’t think you should ever do things like use water or that type of negative discipline but just a calm ,” No x kitty” and then put them down with a head scratch. Cats are so smart. They learn tone and I believe they learn words. Do you tell the doggies no? To me it can be a safety thing. No, don’t Jump on a hot stove. No, don’t jump in a full bathtub. No, don’t eat that spider. Using petting and food as a positive reinforcement is kind of the hope but you can use a clicker too.

 

[Catzmeow]

Help! Bedtime has become a Shadow circus. The dogs can't sleep comfortably because Shadow is crazy at night. I guess I just need to shut him out if the bedroom which is sad

 

[Catzmeow]

I had to put him out of the bedroom for tonight. The dogs are stressed and so am I. He just gets going at night and can't be calmed down. I never wanted him to get the idea that he could play in this room but he decided he could. It was so sweet when he first started sneaking up here and snuggling but now yeah still snuggles when he isn't going crazy

 

[Jcatbird]

Taking him out of the picture at night for awhile is fine. He is young and needs to be an active kitty. As he gets older he won’t be doing that as much. When everyone is rested again you can try letting him back in but getting a good nights rest is necessary. Don’t kick yourself about it. Sometimes I shut myself in the bathroom for a long soak to get a break. I have kitties on me most of the time! I tried to take a nap the other day. I had a cat at my feet, one on my injured ribs and one decided to help me out by laying on my head!
Cut yourself some slack. Shadow will be okay. He is safe and can run the house.

 

[Catzmeow]

Maybe he is making up for lost time when he had to concentrate on surviving rather than playing. I opened the door early this morning and he came and laid down with me for a while. We'll try again tonight and I'll put him out of the room again if he's out of control and hopefully he'll learn.

We had our first bit of snow yesterday. Do you think he'll realize that it's getting colder out there and he doesn't have to worry about it? It's still a couple of months till it gets really cold. My other cats would sniff at the door in the winter and almost seem angry that it was cold outside. I can't take a chance with Shadow being too near the door but he probably gets a little feel for it with the dogs in and out all the time.

 

[Catzmeow]

I'll give a little update on my Shadow... He is really trying to be one of the dogs for the most part. He lines up for treats morning and night which is so cute! But all the usual problems are still there, we just work around them. Meals are separate, bedtime, is separate (although I give him a chance each night to be nice) The dogs are telling him when he's a jerk!!! Except poor Bella, tonight she was in her crate and crazy Shadow ran right in there with her (he really wants to be friends), which of course made her run right out! I wish I could help the cat and dog friendships happen but I think it will just take a lot of time. Shadow was a bit of a jerk for quite a while and is just starting to calm down so patience is where we're at. As long as there are there are no injuries I think they are working on things in their own way.