I Have More Trust Issues Than This Feral..

[Jcatbird]

We really can’t predict. I couldn’t see Charlie. Every cat can fool us but if you want my impression on their kitty thoughts, Finn wants to play with Charlie and be near him. He seemed to be thinking,” Let me go play with Charlie. Door open now! Why can’t I be with Charlie? Are you out there Charlie? Open the door, okay?” From what I could hear from Charlie, he wants to know if anything is wrong in there.” What’s up? Everybody okay in there? If I could open the door Finn, I would!” Finn was really acting cute and doing some play at the door. If they could open that door...... it would be open! Things will shift a bit once the mystery is gone. There can be a bit of ,” Who gets Mom most!” Maybe some squabbles. If they were here, I would feel very good about their future together. Charlie may even be looking forward to having cat companionship. Finn seems to crave it. There you go! I could be wrong but that’s my impression. Let’s hope it goes just that way!

 

[foxxycat]

Well don't hold out on me now! I want your impression about their thoughts!

Body language is very friendly. Watch the ears and head. His head was standing straight up, ears stretched up...he's saying let's play mommy!

When a cat is mad, their ears go flat like airplane style, the tail twitches back and forth fast sometimes smacking it hard on the floor..they crouch down when mad...your kitty sitting up tail is sign language for I want to see what's going on and the meows are greeting type.

If he was mad at the other cat, he'd make a howling noise..there's definitely a greeting call heard in the video. I suspect that introducing them won't be too much to worry about. If you want to open the door, have a screen in the door so they can see each other but be far enough away to not touch...

Once they see each other you will be able to tell better if it's a go or not.

Watch the ears, tail and eyes. Ears up is Im interested. Ears down is back off go away.

I say you are doing well. The mouse toys are great, aren't they?

On Ebay and they have these cheese wedge full of mice that are made from rabbit hair and make sure they have a rattle inside...I guarantee you he will LOVE these. I've never met a cat who won't play with them...

My girl Honeybee likes to carry them around the house and out into the garden.


Box of 60 Zanies Real Fur Rattling Rainbow Mice in Cheese Box | eBay

Zanies Cat Cheese Wedge Display With 60 Realistic Furry Mice Original for sale online | eBay

 

[Buffster7]

We really can’t predict. I couldn’t see Charlie. Every cat can fool us but if you want my impression on their kitty thoughts, Finn wants to play with Charlie and be near him. He seemed to be thinking,” Let me go play with Charlie. Door open now! Why can’t I be with Charlie? Are you out there Charlie? Open the door, okay?” From what I could hear from Charlie, he wants to know if anything is wrong in there.” What’s up? Everybody okay in there? If I could open the door Finn, I would!” Finn was really acting cute and doing some play at the door. If they could open that door...... it would be open! Things will shift a bit once the mystery is gone. There can be a bit of ,” Who gets Mom most!” Maybe some squabbles. If they were here, I would feel very good about their future together. Charlie may even be looking forward to having cat companionship. Finn seems to crave it. There you go! I could be wrong but that’s my impression. Let’s hope it goes just that way!

Aww, I love your impression and I hope it comes true! Charlie could be a wild card. He was a real bully when my dog was alive (I used Jackson Galaxy Bully Remedy with some success but still had to keep them separated and supervised).

Tonight after play time with Finn, I tried to engage Charlie in play (really hard to get him to play, he's so lazy) and he gave it a real go for the first time in a long time. He tried to chase the wand up the back of a chair, got halfway up and fell back down. Oomph, my heart! I felt like he had heard Finn chasing the mouse around the room and so he gave it a go, too.

So I don't know if Charlie's old bully side will emerge, or if Finn will bring out the kitten in him. Charlie has been withdrawing a bit lately - he won't sit with me at night anymore but will sit in the living room by himself. He'll come sleep in bed with me, but spends his evening alone looking out the window. That makes me sad. In my heart I'm hoping for a friendship for them both. As you said, when the door opens, we'll know more..

 

[Buffster7]

Body language is very friendly. Watch the ears and head. His head was standing straight up, ears stretched up...he's saying let's play mommy!

When a cat is mad, their ears go flat like airplane style, the tail twitches back and forth fast sometimes smacking it hard on the floor..they crouch down when mad...your kitty sitting up tail is sign language for I want to see what's going on and the meows are greeting type.

If he was mad at the other cat, he'd make a howling noise..there's definitely a greeting call heard in the video. I suspect that introducing them won't be too much to worry about. If you want to open the door, have a screen in the door so they can see each other but be far enough away to not touch...

Once they see each other you will be able to tell better if it's a go or not.

Watch the ears, tail and eyes. Ears up is Im interested. Ears down is back off go away.

I say you are doing well. The mouse toys are great, aren't they?

On Ebay and they have these cheese wedge full of mice that are made from rabbit hair and make sure they have a rattle inside...I guarantee you he will LOVE these. I've never met a cat who won't play with them...

My girl Honeybee likes to carry them around the house and out into the garden.


Box of 60 Zanies Real Fur Rattling Rainbow Mice in Cheese Box | eBay

Zanies Cat Cheese Wedge Display With 60 Realistic Furry Mice Original for sale online | eBay

I love it, thank you! I ordered the cheese wedge with the mice - anything to keep Finn occupied in that little room! And I agree with the body language - it all felt very friendly!

It reminded me of when Finn was outside still, my neighbor knew I was trying to build trust with him and texted me that he was laying in the street. I went to check on him, worried he was hurt, but he as just laying in the street by the curb, watching the house across the street. The people living there have cats that they let run loose. It was quite pathetic; he was laying in the rain and I had the feeling he was waiting for one of their cats to come out. Yet that neighbor told me the cats didn't get along with Finn, but that Finn wasn't the aggressor. So he was bullied, but he still tried to be friendly? Oh little guy, what a sad existence it must have been if that was the case. Welcome home, buddy, we'll play with you.

 

[Jcatbird]

Often the cats that play together will stay together. That is one of the things I have used to help bond the kitties. If Charlie is a bit withdrawn then keep trying to engage him in play. He seemed interested when you did so maybe he just needs time with Mom. I’m sure he does hear you playing with Finn so this is a good time to get Charlie interested. It’s good that he is snuggling at night. Keep that going. Maybe a nice little treat just before bed with extra praise. He may also be missing watching Finn out the window.

 

[Buffster7]

Often the cats that play together will stay together. That is one of the things I have used to help bond the kitties. If Charlie is a bit withdrawn then keep trying to engage him in play. He seemed interested when you did so maybe he just needs time with Mom. I’m sure he does hear you playing with Finn so this is a good time to get Charlie interested. It’s good that he is snuggling at night. Keep that going. Maybe a nice little treat just before bed with extra praise. He may also be missing watching Finn out the window.

Ah, thanks for the tips! I just did give him a couple treats and praise as per your advice. Now that I think of it, he hasn't been sitting with me in the mornings when I get up to drink my coffee, either. He used to come sit with me in front of the fireplace, but now he just sits on his own cushion. He's definitely been less affectionate. I chalked it up to my being overly affectionate with him - I will grab him, pick him up and kiss him whether he likes it or not. I thought maybe he was just sick of my antics, but now I wonder if he's insecure with Finn, or misses watching Finn through the window like you said.

Anyway, I gave him a treat and he's up on the bed with me now. Not touching me, but perched here for a bit. Hmmmm. Must not let this boy feel lost or insecure.

 

[Jcatbird]

You are right that over doing it can be an irritant to a kitty. They do like their independence! Lol Just see which way it goes if you give him a few extra snuggles. That gazing out the window might just be missing his entertainment and watching out for his buddy. I will all become clear as things progress. I’m betting that there is a bond. Night Charlie! Purrs!

 

[Feral Mom]

//" So he was bullied, but he still tried to be friendly? Oh little guy, what a sad existence it must have been if that was the case. Welcome home, buddy, we'll play with you. "//

ohhhhhhhhh Buffster, how heartwarming!! I am so touched to read this, so happy for this little budding family.


//"On Ebay and they have these cheese wedge full of mice that are made from rabbit hair and make sure they have a rattle inside...I guarantee you he will LOVE these. I've never met a cat who won't play with them..."//

Well, foxxycat i too, am ordering some! thanks for tip, i am always looking for cat-approved toys to keep a cat youthful and playful and entertained. I liked your post about cat body language, this IS looking good so far!! YESssss, Buffster can feel some hope for the cats' future. Yayyyyyy
Did you know where to get that squeaking mouse an a pole/string?


I did enjoy Catbird's post, #381, loved it very much! I think she is right, i do not know 10% of her knowledge, but i have same impression of her video, as she does
and that the others had. I agree with the others' impression, that the video has a good vibe, representing curiosity and openess and hello? hello?
I did not see any aggression or fear, either.
Buffster, please do post as many videos as you want to, i am thoroughly enjoying watching along!!

 

[Feral Mom]

Buffster said:
//" In my heart I'm hoping for a friendship for them both. As you said, when the door opens, we'll know more.. "//

Me---------> makes popcorn and waits..

 

[Jcatbird]

Buffster said:
//" In my heart I'm hoping for a friendship for them both. As you said, when the door opens, we'll know more.. "//

Me---------> makes popcorn and waits..

I too ,wait and watch with happy anticipation.

Glad you liked my little “cat thoughts.”
I loved the way Finn was acting and that Charlie was speaking back from the other side of the door. Buffster7 has been doing a great job with both her rescues. I think we are all loving this family!

 

[Feral Mom]

....My cat Moki heard your Finn meowing and my cat leaped up onto the table to check it out...

 

[Feral Mom]

And now, it is Moki's new favorite thing, is watching Finn on my laptop.
Moki has watched it 10 times now and has no sign of getting bored of it.....

 

[Buffster7]

Ooooh, I just figured out how you guys do the multiple quotes! This will make things easier.

Just see which way it goes if you give him a few extra snuggles.

I followed your advice and tried to engage him in play last night and in extra snuggles this morning. I do think it made a difference! I'll attach a pic of Charlie attempting to play. His weight is a real dilemma; it's like all the extra weight makes it difficult to stay upright for long. He is constantly just flopping over. He reaches for things but won't chase:

I have refrained from picking him up and kissing him today, too; harassing him, basically. I find the feline disdain amusing and also so inexplicably irresistible. When he rebuffs me, I could just gobble him up..and so I pick him up and cover him with kisses. His avoidance of me could be due to this, too...oops. Whichever the case, I'm going to keep an eye on him and try to be more sensitive to his needs during this almost-time-to-integrate time.

Did you know where to get that squeaking mouse an a pole/string?

There is a link to an article on this site in this thread - Best Toys for Lazy Cats or something like that - that lists this toy with a link to Amazon! I will try to find it and repost it for you!

I think we are all loving this family!

Aww, thank you for loving these boys, that made my heart swell!

And now, it is Moki's new favorite thing, is watching Finn on my laptop.
Moki has watched it 10 times now and has no sign of getting bored of it.....

Moki is GORGEOUS!! I have to say, Moki is not alone; there is something about cat videos that sucks me in and has me watching them over and over, as well!!

I came into the room to check on Finn a little while ago. The lawn guys were here and were mowing right outside the window, and Finn was terrified; trying to hide under the bed but it was blocked, so nowhere to go. When I drew the shades and sat on the bed, he sat beside me and held onto my arm. Glad he finds me the lesser of the evils:

So I activated Charlie's purr toy. It's a purple fuzzy toy that purrs, and I brought this to Finn when I visited him at the vet. He loves that toy and responds to it every time I press it and it starts purring! I started it while the lawn crew was here, and he immediately got up and started making biscuits:

Amazon Photos

I cannot wait to start the introductions! Finn's nose still feels awfully wet, though...every time he rubs against me he leaves a wet streak. I assume that means he's still symptomatic?

 

[Buffster7]

One more thing. As I was exiting Finn's room just now, Charlie was perched on his perch at the 'gate'. There was no way for me to get out the room and gate without them seeing each other. No hostility yet and only curiosity is what I got from each of them!

Every time something goes right, I want to come here and not only share, but thank you guys for all fo the advice, tips, and encouragement. It truly instills confidence that this is doable and if things go south, I have knowledgable people to turn to for help. Cannot say thank you enough!!

 

[Feral Mom]

how cute !!
Love it!
Today is Day 3 of no biting, right? WOOOhooooo!

I had not realized Poor lil Charlie there can not much run around ?
Does the vet have Charlie on any type of diet? I am guessing that having a lively friend like Finn will help Mr Charlie there get some exercise done on the regular!


Have you thought about how you will feed the cats? Like, in different areas? At set times, and then the food is put away, or how do you do it? I was guessing that with an overweight cat, you might not be having food available 24/7. ?

How will you keep Finn from eating all of Charlie's food, too? Just curious how this will be approached.

seems like maybe a good thing, it is skinny Finn who is the gobbler and not Charlie....

 

[Buffster7]

Okay, I just found the link to the toy - it's #8! I don't know how to do the links with the descriptive titles:
17 Best Toys For Lazy Cats

Today is Day 3 of no biting, right? WOOOhooooo!

Today is Day 5 of no biting! How crazy is that! I'm allowing myself to touch him more, but being very careful not to make eye contact. I was making eye contact before; didn't realize that was aggressive, but read it on here and so have stopped.

Have you thought about how you will feed the cats? Like, in different areas? At set times, and then the food is put away, or how do you do it? I was guessing that with an overweight cat, you might not be having food available 24/7. ?

Right now I feed Charlie 4 small meals per day which equal nearly 6 oz (almost 2 3oz cans), so I don't feel like I'm over-feeding him? I used to feed him 2 meals a day and then kibble for the overnight, but I've eliminated kibble and split his meals up into 4 small feedings. No change so far, but it's only been about 5 weeks since I made the change.

I will have to feed them both at the same time (no free feeding) and may need to feed them in separate rooms. I will just have to feed Finn slightly larger portions since he seems to require more food. He has just now started to leave some food in his bowl at each feeding, so I'm starting to cut back his amount at each feeding. Three 3-oz cans per day for a cat locked in a small room seems like way too much, but he was acting starved. What do you think of that plan, because I've never had 2 cats before, so open to suggestions!

 

[shadowsrescue]

I am really happy to hear that all is going so well.

I feed my cats a mixture of home cooked and canned. When I was only feeding canned food, I used the 5 oz cans. My cats only received 1/2 of the can each day and just 3 T. of dry. They are all at their ideal weight. I no longer feed much dry. One of my boys has had a urinary blockage twice. Dry food can contribute to this. I allow them all to have 1 T. of dry food at bed time. I am the mean Mom!

 

[Buffster7]

I am really happy to hear that all is going so well.

I feed my cats a mixture of home cooked and canned. When I was only feeding canned food, I used the 5 oz cans. My cats only received 1/2 of the can each day and just 3 T. of dry. They are all at their ideal weight. I no longer feed much dry. One of my boys has had a urinary blockage twice. Dry food can contribute to this. I allow them all to have 1 T. of dry food at bed time. I am the mean Mom!

More good information! Thank you! Now that you are no longer feeding dry, how many oz of wet food would you say your cats get each day? I was looking up caloric requirements for a cat along with calorie count in a 5.2 oz can, and it looked like I was shorting Charlie too much on the calories, but I know that can't be true because he's carrying so much weight.

 

[shadowsrescue]

I aim for around 200 or a bit more. I try to leave room for some treats and extra snacks. I feed them 1 oz of homemade food at breakfast, .5 oz at lunch and 1/4 of a 5.5 oz can of wet food at night and then 1 T. of dry food before bed. So under 3 oz of wet food per day. It also will depend on the brand of food you feed. Since I make some of my own food it's really not comparing apples to apples.

I would think you would want him to have no more than 200-225 calories per day. You also can try lower calorie food. Just be certain to do the switch slowly.

Three of my cats are not big water drinkers. I add 1-2 T. of warm water to each dish of food. I am a freak about water intake since the urinary blockage.

 

[Buffster7]

I aim for around 200 or a bit more. I try to leave room for some treats and extra snacks. I feed them 1 oz of homemade food at breakfast, .5 oz at lunch and 1/4 of a 5.5 oz can of wet food at night and then 1 T. of dry food before bed. So under 3 oz of wet food per day. It also will depend on the brand of food you feed. Since I make some of my own food it's really not comparing apples to apples.

I would think you would want him to have no more than 200-225 calories per day. You also can try lower calorie food. Just be certain to do the switch slowly.

Three of my cats are not big water drinkers. I add 1-2 T. of warm water to each dish of food. I am a freak about water intake since the urinary blockage.

Holy cow! The site I was reading was suggesting quite a bit higher calorie intake than that. This makes me more comfortable with lowering his calorie intake a bit more, then. I add bone broth to each serving of food, too.

I would love to know your recipe for homemade food if you have it already typed up and easy to send? I used to make homemade dog food for my dog, but haven't been comfortable enough in my knowledge of cat nutrition to venture there, yet.