I Have More Trust Issues Than This Feral..

[Jcatbird]

Finn is a smart one. Since Charlie hasn’t clawed him he may think he can just push things but I think his age and previous history has a lot to do with having Cattitude! He has loads of purrsonality. As he gets older and established there as being a family member a lot of this will settle down.

 

[rubysmama]

Keeping in mind I have no experience with having more than one cat at a time, let alone socializing a feral, but do they both respond to the sound of the Temptations treats shaking? If so, wonder if when they're getting "a bit rough" if they'd stop and come running at the sound of treats? Just a thought.

 

[walli]

Still going well in my opinion, they are not breaking out into a fight.
Keep on girl!

 

[Avery]

I have been having a few issues with two of my cats and have been trying to distract and calm them with treats, like rubysmama suggested. I know Temptations treats may not be the best (kitty crack, I've heard them called!) but the cats love them.

So when one cat is hiding under the cat tree and growling, and the other is looking very innocent but is laying down in front, essentially blocking the way, I get out the treats and they start purring! I just give them a few, slowly, one at a time, and it seems to de-escalate the situation. The bully cat then often walks away and finds something else to do or I entice him with a toy. He will sometimes go back to his bully position, but the other cat seems more relaxed by then and sometimes they end up taking naps near each other! It is a work in progress!

 

[rubysmama]

I have been having a few issues with two of my cats and have been trying to distract and calm them with treats,

Oh, oh. Going to your thread to ask for details.

 

[Buffster7]

but do they both respond to the sound of the Temptations treats shaking?

I've never bought temptations treats, I don't know! Finn has some sardines treats that I might be able to distract him with. I will keep them handy next time he ventures out into the house - thank you for the tip! Or perhaps I should find some Temptations if they're kitty crack that I've heard.

So when one cat is hiding under the cat tree and growling, and the other is looking very innocent but is laying down in front, essentially blocking the way

Oh I know that behavior well! Charlie used to do this to Zoe. Looking SO innocent.

I have been having a few issues with two of my cats

Are these new issues with new cats, or new issues with established cats? I wonder what sparked it?

Oh, oh. Going to your thread to ask for details.

yes!! Thank you for the link I have been wanting to go back and find her thread, too!

 

[Jcatbird]

I have heard that reference too! Temptations treats are like kitty crack. The cats become hooked on them. I used to give them too but some of my cats got sick after eating them so I switched to another brand. Same thing. Lol Hooked. After time, it got where they threw them up too. I don’t know why they suddenly had that effect after being eaten for so long. I still use them as a lure for ferals to get caught though. I have heard that Greenies are good. I see them here for dogs but not cats? Hmph! Still looking. I think whatever works is fine as long as the kitties don’t get sick but no more of those for my resident kitties. I do wonder what is in those things that is so addictive to cats. Treats aren’t something we give a lot but I now use all meat baby food. Whistle is hooked on that! Lol I pop the top and all cats come running! It almost sounds like Whistle is saying Haaaaammmmmmm! For some reason he has always wanted ham! I try to push chicken or turkey baby food as the kitty crack but I will give Whistle the haaaammmmmm sometimes. If I can ever figure out how to send video off my phone, I’m sending the video of Whistle asking for haaaammmmm! His little face is so hopeful.

 

[rubysmama]

I've never bought temptations treats, I don't know! Finn has some sardines treats that I might be able to distract him with. I will keep them handy next time he ventures out into the house - thank you for the tip! Or perhaps I should find some Temptations if they're kitty crack that I've heard.

If you have other things to use as "treats" it's probably just as well, as cats really can become hooked on Temptations. But, just like in the commercials, they will come running when you shake the package.

I used to give them to Ruby, but stopped, as she's got a sensitive digestive system, and didn't think they were good for her.

 

[Buffster7]

I have heard that Greenies are good. I see them here for dogs but not cats? Hmph! Still looking.

Charlie loooooves his Greenies! If you would like I would be happy to send you a few packages - all out stores carry them here! I believe they make them for dental and for hairball.

I used to give them to Ruby, but stopped, as she's got a sensitive digestive system, and didn't think they were good for her.

It is tempting to use during the introduction period when I need to distract them, but if they are not good for the cats as you say, I'll hold off unless I get desperate for a sure-fire distraction.

 

[Talien]

Charlie loooooves his Greenies! If you would like I would be happy to send you a few packages - all out stores carry them here! I believe they make them for dental and for hairball.


It is tempting to use during the introduction period when I need to distract them, but if they are not good for the cats as you say, I'll hold off unless I get desperate for a sure-fire distraction.

I would say Temptations are on par with the bottom of the barrel dry food like Alley Cat and will never give them to my Cats. There are some decent quality treats out there, and you can even get freeze dried treats that are just Chicken or Turkey if you don't mind the cost.....but by that same token you could just use cooked meat cut into small pieces as treats. I haven't met a Cat yet that doesn't like boiled Chicken or Turkey, and it's certainly a lot better for them than Temptations.

 

[Buffster7]

I would say Temptations are on par with the bottom of the barrel dry food like Alley Cat and will never give them to my Cats. There are some decent quality treats out there, and you can even get freeze dried treats that are just Chicken or Turkey if you don't mind the cost.....but by that same token you could just use cooked meat cut into small pieces as treats. I haven't met a Cat yet that doesn't like boiled Chicken or Turkey, and it's certainly a lot better for them than Temptations.

Charlie! Charlie won't touch chicken. He's turned his nose up at the most premium shredded chicken cat foods and he walked away from shredded chicken that I cooked for him. Can't blame him...I'm not a fan of chicken, either.
I haven't tried turkey, though. Now Finn will eat anything that doesn't eat him first. He's still a street cat and all food is a delicacy for him. Hope it stays that way for a while!

 

[Talien]

Charlie! Charlie won't touch chicken. He's turned his nose up at the most premium shredded chicken cat foods and he walked away from shredded chicken that I cooked for him. Can't blame him...I'm not a fan of chicken, either.
I haven't tried turkey, though. Now Finn will eat anything that doesn't eat him first. He's still a street cat and all food is a delicacy for him. Hope it stays that way for a while!

That's a first. Any meat would do as a treat really, even fish if they both like that. Yeah, being a stray Finn will probably eat just about anything you set infront of him whether he actually likes the taste or not. Then again being a stray and probably having some of his food scavenged from trash anything would be an improvement.

 

[walli]

My cats love the greenies hairball treats.
I just recently got the prescription royal canin urinary treats.
they both love those too.
walli can get crystals if she gets stressed.

 

[Buffster7]

I have them out right now and it's going well. How long do I leave Finn out this time before putting him back in his room?

 

[Talien]

I have them out right now and it's going well. How long do I leave Finn out this time before putting him back in his room?

As long as they aren't trying to murder eachother, I'd say let Finn explore.

 

[walli]

yay! can you give them treats, play?
make it really nice visit!
Go Charlie! Go Finn!

 

[Buffster7]

I am so stinking proud of those boys. It's reached the point that I've built this whole lengthy introduction thing up in my mind to an insurmountable, scary thing. To the point that just thinking about opening Finn's door makes my stomach turn over and my heart rate increase. So now the cats aren't the problem, *I* am the problem.
So I figured out that I just have to have someone on the phone with me on speaker - it helps keep my nerves at bay and the voices are a good distraction for the cats, too. That's what I did today.

Its so funny that they seem to take turns being the a-hole. Today was Charlie's turn; he has mean-eye right off the bat and started chasing Finn (angry chase, not play chase). It wasn't long before Finn started stalking Charlie and chasing him - lots of hissing and smacking. I had to leave the room but keep my ears open.

Thanks to advice from Jcatbird , I remembered to sit down on the ground with them and love them both up to diffuse the situation. That went well. Played with Finn - that went well. He laid on my chair (Charlie and I each have a chair in the hearth room...I dread the day Finn tries to sit in Charlie's chair) and I sat on the chair with him. Charlie finally came over to be petted - Finn didn't like that at all and pounced him from the chair. They're both really territorial of me.

You guys - I have hope again. I was getting really discouraged with Finn thugging on Charlie so much. I ended it on a good note with treats for both of them, then carried Finn back to his room and loved on him for a bit. He was probably out of his room for 40 minutes today!! I could have left him out longer but was not sure if I was supposed to just increase by a little each day, or are we past that point?

 

[Buffster7]

Got a couple vids from today of the "good times". I tend to rattle on when I'm watching or recording them and it is REALLY annoying on video, but you can see how relaxed they were some of the time! This doesn't minimize the intensity that's there when they're trying to establish the rules - but the fact that they can then relax enough to do this - is this a good sign?

Annnnnd - the butt sniffing I referred to in jcatbird's thread:

 

[walli]

Aw! such good boys!!
They are going to be alright!

 

[Buffster7]

As long as they aren't trying to murder eachother, I'd say let Finn explore.

So should I let Finn out again and leave him out, or just let him out for a bit each day and extend the times?