- Joined
- Apr 17, 2015
- Messages
- 1
- Purraise
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Hi guys! I adopted Mr.Fluffy a few months ago. He's a very handsome 2 year old short hair. He's quite the jumper!
Here's the back story leading up to today... When we first took him home from the shelter we limited him to just the guest bedroom. We opened up his carrier and left him alone. I would peek in the room every hour or so to see how he was doing. Later that evening, I found him outside of his carrier and hiding under the bed. With a little bit of encouragement over the next few days he started coming out on his own to play with us. Eventually it got to the point where he would try to sneak past when we entered or left "his room." One night we could hear him meowing while we slept and he was scratching the door trying to get out. We decided the next day we would leave the door open and allow him to explore on his own. He adjusted very quickly. Eventually we were at the point where he "owned" the upstairs hallway. He would lay there and wouldn't even move out of the way when we walked by, just expecting us to walk around him. He would greet me at the top of the stairs when I got home from work, probably because he knew it was eating time! He finally discovered a whole world downstairs for him to explore.
Now the bad part... I need some guidance. I fear I messed up big time and am wondering if this is something we can recover from or if he's permanently scarred. About a month ago, I caught him on a glass table, somewhere he's been told numerous times NO. This time he freaked out and unfortunately claws don't grab glass very well. He slipped knocking stuff over. I yelled at him and chased him around the house. After doing that I realized the mistake I had made and I felt really bad about it, I still feel guilty today. It wasn't fair to him. After this happened, understandably, he was very scared of all of us in the house. He would run at the sight of anybody. It took a couple days of talking to him calmly and just hanging out in his room (his hiding spot) for him to come out and acknowledge me. It's been an uphill battle and I've been walking on eggshells to not upset him again. Now were at a point where he doesn't run away from me immediately. In fact, he usually follows me around the house. If I'm watching TV in the living room he'll sit on his perch by the window or on the chair near me. When I'm out front smoking he'll sit and wait by the door for me. At night when he thinks we're asleep, he'll jump into bed with us and sleep at my feet. When I come home, he runs down to greet me but doesn't tolerate much affection. In fact I've noticed that sometimes he'll roll around when I approach, other times he'll run away when I approach. However, most of the time, if I approach him he scoots away. So I've stopped approaching as much.
I understand I made a mistake. I've been trying to make things better but at the same time I feel like a prisoner in my own home. I feel like I can't walk around my own house freely because he's there and it will freak him out if I'm walking somewhere and he just happens to be in the way. I've gotten to the point where I pretty much just ignore him most of the time now. I get home from work, say hi to cat. Feed cat. Go upstairs and do homework on the computer. Cat usually follows me into the room and sits on the bed behind me or under the computer desk near my feet. Sometimes he'll jump on the desk, maybe I'll pet him then just briefly then back to work. Sometimes I close the door to the room and I later find him laying down in front of the door like he's waiting for me. I just don't acknowledge him anymore. I just don't get it, he's scared of me yet he'll follow me around the house. I don't know if Fluffy will ever forgive me.
Maybe I should have gotten a hamster instead... I wouldn't be dealing with constant rejection.
Here's the back story leading up to today... When we first took him home from the shelter we limited him to just the guest bedroom. We opened up his carrier and left him alone. I would peek in the room every hour or so to see how he was doing. Later that evening, I found him outside of his carrier and hiding under the bed. With a little bit of encouragement over the next few days he started coming out on his own to play with us. Eventually it got to the point where he would try to sneak past when we entered or left "his room." One night we could hear him meowing while we slept and he was scratching the door trying to get out. We decided the next day we would leave the door open and allow him to explore on his own. He adjusted very quickly. Eventually we were at the point where he "owned" the upstairs hallway. He would lay there and wouldn't even move out of the way when we walked by, just expecting us to walk around him. He would greet me at the top of the stairs when I got home from work, probably because he knew it was eating time! He finally discovered a whole world downstairs for him to explore.
Now the bad part... I need some guidance. I fear I messed up big time and am wondering if this is something we can recover from or if he's permanently scarred. About a month ago, I caught him on a glass table, somewhere he's been told numerous times NO. This time he freaked out and unfortunately claws don't grab glass very well. He slipped knocking stuff over. I yelled at him and chased him around the house. After doing that I realized the mistake I had made and I felt really bad about it, I still feel guilty today. It wasn't fair to him. After this happened, understandably, he was very scared of all of us in the house. He would run at the sight of anybody. It took a couple days of talking to him calmly and just hanging out in his room (his hiding spot) for him to come out and acknowledge me. It's been an uphill battle and I've been walking on eggshells to not upset him again. Now were at a point where he doesn't run away from me immediately. In fact, he usually follows me around the house. If I'm watching TV in the living room he'll sit on his perch by the window or on the chair near me. When I'm out front smoking he'll sit and wait by the door for me. At night when he thinks we're asleep, he'll jump into bed with us and sleep at my feet. When I come home, he runs down to greet me but doesn't tolerate much affection. In fact I've noticed that sometimes he'll roll around when I approach, other times he'll run away when I approach. However, most of the time, if I approach him he scoots away. So I've stopped approaching as much.
I understand I made a mistake. I've been trying to make things better but at the same time I feel like a prisoner in my own home. I feel like I can't walk around my own house freely because he's there and it will freak him out if I'm walking somewhere and he just happens to be in the way. I've gotten to the point where I pretty much just ignore him most of the time now. I get home from work, say hi to cat. Feed cat. Go upstairs and do homework on the computer. Cat usually follows me into the room and sits on the bed behind me or under the computer desk near my feet. Sometimes he'll jump on the desk, maybe I'll pet him then just briefly then back to work. Sometimes I close the door to the room and I later find him laying down in front of the door like he's waiting for me. I just don't acknowledge him anymore. I just don't get it, he's scared of me yet he'll follow me around the house. I don't know if Fluffy will ever forgive me.
Maybe I should have gotten a hamster instead... I wouldn't be dealing with constant rejection.
