I adopted a 6 year old Calico/Torie from an ad on Craigslist... previous owner described her as loving, lap cat. I never really got to greet her, talked with the owner briefly, then they captured her in the bathroom and put her in a cardboard carrier and into my car. Looking back it seemed a bit rushed. They did choose me over a lady with ferrets who wanted to adopt her. They sent her with food, litter, and her bed, but the bed had been washed, and there weren't any toys or blankets with her scent on them... So I never really got to greet this cat before I had her at home.
What I was told is that the lady's daughter brought the cat home as a feral kitten... thought she may have misused the term, but not so sure now. Roxie (the cat I adopted was 4 paw declawed, and has been an indoor cat. When the daughter moved into an apartment, Mom and Dad inherited her, and they got a dog... the owner told me she got used to the dog and even slept near it. She told me Roxie is affectionate, a little shy with strangers. When I called to get some more information the next day she told me that it took 3 weeks for Roxie to come out from under the sofa when they moved...
I'm sorry this is long but I need to tell someone the whole story so I can get some decent feedback!
I put her in a safe room with litter, food, water and her bed, and left her alone for the first day.
We were beginning to make progress, when I made the mistake of hanging a few pictures in other rooms, and I think that scared her.. It was really hot, and I had the door blocked but open just enough to let the sounds of the rest of the apartment come thru and more importantly, some airflow.
She escaped and got under my cedar chest in the bedroom, so I put a litter box and food there tor her, but didn't want to close her in, because my resident cat (7 years old male orange tabby) sleeps with me.
The next day I found her under the recliner... finally she landed in the bathroom, where I closed her in, and attempted to create a safe space there to keep her and Brutus apart, I think she should accept me first, before I begin trying to introduce them.
She's been here a month now, and won't let me near her! Growls when I feed her, move the empty dish, put treats out for her. NOT trying to touch her, I know she has to come to me.
Installed a Felaway infuser and used spray, on cloth surfaces, towels, floor mat, etc. and on the window perch I put in for her.
I put a soft blanket and her bed in the bathtub where she has been sleeping... she won't touch her bed. but sleeps on the blanket. She threw up on the blanker and growled & swiped at me while I cleaned it up.. I refolded the blanket so she wouldn't be sleeping on the dirty part, sprayed it again with Feliway, and now she won't touch it. She's spent the last two days on the counter of my bathroom, where she growls at me when I put on my makeup, brush teeth etc...
I NEED HELP! It gets very frustrating, she'll go a day without growling at me and then starts again. What do I do? I know this will take a long time, but any suggestions?
This forum was recommended by a feral/stray cat site, and between them and this site I've gotten the most useful information, thanks to anyone who actually reads and responds.
What I was told is that the lady's daughter brought the cat home as a feral kitten... thought she may have misused the term, but not so sure now. Roxie (the cat I adopted was 4 paw declawed, and has been an indoor cat. When the daughter moved into an apartment, Mom and Dad inherited her, and they got a dog... the owner told me she got used to the dog and even slept near it. She told me Roxie is affectionate, a little shy with strangers. When I called to get some more information the next day she told me that it took 3 weeks for Roxie to come out from under the sofa when they moved...
I'm sorry this is long but I need to tell someone the whole story so I can get some decent feedback!
I put her in a safe room with litter, food, water and her bed, and left her alone for the first day.
We were beginning to make progress, when I made the mistake of hanging a few pictures in other rooms, and I think that scared her.. It was really hot, and I had the door blocked but open just enough to let the sounds of the rest of the apartment come thru and more importantly, some airflow.
She escaped and got under my cedar chest in the bedroom, so I put a litter box and food there tor her, but didn't want to close her in, because my resident cat (7 years old male orange tabby) sleeps with me.
The next day I found her under the recliner... finally she landed in the bathroom, where I closed her in, and attempted to create a safe space there to keep her and Brutus apart, I think she should accept me first, before I begin trying to introduce them.
She's been here a month now, and won't let me near her! Growls when I feed her, move the empty dish, put treats out for her. NOT trying to touch her, I know she has to come to me.
Installed a Felaway infuser and used spray, on cloth surfaces, towels, floor mat, etc. and on the window perch I put in for her.
I put a soft blanket and her bed in the bathtub where she has been sleeping... she won't touch her bed. but sleeps on the blanket. She threw up on the blanker and growled & swiped at me while I cleaned it up.. I refolded the blanket so she wouldn't be sleeping on the dirty part, sprayed it again with Feliway, and now she won't touch it. She's spent the last two days on the counter of my bathroom, where she growls at me when I put on my makeup, brush teeth etc...
I NEED HELP! It gets very frustrating, she'll go a day without growling at me and then starts again. What do I do? I know this will take a long time, but any suggestions?
This forum was recommended by a feral/stray cat site, and between them and this site I've gotten the most useful information, thanks to anyone who actually reads and responds.