- Joined
- Nov 25, 2019
- Messages
- 33
- Purraise
- 43
2 weeks ago I adopted a ragdoll kitten, 18 weeks old at the time, female, from a breeder. I started her off in my room, where she quickly made her home under my bed, and I got to talk to all day while I worked. I'm a writer and work from home, I have no children, no other pets, and 1 roommate who's gone most of the time. I spend 15m-45m playing with her every day, and often approach her either on all fours, on my butt, standing, sometimes sliding on my stomach.
Day 1: Car trip home, 6 hour drive, not fun for kitten in carrier. Get home, kitten hides under my bed.
Day 2: Kitten continues to hide, but isn't bolting terrified. I get under the bed with her, try and talk to her gently, but she dislikes this, so I leave her be. She is eating and drinking and using the litter box, but only if I'm not around. Will hiss the moment I approach.
Day 3: Begins to explore the room, very slowly and shyly. Will hiss the moment I approach.
Day 5: Brave enough to run around the room floor while I work. When playing, is brave enough to chase toy up to my leg and touch me. Sniffs my leg, sniffs my hand. Will hiss the moment I approach.
Day 6: I open door to bedroom to let her explore the apartment. She doesn't. Will hiss the moment I approach.
Day 7: Shy, quick trips out of the bedroom to explore. Will hiss the moment I approach.
Day 8: Jumps up onto my desk while I'm working. Hisses if I move my hand toward her even slightly. Is exploring the apartment more thoroughly. Will hiss the moment I approach.
Day 10: Jumps onto my bed, playing and stuff. I set my head onto bed, no problems. Will hiss the moment I approach.
Day 12: Comfortable exploring the apartment even when my roommate and I are watching TV. Will sit on cat tower 7 feet away from the two of us, grooming herself. Lots of slow blinks. Will hiss the moment I approach.
Day 13: Breeder suggests picking her up and ignoring her the hissing. I do, cat hisses for 2 seconds, squirms for 5, then starts meowing sadly. I pet her, put her down, she runs away. Will hiss the moment I approach.
Any attempt to get my finger in close enough to let her sniff (not touch, just let her sniff), makes her hiss, then leave. If I touch her with a wand toy's stick end, she'll hiss and run. I get her food and bring it, the path into my room makes her hiss. She can eat food with me only 6 inches away, she'll slow blink at me all day, will actively move to sit under my work chair and groom herself, she'll play with me all day, but any attempt to actually move into her space gets a hiss, and then if i move any more, she runs.
Thoughts?
Day 1: Car trip home, 6 hour drive, not fun for kitten in carrier. Get home, kitten hides under my bed.
Day 2: Kitten continues to hide, but isn't bolting terrified. I get under the bed with her, try and talk to her gently, but she dislikes this, so I leave her be. She is eating and drinking and using the litter box, but only if I'm not around. Will hiss the moment I approach.
Day 3: Begins to explore the room, very slowly and shyly. Will hiss the moment I approach.
Day 5: Brave enough to run around the room floor while I work. When playing, is brave enough to chase toy up to my leg and touch me. Sniffs my leg, sniffs my hand. Will hiss the moment I approach.
Day 6: I open door to bedroom to let her explore the apartment. She doesn't. Will hiss the moment I approach.
Day 7: Shy, quick trips out of the bedroom to explore. Will hiss the moment I approach.
Day 8: Jumps up onto my desk while I'm working. Hisses if I move my hand toward her even slightly. Is exploring the apartment more thoroughly. Will hiss the moment I approach.
Day 10: Jumps onto my bed, playing and stuff. I set my head onto bed, no problems. Will hiss the moment I approach.
Day 12: Comfortable exploring the apartment even when my roommate and I are watching TV. Will sit on cat tower 7 feet away from the two of us, grooming herself. Lots of slow blinks. Will hiss the moment I approach.
Day 13: Breeder suggests picking her up and ignoring her the hissing. I do, cat hisses for 2 seconds, squirms for 5, then starts meowing sadly. I pet her, put her down, she runs away. Will hiss the moment I approach.
Any attempt to get my finger in close enough to let her sniff (not touch, just let her sniff), makes her hiss, then leave. If I touch her with a wand toy's stick end, she'll hiss and run. I get her food and bring it, the path into my room makes her hiss. She can eat food with me only 6 inches away, she'll slow blink at me all day, will actively move to sit under my work chair and groom herself, she'll play with me all day, but any attempt to actually move into her space gets a hiss, and then if i move any more, she runs.
Thoughts?