I have always had cats, and they were always adopted as kittens. Our beloved guy "Pigpen" (after the Charlie Brown character) died February 2020. I missed him so very much.
So, I approached the local shelter to offer to foster to adopt. Because we have a quiet home and are retired, they suggested Grace. Grace was at the shelter since Sept 2019 in a crate, and sometimes let into the cat playroom. Before that intake she was at another "overcrowded shelter". She may have been at that shelter for months. Before that, we don't know? I would assume that just having a safe room for her is a huge change from the crate at the shelter. The shelter does not know her age, maybe 3 or 4. I cannot bring her to my vet until I have adopted her. We were waiting to make sure she would not become sick in our care, e.g. stop eating.
We took Mimi (was Grace) home Monday, Jan 25th. She has a guest bedroom all to herself with all "unders" blocked. My husband made a hiding place for her out of a large box that has a top and just one entry hole. She can also hide behind some boxes by sitting on the baseboard heater that is warm. She did not really start eating until Thursday night. The magic food item that turned the corner was - sardines in water. I had tried several different brands of cat food and tuna. Now that she is eating we are past the first hurdle.
She looks just like a British shorthair. Not that I need to have a pure bred cat, but it helps understand personality. If she is, then she would tend to be quiet and not very active and fiesty.
The issue is...She is still hiding all the time, in the box or on the baseboard. She barely moves. She does not want to play. I go in the room about 5 times a day. Sometimes I just talk "meows" to her, or talk and let her see me. I always get on the floor to make myself small. Sometimes I scratch the top or side of her head. She lets me do this without moving an inch. She eats at night when the house is quiet and I have her food on the other side of the room so she has to go get it.
Any thoughts on a cat that was at a shelter for a long time? Thanks!
So, I approached the local shelter to offer to foster to adopt. Because we have a quiet home and are retired, they suggested Grace. Grace was at the shelter since Sept 2019 in a crate, and sometimes let into the cat playroom. Before that intake she was at another "overcrowded shelter". She may have been at that shelter for months. Before that, we don't know? I would assume that just having a safe room for her is a huge change from the crate at the shelter. The shelter does not know her age, maybe 3 or 4. I cannot bring her to my vet until I have adopted her. We were waiting to make sure she would not become sick in our care, e.g. stop eating.
We took Mimi (was Grace) home Monday, Jan 25th. She has a guest bedroom all to herself with all "unders" blocked. My husband made a hiding place for her out of a large box that has a top and just one entry hole. She can also hide behind some boxes by sitting on the baseboard heater that is warm. She did not really start eating until Thursday night. The magic food item that turned the corner was - sardines in water. I had tried several different brands of cat food and tuna. Now that she is eating we are past the first hurdle.
She looks just like a British shorthair. Not that I need to have a pure bred cat, but it helps understand personality. If she is, then she would tend to be quiet and not very active and fiesty.
The issue is...She is still hiding all the time, in the box or on the baseboard. She barely moves. She does not want to play. I go in the room about 5 times a day. Sometimes I just talk "meows" to her, or talk and let her see me. I always get on the floor to make myself small. Sometimes I scratch the top or side of her head. She lets me do this without moving an inch. She eats at night when the house is quiet and I have her food on the other side of the room so she has to go get it.
Any thoughts on a cat that was at a shelter for a long time? Thanks!