I got Tiger from the RSPCA 2 weeks ago. he was in the pound with his mum & sister. Tiger was cuddled up to mum & the sister was hiding in a box & doesn't like to come out
for the first week, Tiger was hiding behind the couch during the day, but would come out at night. I moved the couch a few times during the day & he would come out & cuddle up & eat for 5 - 15 minutes, then he would go back behind the couch. as the week went on, he stayed out a little longer, he even was watching the wallabies & birds eat. one thing I noticed, Tiger was fine if I was standing or sitting, but once I get on all fours, he had the look of terror on his face
I tried to take him out a few times to have a closer look, but just wanted to jump down & go back inside. one wet night a possum was high up on the verandah so I took Tiger outside to meet the possum & he rubbed noses with it, he was fine, it was nightime. after a few goes outside during the day I thought he got used to it, so I closed the door behind us, so he can't run inside; he ran under the chair, the table & finally off the end of the verandah; under the house where I can't reach. I called him a few times but he did not budge. I had a look later & he was still there. In the arvo he stuck his head at the end of the verandah, I went out to get him & he took off under the house again
as night fell, I got my torch & had a look, Tiger was gone, no where to be seen
no sign of him the next day. at night I was turning everything off inside as I was going to bed, then I thought I heard something. I went outside & it was Tiger under the house looking at me. I grabbed some food & the torch but Tiger kept running away as I got near him; he would not come to the food as I was near it. Tiger was meowing the whole time as he was moving so I followed him up the back & then he doubled back & I lost him as he stopped meowing
the next day Tiger did not show up until sunset, I went outside & meowed & he meowed back & kept on meowing as I was talking to him, he only stopped meowing when I asked him what he was going to eat after he ate all the rats & mice
Tiger will be 2 years old in December. I rang up the RSPCA & the lady said the sister is out going with her mum now, not hiding in the corner. Tiger has gone like his sister was. it looks like they can't be away from their mum as they get funny in the head, I wonder what happenned with the previous owner.
what should I do with this situation? should I feed Tiger? should I not feed him? should I trap him & send him back to the pound where his sister will go back into her hole? I wanted to take all 3 of them but the RSPCA lady wanted $600 for all 3, I can't afford that on a pension. should I keep Tiger as I wanted a cat to get rid of the rats & mice, & let him live outside? should I just wait to see if he wants to come back inside? should I ignore him? should I talk to him?
I was teaching Tiger about why all the animals come to my place to eat as they all feel safe & they get on with each other, that is why I showed him the possum, as I don't want Tiger to hurt them; I have a conservation covernant on my 200 acre property, so all flora & fauna are protected (I got special written permission to have George P. Cat)
any advice would be appreciated
for the first week, Tiger was hiding behind the couch during the day, but would come out at night. I moved the couch a few times during the day & he would come out & cuddle up & eat for 5 - 15 minutes, then he would go back behind the couch. as the week went on, he stayed out a little longer, he even was watching the wallabies & birds eat. one thing I noticed, Tiger was fine if I was standing or sitting, but once I get on all fours, he had the look of terror on his face
I tried to take him out a few times to have a closer look, but just wanted to jump down & go back inside. one wet night a possum was high up on the verandah so I took Tiger outside to meet the possum & he rubbed noses with it, he was fine, it was nightime. after a few goes outside during the day I thought he got used to it, so I closed the door behind us, so he can't run inside; he ran under the chair, the table & finally off the end of the verandah; under the house where I can't reach. I called him a few times but he did not budge. I had a look later & he was still there. In the arvo he stuck his head at the end of the verandah, I went out to get him & he took off under the house again
as night fell, I got my torch & had a look, Tiger was gone, no where to be seen
no sign of him the next day. at night I was turning everything off inside as I was going to bed, then I thought I heard something. I went outside & it was Tiger under the house looking at me. I grabbed some food & the torch but Tiger kept running away as I got near him; he would not come to the food as I was near it. Tiger was meowing the whole time as he was moving so I followed him up the back & then he doubled back & I lost him as he stopped meowing
the next day Tiger did not show up until sunset, I went outside & meowed & he meowed back & kept on meowing as I was talking to him, he only stopped meowing when I asked him what he was going to eat after he ate all the rats & mice
Tiger will be 2 years old in December. I rang up the RSPCA & the lady said the sister is out going with her mum now, not hiding in the corner. Tiger has gone like his sister was. it looks like they can't be away from their mum as they get funny in the head, I wonder what happenned with the previous owner.
what should I do with this situation? should I feed Tiger? should I not feed him? should I trap him & send him back to the pound where his sister will go back into her hole? I wanted to take all 3 of them but the RSPCA lady wanted $600 for all 3, I can't afford that on a pension. should I keep Tiger as I wanted a cat to get rid of the rats & mice, & let him live outside? should I just wait to see if he wants to come back inside? should I ignore him? should I talk to him?
I was teaching Tiger about why all the animals come to my place to eat as they all feel safe & they get on with each other, that is why I showed him the possum, as I don't want Tiger to hurt them; I have a conservation covernant on my 200 acre property, so all flora & fauna are protected (I got special written permission to have George P. Cat)
any advice would be appreciated
