Hello all - my name's Kaz and I'm new here!
I have a query and I'm not sure which is the correct forum to post it, so I'd be most grateful if someone could either answer this or direct me to the correct place.
Our next door neighbours moved away 4 days ago. They asked us to adopt their two cats, Sylvester and Pepper. Sylvester (black and white, semi-long haired moggy, with the intelligence of a sponge cake, a very lovely boy and great fun) has more or less lived with us for the last 3 years anyway out of choice so he's not the problem. The problem is Pepper (tortie). She is a very nervous little girl who will only let you touch her on her terms, not particularly friendly (to say the least). She was born on a farm and I don't think had a great deal of human contact before she was 6 weeks old so, consequently, is a cat-cat rather than a people-cat. This is fine, it's what she is. Trouble is, I'm concerned about how long it will take for her to realise that she has to come indoors to our house. She knows she can eat here, she used to pop in occasionally and has been in a few times since her previous owners left, but last night she just sat outside their catflap (which has been locked by the new owners who don't know the situation) and cried and cried to be let it - it nearly broke our hearts.
Do you guys think we should just bide our time and let her make her own mind up about what she wants to do, even if it includes running away? She already knows she can come and get food from our house, but I'm bothered about not knowing where she sleeps. She knows that her 'brother' Sylvester is here, but, although they don't fight, they're not particularly close so I don't think that when she sees him in the house she'll think 'hmmm, he's there so I guess it's OK...'
Any ideas?
I have a query and I'm not sure which is the correct forum to post it, so I'd be most grateful if someone could either answer this or direct me to the correct place.
Our next door neighbours moved away 4 days ago. They asked us to adopt their two cats, Sylvester and Pepper. Sylvester (black and white, semi-long haired moggy, with the intelligence of a sponge cake, a very lovely boy and great fun) has more or less lived with us for the last 3 years anyway out of choice so he's not the problem. The problem is Pepper (tortie). She is a very nervous little girl who will only let you touch her on her terms, not particularly friendly (to say the least). She was born on a farm and I don't think had a great deal of human contact before she was 6 weeks old so, consequently, is a cat-cat rather than a people-cat. This is fine, it's what she is. Trouble is, I'm concerned about how long it will take for her to realise that she has to come indoors to our house. She knows she can eat here, she used to pop in occasionally and has been in a few times since her previous owners left, but last night she just sat outside their catflap (which has been locked by the new owners who don't know the situation) and cried and cried to be let it - it nearly broke our hearts.
Do you guys think we should just bide our time and let her make her own mind up about what she wants to do, even if it includes running away? She already knows she can come and get food from our house, but I'm bothered about not knowing where she sleeps. She knows that her 'brother' Sylvester is here, but, although they don't fight, they're not particularly close so I don't think that when she sees him in the house she'll think 'hmmm, he's there so I guess it's OK...'
Any ideas?