I understand that she's still a little traumatized from being trapped wherever she was for however long she was trapped. I know that she's going to have some issues, at least for a while, but there are some things that are just worrying me. I've spoken to a vet and he's basically just saying "wait and see".
Ginger has started suckling. When she curls up on DH or I to go to bed, she'll start kneading her paws. That much is normal. Only now, she uses her claws a LOT, which is NOT normal for her, and she'll push her nose into whatever small crevice she can find (usually a crooked elbow or an armpit) and start trying to suckle. She drooled all over me last night. She hasn't done this suckling behavior since she was 4 or 5 months old. It's been over a year, and she's doing this again. This means she's stressed, right?
She's not as food aggressive as she was (thank goodness). She will eat with the other cats, but anytime they eat she has to join them. It doesn't matter if she just finished eating. If someone else goes to that food bowl, she's snacking with them.
And she's hyper-alert. She doesn't stop looking around. I noticed this particularly when she's sharing canned food with the others. The other three bury their faces in the food and are oblivious to any outside stimulation. On the other hand, it's difficult to get Ginger to focus on the food at all. She'll lap up a bit, then sit up and look around the kitchen. Lean down and take a bite or two, sit up and look around the kitchen. It's worse if one of us is in the kitchen with her. She's constantly trying to watch us and see what we're doing.
And she sniffs EVERYTHING! I'm serious, her nose is constantly going. It has been since she came back. I figured she'd adjust, but no. She sniffs our hands, or faces, the couch, the ottomans, the carpet, the doorways, the walls, the clothes hamper, the tv (that was interesting last night...). Oh and geez, let one of the cats come in from outside -- Ginger's nose is right up their rear end, and she's sniffing them from head to tail. They've gotten irritated with her once or twice and laid back their ears, even batted at her.
I've got a feliway plug in going because I AM packing right now, and their environment is changing. Everyone else though seems quite content. I don't like the idea that Ginger is so stressed out. I can't figure out how to ease her down any, or take away stress, or just help her adjust.
I am NOT getting rid of her -- not in a million years. But this "new" Ginger isn't very manageable, and I need some way to help her get back to her old self.
Any help I can possibly get would be fantastic. I've even tried training her to do tricks, like I trained Loudmouth, because I figured that if I gave her something to focus on it would give her an outlet for some of this nervousness. But she's too active, she can't sit still, no attention span whatsoever, unless she's suckling. Then you can't stop her for anything.
Does anyone have any advice for my very anxious kitty who is tremendously glad to be home, but seriously needs to calm down?
Ginger has started suckling. When she curls up on DH or I to go to bed, she'll start kneading her paws. That much is normal. Only now, she uses her claws a LOT, which is NOT normal for her, and she'll push her nose into whatever small crevice she can find (usually a crooked elbow or an armpit) and start trying to suckle. She drooled all over me last night. She hasn't done this suckling behavior since she was 4 or 5 months old. It's been over a year, and she's doing this again. This means she's stressed, right?
She's not as food aggressive as she was (thank goodness). She will eat with the other cats, but anytime they eat she has to join them. It doesn't matter if she just finished eating. If someone else goes to that food bowl, she's snacking with them.
And she's hyper-alert. She doesn't stop looking around. I noticed this particularly when she's sharing canned food with the others. The other three bury their faces in the food and are oblivious to any outside stimulation. On the other hand, it's difficult to get Ginger to focus on the food at all. She'll lap up a bit, then sit up and look around the kitchen. Lean down and take a bite or two, sit up and look around the kitchen. It's worse if one of us is in the kitchen with her. She's constantly trying to watch us and see what we're doing.
And she sniffs EVERYTHING! I'm serious, her nose is constantly going. It has been since she came back. I figured she'd adjust, but no. She sniffs our hands, or faces, the couch, the ottomans, the carpet, the doorways, the walls, the clothes hamper, the tv (that was interesting last night...). Oh and geez, let one of the cats come in from outside -- Ginger's nose is right up their rear end, and she's sniffing them from head to tail. They've gotten irritated with her once or twice and laid back their ears, even batted at her.
I've got a feliway plug in going because I AM packing right now, and their environment is changing. Everyone else though seems quite content. I don't like the idea that Ginger is so stressed out. I can't figure out how to ease her down any, or take away stress, or just help her adjust.
I am NOT getting rid of her -- not in a million years. But this "new" Ginger isn't very manageable, and I need some way to help her get back to her old self.
Any help I can possibly get would be fantastic. I've even tried training her to do tricks, like I trained Loudmouth, because I figured that if I gave her something to focus on it would give her an outlet for some of this nervousness. But she's too active, she can't sit still, no attention span whatsoever, unless she's suckling. Then you can't stop her for anything.
Does anyone have any advice for my very anxious kitty who is tremendously glad to be home, but seriously needs to calm down?
