Rusty cat owner seeks help with new cat.

[arcticcat907]

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                So I am a rusty cat owner. I fully admit the following questions/concerns may just me being paranoid and overly concerned. That is why I’m here hoping the experience of others will help offer a guide.

                Yesterday I picked up a 1 year old female cat named Onyx. We are renaming her to Kathrine. From our best guess she’s something called a Tortise? Which is new to me. I’m used to orange cats (Garfield) and a calico/Siamese mix.  From the limited paperwork we got at the animal shelter she’s had her rabies shot, is litter trained, and doesn’t seem to have any other health problems, and in her year of life has lived briefly at 2 other homes. Other than being rather thin, she’s a very curious, very affectionate, playful lady. Later this week she’ll be spayed and sometime this week we’ll also go in for our free vet exam. However just in the last 24 hours I have noticed some things.

1)       She hasn’t used the cat box yet which has me nervous! I know I’ve seen her eat from her dish and drink from her bowl. But the cat box is still bare.  She can’t be holding it all in can she? Surely sometime over night she went. But I can’t seem to figure out where. And now I’m strongly considering washing all my sheets and clothes, keeping her out of rooms, etc, until she does just in case she peed somewhere.

2)       She has farted a few times. Just random, little cat toots. She did it once at the pound, and 2 or 3 times since she’s been home.

3)       I haven’t seen her sleep yet. I’ve seen her do the “resting my eyes” thing, but I haven’t actually seen her sleep.

4)       She kneads (making biscuits) EVERYWHERE. If she’s standing still for any length of time she’s doing it. On the floor, on the couch, on me. The only place she hasn’t is the window sill.

5)       Despite her curiosity she seems a little insecure about things. For example if I open a door to a new room she’ll come up to the door way and look in like it’s fascinating. If she walks in on her own, the moment we may eye contact she’ll run out of the room like I caught her in trouble. But if I walk in the room first and invite her in, she’ll come in and sniff all around. Same with window sills. If I open a window sill up for her, she’ll watch it. If she jumps up on her own the moment we make eye contact she bolts like I caught her in the act. But if I go back to the window sill, and tap it or point to it (invite her) she’ll jump back up and enjoy the sounds of birds outside for a while.

6)       Lastly, she’s taken a real shine to me personally. I live with my aging parents. It was originally supposed to be Mom’s cat. But I’ve noticed when the cat’s afraid of a room or a noise, it runs to me. When it’s looking for loving (pet me, pet me) it runs to me. She follows me around the house. She’ll obey commands when I invite her onto a chair, or up the stairs. Last night she laid in that “rest my eyes” thing while purring loudly on my chest a few times and on the foot of my bed a few times. She doesn’t seem to have much interest in my parents at all.

I’m curious on the normality of these things? If I should be concerned? What I can do to help change things if I need to? And so on. Any advice I can be given is hugely appreciated. I listed the items in really greatest importance/concern to minor notations of oddity.

 

[puck]

Welcome to TCS Rusty ;]

Katherine sounds like a normal transitioning cat, adjusting to her new digs.

A home is a big environment, especially if she came from a shelter, single cat room or cage, and has been through the stressful transition of 2 previous homes. Cats can hold their bladder even longer than you're describing. Feliway, feline facial pheremone, would greatly benefit her current "new environment anxiety" that is keeping her from letting down her guard enough to use her litterbox. A diffuser, that either says Felway or ComfortZone, the same thing, plugged in near the 2 litterboxes you should have, in 2 different areas of the home, will help her settle down and into her new home, thinking of it as a safe space. The Feliway spray is also helpful, to spray direclty into and around the boxes themselves.

Open boxes are best, so she can see around her while she eliminates. Closed boxes inhibit knowing "what's coming" so they feel they can bolt if they need to. You can encourage her to eliminate with a couple litter type options also, say one has clumping silicone clay, and one has pine pellets. Lavender also has calming effects on pets and us, so sprigs crushed in your hands and scattered about the room, as well as a steamy potpurri from the stove or your tub infused with lavender branches/leaves may help also.

Tortoiseshell, Tortie for short, is a coat color describing a cat with mottled black and red (orange) splotches. They can also have tabby stripes, and then are dubbed a mash-up of Torbie. If diluted, aka muted, they are called a dilute tortie. If she has any white splotches, with her black/red markings, she is calico coat color.

Is she a domestic shorthair (DSH) or longhair (DLH)?

Great that she has been rabies vaccinated. What other vaccines and tests have been done? Ensure you have all records and proof of vaccination and negative FeLV/FIV testing prior to your first vet appt.

If you are the most interactive, engaging individual in the home, that is the best bond from her point of view as a young active cat. If you need a cat for your parents, who are more quiet and reserved, less active, you may need a more sendentary, older, couch potato kind of cat. Although, there are many 14 year olds that do just as many kitty zoomies and Da Bird wand playing as their 2 year old counterparts! Truly inquiring about behavior and personality tendencies will behoove you getting a successful companion for your parents. Katherine will likely come to trust and love them, but won't run to them when she's super happy or afraid.

Can we see a pic?!

 

[arcticcat907]

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Puck,

                Thank you for the informative reply and the warm welcome. My mind is put a little bit to ease. I hadn’t heard of the chemicals you spoke of, next time I’m out I’ll have to look at this. We’ve been debating a cat for about a year now, and when we finally took the plunge it was a “let’s go look at one” which turned into a “I don’t think I can look myself in the mirror in the morning and know this one is still here” thing. So when we got her, we didn’t have any supplies. Point is, later this week or next week we will definitely be going on a cat supply run. I know from a kid (god how long was that) that I need to get her a kitty bed so she has a safe place to sleep and be alone, as well as some toys and such. While I’m out and about for that stuff I’ll look for the chemical.

                I can certainly see where her little toddler mind is in sensory overload right now. In college I saw a lot of kittens adopted and recycled through homes because college kids and 20 somethings couldn’t take care of it. We’re in a big house and everyone is over 30. I don’t know what Kathrine’s last two homes were like, but due to her age I suspect something similar. We’re an older crowd, big house, mellow crowd.  

                When we initially arrived at the Animal Control Center here in town, we were shocked to see how high the prices were for the cats. About twice as high as we were expecting. I thought I was doing my mom a favor and offered to go half in on it. When we got up to the counter to pay and do paperwork, I was thrown under the fuzzy bus. All the paper work has my name on it, and I paid for the cat outright. So whether you’re talking about the people in the house, or the cat in the house, it looks like the consensus is I have a new cat. Which is fine. It’s nice to have something to look forward to. While my mom’s not real interactive I’m sure she’ll bond. Particularly more as the cat ages and mellows out. My dad and I are both gone 8 hours day at our jobs so the only one home is my mother. And my mother likes to read and surf forums so a lap cat is nice. I doubt she’ll play with the cat much but being the only one in the house most of the day, I’m sure they’ll get to know each other well. When I get home there will be play time and such.

                When I left for work this morning as a precaution I made sure all the bedroom doors were closed. That way is Kathrine had to pee she’d be encouraged to use her litter box. I texted mom on my lunch break and I’m told there’s evidence the cat box was used. So that gives me hope and is relaxing. While I’m sure opportunity and stress have a part in it, and there’s a different between peeing and marking, I’m assuming if she’s used the box once she’s likely to use it again. So it’s a good sign. I’m also told she loves to sit in the windows and take in all the excitement.

                From what you’ve said I’m guessing Kathrine is a Torbie? I honestly thought she was a gray stripped tabby cat that just happened to have a few random splotches of orange on her. Then I noticed her paperwork said “Tortise”. I’m told they have specific personality traits I should watch for (good and bad). Which may be a problem because I’m a push over. She’s a short haired cat though she seems to be shedding A LOT right now. I don’t have any pictures currently because I can’t get her to sit still long enough to look at the camera. She’s always doing something. And as far as I know she hasn’t had any more shots. Part of the adoption fee included getting her spayed so we go back the 15^th for that. And we got coupons for a free health exam at a qualifying local vet (had a list) and for Alaska Mill and Feed for a bowl and some food. I’m hoping this week sometime to get the bowl and call up a vet to schedule the free exam. I’m a little worried about the farts.

                I think Kathrine’s happy. Like I said she “slept” on my chest last night while doing her kneading thing and purring really loud. And at one point she nipped me while petting her. It was a light, not aggressive nip of a bite and it didn’t stop petting. She just kept on rubbing my hand and moving into the stroke with her face. She really, really loves getting her face stokes. Her chin, her cheeks, top of her head, and around her ears. I can pet her other places and she calms down a little and maybe even sits, but the moment you stroke that face…. She gets excited, stands up, and does everything she can to get more. I’ve seen her jump up and sit on my lap a few times last night without invitation/request from me and thus far I haven’t seen her do that with my parents. She follows me around like my shadow. It was hard to take a shower this morning, go to work, or use the bathroom at 3am this morning. I guess she’s a happy cat. If I’m any kind of decent person she’ll stay that way the next 15-18 years.

 

[puck]

You can order Feliway online, the feline facial calming pheremone I mentioned. I love chewy.com service and deals. Their shipments always arrive in great condition. Amazon is 60/40 for me. Get ready for a ridiculously long web address. Jeesh!

http://www.chewy.com/cat/feliway-pl...s47mm1CbJPnGqXL9cfJ6uj2Isi5RPLvsW2hoCiubw_wcB

Call the shelter and ask about her FeLV/FIV test status, as that is standard for a shelter to run prior to investing in vaccinating, deworming, feeding and housing etc. Ensure she's negative for both highly infectious retroviruses prior to getting another cat, if you do in the future. The shelter may have tested her and forgot to mention this, or it's in her paperwork they gave you during adoption process. If not, your new rDVM needs to test her, first thing. It only takes 0.2mL of blood, a minor amount, and you are waiting 10 min for the inhouse test, or 2 days for an outside lab turnaround.

She certainly is a happy cat. Trusting you, kneading you (makin biscuits, as we say in the South), following you, and feeling brave enough to sit in a window sill, are all positive signs. And she eliminated. Yay!

Shopping:

• 2 litterboxes, open, not closed, even if this seems "cleaner" to you it won't be as approachable or clean to a cat
• Exquisicat Pine litter is very affordable, and biodegradable, so you can just chuck in the woods or flower garden. Not in veggie garden, as cat poo is bad fertilizer
• Diet: both canned and dry options. Variety of canned. In Alaska, don't know what you have access to, but Weruva, TikiCat, Wellness, and Fromm are great canned products. Fromm, Acana, Wellness, and Blue are good dry options. If none of these available, check for basic Purina Proplan, or at a minimum, ONE.  Chewy.com has great diet options and shipping, if you need to order food after utilizing your shelter coupon at the feed store
• Da Bird wand will come in handy to interactively play with her. If your parents use this to engage her, she'll glom on faster than white on rice!
• 

  Da-Bird-Pole-Cat-Toy.jpg

  • puck
  • May 29, 2015
• 

  da_bird_fun_pack.jpg

  • puck
  • May 29, 2015
  

  bengal da bird play

  • puck
  • May 29, 2015
  

  my-cat-playing-with-da-bird-go-cat-toy.jpg

  • puck
  • May 29, 2015
• These are good too, as long as she doesn't eat them! GI foreign bodies happen in bored cats left with string and small toys! Pick up toys like these and the wand and stow away whenever not in use. http://www.chewy.com/cat/ethical-pet-flicker-fun-feather-bird/dp/56229
• Also, to help with the stress of a new home, you may want to try VetriScience Composure, and/or Rescue Remedy drops. http://www.vetriscience.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=9008103030
• Beds are less important compared to a cat tower, and sisal scratching posts at different corners of the home. A good, tall cat tower gives our arboreal companions a good vantage point, giving them confidence and a safe space of their own. Most of these are comfy, lined with bedding/padding at the stages/platforms, and the occasional additional fleece liner is added, easy to remove and wash. and are my most recent additions

You are doing very well with her and doing great by her, as a provider and caretaker. She couldn't ask for better! Keep it up!

 

[puck]

http://www.alaskamillandfeed.com/#!cat-dog-food/c1byh Great food selection at your feed store. Acana and Fromm are available. Fromm and Instinct canned seem their best options. Get them to order Weruva or the same company's less expensive line, b.f.f. available in 5.5-6oz cans you can split for morning/evening meals. If feeding dry, she'll only need 1/4c., with 5.5-6oz canned/day, and less than 1/4c. after spaying.

http://www.akrvo.org/ This is a great NPO after reading up on it, and wish we had that in NC! Helping owners find funds/grants through local and national orgs to pay for vet bills has been a daily challenge. Y'all got it goin on up there in AK! Lucky ducks!

Some things, such as the cat towers and Feliway will be less costly online ordering. But, getting your food locally, and maintaining a relationship with a pet store like that one, can help open up your world to local resources for pet owners, and they can answer questions, as well as special order anything you need, and, if like most pet stores, have a great return policy for anything Kathrine or you do not like or change your mind about.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

I keep ending up on threads that have "knead" or "kneading" in them, because my husband and I called that "push-purring" (hence, my forum name here). So, it's a familiar topic. And your Kathrine sounds like a lovely, happy cat! Also, any thread talking about calicos or torties, or torties w/ white, is another thread I'm drawn like a magnet to, since hubby and I hope to get a new kitten in the next month or half a year -- calicos are catching our eyes.

Fully agree w/ puck on an uncovered litter box.

One compromise, since I have done this myself, would be to:
- purchase one of those metal (usually vintage) rolling carts (like this one, for example, to give you an idea only of what I mean -- I am not connected to this seller in any way, and I also I know you can find these vintage carts cheaper if you look around),
- remove the lowest shelf (or both shelves) so that there is more "ceiling height" and space for the cat when she uses the litter box,
- get two small curtain panels and place them partially on the sides of the cart, using double-backed velcro tape (attach the tape to (1) the top edges of the cart in the location you want, and (2) the edges of the curtain panels, to velcro them together). This positioning still gives enough open areas and viewing-the-environment areas for the cat, yet still sort of covers the box with a semi-functional piece of "furniture" for you to use.

You can remove and wash the curtain panels (depending on how reliably you applied the velcro tape, etc), and/or have different curtain panels for different looks to either fit your decor, or your cat's tastes, lol. Plus, the thing can be rolled around if your cat did not like its location.

 

[arcticcat907]

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So small update on Kathrine:

Yesterday was her first day alone with just my mother. While I have noticed when I came home that Kathrine prefers to spend her time playing with a mousey, in a window, exploring the house, or otherwise keeping herself entertained, she will sit on my mother’s lap now. My mother’s not a huge petter but is Kathrine walks by she’ll give the cat a little love. It works out because Kathrine won’t seem to sit on your lap for long if you get her too excited. Like pet her too much (specifically her face). At that point it becomes all about being stroked and she’s walking around looking for more. Katrhine will also divert her attention and sometimes come when my mother does a higher pitched “kitty”. Something she does not do for me.

That said, when I get home I do seem to be the primary source of attention and entertainment again. The moment I’m seen, suddenly I have a small fuzzy shadow everywhere. She spent the rest of the night with me. As much as she loves face strokes I’ve learned if I can get her to sit down, to easy back to her shoulder and be softer and slower. If I do she’ll stay sitting longer and she may even “rest her eyes”. Yesterday she was comfortable enough while sitting on my lap, or when I reclined laying on my chest, to curl into a ball eyes closed for a bit which is new, and to groom herself a bit which is new. We’ve also comes to notice that Kathrine is a very quiet cat. Other than the original meowing on the car ride home, she hasn’t made a peep really.  She likes to lay on my chest so I’ve heard her make almost silent “ra-“ sounds on the rare occasion. And when we’re upstairs or downstairs she doesn’t like noises coming from the other end of the stairs. While downstairs today on my lap she did a short low growl. And upstairs when someone wanders up she’ll jump off, get puffy, and arch her back. The moment she realizes you’re not out to eat her, or that it’s me, she’ll become lovey. We’ve also noticed unlike our previous cats when she’s someplace she’s not supposed to be you don’t have to squirt her with water or yell loudly and sternly at her. A nice polite “hey” is all you need and she’ll comply.

I texted mom yesterday and asked if there were signs Kathrine had used the cat box to which she replied yes. When I came home, I discovered no visual evidence. I guess my mother can heard scratching or digging noises from the bathroom. I check periodically throughout the night last night to see no sign. This morning same story but there was definitely a big ditch or hole that was dug in one corner of the box. If Kathrine is using the box, she’s definitely burying everything. I suspect when I use the sifting liners one night we will see the truth.  Until then I am shutting her out of bedrooms during the day for safety, and keeping clothes off the floors so we might solve the mystery of the missing poop without incident. I haven’t purchased any chemicals or extra boxes yet due to work and waiting for a day off. I was planning on this weekend. I also hadn’t purchased any more food until after her free vet exam on Thursday morning in case the doc had a dietary requirement. A cat tree was planned also.

Did some research online. I thought I was dealing with basically a toddler. It looks like according to the internet I’m dealing with essentially a 15 year old. It’s good to know she’s a little more with it than aware than I had thought, and that several of the personality traits and behaviors we’ve seen are likely to be her since she’s considered an “adult cat” now. Like how when she eats she’ll take a mouthful of food out of the bowl, drop it next to the bowl or on the carpet and eat it there. She won’t eat just out of the bowl.

 

[handsome kitty]

Are you cleaning the box every day?  One of my cats will actually make a pile away from where she went and cover up her business like no one had been there.  I think of her as the stealth kitty!  I wouldn't assume Katherine isn't going in the box.

 

[konuku]

I am by no means a cat specialist (I'm getting 2 kittens in a few weeks - first time I will be a cat owner and not just a roommate!). Anyhoo, I read quite a bit about Tortie cats as I was contemplating getting one. From what I read, many of them have something called "tortitude" and can be a bit sassy, though they are supposedly very loving too.

They also tend to attach themselves to one person and are very protective of that person. I read a couple of stories about how new people who come into the house will be fiercly watched to be sure that their person is okay and might even attack if they don't feel the person is trustworthy. They also tend to want you for themselves if other cats are around.

It is all fascinating stuff and pretty incredible that different coloring also translates into specific personalilty traits.  I am not sure if someone mentioned it here already as I did not read through everything (only skimmed). But your tortie might be exhibiting these suppsed tortie traits. If so, you are her person. Sounds a bit like a parrot.