Updated thread on Fred

[Meowmee]

It has been about 4- 5 months now and Fred is still hiding behind the bed, he runs there when I am in the room etc. I leave the door open part of the time now to try to get him to socialize a bit more but he still has interest only in the cats. The cats don’t say hi to him as much now. They want to go in to use the gigantic box and eat his food etc. I put his food up when that happens. Merlin actually chases him behind the bed. Quinn doesn’t hiss and growl now as much or at all really now, but I think he chases him back there maybe.

I have not gotten his bff inside yet, I am not looking forward to all the work and stress of intro another cat again. I think I will have to try to get these guys a home when we move. It is going to be too hard. I hope to get them in the touchable range but I am wondering if it will ever happen?

I do not have time now to spend hours with him and I did try a lot of the usual stuff at the start. He was better on the meds, socializing more. Maybe I should have kept that going for a bit longer, I am not sure.

On the good side, his leg has completely healed, no more limping. But he still has weird nasal breathing sometimes, nothing serious.

Will he ever get beyond this stage do you think? I guess time will tell.

 

[Furballsmom]

Will he ever get beyond this stage do you think?

I don't know, -- these are cats we're talking about, but I think it will take a lot longer for him to become confident with one, possibly two cats chasing him.

 

[Meowmee]

I don't know, -- these are cats we're talking about, but I think it will take a lot longer for him to become confident with one, possibly two cats chasing him.

Maybe, he does chase around with Zena so maybe it is a game with Merlin too. He just feels only safe behind the bed it seems. He sleeps on a towel in the bathroom but if I open the door while he’s in there he comes running from there and goes behind the bed lol. Funny that he thinks it’s safer to run in front of me to behind the bed because I guess he’s worried I might go into the bathroom with him there and he’s terrified of that- but he could also go into the closet.

He knows when I come in eventually I may be giving him more food if the food was put up for a while or it ran out so maybe he thinks he’s used to coming from behind the bed to get it.

 

[Furballsmom]

He sounds like a really interesting character lol

 

[Meowmee]

He sounds like a really interesting character lol

Yes he is, I will try to get an updated pic. I really thought he would be the first kitty for me to take in after Wizard passed and Little Cat did not seem tamable and had vanished, because he’s been here for eight years- he used to be sort of friends with Sybil through the window.

But after Tnr, inside, he did not show signs of being touchable and when he was outside he hissed at me when I walked past him on the path. So I had given up on it. And here he is now, inside finally after all this time. Maybe getting Cinnamon in with him will make him feel better.

He really has been the glue that held the colony together… I think he was the one who made friends with both Giorgio, who was top cat, and Cinnamon. I had tnr neutered them separately I believe. And he also made friends with Jezebel.

There was one time when Merlin ran after her to chase her away from the food and Fred went under my car with her to make her feel better, as did Cinnamon.

Giorgio was here before the others and he was the first cat I had tnr for a long time. He showed up with a collar on, and for some reason I just TNR and released him. I guess he didn’t seem tame, but he really turned out to be such a sweetie and I wish I could’ve kept him then.

I was not feeding the cats then and he just kept surviving by hunting and probably eating at a larger colony elsewhere that someone told me about later on.

Then when I trapped Little Cat and Cinnamon, and had started feeding them, Giorgio joined in to eat and Fred showed up and they all formed the colony.

I can’t remember the specifics of when Fred showed up now for some reason. Giorgio became a sweetie and was touchable outside.

I had already built a large shelter before this, but I wasn't sure if they were using it. I bought some ready mades and made another smaller one and he and they used them. Fred and C used the big one that past 2 years and LC I once saw at the first big one’s door so I assume she used it.

Giorgio passed in December about 2 years ago, I tried to save him but it was too late. And then Jez that spring, it was too late for her as well.

 

[di and bob]

It has only been 4-5 months, really he has come further than you think. My cats took a year before they were comfortable with each other. He will get more and more comfortable with you and the other cats as more time passes. Of course, the amount of time with him, sitting in the same room, and reading aloud from your phone is directly related to how soon he will tame down, but it will just take a little longer with less time. Make sure he has a quiet environment and leave treats when you leave the room. Routine is very important in taming a cat, make sure you feed him at the same time and try to spend a few minutes with him as often as possible. I wish you luck!

 

[Meowmee]

It has only been 4-5 months, really he has come further than you think. My cats took a year before they were comfortable with each other. He will get more and more comfortable with you and the other cats as more time passes. Of course, the amount of time with him, sitting in the same room, and reading aloud from your phone is directly related to how soon he will tame down, but it will just take a little longer with less time. Make sure he has a quiet environment and leave treats when you leave the room. Routine is very important in taming a cat, make sure you feed him at the same time and try to spend a few minutes with him as often as possible. I wish you luck!

Thanks. Yes we do follow a basic routine, not always at exactly the same time. But he hears when I get up and he scratches a scratcher by the door I think to let me know he wants me to open the door and to see the other cats etc.

The thing is in the very beginning he used to be with them more, he was in the cage and Merlin would lay right next to him because Fred was meowing and upset and he would calm down. I fed them together then but I can’t do that now because they can’t eat his dry food and that’s the main thing he eats.

And he also interacted with them more in the beginning when he was out of the cage and got much closer to me when he was on the medication.

So he really has a stronger people anxiety than any other cat I have worked with before.

For instance for Merlin bit me outside and Zena was aggressive inside, spitting, hissing and lunging. Merlin bit me outside but he was not really aggressive anymore like he was at tnr, but he did still try to keep snapping at me out of anxiety I think and he had to be trained out if it. Fred was hissing and growling a bit in the beginning but the medication stopped that.

By this time they were both turning into cuddly love bugs. And they we’re touchable. they both had a lot of health problems with diarrhea etc. and had to be quarantine and treated for a long time.

Well I don’t think Fred is ever going to be touchable, the only thing he’s ever allowed was once when I put some food out by the screen door he sniffed my finger and that is it. Sometimes he will meow at me inside now but I can’t figure out what he’s trying to tell me. Probably where is cinnamon and what am I doing here. Cinnamon on the other hand is very lonely being out there by himself and he will hang out on the patio and say hi to the other cats, and he meows at me now a lot. He knows his Fred is in here somewhere.

I have some work I have to do for the next couple of days on my computer- I’m going to try and do some of it in the room he’s in even though it isn’t as comfortable for me as my own room. I did sleep there two times during extreme heat over the summer and he was a bit freaked out by me being in the same room with him all that time. I think he spent most of the time in the closet then.

 

[Kflowers]

Once Fred's bff is inside the dynamics will change. Fred's world will feel safer to him, his great loss when trapped will be over and his heart will be mended. And, basically, he won't be outnumbered any more. Things will probably move forward quickly at that point.

 

[Meowmee]

Once Fred's bff is inside the dynamics will change. Fred's world will feel safer to him, his great loss when trapped will be over and his heart will be mended. And, basically, he won't be outnumbered any more. Things will probably move forward quickly at that point.

I hope so. Cinnamon is also very afraid of people. He has never let me touch him or get close to him once in eight years.

So it’s going to be a big adjustment for him too, but maybe being with Fred will make it easier for him. I just hope Fred does not train him or tell him to be scared of me too lol.

Cinnamon is going to have to go through a quarantine in the cage as well and get tested and vetted etc. So it’s going to be traumatic- I think that’s part of why I’ve been delaying it. I just don’t have the strength right now for all of this. I am hoping that maybe because he’s meowing at me a lot now he won’t be quite so scared inside but I have no clue yet.

In the past, long ago, all of the cats I took in from outside we’re already touchable, although some had some rough edges around the corners, and I didn’t do quarantining except for Wizard who was fiv plus, or really worry about any of that. Things always worked out ok.

Here are Fred and Cin with Merlin watching them eat

 

[Furballsmom]

I apologize if you've mentioned this previously, but have you utilized Cat Music?

 

[Meowmee]

I apologize if you've mentioned this previously, but have you utilized Cat Music?

No, I think I haven’t. Maybe I should try that… is it on youtube? I have played music for them in the past, like Adele or classical music etc. I can’t remember if I did for Fred or not I think I did at the beginning. I played purrli for him.

 

[Furballsmom]

There's RelaxMyCat .com, MusicForCats .com, and alexa and spotify etc have harp music that's been specifically written for cats. There are other sources as well that have purrs mixed into the other sounds if I understand it correctly

 

[Meowmee]

There's RelaxMyCat .com, MusicForCats .com, and alexa and spotify etc have harp music that's been specifically written for cats. There are other sources as well that have purrs mixed into the other sounds if I understand it correctly

I found some on a youtube channel, I will try it

 

[Furballsmom]

 

[Meowmee]

OK so we have a situation here going on with Fred which I just determined what had happened.

Earlier in the afternoon I was vacuuming in Fred’s room and upstairs. At some point I didn’t see him anymore didn’t hear him breathing etc. and after going in the room three times, I had left the door closed, I realized that he wasn’t in there- so I went to call him in the house, my other guys were downstairs Zena had gone up in the room when I went in there.

And I heard him meowing, so I came back upstairs, I went into his bedroom and called for him but he obviously wasn’t there and I heard him meow again, it turned out he was in my bedroom under the bed that whole time. Then all of a sudden Merlin charged him and scared him back under the bed and now Quinn figured out that he’s under the bed and he went and hissed at him- so I’m very worried and Fred is going to be scared to get out from under my bed and back into his room… I don’t know what to do here.

Should I lock my other guys up in the garage for a while? It also smells kind of poopy in here but I think it’s because Xena pooped in Fred’s room but I’m worried maybe Fred had to go to the bathroom and couldn’t get in there because I had closed the door thinking he was in there.

ugh, lol

 

[Meowmee]

Situation resolved… Even though I had just brushed my guy’s teeth, I gave them a little bit more dry food- Merlin had already gone downstairs and then Quinn & Zena came down… I heard Fred meowing upstairs… when I came back upstairs he had gone back into his room, so I put his food down and closed the door- he seemed relieved. Lol.

I wonder if he was trying to tell me with his meowing that he was back in his room now and he wanted some food?
Someday I have to write a book about all of this.

 

[di and bob]

Yes, you should! I bet he WAS calling you, I'm sure he was relieved he was back in familiar surroundings!

 

[Meowmee]

Yes, you should! I bet he WAS calling you, I'm sure he was relieved he was back in familiar surroundings!

Fortunately all I had to do was feed them, lol. Yes I think you are right. When I first saw him it was at the doors in my room kind of in the middle of the room and he was licking his lips, he was so nervous and now I realize why- it’s partly because Merlin has been chasing him under the bed probably when I didn’t realize it. It’s kind of odd because when Fred was first inside and he was in the drop trap for a while he would cry and Merlin would go and lay right next to him to calm him down.

I’m just hoping he’s going to be able to integrate eventually, maybe when I get cinnamon inside it will help.

 

[di and bob]

Cinnamon inside might help. You might as well get it done sooner than later, 2 cats needing tamed down really would be about the same as one and would keep each other company. Dont wait too long and have them forget each other. Then THEY will fight. I think you have come a long way.it just seems to take forever because what you are doing is not easy. It took me a year to get two 'families' of cats togethet, but it was worth it!

 

[Meowmee]

Cinnamon inside might help. You might as well get it done sooner than later, 2 cats needing tamed down really would be about the same as one and would keep each other company. Dont wait too long and have them forget each other. Then THEY will fight. I think you have come a long way.it just seems to take forever because what you are doing is not easy. It took me a year to get two 'families' of cats togethet, but it was worth it!

Yes. I am under huge stress now though and this will be a lot more added in. Everyone has a breaking point. That is why I have waited so long. I have always tamed one kitty at a time, I have taken in 2 new cats in a short time after numerous tragedies and stresses. Each time you add another cat in it changes all the dynamics.

I don’t think they will ever forget each other. They are very bonded and cinnamon wanted in last night, I am sure he smells Fred, lol.

Fred had already done that, changed the mix. It is stressful, the whole process, and he is not adjusting the way the others have. I don’t want months more of having to worry about which cats are where, keeping doors closed and wondering if this will be the straw that broke the camels back etc. and they will start inappropriate elimination etc.

I am worried about Quinn, he gets upset with each cat. He does seem to like Cin though, they were swatting at each other through the screen yesterday, unfortunately I didn’t get a video, it was very funny. But when they come inside he goes crazy etc.

I am glad you managed it all, that is amazing years ago a volunteer at a shelter had about four or five cats.. three or four of them could not get along with the other ones and they had to live upstairs in 2 rooms… they got let out at night while the others were kept in a room. I don’t want to do stuff like that, it is too stressful.