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O happy day

5K views 108 replies 21 participants last post by  Cully 
#1 ·
Great news, I've managed to find a new puss for my friend who lost Charlie recently. I contacted a local rescue yesterday and they e-mailed me today to say he was available. so I phoned her straight away and sent her his photo and she immediately said yes. :D Due to the current situation where rescues can't be visited, my friend is having him on a trial basis and his fosterer is delivering him on Thursday. Here he is, isn't he cute?

Cat Felidae Carnivore Fawn Small to medium-sized cats


He's 12 years old, and his previous owner took him to the vets to be put to sleep because he/she didn't want him any more. :mad: :mad:. He was very thin and starving when he was handed over to a local rescue.

Fingers crossed it all goes according to plan. :)
 
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#90 ·
@chillminx, in answer to your questions -

The food situation - he was back on Whiskas, then the vets sold her pouches of Purina food for his stomach last week which she used up until going to the vets yesterday. They've now given sold her the Hills food to give him permanently which the vet says his cats eat and do well on but as soon as she got him home, she gave him a tin of Thrive :Banghead. I'm having trouble getting through to her the need to introduce food gradually and not keep changing. I believe she gives him four meals a day which I did tell her to cut down to three as I thought this would be overloading his tum. I have been thinking that perhaps 5-6 smaller meals would be better as he is so obsessed which gives him less time to get frustrated between meals.

I think she's given him one meal of cooked chicken but that's all.

He has his last meal around 8.30 then nothing until the morning. Once he has settled down for the night he isn't any trouble.

It isn't specifically around mealtimes, in fact, it's at its worst in the evenings when he voluntarily sits on her lap while she watches TV. She does pet him though she says she knows not to do it too much. She was kissing his head which I told her to stop as that could be pretty dangerous if he suddenly decided to lash out. She said sometimes she doesn't have to be doing anything at all and he does it. I do wonder myself if its frustration of wanting food but not getting it.

He lashes out occasionally at her feet when he is just lying down on the floor and she passes him to go to the kitchen. One positive is he does seem to have learnt that he can't just go into the kitchen and jump up on work surfaces trying to find food which he did repeatedly when he came.

@Cully, I totally agree that it will take time for his brain to adjust to knowing he will get regular meals, you can't switch off 12 years of possible neglect in five minutes. Toppy was much the same when he came always wanting to be fed.

I don't think Orlando's ever done the full wrap around your arm thing like Misty, its just quick one off bites or scratches. The kickeroo or teddy sounds a good idea to deflect his aggression thank you, I'll suggest it.

I am really hoping given time he will improve, its only been three weeks after all, but I'm not sure she can put up with it much longer. It's such a shame as in all other respects he's a lovely cat, he just has a Jekyll and Hyde personality.

I'm a little annoyed that the vet has suggested to her he is not the cat for her which could be influencing her thinking. She was very lucky with Charlie that he was such an easy going boy but all cats can't be the same anymore than people. I don't believe in giving them back the minute there's a problem, you do have to work at it and usually love and TLC will reward you. She isn't a very experienced cat owner, before Charlie she hadn't had a cat for a very long time, so she doesn't know how to deal with problems.

I haven't been in touch yet today so we'll see how things have been since he came back from the vets. He was a little spaced out last night.
 
#91 ·
Good luck when you speak to your friend today, I hope she has some positive news.
It would be such a pity to pass him on to someone else and I really feel that with time, and a lot of patience from your friend, that things will improve. As we all know, cats can be so very different from each other it's amazing sometimes that they all belong to the same species!
That must have been so annoying when she fed him Thrive after being told to to give him Hills:Banghead
The lashing at her feet as she passes sounds very much like friendly play. Misty's pal Sooty comes in here and loves digging into her toy box to see what he can find. I don't think he's ever seen a toy before he came here but he thoroughly enjoys chewing a catnip toy or batting a wand. Do you think she would be willing to try him with a few toys? Perhaps he just needs to learn what 'playing nicely' is.
Good luck with the 'kickeroo'. An old stuffed sock would do for now.
 
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#92 ·
@Charity It is good news that Orlando has been given a clean bill of health. At least that's one less thing to worry about. I am wondering weather his behaviour is connected to his food obsession too feeling the need to protect what food he now has. My cat Sam is semi-feral and was abandoned and left on the streets to fend for himself. When I gave him a home he was also food obsessed which lasted for around six months. So I think it does pass once they feel they do not need to worry about food anymore. Sam was also afraid of playing, maybe he felt threatened in some way so I decided to just leave a few stuffed catnip toys around the house should he wish to play but on his terms. I do see him at times playing with his mice and it's lovely to see. Orlando May come around to wanting to play too but not just yet. Sam has never attacked me in anyway, but I think that's down to his personality he is incredibly shy and timid. I also think that when the food situation calms down (and it will) Orlando will feel less threatened and not feel the need to lash out. I do hope that a solution can be found that both suits your friend and Orlando. Keeping everything crossed here.
 
#93 ·
Hi,
My first thought was maybe he is not feeling satisfied on the food he is eating, maybe not enough protein to keep him full longer. Does she also feed dry? That can cause spikes in blood sugar levels I read. Maybe a lot of dry treats can do the same.
Can you ask your friend when she feeds him is it a full pouch or tin?
I would be inclined to leave out some wet food overnight and leave wet food out in general.
Once she gets him on good quality food with lower carbs and no sugar, I don't think there is a danger to weight gain if that is a concern.
It can be the particular food is not filling or he gets hungry sooner than mealtimes. She may be worried he will begin vomiting again so keep on about gradual introduction of new foods.
If the vet wants him on sensitive food, I would try a better brand than Hills, Miamor or Almo Nature, for example.
For the sudden lashing out, I have heard that cats can become overstimulated by too much touching , so try to see if limiting petting helps, one or two strokes to begin.
Agree, with others about food insecurity. We recently heard from an adopter who took two older male cats last autumn. One had been living on the street and the other in an crowded flat. The adopter wrote last week that they are now less anxious about food, knowing that there will always be more.
 
#94 ·
I've just spoken to her. So far he hasn't done anything negative last night or today, she did actually start by saying 'I'm not sure it's the same cat' :D but he's getting more lively now the anaesthetic has worn off so we shall see what tonight brings.

She has some toys strewn across the floor and she's tried the fishing rod type but he isn't interested, I'm sure he's never seen toys before.

I think because of his upset tum recently she hasn't been feeding him full pouches or tins all the time no. She doesn't feed him dry for meals either, he has only had a few once as treats.

I am trying to stress to her that he needs time to adjust and it may take months rather than weeks. I've told her to get some Zylkene and Feliway/Pet Remedy (in fact I told her that three weeks ago when he first arrived but there we are :rolleyes:) which should help.

@Summercat, I don't think any cat food would be left out overnight, before she'd even gone to bed, he would have wolfed it down. Nothing stays in the dish more than two minutes. :D

There have been one or two improvements in his ways since he arrived but, as we all know, it is just going to take time.
 
#95 ·
She has some toys strewn across the floor and she's tried the fishing rod type but he isn't interested, I'm sure he's never seen toys before.
I'm betting she doesn't realise Orlando needs to be shown how to play with toys. I'm always suprised that people just put a box of toys down and can't understand why the cat/dog seems bemused by them. With wand toys they just wave them around, usually over the cats head, and even boing the toy on it's head. Show her how to tease Orlando by making the feather (or whatever) behave like prey. Misty totally ignores a seemingly dead mouse or bird, but loves stalking and pouncing on something that wriggles or swoops overhead. If she learns how to play with him it will increase the bond between them and make them both happy.
I'm gob smacked the vet said he isn't the cat for her. What was he thinking of? I just hope she doesn't take it to heart and start thinking too much along the same lines.
Hopefully the next time you speak to her she has news that things are changing for the better.
 
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#96 ·
@Charity @chillminx am coming from this logically, and kind of a dogs point of view well enrichment point of view really.

I have seen on here some cats using lickimats, others completely not interested. These obviously slow down feeding, are enrichment, stimulating type way to get food dependent obviously on the animal/cat. If Orlando would use one, once you get on track feeding wise. If he's worse in the evening. Having to work for say a meal, would this mentally tire him out some what, if there is a trigger round food, so he does somewhat relax?!?!?

Obviously dogs, horses, rabbits, the list is endless if you scatter feed get them to work for food to some degree it can really help.
 
#100 ·
I think Lickimats are a better idea for cats than slow feeders. The type of slow feeders I have seen all bruise the whiskers.

But the same thing can be achieved in slowing down the cat's rate of eating by spreading the food out onto a large flat plate, either a salad plate or a small dinner plate. I did this with 2 of my previous cats all their lives, and it worked to slow their eating.
 
#101 ·
I think Lickimats are a better idea for cats than slow feeders. The type of slow feeders I have seen all bruise the whiskers.

But the same thing can be achieved in slowing down the cat's rate of eating by spreading the food out onto a large flat plate, either a salad plate or a small dinner plate. I did this with 2 of my previous cats all their lives, and it worked to slow their eating.
I don't know what it is but some sort of bowl she said. I don't like most of the slow feeders because they are hard plastic and seem to me to be more for dry food and more for dogs than cats. We shall see.
 
#102 ·
Oh I'm glad she has someone else to give some support. It's hard for you to take sole responsibility, and I expect you must feel obliged because it was with your help your friend got Orlando. Hopefully you'll feel a bit easier now, and at least the foster mum will have her own, albeit short, history with him. A problem shared, as they say, is a problem halved.:)
 
#103 ·
Hi @Charity
I hope your friend sticks with Orlando. I do think in time, his swiping and biting will go.

My black cat Sammy (RIP) was very swipey around my ankles and legs for several months when I first took him on. The family he lived with took in many students, probably not all were cat lovers, he had no cat flap and probably had nowhere to escape to when he got stressed, except for when they let him out into the garden. I got the feeling he'd been kicked or pushed out the way regularly by feet. My legs use to bleed quite badly. Once he got settled and trusted me it stopped completely. (He was ill with tumours when he came to me, but I didnt think at the time that this had anything to do with it), I felt he'd been kicked. Being black & in a busy household (before moving in with me) people may have accidentally trodden on him, or knocked him in the night, that was another possibility I thought of.

Now when I was asked to take Max on, for a long time he would suddenly bite and scratch. It was usually when was on my lap being stroked. He would be fine if we had eye contact and the strokes were repetitive, but if I stopped looking at him whilst stroking him, for example to look up at the tv, or the strokes "altered", like from stroking his head to stroking his head, past his head and near his eyes, he'd bite or swipe. It could have been to do with over stimulation. When I got a large cat glove brush thing, he seemed to really like being brushed with it, but the moment I stopped stroking him he became very aggressive. I used the glove just that once then gave it away, warning the next person to use it of what they might expect when using it.

With both cats their pupils would grow large just before the attack. I found if I could spot the change in their pupils quick enough, I could avoid being injured. With Sammy, if his pupils grew bigger, I'd stop in my tracts, so as to not walk or stop near enough for him to swipe me. Unfortunately with Max, for a very long time he would attack visitors if they stroked him and then made a sudden movement. If anyone (including me) suddenly coughs, sneezes, suddenly speaks just a bit too loud, he gets frightened and either runs, or if being handled, will attack, like the time he bit into my mother's hand and she had to have antibiotics for the wound. Now if I suddenly cough, he doesn't hurt me, but jumps off my lap, but if I give him catnip, he hits the tin lid with the catnip on, as I place it down for him, as though he can't wait to get at it, so he only gets given a tiny amount.

There seem to be triggers & then tell tell signs of an imminent sudden attack.
 
#104 ·
Thanks @TriTri. You're right, time is the key and learning the signs. Apparently yesterday, he didn't do it at all though mustn't speak too soon. My friend said she tried to ignore him more (could be over fussing him a bit) and he just got on her lap last night and she didn't touch him other than an occasional stroke and he was OK. Don't know if something the vet has done, like, perhaps his teeth bothering him has helped. Anyway, see if it continues. I know she wants to keep him, she isn't one of these who gives up at the first sign of trouble but I can understand how intimidating it is, especially at her age. Fingers crossed for good behaviour. :)

@Cully, I think the fosterer is feeling bad that she's had all these problems from day one so is helping where she can and she did offer to help with the cost of his vet treatment. I believe she's going to visit this week to see him.
 
#105 ·
This will be my last news on Orlando. He's been much better this week, no aggression since I last wrote though my friend is being cautious but at least its more relaxing for her. They had a visit from his fosterer on Wednesday and she was amazed how well he looked and how relaxed he was. So, lets hope its all good for the future. :D

Cat Carnivore Dog breed Felidae Whiskers
 
#107 ·
This will be my last news on Orlando. He's been much better this week, no aggression since I last wrote though my friend is being cautious but at least its more relaxing for her. They had a visit from his fosterer on Wednesday and she was amazed how well he looked and how relaxed he was. So, lets hope its all good for the future. :D

View attachment 445504
Thanks for the update, but like Mrs F, I'm rather sad this will be the final one.
Can't you continue with an occasional update and photos? Pleeease?????
 
#109 ·
Its reassuring that he seems to have settled more now and calmed down. Ok he's still a bit skinny but he'll fill out now he's getting regular meals.
You've done a great job of supporting your friend throughout this and of course, we've all been interested too, so it would be lovely to see the occasional photo.
Looks like is has a very happy future ahead of him.
 
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