Rehoming disaster

MsFifers

Hi - I posted here about a week ago about a rehoming dilemma. In the end, I had a good chat with the lady who offered to take the cat and she agreed to keep him as an inside cat - which seemed a great solution as he preferred to be inside anyway.

However - its been a disaster. The poor divil has been there 5 days and hasn't eaten except for a few nibbles on the first day. He had been hiding behind the tv the whole time and is terrified -even though its a quiet house with just one person living there.

I'm going to go and bring him home this evening.

I don't know what to do. He can't stay in my house as he attacks (viciously!) my own 2 cats, and it now looks like he'd starve if I try to rehome him!

Agh! What can I do?!

blondie7

Have you tried scruffing him when he attacks your other 2 cats? I no some people will think its cruel but it really is the only way of teaching them what there doing is wrong. Also have you got a feliway plugged in, in the room he would spend most of his time? Maybe the cat wants to be outside instead of inside all the time. Some cats hate being housebound and much prefer to be outside most of the time.

I assume you have him nuteured!:)

portgirl123

blondie7 wrote: »

Have you tried scruffing him when he attacks your other 2 cats? I no some people will think its cruel but it really is the only way of teaching them what there doing is wrong. Also have you got a feliway plugged in, in the room he would spend most of his time? Maybe the cat wants to be outside instead of inside all the time. Some cats hate being housebound and much prefer to be outside most of the time.

I assume you have him nuteured!:)

not going to comment about the scruffing as ive never seen or heard of this been done. if the cat has been used to been outside yes i agree he would prob perfer to be outside but the thing is as he has just been rehomed this is not a option at the moment as the cat will need to get used of his new home and needs to be kept in for at least 2 weeks, if not and let out he will prob get lost.

poconnor16

Is he neutered? He might be less agressive towards the other 2 if he was.

Also, did you try the whole 'introduction' process? My older kitten literally would try to kill my new kitten. It took 2 weeks of seperation, sniffing each other under the door, getting each others scent.....then we did small visits at 3 weeks. It took time, so I would imagine it would take more with adult cats.

boomerang

I wouldn't take him back yet. It's really common for cats to react in this way to a change of environment. I had one cat here who spent two weeks hidden behind the unit under the kitchen sink! She wasn't feral, just very scared. She came around and was the most wonderfully affectionate, sweet cat when she found her feet. I'd be advising the lady to be patient with him.

Can she confine him to one room where there's no where for him to bolt under? Maybe a small bathroom? He'll still need a little hidey place like an igloo bed to feel secure, but being able to have more positivephysical contact with him - stroking him, playing with a dangly toy, feeding him treats - will speed up the process of confidence-building.

Graces7

boomerang wrote: »

I wouldn't take him back yet. It's really common for cats to react in this way to a change of environment. I had one cat here who spent two weeks hidden behind the unit under the kitchen sink! She wasn't feral, just very scared. She came around and was the most wonderfully affectionate, sweet cat when she found her feet. I'd be advising the lady to be patient with him.

Can she confine him to one room where there's no where for him to bolt under? Maybe a small bathroom? He'll still need a little hidey place like an igloo bed to feel secure, but being able to have more positivephysical contact with him - stroking him, playing with a dangly toy, feeding him treats - will speed up the process of confidence-building.

Good post. When I bred Siamese I would give an info sheet with the kittens saying just that. Let the cat come to you and provide a safe bolt hole A quiet place until the cat is ready to come out. Oh and a marmite -covered finger helps too..;)

MsFifers

Thanks for the suggestions. He is back with me now as the lady wouldn't keep him any longer. I discovered she was exaggerating a lot. He had been eating a bit, just not in front of her, and he had been peeping out at her from his hidey place - but she just wouldn't let him be.

I think she was just fussing and its a pity because it would have been a lovely home and she was a nice lady, but prone to a bit of freaking out!

I'm going to keep him with me for another week or two and maybe see if I can find someone with more patience and understanding of cat behaviour next time.

If anyone knows anyone looking for a cat please PM me!

Oh - and I did get him neutered a few months ago but it made no change to his behaviour.