Posted on 12/06/2014 10:53:26 AM PST by Slings and Arrows
See - everyone agrees that you just need to wait for Sparkle to get comfortable. I’m sure she will. It’s an advantage that you don’t have any other pets.
And if this continues, I never WILL have any other pets! I think this one is going to be a Oner.
LOL! Good idea!
It’s gonna take awhile. My youngest wasn’t adopted until she was 7 months old and she was terrorized continually by dogs in the original household. She hid a lot too when we first got her. She got to a point where she would spend all her time on top of a dresser in the spare bedroom. so I started giving her a good love-up every morning (I work nights) when I got home. I did this for the better part of a year, and slowly she began to calm down and move around the house more. She is now quite a happy baby who loves belly rubs more than anything and has learned to be quite vocal when the food or water isn’t to her liking! Give it time, be consistent and love her up as much as you can. She’ll loosen up in a while.
Call the Vet. He/she can prescribe it. It cost $10.00 for a months supply at walmart.
In your health situation, I think it’s best that you devote yourself to one pet. More than one makes it hard for them to get care if you’re not well.
I guess I just didn’t realize the extent of her trauma when I chose her, but I’m not a quitter, and I will work with her every single day, every couple of hours until she sleeps on the foot of the bed (or cuddles) with me.
And I will do it without the help of drugs until there is no other choice. She has been confined for six months...that spells PTSD to me.
No plans for anything other than Sparkle. She is my focus at the moment and I think it would be a disservice to her, in view of her confinement, to add another pet to the mix.
What i found that works well is L tryptophan (the stuff in turkey that makes you slide into a food coma after thanksgiving dinner). I have a tortoiseshell/siamese mix that in her younger days was a bit of a spaz kitty. I got it from the vet, but I think you could find it in a health food store.
CC
I don't know what kind of a childhood, er, kittyhood, my cat endured but it has no interest whatsoever in playtime of any sort........
She does have two mouse toys that she will occasionally bat around when I'm not around but when I'm in the vicinity, nothing........she's weird.
Is that legal ?
interesting.
The two cats that we have left, Bobbie (the former Miss Hissy Slashy) and Shadow, are the sweetest little girls you
could possibly imagine.
When we first took them in, they were both very difficult. We began to suspect that they had run away from abusive
homes. Bobbie was very shy and very quick to bite and scratch. Shadow was also very quiet and shy, quite fearful as well.
I don’t want to discourage you, Face, but it took about five years for Miss Hissy Slashy to turn into Miss Purry Petme.
We never gave up on her. She got nothing but gentle, loving kindness, good food, her beloved face rubs, and safety.
Shadow wasn’t quite so difficult to convince that we would keep her in pets and food for her whole life, and she came
around pretty well with Bobbie and the other cats who have since gone to the Rainbow Bridge.
I guess I’m trying to say not to give up, and do treat your kitty with praise and kindness, unfailingly. She is never,
NEVER a “bad girl” or “bad kitty.” She is always a good girl, and she can do no wrong and get no punishment, ever.
If it worked for Bobbie, it will work for Sparkle, guaranteed.
And you are exactly right about “Science Diet.” Good for baboons, maybe but definitely not kitties.
In June I adopted a senior black cat from a Rescue Center. She had been there for 4 years, she was very shy, didn’t know how to play, never purred, just ate and drunk water.
It took me two months to teach her to play, now she has totally taken possession of me and “her” home, anything is a toy, we have great love fests. This month she discovered the pleasure of a lap which she demands constantly.
I love her so much and I can see that she totally trusts and loves her mom. In time love will soften these poor babies that had a hard beginning. Best wishes.
Very belated congratulations on your new addition, Monkeyface!
I agree with what other folks have said...lots of patience,and soft talking to her so she’ll grow used to your voice. That simple ball of paper is often preferred over other toys.
When she comes out, or if you go in with her, you could sit on the floor and do the blinking trick. You make eye contact with her and slowly, sleepily blink your eyes, as if you’re going to drop off. She’ll relax and blink back.
I’ve done that trick with cats I’ve owned...I was surprised when I saw Jackson Galaxy do it on TV.
We got our cat about 20 months ago, and it took several weeks before he would come out from under the bed for even a few minutes at a time, and he had lived in an acceptable home. So, my minimally-qualified opinion, the best advice I would offer is to be patient. Sounds like you are doing everything right, and I am so happy for you and for Sparkle!!
You mean we STILL don’t have a picture of the cat?
Can’t somebody tell him how to do it? (I wanna see the cat!)
Can’t you try to look it up?
*ahem* "Him" is a her. I tried taking pics yesterday, but had to hold Sparkle and couldn't get far enough away to avoid the back wash of the flash. She is still pretty skittish and won't allow me to hold her for long. When she is done, being held, she heads for the closet.
So please be patient...
*already have two*
We already have 7 plus the doberman.
Good luck everyone with the new family members. The do so much for us!
Small wads of aluminum foil are good items for them to chase.
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