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Rescue cat hell- he's made an escape :(

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  • butler_helen
    butler_helen Posts: 1,866 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker I've been Money Tipped!
    6 more weeks or so of litter trays? :eek:

    I think he might take a while, will he eventually twig that the cat flap doesn't work until he's nice and loves us both? (does he have to love us both or would just me do?).

    he's really very handsome though and makes a very nice windowsill ornament, even if he does scratch when we close the curtains!
    If you aim for the moon if you miss at least you will land among the stars!
  • jha
    jha Posts: 1,095 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I rescued one cat from a drug house - it had been very badly abused and came to me with cut whiskers and alot of lacerations on its legs. Whenever i had to handle it it would immediatly bite me - was a defense mechanism.

    I just put on oven gloves and handled it as little as possible until it got used to my presence in its room and over time i was able to pick it up and stroke it for small ammounts of time.

    It now lives with my elderly parents and it will bite if it feels cornerd but it also enjoys a brush and a stroke and supervised walk in the garden.

    i have never hissed, shouted or sprayed a cat as they need to know that you are not like the abusers - 9 out of 10 times it is the hardship that the cat has sufferd that cause them to be bad - sometimes they are ferral which in some cases causes them to be feisty and sometimes it is just the defense mechanism.

    My cats chirrup to eachother all the time and run around the house - i think the problems might be the biting, scratching, and wall scratching.

    I am sure someone might be along later with more specialist advice
  • lostinrates
    lostinrates Posts: 55,283 Forumite
    I've been Money Tipped!
    6 more weeks or so of litter trays? :eek: !
    Actually: a lifetime more! I always keep a try down, even when ours are allowed out. There is no saying that your cat, will not be bullied an intimidated outside, and really, its not such a chore.
  • butler_helen
    butler_helen Posts: 1,866 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker I've been Money Tipped!
    Actually: a lifetime more! I always keep a try down, even when ours are allowed out. There is no saying that your cat, will not be bullied an intimidated outside, and really, its not such a chore.

    I won't mind so much once we can open the windows- as at the moment I'm scared he will jump out!
    If you aim for the moon if you miss at least you will land among the stars!
  • chez22
    chez22 Posts: 3,327 Forumite
    My mogs have access to outside 24/7 but I still provide a litter tray as my little girl is quite timid still and sometimes doesn't want to go outside.
    Hi, we’ve had to remove your signature. If you’re not sure why please read the forum rules or email the forum team if you’re still unsure - MSE ForumTeam
  • lostinrates
    lostinrates Posts: 55,283 Forumite
    I've been Money Tipped!
    I won't mind so much once we can open the windows- as at the moment I'm scared he will jump out!
    Are you having trouble with smell? I suggest trying another litter. Finding the right litter for you both (puss must approve and it shouldn't be unpleasant to live with) is important. I use Pura Moonlight clumping liter and have no trouble with smell, before this we liked the silicone chips which were also pretty darn good. I also use a lidded tray which helps.
  • butler_helen
    butler_helen Posts: 1,866 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker I've been Money Tipped!
    Are you having trouble with smell? I suggest trying another litter. Finding the right litter for you both (puss must approve and it shouldn't be unpleasant to live with) is important. I use Pura Moonlight clumping liter and have no trouble with smell, before this we liked the silicone chips which were also pretty darn good. I also use a lidded tray which helps.


    only sometimes, I would get a lidded tray but between microchipping and flea treatments etc I'm running out of disposable income to spend on the cat. I'll consider a lidded tray if he doesn't go outside within the next 2 months, as the smell will drive me mad in the summer!

    where can I buy those silicone chips or pura litter? I don't think they have them in my tescos, I've been buying the cat san stuff - the white and apparently 'anti-odor' with a little tray liner- which the cat rips with his claws!
    If you aim for the moon if you miss at least you will land among the stars!
  • lostinrates
    lostinrates Posts: 55,283 Forumite
    I've been Money Tipped!
    only sometimes, I would get a lidded tray but between microchipping and flea treatments etc I'm running out of disposable income to spend on the cat. I'll consider a lidded tray if he doesn't go outside within the next 2 months, as the smell will drive me mad in the summer!

    where can I buy those silicone chips or pura litter? I don't think they have them in my tescos, I've been buying the cat san stuff - the white and apparently 'anti-odor' with a little tray liner- which the cat rips with his claws!


    A lidded try is a worthwhile investment. TBH I find the normal cat litters at supermarkets pretty pants for smell, even the more expensive ones. They usually have the silicone chips though (I think Bob Martin make some). The Pura is exoensive to buy but cheap iver the lon term. I scoop once/twice a day and top up ocasionally in bewteen full emptings. I buy it at a big chain pet shop, and as I say, the price when you buy is a bit gasping, but I find it cheaper than anything else over long term (apart from woodshavings, but that stinks and tracks and I find it tiresome as I empty that completely twice a day).

    With both pura and silicon I don't use the liners. They get too mangled:your money is better spent elsewhere IMO. Wth silicone this means cleaning the litter tray pretty throuroughly, a manky job weekly, but with pura...the wee never hits the bottom of the tray. You put in a very think layer and the wee turns into solid as it hits the litter. My friend descibed it as looking like weetabix :o
  • laurauk
    laurauk Posts: 61 Forumite
    my kitty thomasina came to me at three months from a house full of young children who had been pulling on her and mistreating her.
    she is now nine years old and is still very aggressive, she will bite, jump on your hair and bite,
    i cant even take her to the vets now as she attacks and draws blood, but i would never dream of getting rid of her,
    she has a unique side of her that we all love and adore and have put up with her.
    she didnt ask to have a rough start in life and so we treat her with respect and love,
    i have had an animal behavourist come to the house and look at her, and what she told me was to try and totally ignore all bad behaviour, so we turn our backs and ignore..
    it does seem to work but being the kitty from hell i dont think she will ever change.:T
  • lowis
    lowis Posts: 1,952 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 29 May 2009 at 2:45PM
    give her time to settle, you are still strangers to her and she doesn't trust you. she may never lose all of her aggression, but i am sure she will calm down and as you get to know each other you will know when to avoid her or let her be.

    also, when you reprimand an animal you should NOT use their name i.e 'No Bootsie'...just say a firm 'No'.

    good luck with her, i really hope it all works out. my rescue cat has only just started purring after 8 months with me...he was never vicious, but he would try to nip - this has stopped now.
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