rescue cat finding freedom!!

princess*daisy

Awww, he's beautiful! I would recommend taking things slowly - the longer you let him get used to his new surroundings, the less likely he will be to freak out when you introduce new scenarios. You need to gain his trust. His behaviour will tell you a lot about how he feels about you and his surroundings (e.g. licking lips in absence of food indicates nervousness - Google cat behaviour/psychology for more examples).

I would suggest getting a harness for his first trips outside - places like Pets at Home do kitten-sized ones. Use this to slowly introduce him to your garden/yard and your part of the street. Let him sniff everything, as cats rely on scent for recognition.

Good luck

mcja

Thanks for taking time to reply. He really is bl00dy lush, and we decided to introduce the 2 cats last night....holy hell!! Willow hissed and growled at him for about 20mins, despite us pickin her up for cuddles. He was really nonplussed until she howled at me. He then went down really low to the ground, and big eyes (think Puss In Boots from Shrek!).
He went back in the playroom last night, and she calmed down. Have let him roam about the house again since we got home from school and he is really confident. She saw him (he was at the top of the stairs and she was at the bottom) and she just turned tail and walked off.
He is desperate to be out of the one room as he gets lonely, although I didn't know how dozy 13month old cats can be!! Trying to come down the stairs by jumping over the banisters with towels on it wasn't his greatest idea!!

cabbage

We've just rehomed a cat and were advised to keep him in for 2 weeks. Ours has been neutered but because he's been abandoned and then rescued, we have to go through all the vaccinations again just in case it wasn't done first time round. He is waiting for those before being let out.

As for the other cat, we have an 8 year old lazy cat that lets other cats come in and eat his food, walk round his house etc and thought it would be a doddle. Its been harder than that and now he's reluctant to eat if the other cat is near. We are starting off 6 feet apart in the same room and gradually getting them closer.

We were told let them get used to each other gradually and have somewhere safe for the new one to go to if needs be. We were also told about playing with them together if possible and getting them used to each others scent via bedding or stroking each one and then the other.

At first there was a lot of hissing and growling but the advice given was to supervise but let them get on with it as they are trying to establish who is going to be the boss in the house. It said only to intervene if there is a fight.

Its worked really well and they are tolerating each other now and all the hissing and growling as stopped. Even when it was going on the little one stood his ground and wasn't wanting to run away.

I'm a bit scared of letting him out but will take it easy and perhaps consider a lead of some sort. He's been moved about so many times he may try to get home which is about 60 miles away.

Ohh, one last thing, the rescue centre insisted he has a collar on with an id tag in case he makes a bid for freedom either before he's officially allowed out or when he is allowed out.

mcja

Cabbage, thankyou. I have got a named collar on order for him and he is chipped. He will not be allowed out for a while yet.

Thats reassuring to know that it will happen over time. He has got into the kitchen where the othe cat was chilling out, and she has tried shouting at him, but was doing it with ears up and tail tcuked under her body laying down so I think its all noise!! Willow was the same and would let any cat into the house and garden without making any fuss.

gunsandbanjos

Awww, he's lovely. Well done on giving a rescue cat a forever home.

DebiT

mcja wrote: »

Why didn;t that work just now??!?! This is Ferno!!

He was only in the RSPCA for 2 weeks, and love him, in that time was neutured!! He was being kept in a flat with a bull mastiff

Congrats mcja. He's a little beauty.
I had my ginger baby from the RSPCA 3 years ago now, he was already 3 years old at the time and had been in a bad car accident, they had to replate his pelvis and thought they might have to remove his leg. Luckily he recovered and still has his four legs:), but they insisted he bacame a house cat, which was fine by me. I let him out in the garden on a harness, he struggled at the begining, but now he purrs when his harness goes on as he knows it is time to go out. Would love a few more cats but he is very territorial.