Pets chit chat thread

[DanieMarie]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

Oh, I totally know it was due to fear. You could see it in the way he held himself. It's stopped now though. He's still unsure around us, but he wants to make friends and he's feeling us out. He comes and says hi and he even tried to sit with us last night (though he quickly decided he wasn't ready for that yet haha).

The upstairs room isn't an option. It's not a bedroom and there are no doors, just stairs. We basically have a one bedroom place with a lot of other rooms because most rooms open into one another. After I wrote that he went on his own to the bathroom, so I put him in there (it's one of the lowest traffic areas of the house...upstairs is my office, music, and sewing room so I am there allll day and a good chunk of the night too). I let him into the hall after that, which does close off from the living room. After a while he decided he wanted to come out, so I let him out.

He's doing so much better today. He has stopped trying to attack. Sometimes he still hisses and then we leave him alone, but I think he's decided that we are not threats. He's starting to be the affectionate, sweet kitty that we first met when we decided to adopt him. He's still settling in and getting used to us but I think the fear and stress is going away pretty quickly

[Rae'ya]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

Oh, I totally know it was due to fear. You could see it in the way he held himself. It's stopped now though. He's still unsure around us, but he wants to make friends and he's feeling us out. He comes and says hi and he even tried to sit with us last night (though he quickly decided he wasn't ready for that yet haha).

The upstairs room isn't an option. It's not a bedroom and there are no doors, just stairs. We basically have a one bedroom place with a lot of other rooms because most rooms open into one another. After I wrote that he went on his own to the bathroom, so I put him in there (it's one of the lowest traffic areas of the house...upstairs is my office, music, and sewing room so I am there allll day and a good chunk of the night too). I let him into the hall after that, which does close off from the living room. After a while he decided he wanted to come out, so I let him out.

He's doing so much better today. He has stopped trying to attack. Sometimes he still hisses and then we leave him alone, but I think he's decided that we are not threats. He's starting to be the affectionate, sweet kitty that we first met when we decided to adopt him. He's still settling in and getting used to us but I think the fear and stress is going away pretty quickly

I'm really glad he's settling down . Just let him take it slow and try to avoid triggering off the stress again and it sounds like you'll be good. I would definitely not use the washing machine for a week if you can help it, and avoid visitors to the house also. And generally try to minimize changes and loud or sudden noises. If we can keep the triggers down then he'll settle a lot quicker. It sounds like he's had a fairly drastic improvement overnight so that's really good... now we just have to avoid setting him off again! I wouldn't try to pick him up yet either... pat him if he comes to you but otherwise let him settle. You may find that once the cortisol and adrenaline levels drop he'll make a sudden switch and instantly be that same sweet kitty you met, or it may happen slowly. It's really interesting what the stress hormones do in cats and how they affect behaviour and demeanor. I know a few cats who are perfect smoochy angels in a consult room at work, and will let you do whatever you like, but the second you put them in a hospital cage not even the owners can get near them. Cats are actually very sensitive to stress, fear and anxiety.

[DanieMarie]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

So, it was rather instant haha. He has decided that we are definitely not threats and that he wants lots and lots of attention. He is busy marking every corner of the apartment with his face, so he's making it his new home. He has started eating regularly again and is using the litter box just fine. We'll definitely leave the laundry for another week (we have enough clean clothes) and won't have anyone over. He's settling in so well and I don't want to disturb that! We'll also take your advice and leave him alone unless he seeks out attention. He still has the odd period where he just wants to sit by himself and watch us. I get that...he's settling in and knows we're not going to hurt him, but he is still getting to know us.

I totally understand how stress can change cats. My old cat needed a lot of attention and got very anxious when I was away from the house for any length of time. I've mostly worked from home during my time in Germany, but the few times I had jobs outside of the house, he got very stressed out. He would pee on things...often my things. He eventually got used to it, but it was always challenging for several weeks. One job I worked close to home, so I even came home for lunch every day so that I could break up my time away from home (which worked well).

Albert (the new kitty) was given to us because his previous owner had to work too much and often had to leave town for work. He lived in a fairly small one bedroom apartment and was quite unhappy, so his owner decided to give him up. So, I think he came from a situation where he wasn't quite happy into a completely new situation. It must have been very stressful for him!

[Rae'ya]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

So, it was rather instant haha.

That's the cortisol and stress hormones dropping lol. I call it the 'Jekyll and Hyde' thing... one day they're going crazy and lashing out at everything and screaming and hissing and then two days later it's purring fuzzball of love.

He is busy marking every corner of the apartment with his face, so he's making it his new home.

This is very, very good! Marking is a good sign after a move and can take a few weeks to start with some cats. So it's great that he's doing that so soon. I'm so glad to hear he's had a big turn around! I was very worried for him yesterday from what you were saying.

Albert (the new kitty) was given to us because his previous owner had to work too much and often had to leave town for work. He lived in a fairly small one bedroom apartment and was quite unhappy, so his owner decided to give him up. So, I think he came from a situation where he wasn't quite happy into a completely new situation. It must have been very stressful for him!

I'm glad he's with you guys now, and I hope he enjoys his new family. It sounds like you are better than most people at recognising and understanding the stress... so many people don't even realise that their cat or dog is anxious or stressed, and often make it worse through the ways that they try to stop the behaviours. Then sometimes there are the people who know that their pet suffers it but cant or don't want to put the time, money or energy into helping them. I'm glad his previous owner recognised that they couldn't meet his needs and passed him on. Sounds like he'll be in a better place with you guys.

Edited to add...

Re the marking thing... I probably should clarify that. Face-marking after a move into a new environment is a good sign, and then that irregular 'top up' marking that they do every now and then throughout life is also fine. But face-marking in an established home on a regular basis can be a sign of anxiety... feeling the need to constantly face-mark an environment in which they live day to day is not very, very good. But in Albert's instance it's a good sign for now!

[DanieMarie]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

I'll make sure I keep my eyes open with the face marking...I actually didn't know that it was a sign of anxiety, so if he does it over the long term I'll try to figure out how to ease his stress. I do think he's just marking his new territory though, and he seems able to relax and sleep (and is no longer hiding at all...he seems happy enough sleeping in the open). He's also been following Hannes and I around the house and asking for attention all morning. I think he is a very sweet kitty.

[Shahaku]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

And I thought the adjustment period with dogs was hard... I could never handle a cat. Even if I wasn't allergic.

[nbdy]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

Very glad to read that Albert is settling in.

[DanieMarie]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

He let me brush him last night. He even seemed to like it! He has been rolling and showing his tummy and even letting us give him belly rubs. I think we'll all be fine haha.

[Heka]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

So I am not the carer of a sick turtle. No, not my Hammond, but the schools turtle! Silly woman at school decided it would be a good idea to keep two turtles in a one foot tank. I've always thought this was iffy, but in my huge education of the last 2 weeks I've learnt that what she's doing is cruel and neglectful. So I've been educating her. Of course she insists they are fine. I show her my tank set up, tell her what I'm planning. Next day, her youngest turtle is dead. I offer to take the other one home and look after him for a bit. I also take some of her water home to test. Get little Squirt home, and see he's got either a bacterial or fungal infection covering an ENTIRE foot (no claws at all) and two of his other feed also have signs. So treatment has begun on that. I was also worried a bit about his shell, but as of last night, I'm VERY worried, as it started to wobble a bit in my hands.

So I have an approx 6 month turtle, who is only 5 cm SCL (stunted - mines 2-3 months and already over 4cm) with an infection on 3 feet, and soft shell. He's also not eating at the moment.

Poor guy.


My baby though, Hammond, is fine. I got my order of conditioners and filter media, so I should have no problem with tank cycling now, as long as I closely moniter it. Also my woodies and plants came, and I got my feeder fish. It took him all of 30 min to kill his first guppie. He's so cute!

[Rae'ya]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

So I am not the carer of a sick turtle. No, not my Hammond, but the schools turtle! Silly woman at school decided it would be a good idea to keep two turtles in a one foot tank. I've always thought this was iffy, but in my huge education of the last 2 weeks I've learnt that what she's doing is cruel and neglectful. So I've been educating her. Of course she insists they are fine. I show her my tank set up, tell her what I'm planning. Next day, her youngest turtle is dead. I offer to take the other one home and look after him for a bit. I also take some of her water home to test. Get little Squirt home, and see he's got either a bacterial or fungal infection covering an ENTIRE foot (no claws at all) and two of his other feed also have signs. So treatment has begun on that. I was also worried a bit about his shell, but as of last night, I'm VERY worried, as it started to wobble a bit in my hands.

So I have an approx 6 month turtle, who is only 5 cm SCL (stunted - mines 2-3 months and already over 4cm) with an infection on 3 feet, and soft shell. He's also not eating at the moment.

Poor guy.


My baby though, Hammond, is fine. I got my order of conditioners and filter media, so I should have no problem with tank cycling now, as long as I closely moniter it. Also my woodies and plants came, and I got my feeder fish. It took him all of 30 min to kill his first guppie. He's so cute!

I'm replying in the Turtles thread...

[kijani]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

ugh. cats everywhere.

[Juniper]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

My poor baby girl has had really rank breath ever since she came back home from the vets when she had a teeth cleaning.

[Rae'ya]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

My poor baby girl has had really rank breath ever since she came back home from the vets when she had a teeth cleaning.

That's weird. Did they take any teeth out?

I'd call them and ask for a free dental check to see why it smells worse now. All our dentals get a free check at 7-10 days to make sure that everything is healing and talk about ongoing dental care. It should not smell worse now than it did before the clean up!

[volcaniclastic]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

My kitty is at the vet overnight because he has a fever and couldn't stop vomiting.

My house is lonely without him.

[Rae'ya]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

My kitty is at the vet overnight because he has a fever and couldn't stop vomiting.

My house is lonely without him.

Oh no I hope they get him sorted out for you.