Cat Calming

[pastafreak]

Another query. Has anyone used zylkene?
I'm researching any easily obtainable solutions to Tubbys continued hiding. He still does not come out to eat if I'm in the room.
I've not been able to make progress getting closer to him. Hurt my tail bone the other night, and it hurts.

[Hopkirk]

Give him time and a peaceful life.

Our timid little rescue cat took a couple of months to relax, and even then was nervous.
Now she has decided it's her house, and she's in charge.

[calmck]

What if he can't see you. Feet up on the sofa with a blanket over you? We did not see one of our newbies for at least 4 to 5 weeks. He ate and used the litter box at night. Now he sleeps on my bed and wakes me each morning with a nose nibble

[woofgang]

pasta better than Zylkene would be patience....if he is eating, drinking and using a litterbox then let be.

[jennyjoan]

Pasta I have Maxie about 5 years now and even now when I leave out his dinner on the floor in the kitchen - he looks at me waiting for me to leave so that he can get on with eating, whatever happened to him in the past. So I just do that.

Could you leave some tasty food for Tubby in the kitchen and leave and go into your living room.

It is unbelievable he is like this after 5 years.

[pastafreak]

I know, I know...I'm a bit impatient even though i knew it would be like this.
Yesterday I did put my feet up on the sofa and had a short nap, hoping to see if he might come out. He didn't but I'll try again...and again.
The other night I put his bedtime meal down, and went upstairs. I then sat on the top step...he looked up a few times, and I looked away when he did. He just carried on eating.

[pastafreak]

Woof, I don't really want to give him anything. Just curious if these things are useful at all.
Jj...I don't know how long he was stray, but he's obviously had bad experiences during that time.
I'll continue talking to him, and letting him know I'm here.

[jennyjoan]

My friend and I both think that Maxie must have had like the Head Dog - can't remember the correct name, who got to the dish first and so Maxie stepped back frightened.

Please leave the tray and him in another room, and leave him be. It will take time - for me it was quite a long time.

[jennyjoan]

tray - meant his food and perhaps his litter tray altogether so that is his "space". what we do for animals eh LOL

[pastafreak]

That's how I started, jj. Everything here in the lounge as I was advised that he would bond better if he was in the room I use most. Food is now in or near the kitchen. Litter tray is gradually being moved ( thank goodness for super pricey cat litter). I'm thinking that once all his food is in the kitchen, he might brave going in there...if he thinks I can't see him.

[jennyjoan]

I think he will be fine. I can see Maxie via my living room cos I have a glass partition and he eats away, then he will go to his water and sup but if he looks up and sees me he stops supping so I just leave him.

[MynameisLuca]

Does he wrap himself around your legs when you're in the kitchen preparing his food?
You could try putting a couple of Cat treats on the floor and on the sofa.

[pastafreak]

Luca...he's a rescue stray, and he was in a bad way when the rescue caught him. Very nervous, so he hides. Wrapping himself around my legs will, hopefully, happen in the future. Now, he just hides. There are cat treats on the floor now...just an inch or 2 from the sofa. He's shy, but he loves his food.

[gness]

Pasta. I don't know if this would work for Tubby but we used it for very timid cats in our cattery. We had a seed tray with catnip growing...well we had lots of trays on the go. We would put a tray in the pen of the timid cat and we never had a cat leave without becoming a friend!
Have a look at what catnip does for a cat. I believe there is a catnip spray but I know nothing about that. Worth a look...x

[wolf63]

Gness appears to be saying that you should get him stoned and then you will become besties.

On the first day of Merlin and Frankie's stay Merlin bit me nine times on my right hand. It was a total mess.

[gness]

Well there you go, Wolfie! A stoned cat is better than a biting cat...I think!....x

[MynameisLuca]

I have used catnip spray and seeds, it would keep her curious and active for about 5 minutes then she'd lose interest. The only toy that would holds her interest is a laser pen, she still likes to chase the red dot.

[pastafreak]

I've got dried catnip, and catnip toys...he plays with them overnight.
A laser light is on the list of things to get.

[pastafreak]

A bit of progress...after putting a packet of wet food in Tubbys dish, I intended to head upstairs. I wanted to see if he'd come out in daylight while I was indoors. I called his name and said his food was out. What I saw was his round face peering out from under a chair as he waited to see me go..he wasted no time going to his plate. I watched from the top step as he ate every last bit. Slowly...slowly.

[woofgang]

aww that's lovely

[jennyjoan]

oh brilliant Pasta