Non Species Specific Furkid Topics > Reaching One Furkid Parent At A Time...
First time cat owner need help with kitten
LeFlame:
Hi everyone this is my first time having a cat the only problem is I'm not sure if it's normal for her to hide and growl at me.She is a 9 week orange tabby well that's what how old the animal shelter thinks she is.Anyway I've had Lea for 4 days now and she is still very scared I have to be on my bed or out of the room for her to come out.She is eating well and using the litter but is scared to death when she sees me looking at her or sees me in general.many people have told me to have Lea in a small quiet room but my house doesn't have a small or quiet room so I just have her in my room.I'm not sure if having her in my room makes a difference in her behavior.Tips or suggestions would be appreciated.
Middle Child:
Hello and welcome to PFK! Congratulations on your new baby girl Lea!
Keeping her in your room is fine. It's the one room that is the important thing, instead of many rooms. Don't try to force interaction with her. Hissing and growling is just her way of communicating to you that she is scared and uncertain.
How often are you in your room? Do you have to be away for long periods?
If she comes out when you are on your bed, that is a good thing. Talk to her in a soft voice so she can get used to you. Use her name a lot and tell her how much you love her, how happy you are that she is there, and how much better she will feel in a while.
Very important for you to know that four days is a very very VERY short time, for any cat. Kittens sometimes do adjust quickly, but not all kittens, as you are discovering. Some need weeks to adjust. You are going to need to be very patient, but I assure you the rewards in the end, the feeling of winning a tiny innocent animal's trust, well it's indescribable.
You and Lea will have a really incredible bond. But you must be very patient and go at her pace.
You'll see :)
I'm just off to bed but wanted to welcome you and Lea and to urge you to stick around and keep us posted on Lea. I know the others will be along sooner or later to chime in.
DeeDee:
hellowave HangInThere hellowave
I'm the dog person. But it's nice to have you here!!!
I don't remember the names of them, but (if it continues very long) you might want to check into some of those calming essential oils.
MC, Pookie, or Lola would know about the essential oil brands that are best. I can't remember them now, and don't know which thread lists the ones that have been used.
This is the kitty-pheromone version of the thing I use in our RV for our dogs when we're on trips:
https://www.chewy.com/feliway-30-day-starter-kit-plug-in/dp/121785
It comes in spray as well:
http://www.californiapetpharmacy.com/feliway-natual-spray-20ml.html
Middle Child:
No, essential oils are not safe to use around cats, but the feliway plug in might be a good idea!
Rescue Remedy is a calming supplement you can add to her water or food, you might have luck with that too.
Good thinking Dee!
LeFlame: Remember that she is just a tiny baby and her whole world has been turned completely upside down. She has no idea what's happened to her, where she is, or how to cope. It's going to take time, maybe lots of time, that's all.
Pookie:
--- Quote from: Middle Child on October 27, 2016, 09:05:54 PM ---No, essential oils are not safe to use around cats, but the feliway plug in might be a good idea!
Rescue Remedy is a calming supplement you can add to her water or food, you might have luck with that too.
Good thinking Dee!
LeFlame: Remember that she is just a tiny baby and her whole world has been turned completely upside down. She has no idea what's happened to her, where she is, or how to cope. It's going to take time, maybe lots of time, that's all.
--- End quote ---
MC is correct about the essential oils. And she has a great idea with the Rescue Remedy. There is a pet version that is alcohol-free, and that's the one you'd want to use.
I don't have as much experience as the others with new cats, and mine adjusted fairly well because they were litter-mates and had each other. But MC's first post contains a lot of wonderful information, and she's had a lot of experience with cats.
Definitely go at Lea's pace. She's just a baby, and all of this is new and scary to her. You mention she hides if she sees you looking at her. Like I said, I'm no expert, but maybe "ignoring" her, e.g. not focusing too much attention on her, might help? I'm not at all suggesting you literally ignore her. More like . . . observing from the corner of your eye more. If I remember correctly, cats don't like direct stares -- they feel threatened. So when you do look at her, (if you have a chance) give her the "slow blink." Also, try not to stress/worry about her reactions. They are perfectly normal, and she'll sense your stress which won't help her.
You can try EFT (emotional freedom technique) which involves tapping yourself. You can Google it, and there's an article here that might give you an idea of what it's about: http://www.littlebigcat.com/behavior/eft-in-practice-surrogate-eft-for-two-cats-and-a-puppy/
Jackson Galaxy also has tips, like this one:
Sending purrs, and welcome to the group! Congrats on your new furkid!
P.S. You're probably feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of this. It's ok to feel that way. Everything will be fine, it just takes time. grouphug
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