I picked up a 10 month old foster cat today. I have never seen a cat like this

[Maraya1969]

Last edited Fri Apr 16, 2021, 08:48 PM - Edit history (1)

before, (but as I am writing this it may be that Persians and other hairy cats are like her)

She has not moved but that is normal since she just came from the shelter and she is probably traumatized. But when I go pick her up she is just soooo passive. She only got away from me once and that was when I took her out of her large playpen type thingy, (that is right next to me and the dogs in the living room) and sat with her on the couch.Then she stayed for a few minute and got a little squirmy so I decided to let her go and roam if she wanted. But most cats are squirmy very quickly and when you let them go they bolt. She just kind of slinked away

(She also is staying in the cat carrier inside the playpen so she has a lot of privacy)


Of course she ended up under the couch and even poking her from behind didn't get her to move. I had to turn the couch over and then pick her up. She didn't run to get out of the way or refuse me. I had the couch turned over and she just laid there and I picked her up.

I don't know what happened to her in the last 10 months and they just said that she is "fearful and needs to socialization" When I looked up how a cat who is traumatized behaves it is nothing like this.

Hopefully she will get acclimated and start doing cat things. I will definitely post a picture once I get one. She is absolutely beautiful with cream colored fur and orange eyes. Oh and she has held my gaze for several seconds! It was like we were old lovers staring at eat other. Also when she was on my lap I put a Youtube video of birds and she just watched it calmly but with interest. I notice that she is looking up toward the TV from where she is laying in her playpen also. I might just set the laptop in there tomorrow and let her watch some TV.

She is so calm part of me thinks she is an enlightened being! I have named her Bodhi which is Buddhist and means "To awaken"

I'd love to hear if anyone ever had a cat like this. I have to keep reminding myself that she is a foster because I am falling in love with her.

EDIT: I remembered they sent a picture from the email from Animal control. This is Bodhi!



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[PoindexterOglethorpe]

1. My guess is that she's simply going to take a lot longer

to adjust to a home than might be typical. Do you have any information at all about her life prior to being in the shelter?

Last year I adopted a 17 year old cat who, after 45 minutes of exploring my small home, jumped up on the back of the couch and behaved as if she'd been here her whole life. I knew she had health issues, and alas she was only with me for three and a half weeks. But they were wonderful weeks and I have no regrets. I did know that she'd been given to the shelter after her previous owner, who was probably an older woman like me, couldn't handle the health issues. I'm glad I had her final weeks.

So a month later I took home another cat. This one came to the shelter as a stray, probably about 4 years old. She spent her first six hours with me restlessly moving around, too much on edge to settle down at all. Over time I've come to the conclusion that her first human home had men, not women, and dogs, probably large dogs. In many ways I was the wrong human to take her home. Honestly, she's still adjusting. Or may I should say we are both still getting used to each other. She's not a lap cat, or particularly cuddly at all, which is a disappointing for me. But she does mostly like being in the same room with me, and sometimes spends part of the night on my bed.

It can take, as I've learned, a surprisingly long time for human and cat to get used to each other.

Hang in there. Adopting a new furry friend is always a challenge and a joy.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

2. Since there's no way to know why she's fearful I don't think one can know

what is normal behavior based on that particular symptom. Moving slowly is a symptom of fear just as much as bolting away would be.

She sounds like a sweetie though

Thanks for being a foster, that's awesome

[Deuxcents]

3. Good on you

I got my Ruby from the shelter just about that age. It took patience n tuna fish! Then I had to train her not to drink out of my toilet..I have no idea where she came from or what her circumstances were. I got a kitty fountain from Chewy n now she is almost 2 yo.. and runs my house! I talk with her, play with her n love on her. She is social now as my grandkids spoil her..not to mention me! It’s just use patience.. reassurance..Ruby is not my first rescue kitty.. my Angie died after many years together.. each one has their own personality.. enjoy n I hope a long life together 🐾

[packman]

4. Seems like kittens are stamped with their personalities early

I've had many cats and loved the all - even Lucy. Lucy was given to my wife by a vet who knew we wanted a cat. However, the vet told my wife that Lucy seemed traumatized by her owner. He was a big guy who got some sort of sick pleasure out of stomping and shouting around Lucy.

She loved my wife, but would have nothing to do with me. I tried all the tricks, feeding her treats, petting, brushing - could never get her to purr for me, unlike the other two in the trio we had. Nothing worked up till the time we had to make that hard decision. I still miss her and her personality.

[JoeOtterbein]

5. I've helped a cat since we found her under the shed for about 1 1/2 years now.

She is scared to death of us. She lets me get close when I feed her, but that's it.

She loves the other cats and the ferrets, who she often sleeps with in their ferret "village".

She is even more afraid to run out, so she is still with us. We are thinking she was abused by an evil creep or more.

Pretty kitty girl is still our little Lulu. Even if she will not let us pet her.

[tblue37]

6. She could be a Ragdoll. Passive floppiness is their nature. Or part ragdoll.

[tblue37]

7. From Wikipedia:

The Ragdoll is a cat breed with a color point coat and blue eyes. They are large and muscular semi-longhair cats with a soft and silky coat. Developed by American breeder Ann Baker in the 1960s, they are best known for their docile and placid temperament and affectionate nature. The name "Ragdoll" is derived from the tendency of individuals from the original breeding stock to go limp and relaxed when picked up.[1]

Particularly popular in both the United Kingdom and the breed's native United States, ragdoll cats are often known as "dog-like cats" or "puppy-like cats" due to such behaviors as their tendency to follow people around, their ease when physically handled, and their relative lack of aggression toward other pets.[2]

[Maraya1969]

9. She sounds a lot like that type of cat. But she doesn't seem to have the same coat

She is a short hair but her fur is super silky. And she is all over color. like a cream color.

[tblue37]

11. She could be part Ragdoll. I have a Lynx Point Siamese cat, but though she looks purebred,

She is only half Siamese, and two of her littermates are black, while one is calico & her mother is tabby. My black house panther is also half Siamese.

IOW, in a mixed breed you can get some, most, or all of the traits of a purebred.

Lucy has the Siamese look, but not the Meezer voice. Tico has the voice, but not the look. Both have Siamese personalities.

[luvtheGWN]

15. Such a pretty face!

Her face shape and ears mean she has some oriental (maybe siamese , burmese or abyssinian) in her. My champagne burmese Toffee has the silkiest fur I've ever seen/felt.

Check out those 3 breeds on google and you will probably find a photo of a cat that looks just like her.

What does her meow sound like? Abyssinians usually have soft voices, while the other two are generally quite loud, and very verbal! And abyssinians have amber eyes (usually).

Post more photos when you have them! Please!

[Maraya1969]

23. She hasn't meowed yet but she started faintly purring when I picked her up late last

and held her on my chest. I realized that she could probably hear my heartbeat.

I'll look up those other cats and I'll try to get a picture today.

[wnylib]

18. From the pic, she looks to me like she

has traits of a "foreign" type breed. That's just a general term applied to cats that have wedge-shaped heads, small and narrow faces with large ears. Their body type is slimmer and often longer than the usual domestic shorthair cat. Included in that type of cat are Siamese, Abyssinian, Egyptian Mau, Burmese, and the various breeds that have been created by crossing Siamese with other breeds.

A mixed breed cat does not always have the coat you expect. I once adopted a gray and black tabby from the Humane Society and later discovered from the vet that it was half Siamese. It had Samese personality, meow, face shape, body type, etc., but a domestic shorthair coat with no points.

The cats that fit into the "foreign" category are usually very active and playful, but if frightened or abused, they get very withdrawn and passive. They take longer to adjust to changes than other cats and are usually not lap cats, although they like being around people. One thing I am sure of from the pic. That cat is not Persian. The face and coat are all wrong for a Persian.

You could try this to gain the cat's trust. Get its attention so that it is looking at you. Then slowly blink your eyes at it. Do that a couple times. In cat language, you are saying that you are a friend and not a threat. If the cat blinks back at you it is acknowledging your message and returning it.

Let the cat have its space and come to you on its own terms. When it feels comfortable, I have a hunch that this cat will be playful and more active.

[Maraya1969]

24. What does "No points" or "Points" mean?

[tblue37]

28. Siamese cats, for example, have points--i.e., those parts that have color, as opposed to the white

body. A cat with dark brown ears, face, tail, and legs is a seal point. One with blueish ears, face, legs, and tail is a blue point.

[applegrove]

8. My dad was given a 5 month old kitten who was from a farm and had been bullied

Last edited Fri Apr 16, 2021, 11:04 PM - Edit history (1)

by other cats. He hid under our furniture for the first week to a month. Came out only to hang far from us. He slept at the foot on mom's bed because she wasn't a cat person and she would not try to pet him or kiss him. The playing with string he could do. The happiest i ever saw him was in summers when we would bring him up to the cottage. He could stay out the whole time in mid summer. We would leave for the city for a day and leave food behind. When we got back he would come and lay on the third tier of the rock garden and mew hello. Then he'd sit there, 20 feet from us, for as long as the afternoon. He was as happy as could be but did not come inside. That was our routine for a few summers. He only liked us from afar at the cottage. He liked us from afar in the same room at home. Anything else was too close for him. Fortunately our cottage was an hour away from the city and i'd go up during the week to feed him and say hi. I'd go up with friends too, and on the weekends. Then he disappeared. I don't know what happened. I looked for him for weeks. I drove along the dirt road calling his name. There were no coyotes at our cottage at that point. No wolves. Maybe an owl or mink? Or worse. I could even have been there when he disappeared i have no idea if i saw him when we drove down from the cottage. I don't know if i saw him that day. I could not have protected him if I was there. We had never lost another cat at the cottage. Point is your cat should be left alone except for offered play with a string. Let him come to you at first. Sit nearby. Talk in a baby voice. Lots of treats. But they will not necessarily be able to be a lap cat.

[femmedem]

10. I've had luck taming adult feral cats by keeping them in an enclosed space like a small bathroom

and sitting there with them as much as I could, near the food bowl, but not doing anything they could perceive as threatening. Not even looking at them, just sitting and reading.

Tossing treats near them works, too--gradually bringing the treats closer and closer to me until they eat out of my hand. (That doesn't happen on day 1, though.)

She's very lucky to have landed in your house. She can have a happy life now.

[Karadeniz]

20. A small space is best. Bathroom good. Not laundry room... Washers and dryers are good hiding

Places. Actually, I put mine in a large dog cage atop a card table so they can perfect the litter box and sort of be part of the household. You can brush her in or out of the cage, and take her out for recess.

[Useless in FL]

12. Awww, she'e adorable...

She may have been a feral kitty. Feral cats behave like that. I adopted a feral Siamese kitten that was part of a feral Siamese community near my house. He came to our house some how crying out, I think he was looking for his Mother. I brought him into the house, fed him and tried to make him comfortable and get used to our other animals (3 dogs and two other cats.) For 2 years he stayed under the bed, but then he started to make explorations around the house at night, and then during the day. Eventually, he finally became part of the family and now he is just so happy and playful.

I hope your kitty doesn't take 2 years to acclimate, and probably won't. Just give her lots of love and don't give up on her.

[Evolve Dammit]

13. Early trauma, malnutrition can take a toll on all of us. Hopefully she will acclimate. Best wishes!

[BobTheSubgenius]

14. I hope she feels comfortable and this works out fantastically well for the two of you.

Lovez me the kittehs!

[slightlv]

16. Rescue Cats...yes... but...

I've always had good luck with cats I've rescued; I just clue in to their personalities. A few have taken longer to "settle in" than others, but all have eventually made it known they like "home."

2 weeks ago, I adopted a dog from the pound. 60 pounds. Had taken him for walks, etc., and we were working on house-training. Everything seemed to be going pretty good. But then one day, hubby and I took for a walk next door to the park and a motorized bike went whizzing by. Lexy decided that looked like more fun than tagging along with this old lady, I guess. She ran after it in a flat instant. I went airborne, then down the small hill... but I held on to the leash! I was afraid she'd get hit by a car if I turned loose. Hubby went back down the block, got the car, got Lexy into the car and then carried me into the backseat. Dropped off the dog at home, and hit the ER next. Seems my leg is broke in two places. 3 mm longer, and bone doc said it'd be surgery with hardware. But as long as it stays where it is, I only have to look forward to 6-8 weeks in a "brace."

At least my cats never broke my leg!!!! (LOL)

And yes, Lexy is still with us. We need obedience school, but obviously, I wouldn't be able to partake for a while. Hopefully in another year or so she'll calm down; cause she's not going to get any smaller. And from the look of her paws, she's not done growing yet, either. She's a total mixed breed - hound, English Setter, lab... and a totally lovable goofball. (shrug) What wouldn't we do for our fur friends?!

[Maraya1969]

21. I'm so glad you are not as seriously hurt as you could be. Big dogs like that

can be dangerous with their strength and they don't even realize it.

Take care of yourself, and Lexi.

[NoMoreRepugs]

17. Food, water, clean cat box, a folded towel as a mattress in

the open accessible cat carrier and all the time necessary for the CAT to acclimate to its surroundings. Cats are individuals, each one is different.

[NNadir]

19. My sister in law asked us to temporarily watch her (then) husband's cat while they worked out...

...their divorce.

The temporary arrangement began six years ago and is still on going. (She ain't ever leaving here; I don't hear much from my ex-brother-in-law much, although I have no problem with him.)

Cats don't like change.

For days, after she came for "temporary" care, she hid under my son's bed and wouldn't come out, even to eat or drink water. Finally we lifted the bed, picked her up, and carried her around the house to show it to her. We shut the doors to the bedrooms so she couldn't run back to hide under a bed. She ran to hide behind a love seat. She mostly stayed there for a week, although she did come out when no one was around to eat and drink and use the litter box. My son petted her, in her "secret" place behind the love seat, with his long arms. Finally we bought her a cat toy with catnip to get her stoned and once she was stoned, she came out and decided to see who we were. We gave her big time affection and petting.

Eventually she came out permanently, and now she won't go away, won't leave us alone.

Now she is all over us, rather affectionate. She sleeps on our beds.

My wife had to take her to the vet not so long ago, and she freaked out, thinking she was going to be moved again, since the only other time she'd been in a cat carrier, she moved from Massachusetts to New Jersey. When she got back from the vet and home to us, she was enormously relieved, and let us know, rolling around on the floor to express her joy. She now has special "spots" in each of several rooms where she hangs out, and whenever we come home, runs to greet us at the door. (She's an indoor cat, although occasionally she'll go out on the deck.

She's a pain in the ass, hell on the furniture, whining continuously for food and/or petting, but we love her dearly.

Your cat will get over it. She just needs time and patience.

[yellerpup]

22. We adopted a male shelter cat

who had been in the shelter for 3 years (estimated by shelter). He was kind like of living with an ex-con. He had been returned to the shelter twice before, the last time by a lady who though he wasn't playful enough. He thought the word "no" meant fight back. He , but when he hates to be picked up, but when you pick him up he just quits. He stayed in one place most of the day probably because he's been locked up for so long. Hy husband swore he would make him a lap cat and he did. We've had him 13 years now and he is a good communicator and he is a lap cat. Your kitty is young enough to make the change a little faster. Best wishes to you and your kitty.

[csziggy]

25. That sounds a little like my Sabra

Sabra was very fearful when we adopted her last September. She had been a rescue as a kitten, adopted, then dumped (literally) back at the Humane Society. They don't know what happened to her while those people had her but she was badly traumatized.

The first month we had her, she hid under the bed - we didn't even see her for three weeks. Now she comes out and is very vocal if there is no food down, but if I pick her up she does not fight, just is very passive. If she is startled, she runs away but if I approach slowly while talking to her, she will let me pick her up. Mostly I just pet her without holding her and she has gained trust and confidence.

After she is picked up she goes very sullen and sorts of pouts. Then it takes a few hours for her to trust again. She's come a long way though still, if she is startled or feels threatened by humans, she will hide.

Sabra does like to play with our male cat, Lucas, but lets him know when he plays too rough - which he does with both girl cats. In fact, Sabra will initiate play with Lucas, while Maya normally ignores Lucas.

Bodhi is beautiful!

[I_UndergroundPanther]

26. Omg Bodhi is so beautiful.

Her eyes have captivated me..

[George McGovern]

27. Beautiful kitty. Splendid name!