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Location: the wrong side of the tracks Richmond, VA
585 posts, read 2,015,828 times
Reputation: 794
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So as some of you know I rescued another death row cat from New York City Animal Care & Control a little over a week ago. She was an absolute doll the moment we got her in the car, snuggly and cuddly and so so sweet... long story short, ACC thought she was pregnant but in fact she had a horrible infection and our vet recommended an IMMEDIATE spay so I took her advice and the cat seemed to be healing up from everything nicely, remaining sweet days after the spay.
Well beginning yesterday, she has been very distant (I took her in to get spayed last Wednesday), standoffish and downright mean. My boyfriend was over and I initially thought she was hiding because she was not used to him or didn't like men (they met once before when she was still in quarantine and very sick/weak from the URI) but she remained in hiding long after he left. She even attacked me and ran away when I tried to approach her which really surprised me.
She has gone from sleeping in bed with me and climbing up and down my body while I'm trying to work to mostly hiding upstairs and darting if I even come near her. She will allow petting if I can get near her and starts purring/headbutting into my hand so that's good but she is also biting me and hard. I gave her a chew toy to gnaw on I used for my boys when they were teething kittens and have been telling her a firm "NO" when she bites me but she still goes for my hand.
I called the vet and she doesn't think she is acting out from post-surgery pain but what on Earth could be causing this? NOTHING in the house has changed since she came home, she has not been attacked by my other cats and there is nothing I can think of that would have suddenly brought this on.
I have been ignoring her all day and that seems to help - she hopped up on the couch earlier and was doing happy hands on my legs... is this just a case of her "real" personality coming out now that she is on the mend and feels safe? Or is there something else I'm missing here?
She was just SO sweet a few days ago and now she's so fearful, I just want to help and don't know how I can if she won't let me. She's been through so much lately between ending up at the scary shelter, losing her two 14 week old kittens, losing her 2 unborn kittens, surgery, the URI, the long drive from NYC to Richmond, getting adjusted in my house, etc etc... but why is she acting out NOW?
She also meows endlessly sometimes, especially at night. Before if I called to her, she'd come upstairs (if I was in bed) and curl up with me but now she just meows this sad sad meow and ignores me.
I plan to continue ignoring her and let her hide out but does anyone have any advice for this situation? Is there anything else I can do for her or should I just stay patient and let her come get love on her own terms?
This is really my first "stray" foster (my other ACC rescue was listed as stray but definitely not, she belonged to a family at some point as she was healthy, clearly well-fed and spayed) so forgive me if I'm just worrying for nothing, I'm just trying to help this poor girl who has suffered through so much already in her short life.
Since you've already called the vet and it hasn't eased your mind maybe it's time for a second opinion from another vet? Her behavior does seem odd. How's her appetite? Using the litter box ok? I'm stumped. I do know one thing. Cats can pick up on our emotions and you're feeling anxious about her. If it was me and I was as worried as you sound I would get a second opinion.
Location: the wrong side of the tracks Richmond, VA
585 posts, read 2,015,828 times
Reputation: 794
Quote:
Originally Posted by ouijeewoman
Since you've already called the vet and it hasn't eased your mind maybe it's time for a second opinion from another vet? Her behavior does seem odd. How's her appetite? Using the litter box ok? I'm stumped. I do know one thing. Cats can pick up on our emotions and you're feeling anxious about her. If it was me and I was as worried as you sound I would get a second opinion.
Good luck to both of you!
Litter box is fine, she started eating Sunday which had me worried (I was about to take her back in to the vet for a feeding tube if she didn't start eating soon since she is so small and malnourished) and has been eating plenty since. She's about 5.5 pounds, poor girl. I have to get a few pounds on her before she is ready for her new home.
Tonight she's been pacing at the bottom of the couch meowing and demanding pets... it's so weird, I just don't know what to do with her. She hides when she wants and is so demanding when she isn't.
I wholeheartedly trust our vet, she has been great through this entire save and has sat on the phone with me to calm my worries for more time than she should have even for the money I sunk into this cat's vet bills
Nothing tells me the cat is in pain, I think she's just adjusting and... possibly wondering where her kittens are? I just don't know. As I write this she's jumping up on the couch demanding I pet her.
I say give her some time. I was a real b.i.t.c.h. after I had my reproductive organs removed too and if I could have fit, I would have hidden under the couch.
I say give her some time. I was a real b.i.t.c.h. after I had my reproductive organs removed too and if I could have fit, I would have hidden under the couch.
When I got to your post I was already thinking possible hormonal shifts plus all the other stress the poor cat has been under.
Location: the wrong side of the tracks Richmond, VA
585 posts, read 2,015,828 times
Reputation: 794
Quote:
Originally Posted by no kudzu
I say give her some time. I was a real b.i.t.c.h. after I had my reproductive organs removed too and if I could have fit, I would have hidden under the couch.
Excellent point. I've only owned two female cats and both were already spayed by the time I got them. My boyfriend was very polite after he got snipped but I guess getting your bits completely taken out is an entirely different experience!
She was also technically pregnant (though neither kitten was viable) by the time she went in for the spay so not only is she dealing with a regular spay hormone crash but a post-pregnancy one at that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by =^..^=
Are you driving up to NYC to adopt death row cats to find homes for? How are you finding them homes?
This cat is only my second NYC save, I kept the first (could not possibly imagine giving her up after what we went through together and she is pretty much the cutest, sweetest, weirdest most lovely little cat, she completed our cat family and I could not imagine life without her).
I have a woman down here in Richmond interested in the cat who is meeting her Friday. She is older and, I imagine, may be a better home for this cat than ours. The cat is now attacking my other cats (even though she's a full quarter of their size)... I understood why she went after my diva princess as the princess has been rude to her from the moment the cat came out of quarantine but she also attacked my very sweet, scaredy boy who has been nothing than nice. I guess I took for granted the fact that my other cats all get along with each other really well...
The potential adopter will go through the normal channels she would have had she adopted directly from the rescue who pulled the cat for me: adoption application, reference check, vet check, home visit and adoption fee. I REALLY like her and she is very excited to meet the cat so I hope it works out.
So far I have continued to ignore her and she seems to be hiding less than she was and is not fleeing when I approach her so that's good. She's having a blast playing with a mouse toy as we speak and spent the morning climbing all over my lap begging for loving. I guess it is just adjusting not only to the idea of being safe but the spay? She seems to be doing just fine being left to wander the house and do her own thing, I'm a lot less worried now that she isn't running away from me.
I guess it is just adjusting not only to the idea of being safe but the spay? She seems to be doing just fine being left to wander the house and do her own thing, I'm a lot less worried now that she isn't running away from me.
Maybe the quieter home with the older woman is what she needs. She'll be the Princess there.
She may be feeling better and wants to play. You said you've been ignoring her. We adopted a foster cat in August and she was quiet for the first week or two. I think everything was new then so she was content. Now she meows whenever she wants to play (which is whenever she's not sleeping). I think she gets bored easily because she's not good at self-entertainment. She will also attack because it's her idea of play, so I never play hands with her. I hope the person who adopts her understands she'll need a high level of playful interaction and can tolerate the meowing when she's bored. It's not much different than entertaining a toddler. We have a spinning bird toy that has been a God-send.
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