Bad for me - good for you!
One of the unique benefits of foster homes for cats prior to having them adopted is learning about any behaviour or medical issues.
When we get these meows, it is generally a rather stressful time for them. They could have been abandoned, homeless, injured and most of all scared.
All new fosters get a vet check. They are treated for fleas and worms - sometimes more than once due to the various parasites that could be affecting them.
These are not always happy kitties.
The lack of trust for humans is sometimes very great- which we absolutely understand.
The change over from possibly eating garbage- or licking the coal in a bbq ( happened) to a good quality food on a regular basis - can be a shock to their systems. Is a shock to their systems!
We generally have no way of knowing what an animal has been eating - well there are a few ways but we wont get into that.
I currently have my house on a high quality grain free dry food and high quality wet and grain free wet food.
A starving cat or kitten does not know when to stop eating - and limiting them feels like you are doing something wrong - but it has to be done or they will have ...very sore tummies and a rather dirty litter box.
Then their intestines are all inflamed - this takes time to calm.
Some cats take longer than others to realize there will be food again the next feeding. Very understandable because for them there may not have been.
Once the fleas, parasites and food issues have been addressed - its time for behaviour. So much fun.
Sometimes it is fun, Purrcy a new foster came to us with such a sweet personality. So loving and trusting and docile. He is just a fantastic little kitten that loves to play and cuddle.
They are not generally like this.
I get the fun hisses and growls. Swats and avoidance. Mad dashes away from the evil human!
It's okay, I get it! Trust is hard.
It has to be earned.
Some kitties are feral - getting a feral adult cat to trust you and stop climbing the walls. Not easy - sometimes - a lot of the times - there is just not enough tine or space to devote to a feral cat. Even if they trust you its not a trust in humans - its a singular trust. Adoption is not always an option.
These meows go to one of our friends who have farms. These people are fantastic and devote their time to caring for cats that may never return the affection shown to them.
The farms have their own steps towards making the cats a permanent fixture.
Back to the foster meows-
Recently I have been dealing with a very unpleasant situation - a cat that urinates on blankets and beds.
If you know who it is then its simpler.
I have a group of 3 that are suspect.
Who is it?
One of the kittens?
Do they just need to be confined in a roll away cage for a bit so they can re learn the litter box?
Do they still have parasites and this is their way of informing me that they feel weird?
Or is it the adult.
If it is the adult then I believe she is ticked off at me.
This could be personal.
Its my bed - she can't actually talk.
Is she telling me she is upset because I removed one of the kittens?
Because she smelled another mother in the house?
Has one of my guys been taunting her through the door?
Does she not feel well?
The joys of dealing with an animal with whom you can not question.
These things are never ignored. We do not just adopt out a cat and hope it changes its behaviour.
We figure out whats wrong - to the best of our non cat ability - and we fix it.
If we can not fix the situation then we do not adopt out the cat.
What happens to the cat?
It depends.
If the cat has a medical issue like FIP or Leukemia then we search for a special person who is willing and able to adopt a special needs kitty.
If the cat has a behaviour that we can not modify then we may relocate it to a farm where certain behaviours will not effect their new home.
Each situation is teaches us new things.
We will not euthanize a healthy animal.
Neither should you.
All animals have worth.
They all deserve a chance to be happy.
Finding that happiness is key.
We can not guarantee how an animal will be once they are placed for adoption.
But.. We will not adopt out an animal prior to dealing with the issues.
Regardless of where a cat is from - the potential for unpleasant behaviour is there.
Regardless of where a cat is from - the potential for unpleasant behaviour is there.
I will list some helpful links:
House Soiling
Cat Scratching
I am against declawing - it is inhumane and unnecessary.
Sometimes kitty can be destructive.
Night Meowing
I am currently dealing with a senior cat - my kitty - Cubby, he is meowing his silly head off at night.
New Kitty
What about the first issue - Introducing a new cat.
Why they do what they do
If you have not found this out yet - cats are weird. Awesome - but strange.
.jpeg)
If you have questions about any of these things - ask your Vet!
Just because you think it is annoying - and it can be - you may be missing a sign of an illness.
No comments:
Post a Comment
The cats would like to hear from the humans.