What Should I Do?

Poor girl Try to put yourself in her position- if someone threw you out of a window, you certainly wouldn’t trust them again! Therefore, you’ll need to work to gain her trust, and as already mentioned above, it will take time! The length of time depends on how you approach her, and her own personality (if she’s timid, it will probably take longer)

If a cat like that came into my care, here’s what I’d do-
1. Leave her alone in the spare room with plenty of fresh water, some cardboard boxes and things to hide in/under (help her feel more secure), perhaps 2-3 litter trays with different types of cat litter (so she can choose one she prefers- some cats dislike certain types of litter. Its just another little way to help her feel more comfortable), and some ‘strong’ smelling food, so that she can definitely tell its there and it’ll hopefully attract her (fishy catfoods work well). Once she’s learnt where the food is, perhaps start changing food types to determine which one she seems to prefer- you can use this as a treat to encourage her later

2. Personally, I’d leave her with bare minimum of contact for about a week. Then, start sitting in there occasionally while reading a book or something- any activity that is quiet, and where you remain pretty still. Don’t try to interact with her.

3. continue reading or whatever in the room for as many days as you need to, until she seems less timid towards you. Once this occurs, try offering her a treat- don’t be surprised if she doesn’t come to you for it- throw it over near her, or at the opposite side of the room. soon she’ll associate that she gets tasty treats from you. as she accepts this, start throwing the food closer towards you.

4. When she starts coming closer to you, don’t attempt to reach out or touch her straight away- this could scare her off, and you may have to start near the beginning again. Let her investigate you on her own terms, when she’s ready.

5. when she seems comfortable in your presence, you can gently hold your hand out for her to sniff, if she wants- again, don’t force her to do anything

something else that may be beneficial is to put a few shirts or other clothing items that you’ve worn in the room, though I would advise you only do this after she’s had the first week with minimal contact to settle in. This way she’ll get used to your scent, so it becomes familiar, and hopefully she’ll accept you sooner.

Personally I wouldn’t try to approach her, or ‘force’ yourself on her- she’s suffered a lot of trauma from the previous owners (hey, if they threw her out of a window, chances are that she hasn’t had a nice life before this either) so needs to get used to you on HER terms, not yours. Be aware this could take a very long time- Or, it could be quick! it depends on the poor cat

Anyway I’m really glad you took her in and am willing to give her a chance! she sure does deserve it, I simply don’t understand how mankind can treat animals in this way.

That poor little cat. What a lowlife whoever did that. You must be a kind person to take on such a mammoth task. You sound like you are doing it the right way, not that I am any expert but a lot of TLC is needed here & you are certainly giving that so keep up the good work & remember “what goes around, comes around!” All the very best to you!

I sing softly to a frightened cat, I know it sounds strange but it worked for my stray I tamed, I would sing within earshot of the cat so it knew I was there but I wasn’t being intrusive. Gradually he got used to my ‘song to Oscar (I incorporated his name in the song so he would also get used to his new name) and he would slowly approach me daily. Hope this helps.

My experience with frightened cats is that it can take days before they will show themselves, eat, drink and toilet. They are however, very curious creatures and if you spend time in the room ignoring them but reading or eating etc. they will eventually show themselves. A cat will not starve itself to death and will eventually eat and drink if the food is there. So persevere, it will take time but you will win in the end.

Yes she is going to needs lots of time & patience. Be prepared for setbacks when things move to fast for her. Plenty of love and just letting her get used to you. I am not going to reiterate the above, though I take it from your query you have probably had her close to a week already. For a start make her your personal responsiblity, don’t let others of your family (if you have any) to visit she needs to rebuild her trust on a one to one basis. You need to become her rock something she knows if safe.
It is a huge committment & I wish you luck. Would also like to hear of her progress if you wouldn’t mind.

Hi,

Also use Feliway in the room you will be amazed at the results!! You should be using it all the time if you are fostering as I have fostered for 3 Years and it has proven to be an absolutly fantastic product that works!! Yes it will take time maybe even a couple of months but just be patient. Also you can try leaving some really good wet food out for her as most cats can’t resist then she will learn that she can trust the food. Don’t worry this is perfectly normal you are doing all you can. Feel free to e-mail me at nyssa@carpe.com.au if you need any furthar assistance.

Kind Regards,

Nyssa.

I have rescued cats and dogs over the years. some of them have been badly neglected and wont trust anyone- even if food is put in front of them – as they think the food is poison.
Wrap up the cat in a soft nappy, baby blanket – and comfort her slowly – and then put her in a box in a cosy corner surrounded by toys and background music. The cat needs re-assurance that the same thing wont happen again.
Cuddle the cat – still wrapped up – allow her to sit, sleep and be in the same room with you, she needs your company . Have a plate of cat food near you and pretend to eat the same food – she will realize that if you eat this food she can also do the same thing. If you have other cats be careful about allowing the other cats near this cat, but very gradually allow them to realize there is another cat in the house – which needs help. In the past – my other cats ended up sleeping with the new cat and this was a great advantage -providing there are no fights of course – but this does have to be monitored. If the cat does not eat -allow one of the other cats to eat the food, then the cat will see that this food is safe to eat and will start to eat along side the other cats.

I hope this helps

I spent a lot of time as a volunteer in a cat shelter when I lived in the US. They had a program to capture and attempt to rehabilitate feral cats, and most of my time there was spent assisting in this.
I agree whole-heartedly with what both Cat Diaries and Laura have recommended. The two key words here are patience and persistence. I managed to help rehabilitate some feral cats enough so that they were eventually able to be adopted out to homes.
Good luck!

Hi
Are you able to buy a Feliway diffuser? It contains a pheromone which calms cats and assists in anxiety type behaviours. Our cat has had anxiety issues and we have found that by plugging in the diffuser he is much happier, purrs all the time and is more relaxed when grandchildren and visitors arrive.
Good luck

You have received some excellent advise so far. I took in an abused cat 8 yrs ago now, we still have him and he has gone from an extremely sad and timid animal to being the king of our house. He is still frightend of quick movements, strangers and hands. (But loves a good pat using your feet !?!) He took a while to come around to us but was so worth the wait! I found that when you talk to the cat don’t give it eye contact, nothing freaks them out more than being looked at in the eye. If they walk up to you look away and offer your hand (or in our case foot) for them to rub up against at their own pace but kind of ignore them too. Talk in a calm voice when you are in the room with them even if you can’t see them, that way they will sense you are not a danger. Don’t try to do anything with them if you are in a bad, sad or stressed out mood because they can sense that too. If there is more than one person in the house, choose one person to be the feeder to start with. I’m not one to indorse different food brands but we got some cat treats called “Sensations” all three of our cats after trying them came running when they hear the bad rattle, I’ve never seen anything like it they all literally beg and cry for the treat. So you might like to try something like this, rattle the bag and leave one or two treats near where the cat is, once she associates the noise with the treat you may lure her out of hiding when she hears the bag. The hardest thing is to be patient with them, you want them to know that your not the bad guy and your their friend but once misstreated by humans it is hard to get the trust back but so worth it. As hard as it is to hear some animals just wont be able to trust people again after such trama so don’t blame yourself if she doesn’t come around to you (depending on the original abuser may mean whether the cat is more scared of men, women or children. Our cat is more scared of men).. You are giving her the best chance at a new life and are doing a very wonderful thing!!

Congratulations on taking in a girl who needs a lot of love and patience. I strongly recommend getting a feliway diffuser (or spray). It has helped my cats cope with times of stress (though moving house is a lot less stressful than what your kitty has been through) , and I am sure it could assist your little girl. A bit of information from the website:

Feliway® is a synthetic copy of the feline facial pheromone, used by cats to mark their territory as safe and secure.

By mimicking the cat’s natural facial pheromones, Feliway® creates a state of familiarity and security in the cat’s local environment.

As a result, Feliway® can be used to help comfort and reassure cats, while they cope with a challenging situation and/or help prevent or reduce the stress caused to a cat during a change in their environment.

My cat was traumatized by having his nether regions cut off with a knife and then left to infect. He was about 2 .

When he came to me I showed him where I would keep his food and litter. He then disappeared.

1 He hid for about 3 weeks. I didn’t see him but food disappeared in small amounts. No litter until about the 2nd week.

2 He gradually built up his own trust system. He would come out (from where?) and watch TV with me for a little while then disappear again. He was safely in the house so I let him be.

3 at about the month stage he spent more and more time with me until he was with me whenever I was home.

4 at 6 months he slept on my bed.

5 He is still, 10 years later, an extremely nervous cat. He dislikes men, noise, and anything new. He likes things HIS way. He suffers from a nervous stomach and vomits a lot. He could go on pussy prosac but I try to use this as sparingly as possible. Just keep the routine simple. He still hides for at least 6 hours a day. Once I find his hiding place he will change it so I don’t try any more.

6 Traumatized cats will always be jumpy, nervous and a little off kilter. Don’t push their boundaries and they are loving, snooking babies most of the time. Just remember they have issues they have to deal with. The issues are THEIRS not OURS so let them deal with them.

All I can offer is my experience having a cat myself that was traumatised for the first 6 months of life. I received Willow when she was just over 6 1/2 months. She had been abused by previous owners to the extent that she quite a few surgeries. She is now 5 years old and a loving cat.

When I picked her up from the rspca she was just skin and bones and petrified of people. It was a learning process, and a very patient one at that. Her problem with food was, I blieve she always thought every meal wasn’t guaranteed (even though it was) so she tended to eat herself sick, so small small portions worked for her.

She was set up in my room which was fairly quiet however not dead quiet. I never pushed her to interact with myself or my partner. (this may seem silly but having been through a traumatic childhood myself, I wanted to give her all the power on when and how she would trust me. Regaining power is important, and i think it applies to animals as much as humans.)

My partner and I would show each other affection in front of her, by that I mean, cuddles, talking and holding hands while talking or simply laying while we watched tv, read, or chatted etc. TO try and shy her we were “gentle caring” people. She was very cautious for quite some time. She would venture towards us and we made sure we didnt change the way we were acting. No sudden jerky moves or getting excited towards her at first. Over time she would come closer and closer. Sometimes for a minute, or less and sometimes for quite a bit longer. When she thought I was asleep she would try and sniff me out and tread the waters so to say, to see if she could stay near me and feel non-threatened. If i was awake I wouldn’t really show it, let her suss me out.
Honestly, its hard and it can be stressful and sometimes it seemed like she took one step foward and two steps back. But after a few months, she was letting me play with her and pet her, and she learnt to eat better. We also another older cat in the house who just seemed to know to give her space and we kept them seperate for a great deal of time for the first few weeks. But she learnt to find trust in him aswell.

A bit obstacle was outside, this terrified her, so she was an indoor cat for 3 years, now she loves to explore, she is very cheeky, and she is playfool.

I will add I didnt push cat toys for quite some time as they can startle nervous cats because their sounds, speeds, or movements can be unpredictable. Soft, calming voices helped. Using her name to acknowledge her as I entered the room or talked about what I was doing to her seemed to help (or so i believe) even if at the beginning i was saying her name to make her come and interact.

I hope this is helpful. Its hard work, it really is but it is also worth it. ANd in the long run so rewarding. Willow is such a beautiful cat, I have a 7 month old baby and Ive never seen such a nuturing animal around him. She seems to look out for him and is aware of boundaries. (this may be normal for all cats but its just wonderful to see from her).

If you keep to your routine as much as you can while making small alterations for her needs at the moment it wont be a shock for her when you feel shes come a long way for you to continue your routine. If youve completely changed the way you do things, later when you return to the old routine (any thing small or big) She may react and retreat again. I am not a professional with animals, so you can take any of this with a grain of salt if you feel i am way off.

Just hang in there, and kudos to you for doing this.

As mentioned above, put her in a quite room. Take a book to read but lay on the floor to read it. That way you will not be looking down on her,you will be less intimidating. Buy milk that is for cats so if she wont eat at least she will be getting some goodness. Keep talking to her even if you are in another room.
I would love to throw those people out a window just to let them know what it felt like.

Many yearsago, a little kitten was thrown into a tree in my mother’s garden in the middle of a thunder storm. It was barelythree weeks old and could not even lap. As my Mother had just had a hip operation and was still on crutches, she could not keep it. My father found it early in the morning and took it into my mum when he gave her a cup of tea in bed as was his habit…….I had just lost the last of three cats at 19 years old, but my parents talked me into taking this little thing that just sat of the palm of my father’s hand. When I agreed my father told the cat and I quote” CAT YOU HAVE JUST WON THE LOTTERY” unquote, I took this little bubby home, and called her (it was a female) JACKPOT
She had to be fed with a dropper every couple of hours, and grew into a beautiful loving companion, but always a little timid of strangers. We closed of the den where the t.v. was .set up a litter tray and food, and kept her company, and my husband and I took her to bed with us every night., and she slept between the two of us.
While wathcing T.V. I kept her on my lap. and told her how we loved her, and how lucky we were to have her. She lived for 15.5 years, and the person who threw her away , threw away the most loving little furry person. They surely threw away any luck in their miserable lives, but we were the lucky ones. I found gentle handling and loving soft crooning talk soon gave her the confidence she need back.
I also fed her on baby farex food, and gave her pentavit just as I gave my own babies when they were young, shebecame a very healthy loving person, visiting the vet only once a year for her injections, unfortnately she died of a heart attack, I came home one day and she did not run to great me, and I found her lying intheden as if asleep, butat least she was in thecomfort of her own home. I spent many happy hours with jackie, and I now have a loving Scottish fold named Oliver, as he is the colour of a Kalamatta olive. but that is another long story he came from he cat protection society, but also a very loving animal.

I think she needs to be in a pen in a room where she can see you – put a box on its side with a blanket in the pen so she has somewhere to hide – just be a gentle quiet presence at this stage, offer her small amounts of food and water, as suggested above have a radio or TV on so she becomes use to voices and sounds. I think shutting her away will not allow her to adjust to a human presence she needs to be aware of you moving around in a quiet non threatening manner. It will take time, the poor wee soul, and bless you for taking on the job of carer and nursing her back to health. It is a good idea to try a couple of different cat litters, but I wouldn’t overwhelm the kitten with lots of litter trays, try one one day and another the next. If she isn’t eating or drinking she won’t be wanting to use it that often, she will need to be observed to make sure she is taking some sort of hydration or she may need to be given IV fluids.
All the best and do let us know how the wee kitten fares.

I have a cat who was wild when I got him from a rescue group – he’d rip you to pieces if you tried to touch him. I put him in a reasonably-sized cage (big enough for food, water, litter, bedding). This gave him some sense of security and allowed him to get used to my presence. It also allowed him to meet my other cats and dogs, who he had no problem with, and see the way we interacted and that they trusted me. He eventually started eating – they will when they get hungry enough. It was a slow process, and even after he had progressed to the stage when he was allowed out of the cage we had some setbacks. But the good news is that although he’s still very wary with strangers, he is now the sweetest and most affectionate cat – well worth the effort!

I have a similar situation with a cat who came to me from a shelter. Aromatherapy works miracles ! I’ve been using rescue remedy and also pre mixed relaxation blends – Jurlique’s is excellant. I apply it to the back of Armani’s head so he can’t wash it off and within minutes it’s helping. You’ll need to continue using it for several months but it really is worth the effort, I’ve also found that a piece of fleecy blanket is very comforting, he kneads it when he’s feeling stressed, maybe it reminds him of his mum – who knows what’s going on in their minds when their so stressed. As mentioned in an earlier reply, soft music also helps as does a ticking clock under a blanket. Constant contact is essential. Patience and perserverance is needed as it will take many months for your puss to begin to recover, you’ll be surprised at how a particular sound or event will trigger memories too so be prepared for that as well. Godd luck, you will be rewarded with a vey loyal and trusting friend.

the poor little thing some people are so crule
what i would do is give it plenty of cuddles and little kiss is sweet nothing in its ear
let it things like your beautiful your sweet all those things give it plenty of genle rub /pats
plenty to eat and water and just love it with a passion and it will soon know that it has a new begining and it will start to show you the love it has for you back
thats the best i can offer

Hi
I rescued a very traumatised little cat and spent hours in the room with him. I used to lie on the floor and talk very gently to him (so I was at his level) and not move suddenly. No shoes on, just bare feet or socks, so no noises to frighten him.

Eventually he came closer and closer and I held out my hand – at floor level, palm up – and he sniffed my hand and came closer. Then I was able to stroke him under his chin gently and the purring started! He was still quite terrified and so I then started sitting on the couch and finally he jumped up and came closer again until he sat on my knee. That was the turning point, but it took days.

My concern is that if your cat was thrown out of a second-storey window, it may have internal injuries, so if it has not already been checked by a vet – that is the first thing I would do. Especially as it has not been eating.

After that, you can always use a Feliway diffuser in the room, and put a very enticing and comfortable sheepskin in a cat igloo, so it can feel secure and warm.

Patience works wonders, but I always say, put yourself in the cat’s mind, if you can, and imagine what it went through and now what it can see and feel.

oh thats horrible…. poor thing.

The most important thing i can think of is ensuring she does eat and drink so she does not get de hydrated.

Try a syringe with milk and pop it into her mouth so she is forced to eat. But the rest will come with time.

I agree with advice given by Laura.
I add a little more…. whenever you enter the room,speak softly in much the same tone of voice so
that this poor creature will gradually trust and recognise you as a friend.

Hey there … poor baby. My advice is to just sit near her, quietly and be very patient. I had a Siamese who had been mistreated and was quite feral and the only way to get through was to just sit and talk quietly. It took a while, but eventually he became my very best friend. You’ve gotten great advice from others, so I’d love to know how you go!

Poor little Puss! The information you already have sounds like very good advice. To enhance this, you could try cat pheramones (Feliway is one I know of) which is sometimes used to help introduce another animal into a household and has a calming effect. It is placed in a diffuser in the cats area.

I have also had remarkable success with homeopathic and herbal preparations, but of course you have to get her to eat and/or drink for this to work. I have used Gypsy Weed successfully in stressful situations and have also heard that “Rescue Remedy” (Bach Flowers, available from chemists and health food stores) is also quite good.

Just the thought has brought me to tears, the poor little darling. I totally praise you for your patience and love you are giving this little one. I have a beautiful cat who is turning 20 this year and every single day of her life she has known she has been loved. I feel for this cat and i hope my advise can be used in any way to lead her into a loving home.

I dont know whether i would wait for her to know my presence. I would not attempt to touch her for a while but let her know that you are there for her. From day one i would sit in the closed room with her and read. I would sit on the floor and do a jigsaw or draw or do a puzzle, somewhere where she can see you. Have a few toys around the room and occasionally play with them yourself. Stoop down to her level, let her see you are having fun with them. A peice of string or a ball of wool is a great toy. Get yourself tangled up in it and start laughing quietly……

Have a small rug in the room. You can use this as a tunnel for her, put a few noisy toys in there so that when you leave the room you may be able to hear whether she has been playing with them. When you reenter the room see whether they have been moved, you may be surprised you are getting somewhere with her.

Put a nice soft comfortable bed in there for her, a litter tray and some food, i would give her an option of dry and fresh meat and tinned food, with plenty of water.

Dont give up on her, be patient, loving and speak quietly to her on every occasion.

When you have visitors over, try not to be noisy, go outside or in a room furtherest away from the room she is in. You dont need to alarm her. Dont introduce her to anyone else for a while, let her get used to you first and yes this will take time and alot of patience.

As every week goes by, give her access to another room, close all the doors to all other rooms and only open up another room at a time. Cats love to investigate, she needs to feel secure and safe in her surroundings. When you are not home, this is a chance for a cat to explore, let her explore one room at a time so she is not overwhelmed.

As she accomplishes one step being closer to you, reward her with a special treat of a new toy. Soon she will know she is loved and she will realise that not every human being is frightening and cruel.

The poor little darling has been through so much, best wishes and goodluck with all your achievements. Once again i praise you with all my heart for all you are doing for this little one.

Hi …my heart goes out to this litter critter…i would show the cat as mush love and affection as i can …i would sit with it all the time constantly praise and talk to the cat….and when you have to leave it alone …leave a jumper that you have been wearing with the cat so they can still smell you….have a special box and try the cat in it when you are sitting down be near the cat and talk to it at all times…try a treat… like i give my cat prawns everyday…she know when its time for bed she lets me know by going down to her room and sitting by the door…well i do hope i have been of some help …good luck with the little critter i bet she will be back to normal shortly..

I live on a fairly isolated farmhouse, and have a couple of speyed ladies for company (and mouse control). They can come and go via the cat door, and always have dry food available for them. Recently I had a young feral tom – really just a half-grown kitten – arrive and see the farm house as a pretty good refuge. However, he was naturally terrified of me to begin with, and the most I got was a fleeting glimpse as he dashed out the cat door. He kept an eye on me though, and watched how I interacted with my girls, and gradually realised that they enjoyed contact with me. Over the course of several weeks, some of which involved food at a ‘safe’ distance, he has become as affectionate as any cat I have ever had, and thoroughly enjoys his snuggles on my lap.
Is there any way your poor traumatised kitty can safely observe you with other cats? I think this was a major contributing factor with my young visitor. (All the above advice is good too.)

All very good advice. Some cats stay very timid and feral, no matter what you do. We had one cat come into the shelter (pregnant at the time) and we could barely get near her. Her kittens, luckily, didnt take after her and were friendly. We used a pheromone spray, these can sometimes help speed up the process. It mimics feline facial pheromones and can help calm them down alot. It requires being sprayed at regular intervals (twice aday, for about 30 days?) but may help take the edge of her feeling so scared. If you are intetested, you should talk to your vet. Of course this is not the sole answer, but may help calm her down that little bit more to help speed up her rehabilitation process.

Your foster cat needs lots of one on one attention, love and care it will take time, poor kitty has been very traumatised it could take many months for kitty to respond, just dont give up and if kitty doesnt drink or eat take to vet may need medical intervention to survive, but i am sure in plenty of time kitty will come good, i work at a shelter i see alot of this but it all comes down to time. Good luck and i hope kitty gets well soon.

i have found that when fostering a traumatized kitty its best to let them know you are there. She will eat when ready, every time you go into the room talk to her in a quiet soothing voice, let her see you face not just feet, leave a jumper that smells of you so she can get used to your scent. just be patient, she has had a major experience and like all wounds will take time to heal. good luck!

Given that we got given a kitten at 6 weeks old and she was timid and scared to begin with, we had given lots of cuddles and we had allowed her to go to sleep beside us on couch and we had also given her lots of toys and cardboard boxes to go to sleep in too

My workplace recently adopted 2 kittens from a cat rescue place and one of thenm was thrown over a fenc. We have found that having another kitten in with her has helped to calm her down and she now enjoyst the company. With your troubled feline, talk to her in a calm, soft reasurring way so she gets to know that you won’t harm her. Our traumatised little girl only took a week to trust the staff and she is now allowed to come out of her cat-pe/house and romp around the place. You may find that the calm, reassuring voice may be what shen needs. And also, allow her to come to you on her own terms. Remember, cats are more independant than dogs and will decide when they are ready.

Have been recommended “Feliway” a synthetic pheromone that is meant to help stressed cats.
Have ordered some on line from the States & waiting for delivery.

Vets use it to spray in cages if cats coming in to board to help calm them or if coming in for treatment & stressed they will spray on their hands to help calm the cat.

Check it out online

Good luck

I have five little people who started out badly, but Madison is very special. She was found in Kiama by my vet nurse, Madison was about five weeks old, she had been doused with petrol/kerosene and set alight. When I brought her home after she was given the clear by my vet she was so traumatised and petrified and hid in the wardrobe/under the bed and would not come out. I put down food/water and a litter tray in the room and stayed away for a day and then I gradually went into the room, sat on the bed and called to her. I did not attempt to approach her I waited for her to approach me. Eventually after a few days she came out of hiding and started to eat and drink while I was in the room. When she approached me and I was able to stroke her but she was very frightened and would go back in hiding. This took several days before she would stay with me while I patted and talked to her. As everyone has been saying patience is the best medicine at this time. Madison is now five years of age, but still very frightened of people and will run and hide when people entered the house. Even now I am the only one she feels secure with and she has turned out to be a beautiful girl.

To the other Laura: Perfect – that was exactly what I was thinking before seeing your reply. Except, if she hasn’t eaten for a week, I’d advise sitting in the room with a book earlier. Don’t show any interest in her at all, ignore her completely – this can be intriguing. Move her food closer if you can, and change it daily – try some fresh fish every other day if you can, just small pieces. Change it up – don’t let it always be the same food. Eat something in there yourself – if you like sushi, a piece of the fish you give her, if you eat some before putting it in her bowl and she’s watching, may work as well. Boiled beef and liver with water made gravy, and rice seems to be a fave with mine too.

I recently bought sdome Feliway, a cat pherenome, which is supposed to help calm stressed and traumatised animals. Its quite excpensive but if you are going to foster many cats it may pay for itseslf over timer. It is the same hormone emitted by mother cats when they feed the kittens, so it makes cats feel very safe and happy. You are doing a wonderful job, thank you on behalf of all cat lovers.

I agree with the comments by Laura. I would also give the cat Feline Tranquil Formula as a treat when you can get her to take it. It is a chicken flavoured tablet and has helped my cat greatly. She was terrified of Thunder storms and loud noises and would hide under our bed for hours. I have had her on the formula for a few months and she is 100% better. She still hides sometimes but only when we have a storm where the lightning is really crashing around, it frightens me too.
The tranquil formula is available from the Vets or Vet Products Direct, on line.

I would be giving the poor scared cat a lot of gentle attention, you have to re assure the cat and try to win its confidence. Lots of patience and love will win in the end. Good luck .

I don’t really have any extra advice to add to what Laura & Cat Diaries has already said I just wanted to say Thank God for good people such as yourself & with time & patience I’m sure your “little girl” will be fine Well Done

hello, firstly it is so nice that there are still people out there who care. the poor little one. for me i believe that more contact is best, i get on the floor with my babies. i play or lay depending on how they feel….. gentleness and truth in your petting i think is paramount as animals are so smart. they can tell when attention is not from the heart. i just feel at times we need to show our fur friends that we are on their level and understand them…… just my thoughts.
good luck with the little one…. i know with love and kindness she will find the trust she has lost

Laura has given really fantastic advice.

Just a thought for when you get to step 4 – I have often helped kittens get used to me by putting a little bit of butter on my toes. It sounds rather icky, I know, but it’s a great treat for them and if you lie with your feet stretched out (perhaps while watching TV or reading a book) then your feet are the furthest part away from your main body and so a little more ‘safe’ for her. It’s just another way she can connect you with treats and get her more comfortable around you.

Best of luck and I think you’re a really wonderful person for giving her a change.

I agree with all of Laura’s comments it does take time. I have saved 3 beautiful cats that have been desserted in the Australian bush. You’ll know when they begin to trust you and then finally love you. Firstly, they will eat even if it is furtively and/or when you’re not there. Secondly, they will allow you to finally touch them and when they are happy and relaxed, love and trust you and finally purr.

All Laura’s advice is good, the only thing I can add is that talking to them in a gentle and slightly “gooey” way does work even with wild native animals so that they recognise you and your intentions and begin to trust you.

Just give her time to get used to you by keeping her where she can see you but not touch her. Keep giving her food even if she does’nt touch it always and speak to her often in a gentle tone. She will recover in her own good time but first she has to see that you are not a threat to her. Good luck

Try a plug-in pheromone also she may need a sedative from the vets – keep quietly sitting in the room with her and talking in a soft gentle voice eventually she will learn to trust again. She certainly has not had a good start to her life but she will come round to lots of TLC.

how cruel are people poor little mite
my advise is to get a small pen to put her in , have her in the lounge where she can see you , hear what is going on , feed and talk to her but basically leave her to her own devices. she will soon learn that you are not a threat and that she is safe .Over the yrs i have had shy and terrified cats and this is the best method i have found . The cats decide in there own time to trust you and they have their own space and you have to respect that . I have one girl (oriental) that is now free in the house but if she feels threatened she goes back to her pen.
As for food try some of what you are eating maybe a little KFC …always smells good to a cat …just pop a bit into the pen and walk away
She has to gain confidence to start trusting us humans again
All the best with winning that trust

I agree with all that Laura says – also, if you play music in your home it would be best to stick to classical or ambient – animals find anything with a beat quite stressful. Good luck and I’m sure you’ll be able to reabilitate this poor little cat. Remember that love conquers all. Best wishes to you.

God, how horrible, thank you for taking the poor baby in and caring so much.
I agree with the comments above, keep here in a small space, with her tray, food , water, try some cat milk or goats milk and also try raw chicken wings for food, cats love them and they are very healthy for teeth and gums.
I would ensure she has some toys, even though you might think it pointless and move quietly around her with no loud noises, a radio in the background softly could be good.
A cubby hole bed for further hiding would be good.
Yes, it will take patience, you can get some metacam from the vet which is a slight sedative and used for anxiety in animals, this could help immensley with the physical sides of anxiety.
Try sitting on the floor at her level, so your not looming over her and toss it a little bit of chicken or beef mince towards her.
Cats are naturally curious and hopefully her curiosity will overcome her fears. If there is no loud noises or other animals in the house, I would leave the door slightly ajar, particuarly at night when she may feel safe to wander out.
One thing that worries is she isn’t drinking or eating for a long period of time she could become very dehydrated and need fluids from the vet (which would be a bummer and scare her more I know), I would make a call to your vet, explain the situation and see if he/she thinks she should be having fluids or not.
Apart from that – patience, she will eventually wander out or eat.
Wishing you luck and the Cat.

What an awful thing to happen. I would have her in the same room in a pen with a snuggly bed that she can hide in so that she can get used to people and noise around her. She hopefully will connect with your voice and feel comfortable after a short time. Not being an expert I really don’t know but that is what I would do. Good luck to you and the cat.

I once had a cat many years ago – we were incredibly close. She would come for walks with me, and basically was my 4 footed shadow.
One evening I was at work, and she was struck by a push bike – this was apparently after she had a major run in with a local neighbourhood tom (he had bitten through her tail)…

Anyhow, I came home from work at midnight to find her cowering inside by the back door. She was covered in blood, and had a chipped / missing tooth. She was shaking/shivering from being in shock.

Despite how close we were, she was timid and scared of pretty much everything. She ended up putting herself in the loungeroom, under a piece of furniture in the furthest, darkest corner.
No amount of coaxing could get her out.
She also stopped eating and drank very little (when no-one was watching).
It took a little over a week before she came to me.
I did try to be around her for that week – just quietly. Sitting in the same room, talking to her gently, saying her name calmly over and over, along with other reasurring words. I would even play her favourite Cello Concerto (very quietly though) she would always come running when I’d put this on the stereo.

It ended up that I was sitting on the grass in the backyard – she had relocated herself to under a large bushy shrub (again – where no-one could get to her).. after a little while, she stumbled out and came and sat herself on my lap. Her fur was covered in burrs and dried blood. Her tail was in desperate need of medical attention.
She let me gently wash her clean with a warm face cloth, and I carefully bundled her into a carrier and took her to the vet.

The essence is – they will come to you, but you have to let them. Give them time, but also gently remind them that you are safe, calm, peaceful, quiet and willing to accept them when they come to you.
Given that this is a foster cat – it could be a little more difficult if her only experience with humans has been negative, and she has no previous bond to you.
A cat will eat when it is hungry, and drink when it is thirsty. They are resilient independent creatures who do like company and attention – but only when they want it.
Depending on the severity of her trauma – this could take weeks…. it will all depend on how you can communicate with her.
Maybe in a short time, try a few soft quiet toys with some catnip.. that might help her to feel a bit more at ease with you.

You could try some drops of Bach Flower Rescue Remedy in her water daily and take some yourself as well so she is not picking up your anxiety.

Unfortunately I dont think you can speed up its recovery but it will recover and be a more wary cat so just give him/her as much love and time you can. Cats take a long time to bond with there owners but when they do you have a friend for life. I have had to put down 2 of my cats in my life and it is so heart wrenching but that is life. Is that a Picture of him/her above what a gorgeous little fella

Laura basically had it down packed.
I’ve been in a similar situation with a kitten or two that have been caught under the house and had to literally break concrete to get one out. But kittens are alittle more easier to manage then older kittens or adults…

Its definitely going to take time and perserverance. Just remember cats and dogs can sense things so if your unsure of things with the animal (in this case a poor cat) he/she will pick up on that, as well as their own vibes.
I do agree with what catdiaries says about a tv or radio. Also known as ‘white noise’ just very low only for proberly 5 or 10 minutes at first, when to put it on, is up to you really.
Just going into the room once or twice just talking softly, saying hello even if you can’t see the cat, reassuring him/her its okay. Proberly try associating with the cat (such as talking not actually physical contact) in about 2-3 days, even if you want to stay in the room on the floor at eye level talk to him or her, read a book, magazine or something and then leave room and give them some quiet time.
Without sounding rude in anyway its kind of like trying to gain the trust of a stray cat that has had no human interaction before or for a very long time, but this one has just been hurt by a human. So gaining the trust may take longer, or might surprise you and happen quicker than expected.

* I love the suggestion Laura made of the different selections of kitty litter. I remember trying to train numerous kittens over the years to use certain types (cheaper brands and what not) and they wouldn’t have a bar of it lol.
* its good that you can keep an eye on the cat through a window as well, monitor his/her bevhiour.
* If the cat is not keen on strong smelling foods such as fish, you can also get the roo mince. The only down side is it does dry up abit quicker than other wet foods.

I can’t imagine why someone would want to hurt a wonderful animal. Its even possible that they can come from wonderful homes and there is always that one person that is just heartless.
I do wish you luck and hope the darling will be alright. Hopefully we might be able to hear how you go ?

i would firstly take her to a vet as she could be suffering internal damage or broken bones etc having gone through that, so this may be why she is still not eating.

in addition to trying various food brands and flavours (i’ve owned 3 cats and they all tend to like the fish varieties of food over the meat ones – namely whiskas sardines & tuna or Purr sardines flavour) i’d then probably gradually allow her to roam and explore the rest of the house while i was not home so she can familirize herself with it , scent mark etc, so its not so much of an unknown & potentially scary place for her. the sooner they can familoirize themselves with the entire house the better i think. oh also, put out some lactose free cat milk – i have been told that cats cannot digest lactose so you shouldn’t give them normal cows milk. its available in all supermarkets with the cat food in a white long life 1 litre cardboard pack.

finally, of course, lots of pats (once she gets used to you) and maybe you could get one of those little cat /dog houses you see in the $2 stores / asian variety stores, i have one and my cat absolutely loves hiding in it when visitors come over. cats seems to feel safe inside places they can hide in and in this cats case i would say she needs to ‘hide out’ for a bit longer.

good luck with it, i have recently adopted a second cat who i found across the road at an abondoned house. its a really great thing you’re doing. there should be more of us out there!!!

natalie

We’ll i think laura has givin the best advice posible and theres not much more to say, from my experience with cats you just need to give them time, they will eventually come round in their own time, do not try to force them at all as this will only set the whole process back, give the lil one plenty of alone time at the beginning and plenty of places to hide like big carboard boxes that are dark inside with two opposite holes cut in it as they do like to have an exit stragedy and also a NEW blanket that she can claim as hers and snuggle in to it not an old one as this will have all different smells on it from you, they feel more secure being able to hide when traumatised, also in my opinion (but feel free to do what you think is best) i think you should have the room closed during normal hours of the day as this is a lil more secure for ur cat and when ur sleeping leave the room open, cats rather move around at night so this allows her to be able to explore without you around creating a lil more safety for her

After the first week or two just act normal around her, try to be around her but dont pay alot of attention to her, talk softly to her when you do but let her come to you dont approach her and dont try too hard with her, cats love attention and they will come to get it, she just needs to become familiar with you and comfortable, at the moment she doesnt feel safe around humans, leaving clothes in the room is a great idea, and limit loud noises as much as you can especially vacuum cleaners, lots of variety in food is a great point, as well as fish use kangaroo meat and you should also put down cat milk as well as water, spoil her as much as you can at the begining as you dont know what she actually likes in food and this will give you the best opportunity for her to eat something or drink something.
This advice is from my experience and every traumatised cat is different but i really hope some of the advice you’ll get off the cat lovers will help you and your cat

Try not to worry to much as she will come round but she will be timid for a long time yet, but once you have her trust give her all your love, she’s most deserving of it as with all cats.

Noela – I love cats and get such a lot of joy from my quarter rag doll cat. He is 2 now. If I had this poor little one I would place some butter on his/her paws and let it relax and lick alls the butter off and this would really settle it down. It always works when you get a new kitten/cat. They are so intent on licking the yummy butter they seem to forget Best of luck with your new cat.

There is a wonderful product called Feliway. It comes in a diffuser and spray. I have personally used the diffuser in my house with a traumatized cat and know someone else who has used it as well, with fantastic results. It puts pheromones out of a mother cat and calms them right down, gets them eating and playing again. While it isn’t cheap, you only need a couple of months; so for a lifetime of relaxed happy cat it is worth it. Check the net for the best price.

I agree with all the previous advice, having become Mum to two orphaned cats who lost their human Mum very suddenly last year when she died of an asthma attack. All the prior advice is great – very much what I did. Only thing I can add, and emphasise, is that it could take MONTHS!!!
I called them Ruth and Naomi – as I didn’t know their names – and they were mother & daughter. Biblical. Ruth, the younger one, became friendly comparatively quickly, but Naomi is a real scaredy cat by nature, and took literally 3-4 months before she was comfortable. I live in the hills, so I kept them confined for that period. but there IS hope: Naomi now rules the roost, is very demanding, and very affectionate!

Oh the poor girl

I used to work with feral cats & kittens, often pulling them out of drainpipes in the middle of the night. I also took in cruelty cases & worked for the RSPCA, so I have seen my fair share of traumatised animals.

I would be finding a dog crate that would fit say a large dog like a labrador. You should have enough room in that to put the cats litter tray, food, water & just a small place for a blanket for the girl to sleep on.

You see cats will not soil where they live, so if she is confined like this it will make her need to use the litter tray. Also with the dog crate the girl will be able to be in the lounge room. This way she gets to see you walking around all the time doing normal things, however will feel safe & secure in her little home (I would cover the back part of the crate so that she feels she has a safe area). What I used to do when doing this would be to talk to the cat. Not force myself upon it but just talk to it, so it gets used to your voice & your being around. After a few days just sit near the crate, talking to the cat so it gets more used to your being close. With the set up of the crate put the bed at the back & the litter tray, food & water at the front so that the cat can get away from you when you change everything,

When she is used to your sitting there talking & stops cowering away from you, bring some chopped chicken over to the pen, or chicken jerky chopped up (my cats adore that). Then when your talking to the cat just casually hold a piece of chicken through the bars of the dog crate. Soon the cat will start coming to you & taking it from you. When she starts to do this you know she is starting to trust you, Keep doing this & as the days go by open the crate up & put your hand inside with the food, When the cat accepts it this way you should find that the cat wont cower away from your hands as it is used to food here & should be able to start touching the cat. Make it very gentle & very quick to start with & just take it slowly with her, She should get more used to it & enjoy it more & more as the days go by.

With the not using the tray you will likely find you will have to keep her confined for at least four weeks with the setup I have said about. This is because you are basically reprograming her thought process to go with going to toilet so it takes time.

Do not make any sudden movements towards the cat at any time, Always keep your voice calm & gentle but encouraging,

This is a process that i have done with over 100 feral cats & kittens & it has worked every time, I have a cat here that was due to be put to sleep due to the fact no one could handle him. He had the same process done & is very affectionate now, Its just winning their trust. Also with the crate you can take it from the lounge to the bedroom so that the cat is always with you when your at home.

I hope this helps & am happy to work with you to help this poor cat. Good luck!

Even though she is traumatised you need to spend time with her. The sooner you get her to eat the better otherwise there may be more complications later. I always found that stressed and/or injured cats accepted food better when hand fed. Make sure it is something really tasty like boiled chicken, mince, or even fish. Even if it’s only little bits at a time. Even try and smear a little bit on the mouth and nose to begin with (cats are highly sensitive to smell and this quite often is what triggers them to eat). I would also suggest trying to keep her in the smallest area as possible with a bed litter tray and water close by not on opposite sides of the room. It may also be better to take the food away if she is not interested but offer it to her often again by hand. She will need a lot of care and patients and lots of time spent with you. Hope all goes well and I hope I have been of some help.

Firstly, much kudos to you for taking on the care of the poor little cat. What a horrible thing that happened to her.

I agree with all that Laura has said. The only thing I would add is find a vet that uses Chinese medicine. My local vet does, and when one of my kitties was in an accident, we were given some herbal bach flower remedies which helped the emotional healing process immensely. I’m also a big believer in healing environments, so maybe burn calming incense or oils, or play soft gentle music to keep the energy in the room light and healing. Send lots of love to her too, it will help.

Good luck, and again, good on you for giving your time to this poor girl.

We had a kitten that was taken off it’s mother too early and wouldn’t eat. We let her watch us eat off our plate and then put some of her food on it. She associated the plate with eating. After that, she was quite happy eating from a Cat Bowl. You’ll need to be gentle but give the cat a lot of affection being mindful when it needs to be alone. You may also need to put some milk, food and water ( separately) on your finger so it can get the taste but don’t force it. I hope this helps.

I absolutely agree with all the advice give. My cat was 12 months old when i received her. She had been very abused. She jumped in the air anytime anyone moved, spent all her time hiding and would not eat. As stated above do not try to interact with her, just leave her food and walk away. Be a presence in the room without acknowledging her. I would often just sit and read. When you are near her be calm and walk slowly, try not to move anything suddenly or she will become frightened. When she starts to come near you again do not try to touch her, this is the time to talk quietly to her. She may start off slowly with only a little contact, This will build up in time if you do not try to rush her. Try different types of cat food. My cat loves Feline Greenies. They are a bit hard to get sometimes but worth it. Try pet stores or vets.
It took months for my girl to come and be patted. It was all on her terms. I have had her seven years and even now she will smooch for a while then jump up and run away. She loves being carried around however if I am carrying her then sit down she will jump off and run away. She will sit on my lap but prefers to sit alongside me. All still on her terms. She is wonderful now. She follows me everywhere even up ladders. It took time and a lot of patience to gain her trust but she is a beautiful, gentle and loving puss.

many years ago I had a similar problem with a kitten that had been thrown off a balcony by some louts she was understandably terrified and unwilling to get too close. I placed food a distance away gradually she got close enough for me to hold on to her, I put her straight inside my windcheater and cuddled, I carried that cat around asleep and awake for ages, she became the happiest cat I have had, one tip make sure you have a thick garment under the windcheater, the claws did come out. All worth it though.

Hey, definitely with Laura on this one. I’ve had a little bit to do with cats who have good reason not to trust humans (though nothing as evil as being tossed out the window), and I don’t think there is anything you can do to speed up the process, other than taking Laura’s advice on leaving clothing with your scent in the room (probably nothing you’ve worn while wearing perfume, as these scents can irritate a cat’s sensitive nose) – perhaps an unwashed pyjama top.

A common trap is for the human to misinterpret a cat’s early investigation as an overture to contact; if she sniffs at you it may not mean that she’s ready for you to acknowledge what’s happening yet. You will probably have to “ignore” the first few sniffs while she gains confidence.

Sounds like you know what you’re doing and have some helpful advice already. Boredom seems to be the best attitude to display around a traumatised cat, and when making eye contact in the early stages (when she’s starting to get used to you that is, don’t look her in the eye to start with), keep it brief, be sure to blink slowly and look away.

Don’t know what else to say, other than good on you for taking her in, and I wish you the very best of luck. Heartbreaking as it is to see an animal this frightened, it’s time to focus on what’s happening now, rather than feeling too upset about what’s happened to her – the cat may pick up on your sadness and dismay and feel put off by it. Your calmness and strength will be much more comforting.

This cat obviously needs URGENT vet treatment as it could have internal injuries. The fact that it is not drinking means that it will dehydrate in no time. Being female, and probably undesexed, chances are she is pregnant. Please seek professional help for this animal and the animal that threw her out of the window needs to be reported to the relevant authorities, if any exist. If she survives and you can tame her, which I pray you can do, then please keep her as an indoor cat and DESEX ASAP. Good luck with the precious little thing.

Poor little thing. Patience, patience, patience, talk softly to her all the time. Give her something small to hide in. She is going to need time to accept you. Remain as calm and relaxed as you can around her. She will eat when she is hungry. Try putting a radio in the room playing softly. Spend some time in the room just sitting quietly. Give her time – she has to learn to trust us humans again. Good luck.

Hi, homeopathy works really well for pets and there are some great remedies for injuries and fright.
You can get these from any homeopath also rescue or emergency remedy would be great in
her water and would help her relax a little. These are available in Australia in health stores ?
Not sure if they are readily available in Hong Kong. Let me know if these are not available there ?
Hope she is doing better every day. Nik

That is horrible the poor little thing. My suggestion would be to keep her in the quiet room you have selected and regularly check on her to show that she is not alone. Attempt giving her little pats to show reassurance but if she backs away then do not force it. Talking to her regularly is also a great tool or include her in little things you do in her room such as changing over her water and bringing in new food…always use a happy tone

To try and make the food more smelly (so she is interested in it), warm it in the microwave and if it is dry damp it with water then warm it. there is a high energy concentrated liquid treat called nutrigel, cats mostly love it it smells and provides extra nutrition and vitamins as her body will need it.
Keep her in a room with plenty of places to hide and get her use to ur presence and in a week or so start talking to her, it can take weeks to be able to touch her.
Keep something that smells like you in the room at all times (a jumper or blanket)
Hope this helps!

I think it’s a beautiful thing that you’ve taken an animal that has had a traumatised start on life. Honestly, animals are alot like children, they need lots of love and consistency. So, every now and then instead of expecting the cat to go to the bathroom itself, gently pick it up and pop it in the litter tray and do that every chance you get. It will get used to you taking it there and in time it will go there all by itself. The same with the food, put a little bit at a time into a bowl, pick up the cat and gently put it near the bowl and the same with the water. After a while, with a little bit of consistency, it will learn that there will always be fresh water and food. Traumatised animals need all the love and attention you can muster before it starts to trust again.

The lady above has some great ideas, but locking it in a room with various things will only confuse it all the more and it could possibly turn against you. No one likes to be put in a room for long periods of time and animals are no different. I used to buy my cat top quality litter and then started testing it with different types. He now uses the cheap stuff. It doesn’t really matter what litter you use, as long as it’s clean. Although the animal has been traumatised, catering to it now will make things harder in the end. At the moment, I have been feeding my cat kangaroo meat which comes in pouches from the supermarket. Chicken necks are great for their teeth and their bones.

Being a human, treat that poor kitten the way you would want to be treated but try not to overdo it as it will make the kitten confused in the long run.

I hope I have helped somewhat and I wish you all the very best. Good luck xx

I agree with the suggestions so far. I would also suggest that you talk quietly while you are in the room, so the cat will get used to your voice. Not music, just a quiet and reassuring voice. Sitting in the room is good. I had a cat once who hated being picked up, but would suddenly jump on my lap.

Everything Laura says is spot on and perfect.

Recently we found a very scared and timid kitten coming into our back room and grabbing what she could to eat and running away whenever she saw a human.

We were lucky in that she had no problems eating or caring for herself, she was just terrified of people. I’ve gotten the impression she’s a feral and was never socialised with people at all.

I made some mistakes in the beginning thinking ‘Oh she just needs a cuddle’. Let’s just say the night I tried I ended up going to bed with a left arm that felt like it needed amputation.

Since that mistake we’ve been feeding her regularly and making sure food was available and speaking to her directly when she indicated she was hungry. I’ve also done a combination of ignoring her and sitting in her vicinity doing other things. She’s had access to heaps of different food, water and milk as it would be the most recent memory of her mum.

We’ve just carried on walking where we normally walk and over time she’s realised our movements aren’t about her. She’s stopped bolting every time one of us moves.

Currently she feels save enough to get within 30 centimetres of us without running away. She’s also open to sniffing our hands if we are holding toys out for her to play with. She’ll eat in front of us and likes to get our attention.

She is still completely terrified of us getting really close to her or picking her up. I’ve given up on that. If she wants a cuddle she’s going to have to be really straightforward about it.

Today she spent her time in the hallway (which was a no go area for her a month ago) playing with a toy fish tied to a door. She’s now lazing in the backyard with the sun on her on a wooden chair.

We had trouble with names and had a few odd ones that didn’t work. She’s got a splash of black across the top of her mouth which makes her look like Chaplin’s Tramp so we are calling her Charlie.

She’s definitely a girl cos she’s tortoiseshell and they are all girls.

Anyone got any advice on socialising three females?????

This reminds me of a cat I took in who was abandoned when pregnant. This cat had already been through a number of homes before she came to me. Slow and steady is the only way to go. Don’t be surprised if when she does finally approach you and you make a wrong move you cop a couple of scratchings or in my case scatches and bites. When this happened I didn’t do anything except talk to her and comfort her, after all she’d already had a rotten life. After a year we were the best of friends. So hang in there, it will be worth it in the end.

I think that putting the cat in a room by herself is ok..but I think you should sit there in the room with her quietly for a period each day..perhaps you could take a toy in that she might be encouraged to play with or a treat..something nice that she would like to eat..she will eventually come around if she sees you as non threatening…but you will need to be persistant..talk to her in a soothing voice…walking quietly and softly..dont approach her at first..let her approach you but sit there and let her see you as friendly.

Poor little petal, thank god she is safe. It will take time but there are things you can do. Reiki is wonderful especially given over the heart chakra. The practitioner can communicate with the cat to apologise for her awful treatment and reassure her that she is safe and free from harm. Rescue Remedy (the human form), fabulous for shock and trauma, give the cat a few drops every day – it helps to settle the nervous system. Something you can do is look up T Touch, these are simple techniques that involves touching the cat in a circular strokes which aid the nervous system.

I would also give the cat a new diet, introduce raw food meat and veg,fresh food, raw chicken and beef which aids the whole recovery of the animal. Mix it with her the normal diet initially until the cat is used to the new food. The last thing is time, talk to the cat, give reassurance that she is OK, safe and loved. There is a fabulous homeopathy site here in Australia, I am a strong believer in natural remedies as they resonate with the animals presence http://www.hampl.com.au, excellent remedies with on line advice these products work.

Just to offer some reassurance, we took in a cat that had been used and abused for her entire six year life, initially we could not get near her, she would hiss, bite, scratch almost feral. Now six months later she is a shadow of her former self, she loves her life, licks herself, rolls around in the sunshine and looks unbelievably healthy with her new shinning thick coat. She was introduced with two other cats that had lived with us for four years. We did all the above and to see her now is just the most rewarding experience we have. I want to cry when I see her looking so happy. Stick with it, you’re doing a brilliant job, the cat is very lucky to survive and to land with someone who cares enough to seek advice is just brilliant.

Hi Sweets,
the best thing is lot of attention without being to evasive speak lovingly and quietly, do not force her do do anything and try different foods from meat to fish. Also treat her with respect and leave her to her devices but stay close so she knows you are there.
Touching is important, if she allows you too, to show her she wont be hurt but that touch is good kind and gentle.
this is what I did to my little one when she walked traumatised into our lives.
She’s been with us now 1 year and still she shy away from certain touches and words, but patients is the main ingredient, I belief.

I would say ‘Cat Diaries’ & ‘Laura’ have given the perfect advice.
In addition when your cat does respond (try offering some raw fish &/or raw meat, keeping your distance of course) make sure you give her plenty of TLC, especially in talking to her.
I talk to my cat all the time (she is now almost 18). I tell her how beautiful she is. How clever, & how much I love her. It certainly works.

Poor darling girl…..the things us humans do…… I would treat her similarly as to that of a feral kitten or young cat. I believe in the idea of a cage as Cat Diaries suggest. Put the cage in the corner of the room you are in the most – in the cage have food, water, a toy and a blanket with your scent on it. A litter tray is of course a must. Throw a blanket over the back half of the cage so she has a darker area to retreat to. Talk to her with gentleness – leave on radio or tv. I don’t believe isolating her will help I believe it will compound the problem. She may have had little human contact before her traumatisation. I presume she is in no pain and that she has been medically checked. Another reason for not moving she may well be severely bruised. If she does not drink ANYTHING she must go to the vet as she will dehydrate quickly.

I hope this will help. I had a feral kitten and after about 4-6 weeks her need for contact pushed her out. She is no a very loving and talkative 3 year old.

With best wishes and keep up the good work……there must be many strays and unloved cats in Hong Kong. I lived in Singapore for a while before it was cleaned up and ended up with a small stray kitten abandoned on steps near a shop. She came good too.

R

I am fostering a fully grown cat who got left in a cat crate for a long time. I have had her for a week and she is in our spare bedroom with litter tray, water and food. She sits mostly under the bed and to begin with I have just visited and lain on the floor talking to her. She now blinks at me and lets me touch her. Try making eye contact and squeezing your eyes. After a while she will do it too. I was told once that this is like giving kisses to a cat. We know our foster cat comes out because food is eaten and the bed is ruffled. I would be concerned about your cat if she isnt eating. Try different kinds of food, wet and dry. You can buy tiny cans and packets in the supermarket. Try to ascertain if she is a meat or fish eater. Some cats dont like one or the other. Make sure she is drinking too, this is really important.

Poor baby!! My advice for you is this: One of my previous cats was called Smokey, he came from the RSPCA, he was 6 months old at the time, he had been mistreated before he came to me, and he was very timid. When I got him I kept him inside my flat for 8 weeks until he was comfortable enough to go outside, I gave him food and water and a litter tray, and gave him warm, comfortable places to hide with minimum noise. I did not approach him for a month, but I talked to him gently and affectionately. He hid under the bed for 4 weeks, then he came out to sniff my hand. During the next few weeks he got more and more confident around me. After 6 weeks he would let me pet him, going back under the bed when he was finished, and was comfortable to eat in front of me. After 7 weeks he no longer felt the need to hide under the bed. 8 weeks after I adopted him he was much more confident, and became affectionate towards me. I knew then that he was ready to go outside. He always came home to me after going outside, and he became the most affectionate cat I ever had. (Not to anyone else though, he ran away when other people tried to pet him, although he came to trust one of my friends after she had visited me at my house on and off for a year.) He was always scared of men. When I had had Smokey for 3 months he did the most beautiful thing- he got in bed with me, under the covers, lay on my chest, wrapped his front paws around my neck, and gave me wet cat kisses all over my face. It was so beautiful I was crying!!! He did this several times. I gave him years of love and he returned every bit of it!! It was so worth the effort, if any of you get the opportunity to look after an abused cat, it is so worth it. Smokey became confident around me, I have many happy memories of him tearing around the house chasing his tail and meowing happily. I gave him a wonderful rest of his life, and he loved me for it!!! So go on, help abused cats get the love and affection they deserve. It takes a long time for them to trust you, but they’ll love you forever!!!

I would try milk and different food as even traumatised cats can still be fussy and it may prefer something else so try a few choices.

Hi
I agree with the comments from Laura above up to the bit about leaving her in the room by herself. I actually am of the opinion that the quicker you spend time in the room with her, the quicker she will come to realize you mean her no harm. I would continue leaving food out for her, regardless of whether or not it gets eaten, and I would put a fresh lot of food down each day. I would also sit on the floor, or somewhere like a chair, but I would make sure it is in a spot where the cat can see you. You don’t necessarily have to be able to see her at this stage.

I think I would also talk to her in a soft, non-threatening voice. It doesn’t matter what you say, it is the tone of your voice which is important. This process may take quite a while, and I think you have to be patient.

The day you go into the room and she has eaten the food is the day I would place her food bowl a bit closer to you. I would continue doing this, along with sitting quietly and talking to her until the food is close enough to you that you could, if you wanted to, reach out and touch her. But I
wouldn’t do that yet. Slow and steady is the key to winning this poor animal’s trust.

When you get to the stage where the cat comes close to you and actually eats in your presence, I would continue talking to her and very gently hold out my hand, without attempting to touch her, and see if she starts to sniff you. If she does, leave it at that, but if she gets skittish and runs back to hide under the bed I would back track a bit and keep feeding her without touching her or putting your hand out for her to sniff.

Do you live by yourself, because you could also, at this stage, leave the door of the room open and see if she comes out to investigate. As long as you remain quiet and adopt a calm, non-threatening manner and let her set the pace, I think she will eventually learn to trust you. And it is important that she has a clear path back to the sanctuary of your spare room should she get scared.

But it will take time and patience on your part. I think it is disgraceful that anyone could harm any animal. Good luck with this…and congratulations for caring enough to try and help this poor animal.

Good luck with your little one, she certainly has landed in a better place. Personally, I’d cover the window in the room she’s in, if it’s above ground floor – maybe put some plants in front of it, so there’s a “natural” setting for the window to make it less threatening. (although be aware that plant pots make great litter trays!)

Make sure there are plenty of things to hide in or under – a lounge type chair is good, because there’s hiding place behind and under, especially if it’s in a corner. I’d start spending more time in that room too, so she can get used to a human that isn’t a threat. Is she drinking water? If so, perhaps some pet milk (non lactose) might be a good way to get her eating again too. She’ll be wanting those things that make her feel safe… so milk is a good way to start. My cats both love fur fabric which I reckon reminds them of a big cat to cuddle up to (so they can be kittens again) so perhaps if you have a furry (or woolen) rug or pillows or such, that she can hide in and snuggle to start with?

If you have other, non-traumatised foster kits, perhaps leave the door open so your kit can get out and see them if she wishes, or so they can go in and provide kitty comforting. Obviously not a good idea with an adult, territorial cat. (I know you knew that)

I admire you for taking on this rescue of this poor little kit. I know that with your patience and understanding she’ll come out at her own pace. When you’ve accustomed her to your smell, perhaps try reading on the floor, on a cushion or something – make yourself smaller and at a lower level, so you’re not a “high” threat. She’ll see more of you being non-threatening that way, too. If she knows you’re not going to “swoop down” on her and pick her up (which would be easier for her to understand if you’re sitting on the floor) it may help her out a bit too.

Anyway, good luck, keep us posted on your results!

Hi We have a cat that went through a similiar thing,took us a year before we could touch him.Spend as much time as you can in the same room even lying on the floor & reading out load.Try some tuna that we eat put it on the end of your fingers see if you can get close enough for them to smell it.It take time but it is all worthit in the end even though our cat trusts us he still hides under the bed when we have visitors which is fine hope this helps

Place the kitten in a soft bag and wear it on your body. Walk around with the cat. They like to be rocked. Speak soothingly at all times. Avoid loud noises and loud places. Let puss sleep with you. Let me know how puss goes. OK?

There’s something very important I forgot to say in my last comment. When you get an abused cat, you MUST interact with them immediately. While you don’t try to cuddle them immediately or interact with them too much when they’re not ready, you should NEVER leave them alone for too long, or not talk to them. Talk to them right from the start, let them know you care, and hang around in the same room as them whenever possible. They need to feel loved, and have human contact. Otherwise they’ll think human beings don’t really care about them fully, that some people are not cruel, but don’t really love them that much either. I’m not suggesting for a moment that you don’t love this cat, but a cat who has no human contact or attention may interpret it that way. When you give them this kind of contact and attention, they feel loved, cared for, and get that much closer to trusting humans, as well as trusting you (although this takes time) and in time, loving you. They heal more quickly if they know you love them from the start, and it also helps them bond with you. ALL the advice I’ve given in these two comments is endorsed by the RSPCA, as they told me I should do all of these things. Good luck to you and your kitty, and may she have a much happier life from now on!!!

I have a 4 year old black cat who was traumatised in a different way. He was abandoned and left to starve. When I found him, he had no fur on his back legs, this was caused by malnutrition. Your cat will take a little longer to settle in because of the horrific nature of her trauma (poor baby). I agree with all of the aforementioned and would like to add that when you get to sit in the room with her, you talk very gently to her at intervals in a soft soothing voice and if you can see her, look at her when you talk to her but do not approach her. Let her come to you because I think she will eventually. You could sit a little closer to where she is each day and in between talking to her, just relax and read a book or listen to some soft music, she will then start to realise that you mean her no harm. Good luck and thanks for helping this little one. The other thing I would suggest is that you keep this puss as your own because I think it would be unfair to her to take her away from you after you have gained her trust and she may become traumatised again. She will always need lots of tender loving care but you will see how strong the bond between you will be once she comes to trust you.

Hi there. The advice above seems like excellent advice to me, I would certainly do the same thing.

Many years ago, I had a traumatised cat (about 6months old) that escaped from a horrible abusive breeder. She started hanging around my courtyard, but would run when she saw me. I just left food out, and she would generally sneak in & out to eat it without being seen. She stayed with me permanently in the end, but it took days before she would come inside & weeks before she would allow me to touch her. I found the best thing was just to not seem like I was paying too much attention to her, gradually she would get closer & closer out of curiosity. It was about 3 months later before she just jumped up on my lap one day! I know it’s hard & you just want to comfort the poor kitty, but it’s going to be a long time before she trusts you, and will probably be never fully at ease with humans. My little one ended up only ever really trusting me. She would run & hide if she heard human footsteps & all her life no one else could cuddle her.

What you’re doing is a wonderful thing, and you’ll never forget the first time she lets you know she appreciates it.

Ohhh how terrible for the little kitty.. My approach would be to allow her time to herself.. give her somewhere she can hide so a box in a separate room would be good but where she can see who comes and goes in the room.. leave little bits of snack foods around the room for her to move around and search for.. when you go in the room talk gently to her.. if she is cowering from you then try to avoid forcing yourself on to her as much as is possible.. if u have another gentle cat that would mother her that would also be great.. she needs to gain confidence… leave a toy she can play with.. and have somewhere soft where she can sleep.. if she can see you from the room that would be even better.. and as Laura said before me.. spend some quiet time with her so she gets used to.. i like the idea of leaving a tshirt with your smell on it in the room too… cats will always be cats.. so she will be curious.. allow her to come to you in her own time.. id buy one of those mouse toys that move.. it will make her curious to catch it… when she finally approaches you give her the love and attention she is deserving… i really hope that you intend to keep this kitty because it would be too stressful for her to go through the same thing with another own… i hope this all helps….. most of all be patient.. animals sense love in their owners.. she will know that you love her in time.. please keep us up to date on her progress..

best of luck
x

We have a beautiful old girl cat that we got from the R S P C A, she also had been badly treated and suffers permanant damage to her back and back legs, it just took time and lots of hours of just sitting on the floor with her until she came over for a pat but it did take time till she felt safe and new that we were not going to hurt her.

Hope this helps
Best wishes
Beck

Having had a cat dumped on me 10 years ago and he was severly trausmatised and very very unhappy to be handled my advice would be:
take it slowly but dont leave her alone. Sit in the room with her maybe reading a book or something and quietly some time just talk to her radio or tv on when you are not there – as Laura advises.
Smelly cat foods do help to get her interested in food.

Just be patient with her she has had a horrific time and needs to be loved

Aw poor kitty I wonder why people even bother to get a pet if their unwilling to look after it properly. As for abusing any animal is reprehensible!

Certainly keep her confined to a small area, with somewhere she can hide & sleep, and where she can see & hear everyone in the house. Laura has made some wonderful suggestions so I would follow them, being an older cat she will need time to adjust to her new surroundings and you.

I fully agree it may take bit of time, so patience is the key here.

We had a similar experience with our youngest cat, whom we rescued from out backyard, when we found her we thought she was just a wild kitty, we caught her with the view of taming her and having her de-sexed and rehoused, boy we were in for a shock, this poor little kitty was so scared of us, hissing spitting and biting, refusing to eat or drink, for a few days.

I took on the role of handling her and no one else every two hours, after keeping her confined to the laundry for the first day or two, with the radio going and going in to talk to her, and try to encourage her to eat, raw chicken worked a treat. Being a kitten I would have to handle it to make sure was going to the loo, so I would wipe her butt with a wet cloth, and wrap up like a baby, to pet her. I was so excited when she finely went to the loo, even though it was on the carpet.

At night I would put her in the kitty basket and bring her into the lounge room to talk to her, feed her tidbits. Before locking her into the laundry for the night.

On the third or fourth day and during a handling session I found she was riddled with fleas, so I bathed her, not wanting fleas passed on my other cat whom we kept well away from this little mite. During her bath I found she was missing part of her back hind leg, so I rang a friend who is a cat breeder for advice, as well as my vet. It turned out that the missing limb is not from deformity but from abuse from neighborhood children, which could be why its mother chose our backyard to hid her baby. The vet and local pound said they would euthanize it, as no one would want a disabled cat, so we kept her. To this day she hates any children and will hide for hours.

It took about a fortnight of constant care, before she stopped hissing at me, by week 3 she would sit on my lap, but hiss at anyone coming near me. My husband & daughter then started to pet her and feed her chicken. She is the biggest smooch out now, loves my husband, daughter and myself, she now sleeps on me at night regardless how hot it is. The vet said she is a very healthy kitty despite her rough start.

Good luck with this kitty

I have read Laura’s advise and it’s good so I don’t have much to add other than this little girl need attention, the right kind of attention. Keeping your distance from her is a good idea but you need to let her know that YOU know that she is there. You do this by talking to her in a soft voice as much as you can even if you don’t approach her. Cats are very sensitive to voices and they recognise a well meaning voice. Avoid making loud noises or rough movements as she would naturally be scared of them. Just sit on the floor or where ever near her turf and just talk to her without expecting anything from her and just let her come to you in her own time when she feels ready but it will take a while because as laura said, if her previous owners threw her out the window, god only knows what else they may have done to her leading up to that. Even if she doesn’t touch her food, keep giving her fresh food twice a day, it will contribute to her realising that your intentions towards her are good. Make sure she is able to get out of that room and walk around and explore when she feels like it so she can become familiar with her new environment and discover that past the door of her room is also safe. If she is still seeking refuge in that same corner when you get this message, put a soft, cody blanket right there on the floor in the corner for her to lie on and maybe even, put something in front of that corner such as a box (but make sure she can get around it easily) to make her personal space seem smaller, safer and less exposed. Remember that each time you arrive home and leave home you need to talk to her as you would a human and let her know you are going but you will be back soon and when you come back, say hello and let her know you are home. Remember to use the soft voice.

Best of luck, it’s a very kind thing you are doing, looking after cats in need of fostering and I am sure you will be rewarded ten folds. They are such loving and beautiful creatures.

Hi there! You are an amazing person to take on this heartfelt responsibility. Please try not to despair, patience is a very important part of the healing process.. I have had many animals come to me so I know this.. All of the above information is of vital importance. I suggest sitting in the room with light relaxing music playing… it is amazing how it helps.. try to spend as much time as you can and even talk lightly to the cat just as you would with a little baby… with high but gentle tones.. animals in my care love this….

Goodluck with everything and take care…

The poor kitty. People are so nasty. The response above I think would be the best way to help her. I once took in a ferret that had been kicked and slammed in a door and that was the approach I used. I left him for a couple of days and then simply started sitting in the room. I would read or watch T.V quietly so as not to upset him. It took about a month, but he ended up approaching me and another month or so before I could touch him and pick him up. By the end we were great friends and he had a wonderful end to his life, he learned to probably use his hindlegs again and could jump up on the lounge and play with his mates!

If sitting quietly maybe you could try introducing her to another quiet cat that will be kind to her. Then when you do sit in the room with her she will see the other cat approach you and feel comfortable around you and hopefully she will realise she is safe with you.

Good luck! I’m sure she will get better, you sound like you truely care about her welfare and are doing everything you can, she will slowly realise you just want to love her and keep her safe.

oops meant to write, ‘if sitting quietly’ with her doesn’t work, ‘maybe you could…..’

Well you would have to put yourself if this poor little darling’s position, she is scared out of her wits, not knowing who to trust and if this horrible incident is going to happen again. My own experience with a traumitised cat came from when I got my cat Lucy back in 2001. She had been badly abused by the people who had her, and thrown in a small cage with no food and practically no water and had a lot of barking dogs around her that frightened the hell out of her. When I bought her home, she came in here to my study and hid under the cane lounge. I left her to her own devices for a few days ensuring that there was good food, clean water and a litter tray for her but she did not go near any of the food but she drank a little water. As the days went by, I would come in here and just sit on my chair and do my work by taking time out to observe Lucy and I would turn my chair around and say “hi Lucy I am your new mum, don’t be scared” – it took a good 10 days or so before she would even come within a foot of me, but slowly she came out from under the cane lounge and I would then sit with her and pat her ever so gently on the back and say to her “it’s OK to eat Lucy” and those big gold eyes of hers would just look at me as if to say “can I trust you?” – I made no attempt to pick her up as I thought it would frighten her but she eventually came out to me whenever I would come in here to do my work. After about 3 weeks in here she got up enough courage to explore the adjoining hallway and then spotted one of my other cats and high-tailed it back in here where she felt safe. This room became her sanctuary, her “safe room” but after about 5 weeks she ventured out to the dining room and the kitchen and then into the family room and living room and started eating regular meals and even associating with one of the other cats (Max).

I have now had Lucy for 9 years and she is nothing like the cat that she was when she first came in here, she wants attention and makes no bones about asking for it, she will jump on my lap or on my husband’s lap and cuddle us and purr to us. She is now a very much loved member of my extended cat family.

So all I can say is like the person above who wrote a very good response, is have time and patience and don’t rush the poor little thing. In time she will come around probably more because she will get hungry and if you can show her that you care and that you are not going to hurt her then eventually the trust will come. One thing that does bother me slightly is that you say you are a “foster carer” for cats – I am wondering if the cat will be further traumitised if you don’t keep her and if you hand her over to a person/family who may not be as caring as yourself.

I hope my comments have helped and I wish you good luck with her.

You need to spend time with her. Closing her off in a room by herself is only going to make her more anxious and nervous because she isn’t getting any interaction. It sounds mean, but you need her to be forced to be out in the open otherwise she will continue to retreat into corners. Try to remove any hiding spots so that she is exposed. I work with cats at a shelter and see a lot of similar cases. You need to handle her to show her that she can trust you. Scared cats need love, not to be left alone in a room and hope that they will eventually come out. It just doesn’t work that way. Can you touch her without her hissing/growling? Some cats may be too traumatised to work with, so it depends on how long you can keep her.

She needs as much handling as possible, but obviously not over handling as this could make her uncomfortble. I mean, she will be uncomfortable until she trusts you, so I’m not saying to be all in her face, but sit with her, talk to her, she if she has a sweet spot (e.g. chin rubs, ears rubs). She needs to feel safe, so don’t drag her out from where she is sitting, go to her. Of course patience is needed, but by making sure everyday you spend a few hours with her she will soon realise you’re not the bad guy and want your attention.

I hope this helps and she transforms into a big smooch!

Claire

HELLO both my babies -cats-were ill treated when i received them from rspca. my second baby was swung round by her tail and it was broken in 2 places she was only 3 weeks old. she was very traumatised/ i never forced her to do anything if she wanted to hide i let her. i would play soothing music in the house whether i was home or not and when home always spoke in a gentle same tone voice with no pitch variations. also i never came to pat her from over her head or from her tail. from the side as cats i feel can feel threated at something coming over there head or from behind = let her see where your hands are coming from……no loud bangs or noises. leave food for her to get do not try to hand feed yet do every thing slowly and build her confidence once she trusts which will take time she will trust forever hope this helps
kind regards ‘karen

I have had success with traumatised cats by using a “Feliway” diffuser. It plugs in to a power point and “feel good” pheromones are released into the air. My Vet. was able to provide for me, and refills are available for the diffuser.

I know this sounds stupid but I had the same problem with a kitten nearly 20 years ago, leave the toilet door open and he came and sat on my lap this was the only contact for months, don’t know if it was a small room or what but thats what happened. Although I like the idea of sitting quietly in her room with a book.

Everything Laura says is brilliant, and the only thing I would add is that you try a Feliway plug-in, which gives off cat pheromones, and is calming and soothing for cats. I used these when I moved house with a 20 year old cat and a neurotic 12 year old cat, and it really helped.

I would like to echo everything that has already been written.

Really, you should only take on such a commitment if you have had some experience with this kind of thing. Be warned, the process will probably take MONTHS so just be patient…

Having said that, rehabilitation is definitely possible so don’t give up.

A few months ago we also took on a tramatised cat. He hid in my sisters room and she had to gradualy get to know him first. He would have nothing to do with me for about 3 months but I started to feed him and he got used to me. Now we are great friends, so be patient and the cat will eventualy get used to you and become your friend.

Play with her , talk to her, give her love, warmth & companship, and above all, brush her gently, especially around the face and ears, because this what her mum did when she was a kitten.
I wish you good luck and given a few months or so, she will hopefully be OK
Best wishes, Gillian

I agree with everything above and in particular the inclusion of boxes and places to hide. I would leave the door to the room open so that she can feel to explore if she wishes so she doesn’t feel that she is caged in. Be patient, she will come around eventually. We had a cat that was thrown out of a car window as a kitten and we rescued her. She was always very wary of people and never became a lap cat but she would sit on the couch next to you and let you groom and pat her. She lived to the ripe old age of 20 so keep persevering.

This is a hard one. The first thing I find I am unable to understand is how someone could this sort of thing to an animal, and in particular to a kitten. If I could get my hands on them … But back to the issue.

1. Firstly I would provide the Kitten with her own space either in your living area or another room that has views of you and enough space to allow her to retreat when she needs to. I like the idea of giving her a box or something to hide in.

2. Give her some space, but do not put up barriers between her and you, and possible keep her away from windows for the time being. This allows her to move into your area if you are not in the room.

3. Do not change your routine. By continuing to do what you do, when you do it you are not only establishing a routine for her and providing an active environment, you are providing a welcome to her to come into your life.

4. when she want to join you she will, and when she wants her own time she will take it. Never force her into your life or out of it.

5. Use positive reinforcements. The ideas about food and litter noted earlier are really good ideas.

6. If you drop something that makes a loud noise, or the dams slams etc. if you are able to clean it up later do so. Go sit near the cat. this will help her adjust to household noises without the associated trauma.

7. This maybe the easiest and hardest idea, just love her and let her know as often as possible with treats, pats. conversations etc. Give her what you would like to receive if your were in a similar situation.

Hi. If possible have one bowl of water and put in some Bach Rescue Remedy or Aust. Bush Flower Emergency Essence. Do this for a week at least. Maybe a small bowl of sardine oil may tempt her with a few drops of the flower essence mixed in.
I would spend time in the room with her until she gets used to you and realizes you’re not a threat.
It is impossible to understand how some people can be so cruel to animals

Someone dumped a pregnant cat at our units at the end of 2008, when I seen her she had already had the kittens and was very scared of people, The woman in the flat below me used to give her food and I started too as well.
At first she would wait until I went away before she would eat, but slowly over a few weeks she would let me pet her whilst she was eating, she started listening for our car to come home of an afternoon and would start meowing at me to feed her. Over time her 4 kittens started coming out to feed as well, but would not come near the food whilst I was near it. I ended up catching them one by one and I put them in my bathroom as it is quite big and I could find them, mum followed me upstairs on her own.

When I first put them in the would jump up to the window and try to get out, they had never been touch by people before and were not happy. I would sit in the bathroom and talk to them every night, I would try to play with them with cat toys as well. At first they were not sure what the toy was for, but after watching mum play with it, they slowly understood. I had blankets and cat tunnels etc in there for them to hide in and I would pick them up for a little while each night to get them used to being touched, when they were a little better I got them all desexed. I found a home for the little girl one and still have mum and the boys, they are over one now and are still a little timid and dont go to many people, but are getting beter each day,

When you go in to feed her, talk to her as you are doing it and call her by her name, this will get her used to your voice.
Get some string to play with her ( I have a plastic fishing rod with fake fish on the end that the kittens loved) and maybe a couple of ping-pong balls that she can chase by herself (my cats love them). Above all be patient and calm let her know you are not going to hurt her, try to keep loud noises and sudden movements to a minimum. Maybe you should get a big box to put the food and kitty litter in so she feels its safe to use them, I used to put the food near the edge of the cupboard they hid under.

I hope something I have said helps and I hope she responds to you and like Laura said, I do not know how people can be so cruel to animals.

Good luck and I hope the outcome is a positive one.

I agree with Laura,
This poor little baby has had a really bad deal so far and I am glad you want to help her. She needs to be able to see and smell you but she won’t want to have any contact at first so try staying in the room for very short periods at first and then extend them when she seems to settle a little. I agree with the clothing and maybe a basket or appropriate sized box to sleep in with a clean mattress or blanket (she won’t want to sleep with anything that smells of humans at first) placed near the food or her hiding place (your call about that) when she realises that it’s for her alone don’t ever approach her when she is in there as you want it to be her safe place rather than running and hiding under the bed, sofa or cupboards. Good Luck

Hi there…I can see that you have a big challenge in front of you but I am sure you are up for it or else you would not have taken on the job of rehabilitating this poor girl. Laura has done a great job with what she has written, so I just wanted to add…since she is not using the litter boxes, she must be urinating or defecating somewhere…mop up the urine with paper towel or similar and place the towel into each of the litter boxes…by doing this, she will pick up that it is her smell and be more inclined to use it…and yes, as Laura said, use different litters to work out which one suits her better. I brought home 2 ferrel cats last year..they were part Siamese, with full markings, but they were as ferrel as can be…they had never used a litter box in their lives…if I hadn’t told anyone that they had been ferrel, they wouldn’t have known. My daughter now has one and the other went to a loving home. It can be done, but as you have been told, time and patience. Dark, quiet places to hide in are what she needs until she is comfortable with you being in her precence…eventually she will eat…I find the smell of a freshly roasted chicken can NOT be kept away from the most stubborn cat, especially if she hasn’t eaten. Good luck and I hope it all works out for you both..it will all be worth it in the end and you will have a friend for life.

Laura has said it all. One more thing I can add is, a cat is more likely to come to you if you get down to their level, sit or kneel on the floor, don’t try to approach her and she will come to you in her own time. When she does approach you, don’t try to hold her or stroke her head . A hand held above her can be a threat . Put your hand down low and gently stroke her chin if she allows it. Quietly say her name, then it is a matter of time and patience.

Try to talk to her. Everyday you see her tell her that it will be ok, that you are there to help her, to take care of her and that you won’t harm her as her previous family did. Don’t show that you are upset or impatience in front of her. Show her that you are strong and that you are not going to give up until she trusts you. Make her a part of your day. Say goodmorning when you wake up, goodbye when you are going to work and tell her you’re home when you’re back. Just by hearing your voice she would know that you think of her all the time. Show her that she exists in your world. Good luck

Ok, I’d do the above except I’d have a low volume radio on, something with a bit of talk and perhaps classical music (something gentle and soft). I’d also put something like a soft toy that has your shirt on it, on or near a blanket, that will become her safe spot and her own “blanky”. When it comes to feeding her, put the food out and sit against the wall away from her, and just sit and talk to her with a soft voice, general chit chat, don’t make any moves towards her. Spend about 1/2hr to an hour each time doing this. Eventually she will get to know you, she will smell you because of your shirt.

Right now, she has been severely traumatised, in completely new surroundings and doesn’t have a clue as to what to expect. She has to learn to trust humans again, and develop her confidence in you. Maybe some catnip (or cat valium) may help her during this time.

I’d also consider some fresh mince or chicken to encourage her to eat, I believe roast chicken (warm) also goes a loooong way to encouraging a cat to eat .

All the best z

Hi,It was so sad to hear another case of human kinds treatment towards cats.

I rescued a cat from a storm drain were it had taken shelter from a man with a brick who decided he knew what to do with cats.
She was very small and wet crazy with fear when i reached out for her,my daughter was with me and wetalked to her,she was so traumatised she fainted,we thought she was gone.
I made her a box so she could hide from us and feel safe,a warm water bottle and a ticking clock hidden under the blankets.
The area she was in was a no go zone we left food out and drink as well as water,very soft music playing all the time to maskout strange noises,each time we walked past her she had moved a bit further out of her “den”.
It took puddy cat about three weeks to venture out on the floor when we were there,she went missing i found her under the house having kittens she had three,and she had taken some of the food that we gave her with her.

All you can do is give her love and trust and more love,we had puddy cat for 21yrs and one of her kittens for 22yrs,they traveled all over Australia with us,and we still wonder at the courage that these beautiful creatures have to trust humans again

Hi,
WOW! Did this story touch my heart! I just had to send you my response to this, as I work with cats (and own 2 girls of my own), and quite regularly I deal with cats that are boarding at my work’s facilities that have not boarded before. It has always been a pleasure to work with the outgoing ones as to the timid ones as their true character does come out before they head back home. Most often, their owners are gobsmacked that I have got as far as getting a cuddle or as much as letting me pick them up after learning they don’t really go to strangers, so hearing this from their owners and letting their cat some to me, well I must be doing something right! Although this is a lot different to being thrown out of a 2 story building, but at the same time I can certainly understand the large tidal waves of emotions that this cat is going through! My email here may sound a bit all over the place or scattered with options but I will certainly try and tell you how I deal with cats that board with us that are so timid, sometimes it takes them to board quite a few times and get used to the daily company other than at home, and then there are some that just take a day and its as if they are at home with their characteristics & traits! Every cat is different. So many characters, traits, habits and best of all their unique personality always reminds me for the next time they board! As i said, your situation is incredibly more sensitive than my line of work, but i think the same principles would apply, so I hope that some of my reflections may help you, so to many others that have sent thru their responses…

I can certainly agree with the points outlined by Laura, all of which I do on a daily basis, so keep those tips handy as it will come handy!

In my line of work, when a cat first arrives and has not boarded before, I regularly monitor them which starts at every half hour for the first 4 hrs, and then every hour thereafter until the end of my shift. I work 6 days per week, starting at 7.30am and finish at 5.30pm (sometimes earlier and sometimes later as I am always the first to arrive & the last to leave…that’s dedication!) so my days are kept pretty busy especially when we can accommodate up to 140 cats given at any one peak season time! Be it xmas, school holidays, long weekends, we are certainly kept very busy and we are a well known cattery located in the northern suburbs of Perth. Monitoring can be from just glancing thru their window to see how they are, or if he/she allows you to come closer thru the doorway then that’s what it takes, but NEVER force yourself upon them. Cats have great memories and can associate a bad memory with situations and sometimes depending on how badly their scarred emotions are, this can take quite some time for them to get over. Leave a few different litter trays around the room, as yes, this will help her feel more comfortable and she will certainly let you know which form of litter she prefers, but at the same time if she prefers a certain litter, she will use that even if it takes her to go from one end of the room to the next so this is good! She is exploring her surrounds! If you can, leave a grass pot plant or 2 in her room/area as most cats like to chomp on a bit here and there and this is also their form of medicine should they have a little upset tummy either from cat hair (hair balls) or just cleansing their stomach as some cats do. Some cats just like to chomp on grass for the hell of it, so if it helps in any way leave it in her room. Also, if you can, try some plug-in room scents that let out pheromones as this can also assist in calming her down. These plug-ins are normally not smelt by the human nose but cats can pick it up, some cats relate this smell to their mother and can be soothing for them especially for sleep. These can be purchased thru main pet shops or pet distributors, or ask your local vet as they may know of something similar. Also try a catnip plant. Most cats go crazy with the smell of catnip (crazy like play mode!), and some cats like the smell for relaxing. My 15 year old cat Willow sleeps on anything that smells like catnip, and my 1year old just plays with it until the plant is of no more! I have 3 catnip plants. A large one that I keep rather bushy and leave indoors for a short while for both my girls, and another is mainly for Heidi my 1yo. The 3rd plant i keep as back up because if a plant dies off from over use, at least a back up is handy. You can start growing your own, some plany places may sell them, but mostly pet places may have a starter kit handy.

Anyways, my direct involvement in monitoring is yes I don’t really enter their territory until they have gotten used to their surrounds, normally this takes from the initial 6 hrs to 24 hrs, and some cases can take 2 days for cats to settle in. I have dealt with a very few amount of cats that have boarded with us that take an incredible amount of time (and patience!) for them to settle in. In your case this would be somewhat longer (it certainly sounds like it has taken a little time just to get this far but be patient!), so I would still continue to monitor them very closely regularly.

Always take note of how much fur they shed as stress can also lead to loss of fur so keep that in mind. Cats shed yes, but more so when under duress/stress. Also I enter their territory (their room) VERY quietly and slowly as some cats get spooked rather quickly and tend to “flip out” by either running straight out the door (each section is closed off to prevent escapes!) or try to scale the wall to escape to just sitting terrified in the corner or hiding under their bedding. I also spray myself with some catnip as most cats tend to relax a little with the slight aroma, i have found this most helpful with those coming in for the first time. Never dose yourself to the hills with spray as sometimes it can irritate. Try not to wear any personal perfumes as most cats deter from strong scents and most also dont like the smell of smokers, also not healthy for their delicate lungs! In most cases, having the slight aroma of catnip has worked quite well and it also allows me to come a little closer each time either day by day or week by week depending on their length of stay. We have had some long termers stay with us (we had two Burmillas stay with us for almost 12 months while their owners traveled the world) and when they got home, they settled in straight away and their owners emailed us 2 days later saying how well they settled back in home and they had not forgotten their owners at all! Again, it certainly looks and feels like we were doing the right thing by the cats by letting them get to know us on their terms, which thankfully did not take very long! I do always let them sniff me first (or check my scent out) come the chance or day I can be allowed to get close enough and get used to my company from either sitting in their room with a coffee or just sitting there and quietly speaking to them in a calm gentle voice. I certainly get a good conversation with the chatters, and have noticed they become curious when I talk back to them eg ög, whats wrong sweetheart? tell me all about it”i can give you nice cuddles and scratches to make it all better”, or just something that sounds less threatening and not loud speaking. Generally most cats take as much as 2 days (at the most) to settle into their surrounds, but as I said in your case this would be somewhat longer and would certainly need to take more of your time, again, be patient!

Cats are very good at reading body talk and can pick up on human emotions as well. They know if your scared and pull back quickly if they strike you, so if she is known to do this, keep your distance (safely) but keep your body language as less threatening eg don’t go straight up over them, this scares them like a big person would stand over yourself.

I also encourage owners to bring in their favourite toys, bedding, food bowls etc into their room as yes it does give them comfort to know that something from home is with them and that they have something they sleep or play with that has their scent on or in it. As soon as they arrive to board, I make the most important vital habit of asking their owner/s exactly everything that is necessary to know eg what their cats like in terms with food, what their behaviour or character is like at home, and what things they like in terms of affection. Most cats like their under chin scratched or sides of their face rubbed as this is also where their scent gland is so if a cat rubs up against you, they see you as their property by rubbing their face side against you (if they allow you to get close enough).

I also find that placing their favourite food close by their bedding also helps. As the days progress with their getting around their surrounds, i move their food a little further away from their bedding to try and get them to explore a little bit more of their new temporary territory (holiday resort more like it!). I have also tried other meals (experimenting is fine so long as they dont have any allergies!), so using food like cooked chicken or turkey has been a winner, and I always seem to hit their stomachs well with human “Tuna in Spring water” that you can purchase at most large shipping centres. Don’t purchase the oily ones, or any others as their stomachs cannot tolerate the oil, but certainly the spring water seems to be a winner. Salmon fillets are also a winner, but remember fresh is best! Pilchards are also a top menu item, also fresh still is best! Yes we have spent a fortune on all the cats, but its really worth it in the end with the ones that are timid and don’t eat after supplying tuna in spring water, or the pilchards, or salmon fillets are always a winner in the end! The worst part of this? The owners ring back after being home for as little as 2 days saying they wont eat their usual at home meals as they were spoilt on their holiday with us! It was only for the fact they took a few days to settle in, and with the winner dish set aside for them, we just kept them on it. The owners are never cranky for this, actually they find it amusing as they themselves have tried a few different menus like we have but they just musn’t have wanted it then! This is where we see their true colours come out in the cats! They have only the finest selected dishes when staying with us, and they certainly love every bit of it!

With reading through your story which also outlined that she is not drinking enough water, give this a try: add some of the juice from the tinned tuna in spring water into the water as the smell can be very inviting, at the same time they are getting some of the nutrients and drinking water in the end! Check the water bowls regularly, and keep this in mind, if it doesn’t look like you would drink the water, chances are that they wont drink it either, so keep their bowl clean and always supply clean fresh water in a clean sanitised bowl as often as necessary.

All of this will certainly take some time, be patient, spend the time with her, which also (as I have learnt by many great characters in the past!) can bring out their undying love for what attention they may seek from you. Let her come to you. Never force anything onto her, except where she has not eaten or drank for days as this may need vet attention for force feeding or worse, need to be drip fed for a few days to get the nutrients back into their system. I do hope that the latter does not lead to this!

I hope that some of my info helps you, I do hope that she comes out of her shell bit by bit, day by day! She needs to know that she is in a safe environment, and that you care for her so much, im really sure that in the very near future she will return the favour of her love to you for what you have provided to her.

Hot Tip of the day (humorous way of seeing it): Dogs have Masters, Cats have Staff. Amusing but very true sounding!

Enjoy her company as I’m sure she will in return enjoy yours very soon. Keep up the great work you are currently doing, dont give up, have faith and time and she will come forth to you.

From a severe cat lover that enjoys her work day and night.

PS: I’m thankful to have my line of work as my outlook on life & work is this:
If your job is your hobby, you’ll never work another day in your life. How very true this is and I can say I love my job very much still to this very day! Not many can say the same!

I also foster animals and had a similar problem with a cat, it was very nervous and hid under a cupboard in the room I gave it, first I put a cardboard box with a hole cut in it just big enough for the cat to fit in this gave it a sense of security I put one of my old woolly jumpers in it so it knew my sent, I got some catnip toys as some cats seem to love the smell and roll on it. I put the litter tray in the corner of the room with a screen in front of it.
But the most important thing that I was told by my vet to try that worked for me, was feed the cat small meals often and before putting the food down sit on the floor holding the food and talk gently for a few minuets then put the food down next to you and then slowly leave the room still talking in a soothing voice. I had the cat coming out and eating the food while I was still sitting on the floor after about four days when it had eaten I just sat still and kept on talking then after two more days I slowly stroked its back near the tail after that day it came out and instead of going to eat it sat on my lap so when I left the room that day I left the door open and it soon came out to investigate the rest of my home and family it still ran away at sudden noises but I am happy to say it now lives with a lady not far from me and is doing very well. You can also buy a plug in air fresher with pheromone or a pheromone cat spray that helps calm them. please let us know how you get on.
Wishing you all the best
Sandra

This is only an idea as it worked for me. After the 2nd to last of my mums cattery cats passed away I decided to bring Lucy into the house so as not to leave her out in the runs on her own, never traumatised she was still extremely scared of me and it was a job to get her into the carry cage to bring her in. Once she was in (along with my other kids) that was it she was gone under some piece of furniture or another. After several hours she decided to come out to investigate but at any sudden noise or the sight of me she was off again, then she saw Lexi another Devon Rex like herself (also the sister to Lucy’s late run neighbour) and she seemed to bond pretty quickly with her and would stick close to Lex but would still run away from me if I came to close.
After just over a year she finally got to the stage that she would wander around the house freely, sleep in rooms that I was in and only take a wide berth around me when I walked past, at this point I still couldn’t touch her. Then a friend of mine determined to win her trust took the time and effort (where I’d succumbed to just letting her be) to continually reach out and try and touch her, call her over and offer her special snacks, Lucy loved to be brushed and that’s where my friend succeeded where I had failed.
My darling Lucy passed away on the 29/12/09 from a lesion in the brain (it was all very sudden) but by the time she left me, I could pick her up briefly to put her on my lap, brush her, make a fuss of her, and she slept curled up with me either on the pillow or into my chest with my arm around her.
All I know is time was the major factor, a loving friend that wouldn’t give up after I had, and lots of love and companionship from Lexi and my other 5 kids. I doubt this will help to much but it hopefully will give you hope and see that there is light at the end of the tunnel to help MissAnnaKay.
I wish you all the best, you are doing a wonderful thing for the cats in your state, if you can get my email from Cat Diaries please keep me informed on your progress.
Best wishes
Vanessa

I presume that this little cat has been checked out by a vet. If she is not drinking, she will deteriorate quickly from dehydration, and would need to be put on a saline drip.

Then, all the above, I think is good advice. I have found that human tinned fish is marvellous for tempting fussy and timid eaters. I think that food should not be left with her, only water should be available to her. When she gets hungry, food offered to her from a human hand (small pieces at first) will be much more attractive. She will soon realize that the presence of a human will mean food, and if she is hungry enough, bits of salmon, or tuna, or sardines (in oil, not sauce) will be irrisistable. Presenting the food slightly warm will bring out the essential aromas, and be more tempting.

Poor little thing. Good on you for your commitment. I am sometimes ashamed to be part of the human race. I will never understand the cruelty of some people. I’m not sure how much i can help. All i can tell you is about my experience with my own cat who i rescued from a horrible situation. He was just a baby and was very traumatized when i took him in. He is 6 years old now. A neighbor of mine had a female cat who was unloved and uncared for and not desexed. She had litter after litter and what happened to most of them i couldn’t tell you. She was very timid but friendly with me. Her kittens were very scared and untrusting of humans and a bit on the wild side. They would freak if a human tried to get near them. ( this so called home they came from was a very aggressive one with a lot of constant and abusive loud fighting always going on and god only knows what these cats experienced ) One evening the mum was out the front of my house and her kittens near by. I felt so sorry for her as she was trying to feed them and she was skin and bones. I took some cooked sausage out to feed them. Besides the mum only one kitten was brave enough (or hungry enough ) to quickly take a piece from my hand. This was the start of my relationship with my cat cuddles. A couple of nights later i took him into my home and into my bed and he slept with me the whole night. He was a very nervous and scared cat this isn’t the end of the story. I was surprised that he did sleep with me. There was just a bond between us from the start. As i got to know him i realized just how many issues he had or i should say has. He still has lots of issues but we work around them. He does not trust anyone that does not live under my roof except my boyfriend as he is here part time but it took him a year or two to trust him completely. My two daughters were living here at the time and he got to trust them in time. He was terrified of my backyard especially in the day time. He was only used to coming out at night with his mum and the rest of the litter under the cover of darkness. I have a large backyard mowed regularly which gave him no cover with long grass. Each time i would try to take him out in the day he would rush back inside. ( on occasion he will still hesitate when i open back door to let him out. He will be looking all over the yard to see if its safe. He has come across a cat or two in our yard over the years and ended up in a scuffle so i go out first and check and say its ok cuddles all safe and he will come out then ) He did not play like a normal kitten.He did not play at all. He was frightened of any cat toy even a piece of paper tied to a piece of wool He did not know how to be a normal cat at all. Loud noises frighten him like a mower,vacuum cleaner, children, a knock at the door, anyone coming into my home or yard, loud talking even laughter (because its a louder noise than talking) and dark clothing is another trigger for him. All these things jog his memory from where he came from.He has never trusted other family members or friends that visit regularly and never will. So i became his mum and protector. I only let him out in daylight hours and only when i’m home (dont believe in cats being out at night) and know where he is at all times. Back when he was young there were some tom cats around who liked to try and pick on him. I am on the alert when ever he is out and any sign of him in trouble i’m there in a flash shooing off the predator. Cuddles would sit between my legs and stare at the tom knowing he was safe. If i hear a dog bark i’m there to see that its not barking at him and if it is i pick him up in a flash. This didnt all happen over night. It took cuddles a long long time to be as close to a normal cat as he is going to get. There wasn’t one magic trick that helped him. It has taken lots of patience letting him learn things in his own time and learning he can trust me. If i’m going to vacuum and he is in the house i put him in my bedroom and close the door (or he will go outside now when he sees me get it out) also if someone is coming over say for bbq ect i will set him up in my bedroom and close the door before they arrive. I have learnt all his issues and make sure he is in a place he feels safe before going ahead. He still runs and hides if a knock comes to the door or even finds a hiddy spot when i have put him in my bedroom if someone has to come in and repair something but he knows now that when i do set him up in there i am doing it because something is going on and i have put him there so he feels safe. There is lots more i could tell you but i guess the bottom line is Patience, lots and lots of love, proving your there for them time after time even when you think they are never going to change, earning there trust and excepting and working around there issues and hang ups and trying to minimize them as much as possible and i am constantly telling him i love him and that he is such a good boy. It pays off in the end. Now cuddles is a pretty normal cat around the few people he trusts but he will always have his issues and the things that trigger his fears. He will never trust outsides no matter how often they visit ( people used to say to me you dont have a cat because they had never seen him lol ) and i will never try to force him. He is who he is and i love him dearly and he loves me just as much. He now plays with us like a normal cat and loves to play hide and seek with me, running around the house at 100 miles an hour, slipping and sliding on the tiled floors or mats. He sleeps with me most nights and loves to come up close and purrs and purrs which is a sound i love and treasure because it tells me he is happy and content. I guess he is my baby these days he will always need that extra effort from me as he will always have his issues. Our vet told me he will probably never change as far as the things that frighten him but that’s ok cause he is happy now and that’s all that counts. So dont give up. I could say dont stress but easier said than done when you carnt see them changing i know but love conquers all in the end. It takes time for them to learn that not all humans are the same and she probably wont trust others but she will trust you because you will prove it to her. I wish you all the best and i hope to read an update sometime in the future on how you are both going. Debbie x

Oh that sounds awful. I am really happy that you took the cat and is fostering her =^^=

I have a cat that is quite shy and scared very easily. When I first got her, she was extremely shy and didn’t eat or drink for like the whole of first day. And just like your little kitten my cat was also hiding in dark corners for hours! But again just be patient. You can go near where the kitten is but don’t try to get her out of her hiding place or force food. Have food and water available so she will eat/drink when she’s ready. Be near her to let her know that you are there and you love her but don’t force her to come out of her comfort zone. She’ll do that when she’s ready. Pat her if she lets you.

Great advice by Laura! She’s spot on!!

Good luck to you and your kitten.
xx

Hi, sorry to hear about the poor lil thing…so glad she was given to you so you could help. This might sound obvious but have you had a vet look at her and make sure she doesn’t have any broken limbs or internal injuries? Cats often look okay from the outside but can have damage internally – they can cope better with the pain than us humans, and seeing her fall was from a decent height she might have injuries from the impact of landing on the ground. This would explain her lack of eating and drinking…you may need to get her to a vet regardless because if it’s been days since she’s had any water, she will be dehydrated and not in a good way in that regard. If you are sure she is not injured then I agree with the above comments…just being in the same room with her will help her to trust you. Good luck!

You seem to have all angles covered, may I make one small sudgestion. Only if you are able of course but may be worth trying. I just hope you dont object to sleeping on hard surfaces, fold a quilt, take up residense with poor puss a couple of days may find you being cuddled by puss.
Good luck, a big smooch for Miss Puss when she comes to you, and I hope the cretitn that hurt her falls off something dam high.

Use a sheep skin for the kitten’s bedding. Hopefully she will love it as much as all my other cats. Having something to kneed could relax her.

I agree with all the advice you have already been given. She is such a sweetheart, some people are so cruel!
Lots of patience and a loving, non-threatening environment is the best you can do.
Good luck, she is worth it.

I think that you should give her something to play with like a toy etc.

I dont understand why people are so cruel to animals

Sometimes it’s nice to just lie down near or next to the cat without actually picking it up or trying to touch it and it may just come over to you as you will be quite non-threatening. lying on your stomach and maybe reading a magazine or newspaper as they always seem to want to lie on these) and glancing at it every so often my be a nice gentle way of it getting close to you instead of the other way around.

Hope all goes really very well for you all.

You have done a wonderful thing. And I think you are doing all the right stuff and the reader above gives some good advice. I would agree with placing some type of clothing near her with your scent on it, and keep the good and litter in a room and let her be for now.

I would just go in for short periods when the time seems right and law down at eye level with her and just reach out a finger and stroke her little head a bit. Maybe try hand feeding her a little bit of dry food, as this should help to make her realise that something good is coming when you reach out to her. Also I would talk to her in soft, soothing voices, just little things that come to mind ‘Hello little one’ or something. Very soft and comforting tones. Im not sure if a soft toy would help also.
Good luck!

Hello – my heart goes out to both you and kitty. I agree with everything in the above comment, and one thing I found worked for me with my brother’s cat who is very timid, was when you are in the room, lay on the floor to read or whatever – you will be less intimidating to her if you are down at her level! You may find eventually that she will come and investigate starting with your feet and this may help her just to approach you that little bit sooner and with less worry. Good luck!

I am very pleased to hear that you are giving the poor cat a home. I have found that with any situation it is perserverance and most of all patient that helps.

Put play things for her to see and another thing is let her know that she is not alone, that there is someone that cares about her. Depending on how badly traumatised she is depends on how much love and caring you need to give her along with a lot of patience.

I was able to change a ferral cat into a pet with patience and caring. So I dont see why a traumaised cat cant be treated the same way to make her life more pleasant and better.

Thank you for giving this poor cat a real chance in life.

This poor girl must be so traumatised. I have looked after rescue cats and I find it is beneficial tto put them in a cage as this gives the carer a degree of control over the animal and prevents it bolting out of the room at the first chance. I also leave clothes with my scent on them in the room and make sure the food is high smelling fish as this stimulates the appetite. She will not trust for a long time. Even now after 11 years my persian boy still doesn’t trust men as he came to me after being thrown out of a car and suffering a broken leg. Cats never forget but they do learn to trust again what it takes is patience, patience, patience and lots of love. Also try talking in a low soothing voice to this girl it will help immensely. She will make contact with you when she is ready and not before.

We have a cat, just over 12 months old, adopted from a shelter.
he was a kitten when we got him, 1 of a apair of brothers.
We found out the owner had to leave them due to moving.
In a way it was a bit traumatic, I guess.
I can only say, offer special tid bits, like dry fish or food, or a small toy, visit for short sesions, talk ina calming voice, to the cat, like you would a person.
try some catnip, which cats love to smell, rub in clothing, or leave in a dish, for it to look at.
The more it gets to trust you, the better, offer a bowl of pets milk, for it, when by itself in the room.
A soft toy, or woollen blanket for comfort also might help. i t will need to learn to trust you, before it will get better. TLC , patience is needed.

Hi, A few suggestions that might help the little dear to recover sooner than later. first, I would try feeding her with fresh chicken pieces, a very small amount at a time. If she does not eat it, you wont be wasting too much. When you go into the room, lay down on your stomach and talk to her at her ‘level’. When you put your hand out to her be sure to show her the back of your hand rather than palm up. Talk quietly, whispering is even better. I found that half a weetbix or vitabrit soaked in warm milk is ‘ineresting’ to eat, as is a beaten egg in warm milk. I think as Laura says patience is essential. I’m sure she will recover once she can trust you. good luck

You could set up a box turned on its side and turned into the wall so that she can hide. Line it with towels or something soft, and maybe try putting a ticking clock wrapped up in a towel or something so that she may feel that she can hear the clock and maybe associate it with her mum and feel safer.

how awful – I have dealt with abused cats that I have found from time to time a nd have adopted them but never one in this condition – with my Tabby girl – she was burnt and had her tail cut of – I let her set her own boundaries kept her warm and safe – with food water etc – it sometimes takes time for them to respond – the first time i went on holiday and my partner had to look after her she wouldn’t come out for about 4 days – not an unusual thing – patience and love – no loud noises etc but I am sure I don’t need to tell you that – good luck – thinking of you and puss

Some advice would be first to gain her trust by offering little rewards to her. Make sure her bedding is comfortable with lots of fluffy toys. When feeding her start gradually with smaller amounts and build up. Get her a collar and groom her regularly cats love to be groomed and pampered. Maybe another cat for company can be introduced later on. Lots of patience is recommended.

Having a cat for over 6 months that had a extremely traumatic life for the first year of his life. I was like you I rang vets for help, googled for advice, then realised that all this stupid advice is from not from actual experience. How would you like to be left in a spare room on your own? you wouldn’t a cat has the same feelings.
Let it roam freely. give it as much attention and cuddles so it knows it is safe, with it not eating you have to try all different brands and flavours to find what it prefers. I literally had to put out 6 different plates of food and various dry food till I found what worked. It took a few days plus I had a older cat that had to accept this cat as well.
Six months on I have a beautiful tom that is so affectionate and loving, that takes himself to bed at 9.30 every night and that is absolutely adored by my older cat.
It really does not take that much time as once they know they are loved they just want to return that love,
You are a beautiful soul to foster this cat, the two of you will be fine

I would personally try to go in there and talk to her in that soft high voice to coax her to interact with you. Don’t make any fast movements, everything slow to show her you are a safe person to be around. I would also try taking in some yummy tasty roast chicken and eat some sitting near to her down on her level on the floor, then if she shows interest, toss her a little. She will come to see you as a friend not an enemy. I too used to foster cats for my local animal shelter, most were strays. I can’t foster now, but did end up adopting a very shy stray half persian. She hides in cupboards when people come over. But is very confident around me and my son now. She is a beautiful sweet cat.

Dear resuer. Well done for taking in a traumatised puss! By the sound of her, there’s more to her story than just the voyage out the window. That alone wouldn’t account for her total distrust of humans. A cat’s trust can be hard to win, but it’s certainly worth it when you get there. I have three rescued cats, and although they all have their own unique ‘issues’, I wouldn’t be sane without them. There is a product called Feliway which simulates the facial pheromones released by happy cats. It seemed to help my boys when we moved house. Spend frequent, short times with the cat, talk in a calm, quiet voice and avoid long term eye contact, as the cat may find that intimidating. I once coaxed a 5 week old kitten out of a drain because I purred to him. I was surprised, but it worked.Maybe try purring to your cat, sure couldn’t hurt. D.C. (Drain Cat) is now 7 months old, living with me and rather content with his lot. He has a thing for the smell of valerian tablets. They’re a herbal relaxation remedy. He certainly gets playful and affectionate after trying to chew through the bottle, then he crashes out. As far as the litter tray situation goes, cats will generally use a tray instinctively, but if puss is going elsewhere, use an enzyme cleaner, and try burying a ‘cat nugget’ in the tray. The smell may encourage puss to return to to the tray. The most important thing is that your cat has somewhere that they feel safe. Start there, and you’re well on your way. Would love to know the name of this fortunate feline.

Alkl of the above advice is terrific. Also, to get a doll with a realistic”heartbeat” as put it in with her bedding, the sound of the hearbeats might remind her of her mum, and comfort her.

I would get in touch with the website http://www.sacred-space.com.au and check out the section on products and pets as there are some great products there that could help your poor traumatized kitty. Another place to try is Pet Power, phone 0299390410, they make up individual homeopathic remedies and I have used these for years with our cats and dogs for various problems, I couldn’t manage without them. Another product you could try is Feeliway, available from Vets and online pet stores, it is rather expensive but it sounds like the sort of thing that would help your cat settle in.
We have a RSPCA rescue cat that we have had for about 8 years, she was completely wild when she came to us, we couldn’t get near her and she wouldn’t come to us either but eventually she settled in as part of the family although it took awhile.
Good luck with your kitty, I would love to hear how you get on.

Regards

June

Hi there.
What a sad story to tell. I agree with Laura and all she says above. To me, one of the biggest elements in a cat’s life is TRUST. Once they know that you are not a threat and that you are there ‘for them’, then they will bond with you immediately.
I agree, be patient, take your time and don’t stress the cat any further by forcing the issue of you onto them. Show restraint, kindness in your actions, face and movement and let the cat learn to trust you. In a way, give them some slight position of power to choose for themselves. They have been made to feel powerless and vulnerable by the ‘animal’ that hurt them; show the cat your loyalty and they will come to you.
Good luck and let us all know how you and your new friend progress.
Peggysue.

do you have a talented acupuncturist near you?

the really well-trained acupuncturists can calm and soothe an animal quite easily.

i’ve evan had people acupuncturists treat my cat, and they’ve been marvellous as well.

Hi there,

Well there are certainly many comments available to help you. I hope you read mine. I am a fully qualified Veterinary Nurse and i have dealt with a couple of cats in similar situations….i have turned a feral kitten into a loving adorable cat and found her a home….this is what worked for me and i KNOW it will help this cat you are fostering….

Spend a lot of time in the room. The worst thing you can do is leave her alone, she will become less trusting and more frightened of noises etc. Sit on the floor in the room, read a book, magazine, take the computer in there, tv, whatever you can do in there, do it. She needs to know that you can be trusted and she needs to get used to household noises. You dont have to talk to her or even look at her. Let her approach you. You can trickle some dry food to try and coerce her out, but seeing as she is not eating, this will probably not help.

The other thing you must be awar of is that cats NEED to eat, if a cat doesnt eat after 2 days she will become very sick. If this is the case, she must have veterinary care.

Good luck, and remember, be patient.

I agree with the above, sitting quietly in the room, talking quietly so that it hears your voice and gets to know you. Lots of LOVE, not necessarily touching or tryng to touch for a while until it comes to you, when it feels that it can trust you, it will come. Call it by name and use the name lots. Playing gentle music, that is always soothing, but have it on low, not too loud, just so that the cat can hear it. Just give it time, poor little thing. I took on a little feral eight years ago, and now he is the most loving beautiful cat. But time and patience and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE and lots of it is the only way to help. Many years ago I rescued a red kelpie from the Blue Cross in Victoria and she had been tied up and whipped many times by a farmer, love was the only thing that helped her get through a very bad time. She learned to trust me and became my constant companion for 12 beautiful years. You’ll be fine and so will the cat. Thinking of you and praying for you. Cheers Sally

Apologies, just re-read that she is a girl. Sorry for calling her ‘the cat’ Again, good luck with her.

I’d highly recommend 4 drops per day of Mushroom Extract (available from a good Health Food Shop). We found our little ginger & white cat Toto in bushland. As well as being traumatised he was diagnosed with Cat Flu and Feline Aids. We have since administered Mushroom Extract on a daily basis – it not only gives him a sense of well being, it boosts his immune system and he’s much more relaxed. Try it! You’ll be amazed – it was recommended by Toto’s vet. Good luck!

I agree with the above comments, as I too, have looked after and taken in stray and neglected cats, have four at present and one is very neurotic even after two years… but I do think you need to have him in the room with you. My chookie spent the first six to eight weeks under the bedclothes with me every night, he was six weeks old when I brought him home, but first thing next day I took him to the vet. If you have not already done so, would urgently advise it. Give him some soft toys to cuddle, as some of the above suggested, have him in with you as much as possible, he needs to get used to you being around, and shut in another room own his own is not the way for that to happen.All the very best to both of you. Loving him is some of the best medicine you can give him. Please let us know how you get on. Gloria

I think the best advice is from the Cat diaries: Also, don’t worry too much about her not eating right away, when she is hungry she will eat, make sure she gets good healthy food.
Maybe occaisionally get a carry cage and have her with you in the room where you sleep and where you watch tv, or are eating, that isn’t too small but big enough for her to move around in at short intervals (proabably half hour at a time). That might help her get used to noise and other cats without being too stressful. Time is the only thing that will help really, and as she grows older she may settle too. Don’t worry too much as she may also pick up on your feelings of stress and that may also upset her too. Go with your experience, and you’ll find it will all fall into place.
Cat Diaries says…
According to the Cats Protection and Feline Advisory Bureau, helping a traumatised cat takes ‘time, commitment and patience’. The Bureau recommends the following steps:
• Keep the cat in a kitten pen in a room where she will frequently see you;
• Don’t try to handle her for the first few days;
• Spend plenty of time in the room – eating or watching TV, for example – so she gets used to your presence and begins to understand that all people are not threats;
• Leave a TV or radio playing when you’re out of the room;
• Gradually start to focus on her, talking gently to her and eventually starting to play with her;
• Offer titbits to get her to come to you;
• Be patient!

Hi,

I find massage really helps settle my burmese cats and also built trust with them when they were new arrivals to our home – until she is less frightened gently approach her and calmly lay your hands on her and if she is willing, stroke her coat gently and talk softly to her. Take it slowly but keep on repeating the behaviour until she relaxes and welcomes your attention.

Try and keep her in the main living area as she will grow accustomed to you much faster. Also, burn some lavender as it has relaxing properties, and if you have a really soft throw blanket put that in her sleeping area so she feels safe an warm (preferably an existing blanket that has the scent of the house and you on it so she grows accustomed to it).

We also have a heated cushion we put in our boys day bed which they find comforting – we got it from our local pet store and it is easily re-heated in the microwave – but follow the instructions so it is not too hot on her coat/skin.

Last of all if she is not eating or drinking to keep her hydrated use a fresh large syringe without the needle end on it and fill it with water – try and give her a few drops from the syringe to keep her from getting dehydrated. Also, make sure dry food and plenty of water are available as she may feel more comfortable approaching it when no-one is around.

Someone else mentioned the TV/radio – these are a great idea but not if it is too loud as it tends to spook a frightened animal.

Apart from that keep the atmosphere calm and peaceful so she is not further frightened by external factors. (Oh, and lots of cuddles when she is ready)

My name is Tinka and i am a Ragdoll Cat aged 2yrs. When i get stressed out my gives me a body massage and gives me peanut butter (which is my all time favourite food) she also makes sure that there are not to many strangers in the house and if we have visitors she puts me in a seperate room with some music playing.
Also my mum lays on the floor with me and talks very softly to me and it does settle me down a lot, you see i don’t like loud noises and mum makes sure that there no one makes any sudden noises. Make sure you give her lots of love and talk softly to her in a calming voice.

my kimba is very spooky i would suggest just quietly sitting in the room with her, squinting your eyes shows that your being submissive with her, develope a call thats just between you and her, just take time to sit in room even look the other way, in regards meals take some sausage in to the room eat some yourself and break up rest and put in her bowl, she’ll see that what your offering to feed her is what you’ll be eating, gives her confidence in you. Put something down on the floor with your smell on it like a top, a pair of jeans, they like lying on the clothes that you wear and will allow you to bond faster. Patience is very important speak softly with her and avoid making loud noises.
all the best lots of love kimba and ruby.

to everyone, thank you so much for all your replies…wow what a response! It has been 3 weeks since ‘Lucky’ was brought into my spare room. I just realized I did not mention my little angel, Jazz who I also fostered from the rescue and recently adopted as I couldn’t bare the thought of someone else having her, so there is now the thing of getting them used to eachother and if she won’t come to me maybe Jazz is the answer? Anyway, back to Lucky… she is eating and using the litter tray, loves her food. I go into her everyday and talk gently when I am in the room, sometimes she looks at me with big green eyes and squishes up against the wall, I never get too close as I feel she needs to come to me-if she is scared ( if Jazz has seen her or if I have walked into the room and she out of the place under the desk) she will often growl at me but has recenly stopped bouncing off the walls like a ping pong machine so I guess that is good! 2 weeks into the fostering I began to leave the door open as I see Jazz as a nurturing cat (when I got her she was in a room with 15 other kitties) Jazz often sneaks around the room and when she finds Lucky she does that horrible moany sound which I hate. Her also tail blows up like a balloon…Lucky on the other hand just takes it and remains in hiding, I guess this is a good thing that they are not fighting. I have never left them unassisted and I will not for a long time. In some of your responses I noticed some of you said there may have been more than what the lady who rescued origionally saw as she went flying out of the window and I agree, I think she must have been very mistreated. I have never seen a cat so scared in all my life! As a kindergarten teacher I have all the patience in the world and I will not give up…the vibe she gives me at present however is ‘stay away from me or I will let rip’!!! As some of you say it is going to take a very long time and I completely agree…longer than what I ever thought, maybe even more than a few months. If you have any further advise on how to get these kitties to ‘bond’ then please let me know. Everything you say has given me reassurance as here in Hong Kong there doesn’t seem to be the right support for these gorgeous animals, so please keep your comments coming through. I do feel a bit lost with this little one!!!! I am going to start sitting in the room as many of you suggested and I will let you know how it goes. Thanks again and I really am grateful for the advice…Shelley

A radio set on my local classical music station was the lifesaver when I took in an abused kitty. I know it is distressing that the kitty is in such turmoil but she has to take the initiative in the trust stakes so you need loads of patience.
Having the radio on (not too loud) masked the day to day activities in the household and outside that caused the cat alarm and more stress. I was lucky enough at the time to have a completely empty room at the back of the house I could use and installed one of those fabric cat houses you see around (and a big fat floor cushion. Explanation below) Better than a cage or a box because if kitty takes fright a hard box or cage can cause more trauma and that is the last thing you want. Keep the light dim for a few days- draw the curtains over any windows which will also cut out environmental noise.
Make it a rule if kitty is in her house NOT to attempt to make contact with her, that is HER place of safety. She needs to be confident of her surroundings before she can even begin to cope with contact.
She will eat because despite most things cats have a very strong sense of survival. for the first few days keep your visits to a minimum, feed and water should be available for her to pick as she sees fit. Go in and feed etc and talk softly the whole time, just natter to the kitty to allow it to get used to you- keep any other well meaning friends/family out of the picture for the first few weeks at least.
If a cat is deeply traumatised and it sounds like your kitty is a candidate it might be appropriate to speak to your vet about mild sedation, the emphasis on MILD. In my case my Vet and I used Rescue Remedy once we realised the little bloke was eating after all.
We put a small dose into a container of lactose free kitty milk on the day I was going to attempt to sit with him. I gave him the milk that morning once the house was empty of the other inhabitant and left him to it. I didnt give him any solid food that morning and left him alone for a couple of hours. When I went back he was curled up just inside his cat house drowsing and relaxed. I took in some tuna and set it in front of the big floor cushion and sat down talking my kitty nonsense talk in a monotone. After a little while he tottered out and had a snack, I kept talking but made no attempt to touch him and after a few minutes he sat down and started washing himself between me and his house. then he went back and had a nap.
I repeated it the next day without the Rescue remedy- just a little bit of kitty milk in the morning and some sardines that day. Kept this up for about four or five days and finally HE wandered over to the cushion and brushed himself against my knee.
After a week or so of him allowing me to pat him I left the door to his room open when I was alone in the house with him- still with that radio playing in his room. He set the pace and began to explore the house and even eventually came in search of me when it was tucker time. Only then did I let the other members of the household begin to interact with him.
It was painstaking but I ended up with the gentlest, most loving cat I have ever had and sadly lost him two years ago at the grand old age of 17. He was always a bit nervous around visitors and I always made sure he had a ‘safe’ zone where he could escape to.

If you cant get a cat to eat, try them on a BBQ Chicken ( the ones you get from your local take away shop), They just cant seem to resist the smell of the yummy -ness of it. And love love love. If you persist you will win with time and kindness

Hi

We had a young mother with her 2 kittens adopt us a few years ago. One of the kittens was terrified of people and ran away and hid whenever they’d come near.

We slowly gained her trust by squatting down some distance away, rolling some dry food close to her (but not at her) and talking to her softly the whole time. Then we walked away slowly and kept visiting often from a distance repeating the process, sometimes leaving a bowl of wet food & milk out for her as well.

Gradually she realised that it was yummy food we were giving her and that we weren’t a threat. It also helped that she saw her mum & brother getting food and pats with no harm coming to them. It took a week or two before she would come close enough to allow herself to be patted briefly. Over time she trusted us more and more and now about 6 or 7 years later she absolutely craves the attention, demanding it at times. Patience is definately required.

Good luck

Hello Shelley,
It appears your kitten is older than the one I rescued, and not so easily cuddled.
“Cinamon” was about 4 weeks old when she came to us – terrorised by two small children, and would not come out from behind the fridge in their kitchen. We HAD to take her in.
When we brought her home she ran to hide for about a week, but I could not let this go on as I felt it was a pattern that would continue into the future.
I coaxed her, unwillingly, into my arms, and placed her (similarly to Freda, above) into my shirt, close to my heart, so she could hear my heartbeat (hopefully mimicking her own mother’s heart). I, too, quietly and gently talked to her telling her everything would be all right, and stroking her gently.
It took quite some time of this but she is now MY Cat, although she is now quite happy to sit with my husband in his recliner chair watching TV. She sleeps with me most nights, and talks to me all the time when she is around, but she is still unsure of strangers and runs to hide.
She is such a dear little thing.
My advice is to continue as you are doing – read the cat’s behaviour, and gently, gently go about things, but always trying to get closer to her and showing her that you mean her no harm. I agree that you have to get down to her level, too. Perserverance and consistency is the key.
My only hope is that she does come around – soon, or you may have a problem to resolve as some cats just never get to trust anyone, ever again. I hope this is not the case with “Lucky” .

Looks like you have more than enough advice- I can’t read it all! I would do what cat diaries suggests and spend plenty of time in there with her, just hanging out on the floor. Maybe a heated catpad or something furry like a small cushion she could “knead” on; some catnip; maybe a pot of cat grass- ours love ornamental blue fescue from the garden shop! I’m sure after several days kitty will come over and sniff your hand. If you don’t make any sudden moves, she should be enjoying being patted soon- she may never want to get on your lap though- one of our rescue kitties won’t even get on our laps after 4 years!
Good luck and I hope kitty fully recovers psychologically from her terrible trauma.

I would let this poor thing see you as much as possible. I made a wild cat here a little mat to sit on and had him as close to me as possible without handling him at all for about a week. I also fed him little bits of goodies, He is still aloof but is a little better in that he does sometimes come near me. I after the week starting with a little brush and gently brushed him. He is still aloof but I will not give up on him and will still try as much as possible to let him know I will not harm but be as gentle as possible.

I rescued a sweet ragdoll who was mistreated and underfed. He was 4 when I got him and very anxious. When I turned up at the house with my cat carrier I managed to find him and off to the vet we went. I got some feliway at many other catlovers have alreadyi mentioned and I discussed his anxiety and mistreatment, He was given a shot of something similar to human prozac and off home we went. The initial shot of calmative helped in the immediate relocation and the feliway continually created a calm environment. As Puss Puss went into hiding I got organised. I got some cat grass and catnip in herb garden and placed them in the area he selected at the first hidey hole. I set up his litter and food areas. I carried him to each new item and let him smell them and off he went again into hiding. I lay on the floor with my head on a single doona and when ever he moved i spoke to him and told him I was coming as well and off I went with my doona. I would talk quietly to him and gently call his name. While i was away I gave him the run of the house and eventually i would come home and he would be snuggled into my doona, so i would like down next to him and tell him about my day. within a week he started coming out and eating infront of me and eventually our ritual of spending time together with the doona was the norm. I then started putting the doona on the lounge and my sweet Puss Puss started to share the couch with me on the doona. He got the nick name doony boy from my daughter and he spent 14 years as my companion. He passed away last year and I miss my buddy but he enjoyed every day he spent with me considering he came to stay for two week until my daughter moved into her new home and he stayed 14 years. Good luck foster mum enjoy every moment you have with the special little kitty, aren’t we lucky they let us spend time with them and getting lots of love in return.

Get a syringe [ no needle ] and use it to force feed the cat , be gentle .

Water , and a Milk egg mix for food .. You should only need to feed it a few times ..

Get a blanket / jumper / something warm to wrap the cat in and keep it close to you ..

Been there ,

Wow Thank God for wonderful and caring people, who make up for the people who make bad choices.
I myself have a very traumatised cat and she does not get on with my old 19 year old female cat even though they both are indoor cats, they still hiss at each other when ever they pass one after 3 years. I wont go into what happened to her it was too much.
So as you can see it will take a long time to trust and bond with humans or even other cats or animals.
The young one is only 3 and I got her at about 4 months old and she is still anti social with other people unfortunately. At least she comes to me and has bonded real close to me and this did take some time nearly a year before she would even jump on my lap and only if no one else is around. She sleep in my room and has the run of the house but if anyone comes she is straight under the bed till they leave. I may say this that I can never let her outside as she is so nervous she would run and hide and I would never get her back.
Firstly I would suggest a nice fluffy rug or if you can afford one of the cat huts and some nice toys that you can play with and get her involved with is a start. Even a little ball of wool will do the trick , letting a long thread hang down behind you and pull it along slowly and after a while she may be will to chase it and try and catch it.
A big Cardboard box with a nice fluffy or at least very soft rug or cushion that you can put in the box and maybe put a little nibble in to get the cat into the box, as most cat love getting into boxes of all kinds. If she is not feeding maybe you might have to revert to a bottle with a teat and try getting her to suckle.
When my cats make a mmmm sound I mimic them as if I am answering them and that has worked a treat with the young one because if she wants me to get up or get her some food she makes this sound to me.
I also feed a stray who has been hanging around my house for over six years but no one can touch him. To help him we have put a kennel outside in our driveway and in winter he actually uses it. He is a very old cat but is very frighten of people too and hides in the garden during the day and goes walkabout in the night during summer.
Maybe if all fails you need to go to the vet and see if there is something else you can do to assist the cat with its nervous and frightened feelings.
May St Francis , bless you for all your kindness to this wonderful cat….God bless and keep up the good work….it will take time but be worth it in the end …..

Hi,
I’m a personal development therapist with people and animals. I have a range of vibrationery essences which work on the stress responses in the body, mind, spirit to alleviate the trauma suffered in experiences. I also work on cellular reprogramming for deeper results. I’m happy to donate my time and a session for this dear little one, as well as some essences for her if you are willing to pay for postage from Australia. My company is called Tuned In Personal Development, my website is being built so I don’t have more information you can readily look at, but I’m happy to mail you a CD.

You can use 3 drops each of essential oils of lavender, rose and chamomile to a litre water spray and mist her bed and your home with it, being careful obviously not to get it in her eyes. Its ok if she has some on her coat as it wont hurt her if she licks it.

Its great to hear there are people out there who genuinely care.

Elke.
Tuned In Personal Development

hi,
It’s so sad that humans have the nature to destroy and torture less fortunate creatures, but there is still hope,that no all of us are like that. There are many who really care and love animals.
Once I rescue 14 cats from misfortune and they adjusted, slowly in their new environment, some of them I found nice people to take care of but some I couldn’t find a home for all of them so I kept some of the cats, they lived happily and some are still alive. The first thing I tried was rubbing butter on their paws and they really liked. Later with Patience and Love, they found that the new home was much better and they settle well. So the main important thing is to have a quiet place with no kids running around and making noise and tantrums, and them food and lots of time. But also care and responsibilities like: taking care of fleas/worming/vaccinating and of course sterilization. I would also say that I am against pet shops that sale cats and dogs. Pet shops should not sale live stock.

My Cat Emo was abused before I got her. Some one left her and another kitten in a box with a brick on it while it was snowing. Some people found the cats and craigs listed it, I saw it and needed those cats. Emo also went through some tramitizing events later. But the best thing ive given her is my attention. Ive been around her so much and shes attached to me. Now when I leave the house shes ok, but when i come back shes incredibly happy. She knows shes safe with me. So I recondmend spending tons of time with your new kitten. Oh and those Whisker Lickins crunch lovers chicken treates are my cats favorites. She even tells me to give them to her by playing with the bag. Try some of those and they got tarter control in them good luck and tell your kitten hi from liz 8D

I haven’t had time to read all the replies, so please excuse me if my suggestion has been made already. Some time ago I had a cat which had lost a lot of condition and had gone off his food (most uncharacteristic for him) The vet recommended raw kangaroo meat and said that most cats who are reluctant to eat will be tempted by it. It’s available in the pet meat section at the supermarket here, so I hope it will be available where you are. Unfortunately it doesn’t smell very good to humans, but it certainly did the trick with my cat. I hope that you also have success with your “refugee”.

we were given a cat who had been thrown from a moving car. it took quite a while to rehabilitate her but she has now been with us for 10 years. we spent as much time as possible just sitting quietly in the same room as her and I used to talk to myself (must have sounded crazy) untill she gradually came out from under the couch. she also refused to eat to start with but I guess her empty tummy won out

When we last moved house it was our cat’s first ever move since we got her from the RSPCA. She hid in a dark corner of the loungeroom for days without eating or drinking. I can only hope she had some sips of water while we were asleep. I would even dip my fingers in her water & try to get her to lick them. She wasn’t fussed. It took time but she eventually ventured out of her ‘cave’. I guess patience is the key & if you are still worried contact your local vet.

I have adopted a older tom, who also had been beaten by my neighbors, took ages, weeks of leaving food out the front, eventually i would sit with the food, Not try touch him, just talk to him, watch him eat, eat with him, He was so frigtened when i would move my hands, at all.
I found scratching myself, like a cat (with my hands) would comfort him, and he got used to my moving around him.
Talking is great, everytime when ever you approach them, Eventually you will find the kitten will approach you, Best be with it in the same room as much as you can.
Best wishes

I haven’t read all replies either,
I hope the cat is ok, maybe it will (or is) so severe that temporary sedatives (or whatever a vet could do) after 3 days i would be so concerned if it hasn’t eaten/drank or been to toilet.
I hope things are going better, maybe even another cat being around (a calm house cat) could help?