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Post by sophiecat on May 4, 2015 19:19:14 GMT
We adopted our cat Sophie two weeks ago from Cats Protection. What we know of her history is that she was with a family who had a young toddler. Sophie is vision impaired so the environment became very stressful for her with toys suddenly getting in her way, a screaming baby and she was getting frequent cystitis. Her owners who had her since kittenhood gave her up to the CPL about a month and a half ago.
For the first few days with us Sophie was understandably nervous and took time to map the rooms, she is very adept at getting around the house and is able to jump up onto the sofa and our bed without difficulty. Finding food and her litter tray doesn't present any problem for her either.The last few days however, Sophie is flinching from us, seems more nervous and is spending more time on her own whereas when we first got her she would join us on the sofa in the evenings or at least be in the room with us. We tried the Pet Remedy spray which completely freaked her out and the plug in doesn't seem to be working either!We take good care around her and always talk to her when we approach so as not to scare her so this change in her behaviour is slightly worrying.
Perhaps its just time? I keep reminding my boyfriend that it has only been two weeks but he's very attached to her and just wants to reassure her that she is safe and very much loved.
Any advice would be very much appreciated.
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Post by tonib on May 4, 2015 19:41:02 GMT
but he's very attached to her and just wants to reassure her that she is safe and very much loved. sophiecat, Glad to hear you were prepared to take on a cat like Sophie it takes a lot of commitment to look after a cat which is not perfect although vision impairment is not a problem for cats so long as their environment is kept constant. However I wonder if the comment you made is part of the problem. Please don't take that the wrong way. I just mean that if he (& you) are frequently trying to touch her then it might be making her nervous as it is early days in her relationship with you & it might just be a little too much at the moment. I've no experience of cats with poor eyesight so can't really give any practical advice & could be very wrong about my thoughts above Hopefully others may have better ideas/advice You don't say how old she is or what has caused her vision impairment. If there is any risk that her vision could be deteriorating then I would seek advise from a vet. In sure the CPL would be prepared to give you some advice or reassurance as they know the cat but I suspect time & not expecting too much too soon may be the answer. I hope things improve, please let us know how you get on.
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Post by gypsy on May 4, 2015 19:55:58 GMT
Hi Firstly, it sounds like Sophie has been very fortunate in finding a home with you and your boyfriend - its obvious you care very much for her. Two weeks is still very early days and it may just be time that she needs. Not exactly the same as your situation, but my youngest cat came to me after living in a home where there was domestic violence. His female owner rehomed him for his own safety because sadly he had also been on the recieving end of her partners violence. I'm obviously not aware of all of his experiences prior to living with me, but he had clearly lived with lots of shouting and screaming and needed veterinary treatment due to abuse, so understandably was very traumatised. When he came to us he was very withdrawn, timid and avoided us. Funnily enough he very quickly became attached to one of my dogs and used to sleep in his bed with him. From personal experience with cats its much harder to win their trust and even easier to lose it - unlike dogs! Our attitude was he had a home with us for life and it didn't matter how long it took him, he had to come to us in his own time and on his own terms. It actually took months before he would come to you for affection but patience paid off. Now he is the most loving, affectionate, happy, relaxed cat you could imagine. He's a very different cat today to the one I brought home and who hid behind the bookcase for a week! If Sophie seems fit and healthy I would just give her time and allow her to do things at her own pace. Good luck
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Post by zahada on May 4, 2015 20:37:10 GMT
I too had a cat that had been subjected to domestic violence - from humans as well as the cats. When we got her home, she spent around 6 months behind a cabinet in the living room only coming out to eat and use the litter tray when we were out. I spent hours lying on my stomach in front of the cabinet, with my hand under the cabinet, so she would get used to the scent and the fact that my hand meant no harm. Eventually she would start coming out, and 6 months later wouldn't run away from us. Took a little longer before she came out of her shell completely and settled down on our laps. Talk about animals and love! She loved us and we loved her. Unconditionally. Our first cat.
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Post by sophiecat on May 4, 2015 21:55:25 GMT
Hi all Sophie will be 5 in June. Apparently, she was born with bad eyesight so it's not something any vet has been able to treat. She can differentiate between light and dark and is able to track some movement but obviously its difficult to ascertain her exact levels of blindness. We've had her checked over for our own peace of mind and been told she's in healthy condition. Seems like the theme here is to give her time, it's reassuring to know other cats from worse situations have managed to adapt and trust their new families
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Post by lotsofcats on May 5, 2015 9:22:14 GMT
I think that Sophie needs time - just keep doing what you are doing and I think she will get to trust you. Like you said, she has been in a very stressful situation with her last owners and needs a quiet life. I have a blind dog who will be 17 in August and I have had a blind cat in the past. The cat used to still go out. When I adopted him he was blind in one eye and then he had a problem with the other eye and it had to be removed.
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