We have taken in a new cat! She is 3 years old, and had only been living in her home for one week before CP asked for our help as they couldnt get anybody to deal with this in the time frame needed.
The owner took this little fur baby from a "free to a good home" advert last Saturday. She said the cat hadnt eaten a thing or drunk anything since she had arrived (a week). She had spoken to the vet whose suggestion was grab her and take her in and they would put her on a drip, or grab her and take her in and they would put her to sleep. The reason? She was so nasty, they couldnt use their bathroom. The cat had moved into the bathroom, behind the net curtain, and there she had stayed. Every time the owner went into the room the cat hissed and spat, and they had been using a bucket for a toilet and the kitchen sink to wash for the whole time they had had her.
Well, I was a little anxious going into the bathroom, armed with gauntlets, towel and carrier. Eventually we persuaded the owner to shut the door and leave. She kept saying it was because the cat could smell the dogs and was scared and had liberally been spraying the bathroom with perfume to disguise the smell. The fact that she had absolutely no idea how to approach a scared cat seemed irrelevant. Her screeching "I only want to stroke and cuddle you CAT" really didnt seem to be helping!
After moving the net curtains, and a few hisses, little Gucci let me stroke her head and lift her quietly into the carrier.
Now she is home with us - still scared, but eating (after a couple more days of refusal - chicken became too much of a temptation), drinking and using her little tray. Still the initial hiss on entering her area and she is trying really, REALLY hard not to enjoy being stroked.
It will take a little while yet until she is happy and settled, after all we dont know how many times she has been passed around or what her experiences have been. I am trying to contact the original owner as she is still registered on her chip, but havent had any reply to my messages yet, but hopefully, given time, Gucci will settle in and have the happy life she deserves
