nervous 1 Year old Longhaired cat

[Rosella moggy]

WOW what beauties 

[felixmcdonald]

heres a few pics of the cat/kitten in question the small one is cheeky and the large one is fluffy

[Gillian Harvey]

i actualy trimmed her with the clippers today as i noticed when she was touched in certain areas where she was badly matted she would pull away.Im assuming the matted hair pulls tight on her coat?

 i noticed she has flakey skin any problems there is that normal for a cat thats been heavily matted?
 

Yes, your'e right, matted fur does pull the skin making it very uncomfortable, so you'r doing a good job getting those mats out. It is common to see flakey skin in matted coats, the coat should return to normal once you've got all the mats out and you start with regular grooming sessions.

[Tiggy's Mum]

Glad to hear she's coming round a bit.  Have a look at these links, Wizz is a cat behaviouralist who runs her own rescue - it's top advice.

http://wizz-catz.co.uk/timidcat.html

http://wizz-catz.co.uk/bonding.html

[felixmcdonald]

i actualy trimmed her with the clippers today as i noticed when she was touched in certain areas where she was badly matted she would pull away.Im assuming the matted hair pulls tight on her coat?I had to get someone to help me i got the person to hold her down on the shoulders sounds a bit brutal i no but thankfully it worked first few seconds she wasnt happy but after that she was fine i shaved all of her back where just about all the badly matted hair was.after takeing most of the hair off her back i noticed she has flakey skin any problems there is that normal for a cat thats been heavily matted?
 Theres still a matted part on her underbelly but im not going to attempt that just yet , its not as bad as her back mild compared to what her back was like.The cat has no ill feelling towards me as i can still go and pet her without a problem she does her usal thing rolls on her back and loves being rubbed on her belly purring away.Shes starting to explore her suroundings but still a bit nervy.All was looking well lastnight when the kitten went wright up to her without a problem but the kitten tried it again late lastnight and the older cat hissed at her but thankfully no fighting if there was i had this big fluffy pillow to separate them.

[Gillian Harvey]

hi cat people got a slight worry about a cat i just got a 5 days ago it was advertised as a 1 year old longhaired tortuise shell i aint to sure now im new to keeping cats looks the double of this cat here only her nose is more poked out than the one in this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEHQ6RKImv4.
 
The hairs quite thick and in some areas shes  matted i was going to try and groom her myself following some tips from that video and some from the net but i dont no if that will make her even more withdrawn as i dont no how she will react to being groomed as i have all the equipment to do it here clippers etc

Hi, I'm a cat groomer and own 9 persians, and I would have thought if your cat is that nervous - that method of grooming demonstrated in the video would only make her more nervous and probably scared of you! The cat that was being groomed was extremely tolerant and laid back. The groomer was very rough - I've never had to treat any of my cat customers that roughly, in particular, the nervous ones are treated very gently. If the mats are that bad, you may be able to run clippers over them, but it may be that it would be better to get them clipped out by the vet, so that you can start again, gently brushing/combing her, with a knot free coat to get her used to it, and also hopefuly get her used to being handled. Or you could take her to a professional groomer if you have one near you, but I would insist on staying with her while she is groomed.

By the way, I wouldnt use that de-matting comb, and definitely not as roughly as that. It has blades that actually cut through the fur, and can easily cut through the skin - they are lethal! I've seen quite a few customers come to me having used one of those combs and cut the cats skin.

[Millys Mum]

I would allow the older cat (whats her name?) to stay in one room, this will become her safe bolthole when she starts to venture out. You can get a plug in called feliway, its feline pheremones in a pot that makes them feel more secure. Its cheaper online   

in this case if she was already hiding away how would i get her more outgoing as the previous owners had her for a few weeks and she was hiding away with them .So with time she will come round eventualy?

How long did the last people have her, was it another home after her original one?

I would regularly go in and see her, talk to her or read out loud but dont pursue her. Offer treats and just let her learn to trust you  i would leave the matts for now, the poor poppet has been through enough without a grooming session with her new scary human!

[tab]

Thats great. I had Mogs for 2 years on her own before I got Amber (who kind of walked in and never left) and Im still amazed at how much Amber has taught Mogs. I dont know Mogs history but the way she acted Id guess it was bad. Now she will play, she gets on the bed for a cuddle, she has daily tablets and most days comes when I call and lets me pick her up and the most amazing thing is that now if Mogs gets frightened or worried she appears at my side and if Im not bothered she knows its nothing to worry about.
Older scared cats can be so rewarding
love
Tab

[felixmcdonald]

at the time of typing my last msg the older cat has ran under my computer table not bothering at all and ive just had the kitten go wright up to her without a problem no arched back from the kitten which is a first .quite encouraging with the problem with cat on kitten

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Wonderful Ruth 

No I cant even stroke Sasa but she somes to the end of my desk and squeaks cos she wants me to go and play feathers with her and recently she stood on back legs and was looking up behind table at me on puter and thats a milestone.

I can walk past her lying in long grass if i ignore her cos she believes she cant be seen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Every little thing that they do that they have never done is a milestone and its timeeeeeeeeeeeee, just time 

[Kittybabe (Ruth)]

My Lexy the cuddlebum. I've been adopted by Lexy now for a year and a bit. She walked into my house and hid under a VERY low chest. For a while.

The key with timid cats is that you have to realise that they are timid for a reason. Something has happened in their past that they cannot tell us about. So we have to guess. In year Lexy has come a long way. From running away every time I walked near her to hiding under my bed at the sound of male voices or visitors at the door.

Only yesterday I was getting ready to go out and Lexy jumped on the bed as she usually does now (took her about 10 months to want to do this) and called me. She has never done that before. So I sat on the bed with my back to her and continued applying my make up, and I suddenly felt this brush against my back.

I nearly burst into tears. Lexy has NEVER and I mean NEVER rubbed up against me other than my hand before. She does not rub up against my legs, she would rather hug a spiky door frame than do that. 14 months it took her to do that.

The point I am making here is you have to be patient with your new puddy. Let her make her own decisions about when she is ready to trust you. If she wants to hide, let her. The suggestion of giving her her own space such as one room for now is great. Spend time with her in it, just sit quietly and talk softly to her, read a book out loud, have your cuppa to hand too. Lexy came out the first night I had her home to give my hand a fuss.

My mums cat was similar to Lexy and it took her 3 years. Don't expect her to rush herself. I can guarantee you though, each little milestone you will want to celebrate. Gill can telll you that Sasa still doesn't let Gill pick her up.  It takes time.

You've done well so far, and well done for rescuing her.

Lexy only in the last two months has come to cuddle with me on my bed. See.... it just takes time.

[lilycat]

They should settle down...it's early days yet. It's good that your other cat is still a kitten - there  would be more potential probs if your resident puss was an adult.

Kitten's making himself look all big and bad? Bless 

[felixmcdonald]

The first day i got the older cat i swapped the 2 blankets one from the older cat and the other from the resident kitten the cat didnt respond in anyway but the kitten arched its back after the 3rd day i had them both in the same room ie living room the cat didnt bother with the kitten it was the kitten that had the problem back arching no hissing though usaly the kitten backs away and plays away happily with us the same happens again when the kitten either sees her or walks past her but no problems so far with the 2 of them.
 my house is quite noisie during the day with 3 kids after 6 oclock there all packed away to there beds thats when we bring the older cat down from the bedroom ive only started doing this a few days ago ie the 3rd day of bringing the new cat in. LOL lily exactly that shes like a mini camel with one hump 

[blackcat]

Definitely. I had one who hid behind the sofa for around 3 weeks, then slowly emerged, Commando style as lilycat's cat does. Some cats never quite get the hang of being lap-cats though. My Bob, who was five when I adopted him, had just started coming to grips with it when I acquired another cat which set him back for another five years!! Leave it to the kitten to show the older cat the perks it is missing out on. congrats on taking on such a challenging baby as your first. You're doing' just fine.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

As the others have said it is time and patience and some times a lot of both.

I know that Ruth has a cat that was like this Lexy and I have Sasa who I have had for nearly 2 yrs and I still cat touch her but she is 9 yrs old now and a terrible past.

I would give her her space and do as the others have said. Go intro the room where she hides and sit somewhere and watch tv or read a book outloud so she get used to your vouce.

Once she has got happy in her hiding place and is eating and using her tray, gradually try bringing the food out a few inches every time she has eaten from its current place. You keep moving the food out closer too you as she gets more confident and is eating happily in the previuos place. Once it is in the open and not near you and she is eating then you strt inching it nearer to you so that she starts to associate food with you.

As she sounds very scared this may take months or years but if you are lucky she will start to trust you sooner.

has she met the kitten yet, if not I would allow her to settle before introducing them but you may find that she loves the kitten, you will have to be on your guard though.

Is your house quiet or do you have children, if the latter I would keep thenm away from the scared cat at present cos she really needs some peace on her own to settle.

Good luck and great that you took her in 

[felixmcdonald]

thanks for the replys people sorry i should have mentioned i also have a small kitten about 8 weeks old ,I couldnt resist rehomeing this cat it was either that or she was going to get put to sleep what a waste shes a big Beautiful thing quite intimadateing looking cat for a new owner with her facial features and size .
 I understand about giving new kittens/cats time to settle but in this case if she was already hiding away how would i get her more outgoing as the previous owners had her for a few weeks and she was hiding away with them .So with time she will come round eventualy?

[lilycat]

I agree, you'd probably be best to let her come out and explore in her own time. Even when she does decide to grace you with her presence, you may find that as soon as you acknowledge her - she'll be off hiding again 

Don't worry though, given time she'll come round; to what degree is another matter. Imogen has always been of a nervous disposition and even after 9 years, she won't walk across the living room..she has to traverse it commando stylee  . Hopefully your new addition will be lounging all over you after her settling in period 

Well done you for taking her in 

[Gwen]

I am no expert by all means in this area (I know I have owned cats but never a rescued nervy one) but I'll try and advise you,others on here will definately have a better idea of how to help than me.

For starters THANK YOU for taking this cat on.

Firstly we have to remember shes just lost her owner whos shes been used to for the last year and shes been with a family who eventually have decided they didn't want her,the poor cat doesn't know where she is so obviously shes going to think that your not to be "trusted" yet so she will be weary about giving you any kind of affection.

I have always been told never to look a cat directly in the eye as they will then see you as a threat,leave her come to you (this may take weeks but eventually it will be rewarding) and when she comes near you talk to her but don't go and pick her up,take things slowly by stroking etc but if shes walking around the room don't have direct eye contact with her only if your talking to her have eye contact.  You could try having her come to you for food that I would of thaught would be a good place to get her to trust you (but others will have more experience here than me).

I don't know if anybody would recomend keeping her confined in one room for the time being while she gets used to you,one big house seems a big challenge for her and maybe she needs to be confined to once place first?  This is just an idea,don't try it without somebody else giving you the go ahead.

As for the grooming,I wouldn't worry too much about that yet,you need to get her to trust you first before you do anything like that and tghat could take weeks but please be patient,the poor little thing must be so confused at the moment and needs somebody who is patient and will give her the love and care she deserves

Like I said I am no expert and others will be able to help more I am sure.

All the best and we need pics of her as soon as you can please,we are suckers for pics in this forum

[tab]

I would give her time to come out of her own choice. When I got Mogs she hid behind the settee and stayed there for nearly a week. She came out for food and her tray was in the same room but she didnt really come to me. In fact it was about 6 months before she was confident enough to jump on the arm of my chair for some attention and even now 10 years down the line she wouldnt dream of getting on my knee. She will let me cuddle her no problem so long as her feet are on the floor and she can go away when she wants. She took a long time to teach me that and her method was that when she had had enough attention she would thump me hard and wrap her mouth round my hand which always had me looking for the blood.
Im sure she will be more confident when shes used to a new home
Good luck
love
Tab

[blackcat]

How long have you had her. A nervous cat in a new home is going to be even more nervous. I would be inclined to leave her in her hidey hole and let her come to me (hard I know as you want to make a fuss of your new kitty). But if you are picking her up she will feel vulnerable, and if you poke your face into her hidey hole she will feel threatened which will make her more nervous. Cat body language assumes that full eye contact and bared teeth (normal human body language for hello gorgeous) is actually read by the cat as aggression.

Make sure she has a safe hidey hole, with food and water nearby and access to a litter tray in a sheltered position where she can use it in private, and she will settle down for a few days.

As for the tangles, since you want her to like you, you should probably take her to a vet or a grooming parlout to have them dealt with this time, and make sure you groom her regularly once that is done. Best of luck.

[ccmacey]

I would say that cat is a tabby.

[felixmcdonald]

hi cat people got a slight worry about a cat i just got a 5 days ago it was advertised as a 1 year old longhaired tortuise shell i aint to sure now im new to keeping cats looks the double of this cat here only her nose is more poked out than the one in this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEHQ6RKImv4.
 The previous owner died ,the owners family was going to get her put down so i took her in the previous owners said she hides away quite a lot, i can see what there talking about now as she hides away almost 24/7.Ive been trying to coax her to come out from under the bed ive lifted her to the sofa downstairs but as soon as i sit down with her shell run straight back up the stairs and under the bed tried shutting the doors downstairs so she wouldnt be able to get backup the stairs but she hides behind the sofa.She likes being petted only if shes sitting in her hiding place and not on my lap she will turn on her back and will actualy knock her head on my hand when shes being petted shes not agressive in anyway quite a timid cat although ive noticed shes quite nervous for example if someone walks past her she ll find another hiding place or press wright up agaisnt a corner of the room and when shes walking she ll walk quite low on the floor.Its as if shes gave up on the world what can i do very little interaction from the cat other than being petted any ideas people?
 The hairs quite thick and in some areas shes  matted i was going to try and groom her myself following some tips from that video and some from the net but i dont no if that will make her even more withdrawn as i dont no how she will react to being groomed as i have all the equipment to do it here clippers etc