Stress in cats

[Helena]

As everyone has said try and bond as much as you can with this cat, even if you don't have the energy at times to play just rest your hand on Bubz or by Bubz.   When stroking her try and stroke along side her  mouth and around her ears near all the scent glands.   Talk as much as possible to Bubz so she gets used to your voice.     

With the PA try and get them to fuss as much as possible with Bubz so Bubz gets used to their scent and voice.    For now try and keep any loud shouting or sudden movements to a minimum, especially so the PA.
I am a firm believer in Rescue Remedy and personally have not found the Feliway diffuser to work for my lot but I have heard wonderful things about it and its worked for other people so using both won't do any harm at all.

If Bubz is a nervous cat it will take time and effort but you will be rewarded in time.
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Bubz is very amenable to beng made a fuss of - even if it is on her terms, and she's teaching me where she likes being stroked, and its hard to actually spook her. She's very tolerant of my awkward movements which I appreciate a lot.

The only thing she hates (apart from a vacuum) is being in the dark on her own, so she sleeps in my room. She was found in a garage and I guess that's why.

She has, to an extent, modified her day/night cycle to match mine so she only gets impatient at 7.20a.m on the dot! That said, come 2.15 p.m she doesnt want to know me till about 5pm!

Helen

[Helena]

Sorry, I just checked - her username is Rebecca (Beccaviola)

Just pm'd her, thanks Mark

[MrsR]

As everyone has said try and bond as much as you can with this cat, even if you don't have the energy at times to play just rest your hand on Bubz or by Bubz.   When stroking her try and stroke along side her  mouth and around her ears near all the scent glands.   Talk as much as possible to Bubz so she gets used to your voice.     

With the PA try and get them to fuss as much as possible with Bubz so Bubz gets used to their scent and voice.    For now try and keep any loud shouting or sudden movements to a minimum, especially so the PA.

I am a firm believer in Rescue Remedy and personally have not found the Feliway diffuser to work for my lot but I have heard wonderful things about it and its worked for other people so using both won't do any harm at all.

If Bubz is a nervous cat it will take time and effort but you will be rewarded in time.

Yes cats do get used to strangers but it takes time and it does to a certain extent need to be them  who decide the time is now right but with a little human help along the way it can be done.  3 of mine were terrified of everything, 1 even being semi feral but they are all lap cats now - it just takes time, patience and effort.

[Mark]

Sorry, I just checked - her username is Rebecca (Beccaviola)

[Helena]

Helen, not sure what PAs are? - are they people that assist you at home? - If so, Beccaviola has them too but not sure if they change. She is a mod but hasn't been on for a while as she has been very poorly but if you PM her, she might be able to give you some tips.

Beccaviola is no longer a registered user I tried to PM her but the system didnt recognise her user name.

Helen

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I agree with bc and he needs to know you as his special human. Once that bond has been firmly cemented then he will need to learn that these strangers that come and go are not scarey but part time friends to be sucked up to for special things 

[blackcat]

I think you do need to focus on getting Bubz attached to you as her main human, because if she started to bond to the last PA then the loss of that person from her life would cause difficulties. If you ensure that the next PA is aware that this is a new cat and one you have not yet built up a relationship with, then I am sure you can negotiate a solution. I expect that making a fuss of your cat is their way of establishing a relationship with you, but it is important that they undrestand the early and fragile nature of your bond with your cat and the way in which that will benefit you also. So if you can encourage them to be nice to the cat without being overly friendly that would be good for the cat and also for you. Hope that helps a bit. In the mean time, accept that Bubz developed a relationship with the last PA and some rescue remedy may help her past that.

[Mark]

Maybe Becca could advise then. From personal experience, over time cats get used to strangers. When I moved here, I opened a B&B and my cats got used to strangers in & out all the time - I closed it recently and they are a lot more chilled 

[Helena]

I'm living with Cerebral Palsy (CP) which, in my case, means that I need personal & physical help with a lot of things so my PAs (Personal Assisstants) help with all my physical needs & Bubz' too tho' I'm trying to get Bubz to come to me not my PA. Mostly it works........

[Mark]

Helen, not sure what PAs are? - are they people that assist you at home? - If so, Beccaviola has them too but not sure if they change. She is a mod but hasn't been on for a while as she has been very poorly but if you PM her, she might be able to give you some tips.

I know some people recommend a few drops of rescue remedy in drinking water (others say it doesn't do anything)

Feliway plug-ins help some cats but not all - the cheapest place is VetUK online but If you link through one of the rescues on here, they get 5% commission 

They are £14.62 at the moment with free P&P (My mum's vet wanted to charge her about £35.00  ) - they are the cheapest for Cystaid & Cystease as well 
I noticed they recommend to use a Feliway plugin in conjuction with cystease for stress.

[Helena]

I have PAs living with me 24/7 and they change on a 2-weekly basis normally. I've had one handover since Bubz came into my life and am looking at another tomorrow. The first one left Bubz confused and a little wound up: any ideas how to de-stress her?