Hello,
Please excuse the long post, but just wanted to get everything down.
Billy, 7 years old Ragdoll, ex-stud kept in a pen in the garden, arrived here with Zarny end of July. Initially quite a wary scaredy cat, especially in comparison with Zarny (however she was a hand rear, so possibly settled in more quickly). Zarny is his ex partner so to speak and the father of most of her kittens. Neutered shortly before we got him.
After various communications due to vet visits and details needed it has emerged that he was considered so laid back, he was often placed in with other entire neutered males during his stud career, which I doubt has helped his confidence!
They get on well, and when they first arrived seemed very bonded, I think as Zarny is more people focused she is a bit more independent from him now.
We are still in the process of him adapting to the home environment, at first he was terrified of the TV, but this has calmed down somewhat. Gradually improved with us though, and a bit of a morning routine developed when I could get a 5 minute cuddle before breakfast time, get a lovely purr out of him every morning. Could very much cuddle on his terms, but quite regularly. Very playful, and almost seems to forget himself when he plays. Always quite wary of OH though.
We started having problems with him urinating outside of trays which we went to the vets for, at the beginning of September. The only physical symptom was a couple of mouth ulcers (he was then tested for Calici Virus and came back clear, the only cause being stress). Metacam for a few days and back to keeping him in one room.
Gradually allowed more access to the flat but again the peeing problems started up (and when they flare up badly he will not use a tray at all). Back to the vets and he was tested for cystitis – came back as non-specific inflammation, no signs of infection, so again, stress. Back to keeping him in one room.
He was kept in one room throughout November, briefly allowed access to one corridor in December and starting peeing again, back to the vets and given comicalm (sp?) anti-depressants to put him to help with his stress levels.
However, this is when it gets tricky. He is very picky with his food so hiding the tablets is no good, we have tried webbox sticks (he now won’t eat any webbox sticks as he doesn’t trust them). Cheese, corned beef, ham, chicken, tuna, catnip, (he won’t eat dreamies). We then have to force them down him, but he is a nightmare to pill! He is so very strong and so hates the pills and us. We called the vets in despair and were told to wrap him in a blanket to pill him, this is still a real struggle. A glimmer of hope offered in the form of a putty, developed for hiding pills, especially alluring to cats….nope…not having any of it.
One nightmare evening trying to pill him, everything went everywhere, OH’s leg scratched up badly and he is terrified of us! I can no longer get my morning hugs at all!
Our current plan is, giving up! We are leaving him un-pilled to see if we can build up our relationship again and will be telling the vets. The only good sign is that even through all this stress he still used the tray fine.
What have we missed? Are there any tips and tricks we should try?
We currently have feliway (plug in and spray) (pet remedy didn’t help)
Multiple resources in multiple locations (as much as possible within the limits of one room)
Beaphar weekly calming spot on applied
Food consists partly of royal canin ragdoll mixed with royal canin calm (they took some persuading to eat the calm).
Multiple trays (we have found he prefers covered and really likes his cupboard litter tray)
Daily play sessions to build on his confidence.
I had a teeny tiny purr for about 20 seconds this morning, but nowhere near what we had before this
pilling nightmare! OH has started saying are we doing the best by him? Can we offer him the home he needs? Which is heart breaking to hear but said very much with Billy's quality of life in mind (although I don't think we are anywhere near that, I am much more hopeful!)
Are we being bad cat guardians by not continuing with the pills?
Have ordered a Vicky Halls book online to brush up on my behavioural knowledge, but are there any other books anyone would recommend?
Well done for making it through this looooong thread and thank you for any help!
Jen, Billy and Zarny.
