Cat experts! Help needed (update on abandoned cat)

[alexis_the_tiny]

I think the cat will be fine. If he's been stressed by the last 24 hours (certainly sounds like it), he probably wants a safe space where the resident cat and dog can't get to him. If you have a room to spare, put him in there with food, water and his litter box and close the door. He'll eat when he's ready and cats pretty much understand what a little box is for. You should only worry if he refuses to touch a single scrap of food for more than 48 hours, in which case, take him to the vet. Otherwise, he'll be just fine.

Its so great that you took him in, enjoy your new cat! =D

[lph]

Aw, he's a real cutie :-) You're great for taking him in! I agree that he's probably stressed with being in a strange place and with enforced contact with strange animals, so he probably isn't using a litterbox the way he otherwise would. If you have a smallish room he can have as his own for a day or two, preferably with no carpets or soft furniture and a "shiny" hard floor, he'll probably choose the litterbox when left to himself. I've "homed" cats in a bathroom with success.

He shouldn't be drinking excessively for too long, though.

[Aggie_Ama]

My cat had some issues using a litter box when I got her from the pound. She was declawed so I can't imagine her previous owner didn't litter box train her but she was year old and had no interest peeing in the box. I took 4 months of trying and trying, finally we figured out she would use Swheat Scoop Litter. It has no smell unlike the pine so maybe that is why she finally started using it? She seemed to despise the pine litter, recycled newspaper type and the clay types as well. She also seemed to take to having a larger box but not one of those hooded ones. I agree his biggest worry might be stress right now. Good luck with your new addition and you are a wonderful person for taking him in!

[badger]

good point about the lid-less box, aggie.

If a cat's been having to fend for himself and was in a crate and stressed, I'd imagine the last place he'd want to go and relieve himself is in a shape similar to a crate. But I'm assuming the box has a lid. Is he in a room by himself with the litterbox? that might help initially in getting him to use it.

Is he your new house mate?

[nancielle]

Is he your new house mate?

I think we may have a new tenant here He's been trailing behind me all day that I think "Shadow" is looking like an appropriate name.

There's no lid on the litter box. There's "evidence" that he did use it. He does have a room to himself. Since the door is glass he can see/smell us but not have to worry about an inquisitive dog or a peeved cat.

He's eating a bit and sleeping a lot. Maybe his over anxious caretaker just needs to take a chill pill and let him breathe.

[indysteel]

He looks like a pretty cat. It's so good of you to give him a home. I don't have any advice; I just wanted to wish you good luck. Keep us posted (with pics).

[artifactos]

Two things I noted from your posts about this cat: he is very underweight and he drinks a lot. Those COULD be signs that he is diabetic - you may want to have a vet check for that. I had a barn cat that developed diabetes as he aged, and he suddenly lost a TON of weight, drank constantly (and ate a ton, but puked a lot of it back up), and peed a lot. He didn't respond well to insulin injections and had to be put down.

Edit: I'm not sure these points apply anymore, since he looks pretty healthy in that picture, but I figured I would leave the note anyway. I might not be comprehending very well, either, after a long and tiring weekend.

Otherwise, he's a cutie and I hope he gets along with your pets soon! Good for you for looking out for him!

[smilingcat]

Hi Nancielle,

Shadow just needs time to adjust to his new life. Going from being scared, out on the street, scrounging food, standing up to a truly feral cats, to being kept in a house with food is traumatizing. Not to mention the Vet visit, a dog in the house and your resident kitty.

The best thing you can do for him is after 3 or 4 days start spending sometime in his room. Maybe 5 minutes then gradually move up to 15 minutes. I would take a book in there and just read to pass the time. Let him be. When he feels comfortable with you, he will come out and sniff you. Later he will make an eye contact with you... Some cats will adjust quicker than others. Some will take 3 month to adjust. This is one time when you have to let the cat adjust at his own pace and you can't rush. If you rush, he is going to withdraw and will take much longer time to adjust. Patience!!

Your resident cat and Shadow will hiss at each other for a while. You need to let them work things out to a point. Last thing you want is either one to get hurt. So if it gets serious, you will need to separate them.

Shadow and your dog will work things out. It may be easier than working things out with your resident cat.

I think this is all the information you really need. If you are worried, concerned, or have questions, please feel free to contact me.

Smilingcat

[jezbael]

Drinking a lot, and peeing where he shouldn't be could also be a sign that he's ill. Kidneys or diabetes. Cats naturally will use a litter box unless there's something wrong. The something wrong is *usually* because of the litter box (lots of great suggestions about types of litter, boxes here)... also sometimes placement (they like privacy).

[VeloVT]

He is beautiful! And I'm not even a cat person. I have no advice, but wish you both well .

[bmccasland]

Nancielle,
Hope your new kitty is settling in. I wound up buying Dr. Esley's Cat Attract kitty litter for one of my litter finicky kitties. Now I use "precious cat" (also a Dr. Esley product) - both of which were recommended on some other thread here on TE. There's also a bottle of the attract herb stuff you can sprinkle on your existing litter.

Maybe as things settle down, your new friend will feel more at home, nice and secure. It didn't take very long for the semi-feral kitty that I adopted to figure out that meals were served regularily, my only problem was that he liked it better outside, and wanted me to join him out there, no matter what the weather.

[nancielle]

Thanks again for all your comments & suggestions.

I think the fact that despite taking in Brat Cat (aka Hunter aka Widget), who was a known entity to me prior to my taking him in, I'm still pretty cat illiterate. The TNR program who helped me with Shadow had noted that he didn't use the litter box when he stayed at a volunteer's place the night before surgery (Thursday), nor when he got back to the volunteer's place after surgery (Friday night). He had peed on her floors Friday night and Saturday morning. He peed in his carrier on the way back to me (and soiled it on our way home GAK! ) Then peed in the room I set him up in (Thank goodness for Nature's Miracle. If only it were available in handy vat sizes ).

He's set up in my front room. The bathroom has been Hunter's refuge since he moved in so I didn't want to disrupt that and possibly get him spraying again in protest (took months to break that behavior.) Shadow has his litterbox, food and water in there. My computer is also there so I can be online and there are enough "safe spaces" in there where Chloe (dog) can't reach him.

Shadow's picture doesn't really show how skinny he is. If he were to brush up against you or you were to look down at him you can see his spine and ribs. Hunter was underweight when I took him in but not like this. I've got an appointment to bring him to my vet. I will say this, for the small donation they requested of me, the vet that the TNR group used for the neutering did a lot for him (neutering, worming, Feline Leukemia test, FIV test, rabies vac, and a few other things). But I know they brough in a bunch of ferals to be spayed/neutered and there's only so much that can be asked of them.

He's had several stressful days on top of being on the street for so long. I will hang back and let him breathe and sort out his new surroundings. I'm off this week so I can keep an eye on him for any trouble and help him to acclimate. He's asleep in the window behind my computer right now.

Thanks again for all your comments and suggestions. I really appreciate the time you took to respond.

[alexis_the_tiny]

There's an old trick of using soiled cat litter in a litter box to let the cat know what exactly the box is for. Of course, you'd want to use his own pee and poop to soil the litter in the box. Its a bit disgusting but you can try it out and see whether it works. Maybe he's just not sure what the litter box is for.

[Owlie]

He's a lovely looking cat, and I'm not really a cat person. Hopefully he and your other cat start getting along and he settles in.

[bcipam]

One of the recent issues of Cat Fancy discussed problems with litter boxes. I have been lucky but apparently there are a million reasons cats won't use a box. It is a cat's natural instinct to bury pee and poo so if a source is offered, they should figure it out. CF recommended a large litter box (so the cat is not cramped) - like a sweater storage container, lots of litter to dig in and someplace where the cat feels safe. If the cat feels it can be cornered, it may not use the box. I actually have a cover on my litter box but I've turned the entrace away from sight from people and the cat can look out the sliding glass door but no where can get behind him when he digs. Of course there is the issue of having clean fresh litter (which most cats prefer) and litter that is not irritating. Also make sure to properly clean up spillage with Nature's Remedy or something like that. If the cat smells the pee on the floor he may continue to use that spot.

Thanks for taking him in - it's a good thing you do!