Author Topic: A New Acquisition.  (Read 8847 times)

Palustris

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A New Acquisition.
« on: November 26, 2014, 12:11:35 »
About 10 weeks ago my wife came back from her afternoon walk down our lane and said that she could hear a bird making a strange cat like noise up a tree. For some reason I did not go on my usual morning walk the following day. She heard the same noise the following night.  I then walked down the lane on the Saturday morning and heard a cat like noise in a tree. Obviously I stopped and looked. Peering out of the branches, at head height was a pair of bright blue eyes. They belonged to a  tiny kitten. When I tried to get hold of it, it climbed further up the tree. All the time it was crying piteously. So, I walked the mile home and got some cat food and drove back in the car. As soon as I held out the food, the kitten walked on to my hand for it.
I wrapped it up in a cloth and brought it home. It went straight to our cat's water bowl and drank.  Then it went and sat on my wife's lap. Now our two cats have to have special food as they have urinary tract problems. This food is not suitable for kittens. So, we had to go to our neighbours along the road and borrow some suitable cat food for it.

The field where I found the kitten was being harvested so there was the possibility that there might have been other kittens in the field and that they had been caught by the combine harvester. I went back down the lane and searched the hedgerow, no more kittens. So whether this one had been abandoned on its own or with a family I do not know.
She was obviously not feral as she was far too hand friendly. We have had a feral kitten before who just could not be handled for weeks, until it got used to us.
From her size, blue eyes and weight (760 grams) we reckon she was no more than 6 weeks old.

Since then she has caused a few problems. She took some time to learn to use a litter tray and still has a tendency to go elsewhere at times. She also will not let our two neutered 5 year old males settle. She bounces up to them and leaps on them and instead of beating her up, they run away. So, of course she chases them.

There is a problem with food. They are not allowed to eat hers and theirs is not good for her. She insists on pinching their food and of course they insist on trying hers.

She also had tapeworms so we had to get some special kitten de-worming tablets from the Vets. Fortunately I have no problem getting tablets in cats.
She also bites. She turns from being a purring bundle to a vicious scratching, biting monster in an instance. No idea why that is, except that it is possibly because she was taken from her mother at a too young age and had not been taught manners, the way a mother cat will. She will learn.

We decided to call her Jemma, short for Jemimah Piddleduck, because of her urinary habits.
Since then she has gained some weight, (!.97 grams now) and has had the first part of the injections against 'Flu. Parvo and Leukaemia.

At the moment she is sitting on top of the PC which can be a problem as she has been known to stand on the Off button.
She also likes to sleep on top of the fridge.

Gardening is the great leveller.

Paulines7

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Re: A New Acquisition.
« Reply #1 on: November 26, 2014, 12:32:59 »
What a sweetie!  How lovely that she gets on with your other two cats. 

One of our cats tended to ignore the litter tray a few times when he was a kitten but he has grown out of it now.  Hopefully Jemimah Piddleduck will do the same. 

Borlotti

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Re: A New Acquisition.
« Reply #2 on: November 26, 2014, 13:14:46 »
So cute. Lucky kitten to have found a good home.

Jayb

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Re: A New Acquisition.
« Reply #3 on: November 26, 2014, 13:29:36 »
She is beautiful, what a lucky girl you were there to rescue her  :happy7:
Love her eye liner and highlights!
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sparrow

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Re: A New Acquisition.
« Reply #4 on: November 26, 2014, 15:30:47 »
She's gorgeous, lucky you - and her!

Palustris

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Re: A New Acquisition.
« Reply #5 on: November 26, 2014, 15:51:29 »
The trouble is that she does NOT get on with the other cats. Or I should say they do not get on with her. She attacks them as soon as they come in. They hiss and spit and growl at her, but she persists. She will not let them settle to sleep or to eat. We were hoping that they would really put her in her place, but Bill, the bigger of the two is a gentle giant. He just runs away. Ben is the dominant animal and she is less likely to harass him, but even so she has just evicted him from his favourite armchair. We now have to let them in and settle, then close the living room door so she cannot get at them. That way, at least they get some peace.
We are hoping that once she has been neutered and can go out, that she will tire herself out in the garden and come in and fall asleep rather than rushing round the house like a mad thing. If not, then CPL here she comes.
Gardening is the great leveller.

Obelixx

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Re: A New Acquisition.
« Reply #6 on: November 26, 2014, 16:43:08 »
She's lovely Palustris and very lucky to have been found by you.  I hope she does settle down and start to treat the others with respect.   She's young yet but should calm down.

The abandoned cat we adopted a few years ago took 2 years to start to trust us and does now come for cuddles but, like yours, will suddnely turn from a purring, soppy bundle to a very cross, biting, scratchy fireball.   She has trust issues which I doubt will ever really fade as she was 5 or 6 years old when we found her, had had several batches of kittens and tey found polycystic ovaries when I took her to be neutered.   Since then she's had two ops for mammary cancers but at least she doesn't attack vets any more.

She doesn't approve of our two rescue dogs so lives upstairs except for occasional sorties into the garden when they're not looking.
Obxx - Vendée France

galina

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Re: A New Acquisition.
« Reply #7 on: November 27, 2014, 09:50:20 »
She looks lovely - great photos too.  Looks like she misses her mum and is looking to your other cats for substitutes.  Typical young one - never stops pestering.  Hope she will settle down.   :wave:

goodlife

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Re: A New Acquisition.
« Reply #8 on: November 27, 2014, 13:59:43 »
Awwww....how lovely...and wonderful effort from you too to take this 'beast' on too.. :tongue3: :icon_cheers:
Sounds like it has learned from early on to manage on her own...hence having 'temper' issues. I don't have no doubt it will all settle down once it truly feels she is in HER home now.. it is still all so new for her...

pumkinlover

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Re: A New Acquisition.
« Reply #9 on: December 23, 2014, 21:02:14 »
Just caught up with this one . How is it going now?

Palustris

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Re: A New Acquisition.
« Reply #10 on: December 24, 2014, 08:37:22 »
Still as bad with the other two, the fighting is now claws out and vicious. Think we will probably take her to the CPL when she has been neutered. She will need re-homing in a single cat household we think.
Gardening is the great leveller.

BarriedaleNick

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Re: A New Acquisition.
« Reply #11 on: December 24, 2014, 09:02:12 »
Have you tried feliway.  It does seem to help calm cats down and get them over stress periods. 
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galina

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Re: A New Acquisition.
« Reply #12 on: December 24, 2014, 10:50:49 »
Still as bad with the other two, the fighting is now claws out and vicious. Think we will probably take her to the CPL when she has been neutered. She will need re-homing in a single cat household we think.

That's a pity, but better for all in the long run.  Not an easy decision after all the time and care you have already given. 

Paulines7

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Re: A New Acquisition.
« Reply #13 on: December 24, 2014, 11:03:35 »
I am sure with those looks the CPL will not have difficulty finding her a new home. 

Palustris

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Re: A New Acquisition.
« Reply #14 on: February 28, 2015, 21:02:12 »
Jemma has spent the last 10 days wearing an E-collar as she was neutered. Today she had the stitches out, so she can now go outside. We shall see what happens before making any decisions about her future.

Can I really go out?

Well here goes nothing.

A giant leap for cat kind.

What are you doing out here?

This is my part of the world, now go in!
Jemma came in then and has not tried outside again.........There is always tomorrow.
Gardening is the great leveller.

goodlife

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Re: A New Acquisition.
« Reply #15 on: March 01, 2015, 10:17:29 »
Aww..and she looks such a sweetie pie..butter would not melt in her mouth..
Neutering can make big change to her behaviour....hormones do funny things to us all... :angel11:
I'm glad that you have so much patience with her and take it as far as possible to get her accommodated.. :icon_thumleft:

Palustris

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Re: A New Acquisition.
« Reply #16 on: March 01, 2015, 11:47:43 »
So far today, she has just sat on the back door step and looked out. Had to shut the door now though, the temperature has dropped dramatically.
Gardening is the great leveller.

 

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