I met Sparky but I can't bring in another cat until I find out what Fay's "in-heat despite being spayed" situation is.
KewlKat posted a great vet article on the situation for me in the "OMG I think Fay is in heat" thread. It looks like she's headed for surgery next time she goes into heat and I can't introduce another cat into the mix right now. Fay is THE BEST CAT IN THE WORLD so she has to get my full attention till we get thru this.
Sparky is going to take A LOT of emotional work. He's terrified of people. It's not the foster moms fault, she's fostering about 5 indoor cats and caring for about 12 more outside basically feral but gorgeous and friendly cats.
Several people are interested in Sparky but after seeing me with him for an hour the foster mom thinks I'm the best adopter. Sparky didn't hiss at me or give a warning bite when I got near him and I could actual stroke his flanks after about an hour and that was a first but he was terrified and breathing very fast.
The Foster Mom just called to push me to take Sparky. She said the shelter has had several calls starting at 8:30 this morning. Because of Fay's situation I backed out. I can't take him in now. He's also a MASSIVELY large cat. He' could knock poor little Fay across the room with his tail.
I don't know how interested people who called about Sparky will be once they talk to the Foster Mom and find out that Spaky has bitten her and drawn blood when she's tried to touch him and they actually see how Sparky acts. Anyone who takes him will have to work very hard and move very slowly to rehad Sparky. It can definitely be done.
I got the Foster Mom(FM) to bring Sparky's buddy cat into the isolation room with us and Sparky play rolled, purred and relaxed some. I think they're wrong to keep him isolated and not bring a cat in when they try to get close to him. I had him relaxed enough to let me touch him without his hissing and when the other cat was in the room and I was lying on the floor facing and petting the other cat so I looked smaller and less threatening FM said Sparky came up behind me to sniff my pant legs and shoes. Unfortunately I don't think FM knows how to destress Sparky and rehab his trust in humans. This was all with the Pommeranian dog barking outside the room. Cutest most personable dog I've seen in a while but not good for Sparky.
Sparky's got a lot of potential but also so much fear in him. Someone probably hurt him when he was living outside a 7-11. Someone did bash his sibling in the head while they were there. I didn't see the sibling because he's even more afraid of humans than Sparky.
Oh, I'm so sorry you aren't going to be able to take him, but you have to do what is right for Fay, as you said, she is your first priority. I've had people upset at me for having Smoke outside instead of letting him inside. But I have the choice of having him outside with a good life, or not having him at all (which in my mind, no one will take as good of care of him as I do) because having him inside is not an option with Samantha. So I do understand the predicament you're in and applaud that you can put your wants aside for now and concentrate on Fay.
oh dave obviously sparky wasnt meant to be yours.
poor fay i know ull take care of her.
i think its amazing ow much of a loving raggie daddy you are. its great.
It's hard to judge people who do rescue in my mind. I am sure he is separated for a reason. Perhaps because he is so shy it may be dangerous for his well being to be around more aggressive cats. Just an idea. Anywho, GOOD LUCK with Fay. She for sure should be your first priority and there will ALWAYS be others who will need a good home.
I am so sorry but I guess God has other plans for you and I am sure there will be another who melts your heart and says I am yours take me home to be your baby too. I also hope Sparky finds someone who is loving to him as he too deserves only the best.
JerziePeach Wrote:It's hard to judge people who do rescue in my mind. I am sure he is separated for a reason. Perhaps because he is so shy it may be dangerous for his well being to be around more aggressive cats. Just an idea. Anywho, GOOD LUCK with Fay. She for sure should be your first priority and there will ALWAYS be others who will need a good home.
Sparky is great with other cats but afraid of humans. As soon as we brought another cat into the room he calmed down, play rolled and started purring. It was after that that I was able to touch him.
They've isolated him on the advice of the head of the local Humane Society. He said he couldn't guarantee it would work but that sometimes when you isolate a feral cat from other cats in a place where it can't hide and approach it slowly it will be eager for contact and can come to trust humans.
The resuer is a good person doing a great job but she's a little overwhelmed. She has 5 indoor cats that's she's fostering and 2 of her own dogs who were great with the cats when I saw them. Maybe just too much for Sparky. His other options aren't great so she agreed to foster him.
She's worked with him and been bitten several times although she said he always hisses first and hasn't drawn blood with a bite in a while. That only happens when you violate his space. He's just terrified of people. I was able to stroke his hind quarters without him hissing but his pupils were massive and he was breathing so fast he was almost panting.
If someone patient works with Sparky I think he'll trust at least his ower. The rescue is looking for a calm home with no children to place him. I just couldn't give him the attention he deserves because Fay is facing some difficult surgery and has had enough stress for a while.
Hmm Sparky is afraid of humans and cats were probably his only comfort while he was mistreated. To isolate him is the stupidest idea ever (not blaming the foster mom who has so many pets to take care of), he won't get any better as long as he is alone... Poor little one... He needs company...
A cat aggressive towards humans won't necessarily be aggressive to cats. I had a cat who was the other way round. He hated cats and attacked them whenever he spotted one but was the sweetest cats with humans and you couldn't have guessed how bad he could be...
I hope he will find the right family and will be happy from there.
Here's something encouraging I found while looking for information about rehabing cats who fear humans.
Some older kittens and adult ferals can be made more tame with lots of patience and consistency. Food is the key to their hearts. Once the cat has gotten used to having you fill the food bowl for it, try hanging out nearby while the cat eats. Sitting on your haunches is good, as the cat is more afraid of you when you are looming over it. Always talk to the cat in a friendly, encouraging voice while you are bringing its food or spending time with it while it eats. You may also win over the cat somewhat with nonthreatening offerings of treats or catnip mice (which should be played with under supervision only, as they have small parts that can come off and be swallowed by the kitty). Leaving something with your smell on it near the food bowl, such as a T-shirt that you wore to exercise class, may also help the keen-scented cat to associate you with food. Eventually you may be able to pet the cat, by petting or scratching him on the rump while he is happily eating. The cat may enjoy your company while he is lounging around, as long as you keep a comfortable distance of a few feet between the two of you. My husband and I were able to tame an extremely frightened feral cat to the point where he comes and meows for his breakfast every morning, comes into our front room every day to play with a favorite toy, and lets me pet him while he is eating. However - this process has taken SEVEN MONTHS! But it has been really rewarding to develop a relationship with this cat who probably never trusted a human before in his life.
UPDATE! August 11, 1998 - Over the last few weeks, I have had another major breakthrough with Scaredy Cat, our pet feral. For some reason, possibly the influence of seeing us petting a tame cat that we adopted, Scaredy Cat decided that not only would he tolerate occasional petting, but that he liked it! Now this "untameable" cat rubs his head into my hands every morning, asking to have his head and cheeks petted, lets me stroke his whole body while he's eating, and will even roll over for tummy rubs. This is not a cat who was ever partially tame - of our four ferals, he was originally the shyest, too afraid to come up on the porch while we put out his food even though the other ferals would. I never expected any type of truly affectionate behavior from him; we were just feeding him and caring for him and talking to him because we felt like he deserved comfort and safety, feral or not. I know that there may be a reversal in his behavior if he feels threatened, for example, when we move him to our new apartment, but I still feel great satisfaction and excitement about this big step he's taken.
UPDATE! September 10, 1998 - Scaredy Cat has made the move with us to a new apartment with flying colors. I picked him up while he was eating breakfast and brought him inside our old place, where he stayed overnight. The day of the move, we loaded up Scaredy and the other two cats into cat carriers and drove them to the new place. We settled Scaredy Cat into the mud room at our new place, a small utility room which has a glass-panelled door separating it from the kitchen. We outfitted the room with Scaredy's food and water bowls, a litter box, and a piece of cat furniture which has a "privacy box" - a carpeted cylindrical box with a round hall that a small cat can crawl into and feel safe.
Scaredy Cat has made the transition well. The first couple of days he was very scared, and would hide in our arms with his face tucked into our elbows, but now he is acting more like his old self. He is still being friendly and accepting, make that demanding, pets. He is getting along well with the other cats and comes out to sit with them, or sometimes they go in the mud room and take a nap on a chair cushion near Scaredy in his hidey-hole. He loves Frankie, and will follow him around to touch noses or rub his body alongside Frankie's. Although at first he wasn't eating much, now he is crunching away at his food and drinking water. The major sign of distress is that he still cries frequently, and paces around unhappily, but can often be soothed with petting, quiet words, or a visit from one of the other cats. We never thought Scaredy would make it as an indoor cat, and we are thrilled.
UPDATE! February 25, 1999 - After 6 months as an indoor cat, Scaredy Cat has become a lap cat! At first he always wanted me to lean over and pet him if I was sitting down. Boy, did my arm get tired! After months of this, he became brave enough to hop on the coffee table and let me pet him while he was at my level. In the last few weeks he has begun climbing into my lap and settling down for a good old-fashioned cat-petting session. He has finally realized what cats have known for centuries - that sitting in laps is good! - and will purr happily in my lap for hours. This is especially gratifying since I had read so often that feral cats over the age of 3 or 4 months were untameable. Scaredy is still shy with my husband, but will now occasionally let my husband pet him, too. I think Scaredy and I are both enjoying his new incarnation as a tame lapcat!
UPDATE! November 21, 1999 - Scaredy Cat has remained a lap cat, although he prefers to sit in my lap when I am the only person home, because he remains very shy with my husband and any houseguests. But if I am watching TV while my husband is out, he will curl up in my lap and present his chin for rubbing, and often even his belly! And he relaxes comfortably on the living room floor near us when my husband is home. You've come a long way, Scaredy!
Oh yes, it can be done. Simon, who I had before the girls was a stray that ran from humans. It was months before I was able to even touch him. To get him to the vet, I had to close him in my garage and mix a tranquilizer in his food and wait for him to get woozy -- that was the first time I ever picked him up, and that was to put in a box to take to the vets. Over the space of about a year we kept making transitions from outdoors to indoors, and he eventually became my soul cat, who was in my lap any time I was sitting, and afraid of no one. I think he new he was "rescued" and appreciated it. He developed in looks and temperament so much like a ragdoll, that when he suddenly died, I only considered getting a ragdoll - hence my two girls.