So I Just Got a Cat...

AndyFromMonday

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Anyways, I have a few questions. How long will the "hiding" phase last? How long will it take for her to get comfortable around me in the sense that she won't run away the second I look at her? I put a flea collar on her and she keeps scratching it, is that normal? Before you ask, I did loosen it up. Is it OK if I leave her alone for a few hours everyday? What's up with toxoplasmosis?

She's 3 months old by the way.

I'd also like to move her litter box and feeding bowls once she adapts to her new home. Will she get upset if I do that?
 

BlumiereBleck

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Chillax brah. The hiding phase lasts maybe about a few weeks, leave food out for her. Is she an indoor cat or outdoor. Keep her litter box in a place where she will go. When she finishes eating put her in the litter box, she will learn to go potty there. Don't keep moving the bowls around, keep them in one place where she can get to easily, cats are independant, they can last quite a few hours alone, so long as they are feed. As for flea collar, probably normal.
 

NorthernStar

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First off, if you're really insecure about something, I'd suggest calling the shelter / breeder where you got her from :)

My first and most important tip would be to be patient. Please, give your cat at least a couple of weeks to allow her to get used to you. It can take from a week up to a month or more for her to truly get used to you and trust you. Give her some space and do not, I repeat, do not, pressure her. It'll come when she's ready for it.

Scratching the collar seems about normal. When I first put a (normal) collar on my cat, he kept scratching it as well. I think they just need to get used to the feeling of something around their necks. Again, if you're unsure, ask a specialist but I'd say keep it on.

If I may ask: where did you get the cat? Because the owner should be able to give you some indications as to her personality. Anyway, whether or not she can be alone depends on her personality, which is why I ask. Some cats are fine with being alone a couple of hours a day while others can't stand to be alone for an hour.

You can move the litter box, but I'd definitely wait for a couple months before you do that. Give her some time to get used to everything and make sure she gets comfortable before you start moving stuff around.

Hope this helps. :)
 

MassiveGeek

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UGH, I want a cat so bad...

Anywho, don't stress her and she'll eventually make herself comfortable. If you have to walk past her or decide to approach her don't stare her down try to just mind your own business so she won't feel threatened. If you're going to attempt to interact with her, sit down a bit away from her and let her come to you.

... Uhuhuhu, I want a fucking cat of my own.
 

smearyllama

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Pussy pics or GTFO

OT: The hiding phase lasts for a little, as she gets used to everything, and follow Skullkid's advice. I don't think moving the box and bowls early on is a good idea, but once she's more settled, it shouldn't be an issue.
And, might I add, don't intimidate her. If she's hiding, just leave her alone and she should come out eventually. Don't try to coax her out.
 

Tesral

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Last time I had a kitten, she only hid under the sofa for a day or so, and 3-4 days later she was perfectly fine.

As for flea collars, either let the cat get used to the collar (all cats hate flea collars) or try an alternative brand or defleaing method.

Kittens require more attention than adult cats but left to their own devices they'll just explore of sleep until you get back, as long as you arent gone for long periods of time (5+ hours?) she should be fine.

Keep the litter tray and food bowls in the same place until the shes finished exploring the house, then try moving them to a more convenient location.

And I have no idea what toxoplasmosis is.

Hope this is of some help.
 

ramboondiea

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she will get a little upset if you keep moving here things, they like consistency, the hiding phase can last a good while, one of the best things todo is ignore her, cats have a tendency to crave attention, so just leave her to her exploring/hiding and eventually she will get bored and come to ya
 

Dags90

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Tesral said:
And I have no idea what toxoplasmosis is.
It's a parasite that can affect cats and humans. It's harmless to cats and most people, it only really matters to women who are trying to conceive and the immunocompromised.

My cat never had a hiding phase, he's always been really sociable.
 

House_Vet

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Basically what skullkid said, as she's 3 months old it'll take her a little longer to get used to stuff, but rest assured, she will. Just take a book or something quiet into a room containing her and just chill with her for a while. If she's never worn a collar before she may well try to get it off for a bit - if she won't wear it, get some 'spot-on' from your vet.

Toxoplasmosis can be a danger (very rarely) if you're a pregnant woman and have never been exposed to it before - but 95-99% of us have so... yeah don't stress - all will be well =).

Cats actually need some solitude in their day, so leaving her for a while is a really good idea. Moving the litter and the bowls is fine, just don't do it every five minutes.

Above all, don't panic - cats are tough!
Good luck!
 

Knight Captain Kerr

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I have an outdoor cat and all he ever does is run away. He isn't really my cat as much as he is a cat that lives outside my house that I feed.
 

Colour Scientist

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I found my cat three months ago, abandoned in a bush on the side of the road and he's four/five months old or so now. He went though the 'hiding and hissing' phase for about three weeks or so. Best advice I can give is to let her come to you, which she will. Forcing her to stay on your lap or what have you will probably scare her and extend the tendency to hide and flee.

Oscar freaked the fuck out the first time I put a collar on him so that's normal too, just make sure that she has enough room.

If you plan on moving the litter tray around, expect accidents. I moved Oscar's tray after a few weeks and for a day or so he still went where the litter tray had been. They care not for your carpet.

It' perfectly okay to leave your cat alone for a few hours, provided that you leave out enough clean water and food to get her through the day ( and something to play with!).
 

anthony87

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My cat actually only took a day or two to get comfortable around me, although my one was only around a month and a half old when it came to my house. Actually, rather than just getting comfortable, I kind of imprinted on him so he treated me as if I was his parent and rarely left my side.

Then he had a heart attack while being nutered against my will.

Shame that was.
 

AndyFromMonday

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NorthernStar said:
I got her at an animal shelter. The thing with the litter box is that I put it in the hall way, near where she hid. I don't think I can keep it there for a few months.

Tesral said:
I could be gone anywhere from two to six hours.

Tesral said:
toxoplasmosis
It's a parasite that infects a lot of animals but seems to have a thing for cats. Usually outdoor and stray cats get it since they eat raw meat. The excrements of infected cats often contain the little buggers.
 

anthony87

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Colour-Scientist said:
anthony87 said:
Then he had a heart attack while being nutered against my will.

Is that common? I'm under the impression I have to give my cat the snip soon.
Well it turns out that my cat had some sort of heart defect that none of us was aware of. This caused him to have a reaction to the anesthetic. Aside from the heart attack, the apparent defect never caused him any trouble in day to day life.
 

poleboy

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How old was the cat when it was taken from its mother? This is extremely important, as kittens who are not taught the proper social and grooming skills early in life can be really, really weird when they grow up. Moving the litter box and food shouldn't be an issue, but make sure the cat knows where the new location is.

And remember, at the end of the day cats generally don't give a shit about you compared to dogs (I'm saying this as a devoted cat person since early childhood), so you have to work a lot harder to make them truly sad, depressed or angry at you. Most stuff apart from pointless physical abuse just slides right off.

Oh, and get it neutered ASAP if you haven't. It's the only semi-responsible way to have a pet, unless it's the kind of pet you just feed when it comes to your door twice a week.

Good luck.
 

NorthernStar

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AndyFromMonday said:
I got her at an animal shelter. The thing with the litter box is that I put it in the hall way, near where she hid. I don't think I can keep it there for a few months.
Call the shelter. They should know something about the cat's personality and should be able to tell you how long you can be gone. I got my cat from a shelter too when he was about 5 months old. He'd been in the shelter for only 3 weeks by then, but they told me he had to be able to go outside and that we couldn't leave too often or he'd suffer from it.


Tesral said:
It's a parasite that infects a lot of animals but seems to have a thing for cats. Usually outdoor and stray cats get it since they eat raw meat. The excrements of infected cats often contain the little buggers.
As far as I know; the parasite is only dangerous for people with a low immune system an pregnant women. If you're not one of those people, you're fine.

Bonus tip: Chip your cat ,that way a vet will be able to see that you're the owner if your cat ever escapes / runs away.
 

Colour Scientist

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anthony87 said:
Well it turns out that my cat had some sort of heart defect that none of us was aware of. This caused him to have a reaction to the anesthetic. Aside from the heart attack, the apparent defect never caused him any trouble in day to day life.
That's so sad.
Maybe I should reconsider...
 

AndyFromMonday

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poleboy said:
Most stuff apart from pointless physical abuse just slides right off.
Is there any way to get her to stop climbing on beds and such or is this just another little quirk I'll have to live with?