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First try at fostering a kitten and could use some advice.?
Please, let me say that I have had cats for 25 years, but this is the first time I have attempted fostering one. Saturday I was at Recycled Critter Rescue inside Petsmart (where I have previously adopted two well adjusted female cats) and the lady there, who knows me asked if I was willing to try. I decided I would.
The kitty I am fostering (if I don't decide to keep her) is a Seal-point Siamese, approximately two and a half months old. She has been spayed and is recovering nicely. She also has an eye infection which I am treating with medicine twice a day as ordered. That's easy and she doesn't even fuss too much.
Right now she is in the guest room downstairs, where I can: 1-keep an eye on her, 2-find her quickly to doctor her eye and 3-for now moniter her litter box use and food intake, etc.
My concern is right now she is so shy! She hides from me, even when I come downstairs to see her (as in she hasn't tried to rush the door yet) Yet when I do find her, and drag her out from under the dresser, she seems happy to be held, and purrs when I pet her -- loves having her belly rubbed, etc. but she is still shy -- This is most of the reason I have her -- I am supposed to be socializing her, both with humans and other cats. When should I start that? I am a bit concerned about trying to introduce her to my other cats (I have four) all at once. I'm afraid she will go into hiding in the house somewhere, freak out, and I won't be able to find her. Should I keep her in the spare room for a while and see if she loosens up a bit first? Start bringing her upstairs around the other cats? Bring one cat at a time into see her with the door closed? They know she is there, because they follow me downstairs when I am go to the guest room and wait outside the door. I know it hasn't been too long yet, but I want to do this right. Any advice and or answers would be appreciated.
2 Answers
- 1 decade agoFavorite Answer
I have 4 cats, and when we adopted Chloe and JoJo, the hardest part was introducing the cats to each other. Chloe and JoJo were twin brother and sister and we adopted them at the same time. Gilbert and Theo were also adopted at the same time and weren't too crazy about having two new cats in the house.
We ended up quarentining Chloe and Jo Jo in the extra bathroom which ended up being a good thing because Chloe ended up having an upper respiratory infection that was contagious. After she recovered they had to stay separated for another 2 weeks or so while the other two cats looked under the door, pawed under the door, and adjusted to the change slowly.
Finally after about 3 weeks, we opened the door and let them all meet. There was some growling and hissing, but that all subsided in a few days. Some ran and hid, but they came out in their own time and adjusted to the change.
Since your baby has an infection of the eye, it is good they are all separated. Work on the people socialization while you are treating her eye. I wonder if putting a towel with the other cats scent under her food bowl would help her get used to their smells, and then do the same for the other cats...put a towel with her scent under their food bowls. Then they will associate her scent with only good things like food. I bet that would work and make your introductions much easier!
I hope I helped!
- 1 decade ago
I was in a similar situation and found that it helped when I made a cat carrier a safe place for the kitten to go. When she was afraid she would hide in there and she still sleeps in it at night. I could move the carrier into whatever room I was in with other cats around and she would feel safe inside and the others could smell her and interact with her from the outside. The other cats never tried to enter the carrier (maybe because they have only used it to get taken to the Vet) and the kitten was free to venture out when she wanted but retreat when she was scared.
I got her used to it by placing her some really good food inside.