Cat Talk

[Robeson]

I need some advice. We rescued a cat about a year ago on a house I was working on. She was half ferel. We brought her indoors, and have kept her inside since. She loves us, and is sweet, but does not like to be picked up. As said, she's still half ferel. She still doesn't totally trust us H-u-m-a-n-s. Don't get me wrong, she loves us and follows us around the house like a puppy dog. But she wants her space.

Thats the background. Anyway, its time to take her to the vet for her yearly checkup - being a year since we got her, and the last time we took her - however, last time we tried to put her in a carrier, and since shes half wild, she went crazy, cut her face and nose up trying to get out, and even crapped herself. I don't want to traumitize her, and the vet said they could make a house call for the check up. Should we take her in - obviously it would be cheaper to do this - or have them make a housecall. Any advice!!

[helnwhls]

1. I had a cat that hated the cage

I ended up putting a towel in my lap. She would crawl in my lap. I would swaddled her tightly in the towel and my SO drove us to the vet.

To get her over it I left the cage out in my bedroom for what must have been 1 full year. The door was always opened and I would toss in a little nip when I remembered. I would also toss toys in there. I put a sweater that I had been wearing in the cage as padding. She never learned to love it, but at least it stopped being a terror to her.

[Robeson]

4. Thanks for your comments

After a full year of having her, she still won't let us hold her for any period of time and won't get in our laps. She was really almost ferel. But she is sweet, and follows us everywhere. She just does not want to be held our picked up. She does love to get petted. I don't think she trusts humans, and she is missing two bottom teeth, that the vet said looked knocked out, no doubt by humans when she was by herself in the wild. She's a tough nut to crack.

[KT2000]

9. Wow - I have one like that too

She was a stray that I took in about a year ago. She doesn't like to be held or sit on my lap yet she does seem to like me and living here. She had a cracked tooth and something else that would indicate she was kicked so she probably doesn't totally trust humans either.

When I took her to the vet when I first got her, our first attempt was somewhat like yours only I was the one that was bleeding. She ran off and I had to cancel the appointment. I kept the cage out so she could get used to it. Then when I put her into it, I put the cage on end so I could drop her into the doorway feet first. We were in a room where she couldn't hide or run away - and I moved quickly so she didn't exactly know what was going on.

She is used to it now but I still do the whole routine because she would still make a break for it.

Good luck to you.

PS - It does seem that the young female who has experienced the wild hangs on to their independent streak more fiercely.

[Robeson]

10. Yeah, it sounds like you went through a lot of....

....the same things we did. When we first got her - or rather, when we had to capture her - thats how we had to get her in the cage. We had to have it edge on end, and her back feet first. Winter was coming on, and I knew if I didn't capture her, she would die in the cold. Even though she's alot ferel, I think she knows we saved her life.

We do love our cats, don't we! :)

[KT2000]

11. Sure do love 'em! n/t

[Fridays Child]

2. The vet should be able to prescribe a mild kitty downer/relaxant...

...for the occasion.

[Robeson]

5. Thanks, I'll need to think about that, it never occurred to me.

[Gelliebeans]

3. If you aren't opposed to using a vet prescribed tranqulizer

you might consider that but I would probably pay the extra myself and have the vet make the housecall if I could eek out the money.

[Robeson]

6. I'm going to give that tranqulizer some thought....thanks

[Gelliebeans]

7. just thought of something

vet might be able to prescribe it in a plunger syringe so you wouldn't have to "pill her" and you could just lift her scruff and get it into her and leave for the vet quickly

[Robeson]

8. Good advice, I'll ask the vet about that

Thanks :)