Bringing Home a Rescue and have some ?s

I used to foster cats and kittens, so I have gone through my fair share of the "getting-used-to-the-new-house" stage.  Personally, I wouldnt bother with feliway unless Peppa has trouble settling.  If she is already in a foster home, rather than coming directly from a shelter, she likely will settle in your home quite easily. 

Let her take things at her own pace, let her come to you rather than you always going to her.  Sit in a room with her and talk to her.  She'll figure out in her own time that you are someone worth her time

I used to foster cats and kittens, so I have gone through my fair share of the "getting-used-to-the-new-house" stage.  Personally, I wouldnt bother with feliway unless Peppa has trouble settling.  If she is already in a foster home, rather than coming directly from a shelter, she likely will settle in your home quite easily. 

Let her take things at her own pace, let her come to you rather than you always going to her.  Sit in a room with her and talk to her.  She'll figure out in her own time that you are someone worth her time

Thank you for this!
I will try to do that. Bring the radio in the box room on Saturday and browse the web with her

I'm nodding my head at Mirrajays advice..... In my experience I think the Feliway would have been more useful for me  I was always more anxious than the cats I have adopted! They seemed to just come inside, make a comfy place somewhere and relax.

Naturally, the first few hours and days are going to be stressful for the pud so just let him/her 'be', but I would say, if you are anything like me, you will be the one ending up being the anxious one whilst kitty purs away on the sofa lol   

So the lovely Ms Peppa is now home with us... Shes sitting in our box room, adjusting. We put her food and water down and she took to it right away.. Just letting her settle by herself for a bit until I wander back in.



Shes had a busy day... Trip to the vet for her vaccinations, then from Doncaster to Sheffield. She also met my friend Sarah, who was over at the time of kittys arrival.

Yay! 
What a cutie! And she is eating and drinking straight away, a good sign. I'm sure she will settle in no time

Yay! 
What a cutie! And she is eating and drinking straight away, a good sign. I'm sure she will settle in no time

Shes out of her room (I went to sit with her, and she was clawing to get out, so we did) and just been allowed in the kitchen, living room and the boxed room..

Shes had some catnip as i had to rub it on the scratching post since she went for both settees (which now have aluminum foil wrapped their corners) to scratch.. I know shes trying to make her home, but yet.. I think we need to weigh down the post and put a rubber grip along the bottom as shes able to push it about with some ease...

At the moment shes been watching from the top of the stairs

Aww, pats and chin scratches to Peppa.  BTW, if you decide she's definitely an indoor cat, you might consider getting her nails trimmed from time to time (I would never advise to have them removed  ) Some people manage to do the trimming themselves with the right nippers.

She's adorable! Reminds me of a cat we had when I was growing up.    I would also suggest looking for scratchers that lay on the ground, rather than the stand up kind. My cats loved them, even the one that was declawed.    When my cat was scratching the corner of the sofa, I stuck one of the stand up scratchers in that corner to deter her from it. It definitely worked. I also trim my cat's nails myself. It's not that hard, but it does take a level of trust between me and the cat. She didn't always like it, but she's totally cool with it now. I lay her on her back in my lap and I just cut off the sharp tips.

Thanks guys
Shes settling in okay, still scratching... Ive tried to encourage her to use the post, but shes still a bit hesitant. I've rubbed cat nip over the entire thing and luring her to it with some treats, so maybe slowly but surely she may want to use it.. We're using a squirt bottle, but I dont want her to feel scared of me either (she runs back up to the box room and pouts for a bit)

I've order some anti-scratch tape, but says its not good on anti-stain treated furniture (which is what we have) Im just hoping it sticks to ours 

The scratching is undoubtedly a territorial thing -- so must mean she's feeling at home!

The scratching is undoubtedly a territorial thing -- so must mean she's feeling at home!

This is very true.. Shes pretty easy going.. Today she let me put a collar on her and she hasnt taken it off (she was on Sunday) so baby steps I guess. I need to get her a tag, as shes getting keen to take a peek out the front door. Going out is still a week or two away, so I want to be prepared if she does get loose.

I want to try to trim her nails, but my OH isnt having any of it.. It will be a two person job, so I do need his help..

Today she let me put a collar on her and she hasnt taken it off (she was on Sunday) so baby steps I guess. I need to get her a tag, as shes getting keen to take a peek out the front door. Going out is still a week or two away, so I want to be prepared if she does get loose.

Make certain if you are going to let her out that you have a break-away color on her so she won't end up trapped (and possibly strangled) somewhere. Also make sure that her info from her microchip is upto date with the agency who the rescue people have it set up with. That will help a lot if she goes MIA or anything!
*better safe than sorry!*

It sounds like you're doing fine with Peppa, who looks like a lovely DSH Tuxedo.  I've got a mom and her 5, 10-month-old kittens fostering with me right now, and own several squirt bottles.  I've got a couple of them to where they'll stop any misbehavior when they hear me shaking the squirt bottle. 

I've had more success with a calming collar than I did with Feliway diffusers.  There are also things like calming chewables, Rescue Remedy and other homeopathic "chill out" solutions that can be put into their water.  However, I wouldn't use them unless Peppa shows signs of anxiety. 

Thank you for adopting!  You not only helped Peppa, you made a spot in the rescue for another cat in need. 

Make certain if you are going to let her out that you have a break-away color on her so she won't end up trapped (and possibly strangled) somewhere. Also make sure that her info from her microchip is upto date with the agency who the rescue people have it set up with. That will help a lot if she goes MIA or anything!
*better safe than sorry!*

Well, she was only chipped today (its odd as shes 5 and was never chipped or fixed - though the rescue had her fixed) so now shes up to date, so if she accidentally gets out at least someone can take her to the vet and contact us. We bought her a safety collar but it only lasted 18 hours (it was coated in cat nip) and she took it off. Ideally we will like her to wear one, as if she likes to be out and about we'd want to use a flap and she has to have one with a lock as we have about 6 cats in the area.

It sounds like you're doing fine with Peppa, who looks like a lovely DSH Tuxedo.  I've got a mom and her 5, 10-month-old kittens fostering with me right now, and own several squirt bottles.  I've got a couple of them to where they'll stop any misbehavior when they hear me shaking the squirt bottle.  

I've had more success with a calming collar than I did with Feliway diffusers.  There are also things like calming chewables, Rescue Remedy and other homeopathic "chill out" solutions that can be put into their water.  However, I wouldn't use them unless Peppa shows signs of anxiety.  

Thank you for adopting!  You not only helped Peppa, you made a spot in the rescue for another cat in need.  

Peppa is at the point that I just have to pull the trigger back and she runs away.. I just hate doing it, because I want her to know this IS her home as well, just dont want my couches ruined. I bought some double sided sticky tape, but as the couches have an anti stain treatment on them, the tape doesnt stick as well as it should..

She scratches at kitchen floor mat (this is okay) so I'm thinking we should get her a flat one, maybe made of cardboard as she cant really grasp how to use the pole we originally bought...

And thanks. I'm a big believer in rescuing an animal over paying hundreds dollars/pounds for one from a breeder.. Just because shes not perfect to someone else, doesnt mean shes not perfect for me.

Maxwell loves old cardboard boxes for scratching/chewing -- prefers them to designated scratching devices!