need help with shelter cat, keeping us up at night & bites unexpectantly...

[Elektra]

You think I should just force it onto him? I mean I know I have to eventually, but he's so new and it might not help the bonding process.

[GingerZ]

My husband and I recently adopted an adult cat from the shelter. The first night we kept her in the bathroom and she meowed nonstop. She was also reaching under the door and scratching the carpet, which is something that will not fly in this (rented) house. I grabbed some heavy boxes and put them in front of the door so she couldn't get her paw underneath, and this had the unexpected effect of making her be completely quiet. What we've discovered is that if she can see light or movement under the door, she will meow, but if there's nothing to see, she's quiet. We moved her to a much bigger bedroom down the hall away from our bedroom (my husband has allergies too so she doesn't sleep with us) and now she goes to bed at night like a champ.

Also, as hard as it is to sleep with the meowing at night, I try really hard not to go check on her or socialize with her when she's meowing. To me it's a little like a puppy crying at night. If you go try to soothe the puppy, all you do is train it that crying gets it what it wants, which is attention.

I don't know if this will work for you, but your shelter kitty sounds a lot like mine, so I thought I would share.

[Elektra]

I did some reading here and someone suggested putting a vacuum in front of the bedroom door, connecting it in the bedroom ( so leading the cable under the door), turning it on, plugging it off and when the cat comes to meow and scratch plug it in with the door shut and the vacuum in front of it.

It worked, I only plugged it in ONCE and he didn't come back meowing or scratching again.

Else wise he seems normal, he's not running away from us so I think he clearly associates the vacuum with the door/action he did and not with us. Also no potty accidents or damage, and no new pulled out hair on the floor that I could see.

For the grooming I'll buy a handling glove and then it's combing time

Thanks everyone! Now he just needs to get used to our pre-schooler who loves him a bit much

[GeorgesMom]

Originally Posted by Elektra

You think I should just force it onto him? I mean I know I have to eventually, but he's so new and it might not help the bonding process.

Well, there's "force" and then there's "force."

repeating for emphasis

Just be patient but firm, kind but insistent. Don't expect to be able to thoroughly groom the whole cat the first time.

Comb little bits at a time, alternating between places the cat likes to be combed (chin, ruff, neck) and places the cat does not. Do a small area of tummy and then back to the chin, then back to the tummy...etc.

However, if the matt is bad enough that it is pulling the skin and irritating (imagine having a section of your hair pulled 24/7!), it needs to come off. Now. You may have to call in reinforcements and be insistent but do not allow it to be too much of a bad thing.

This might be a job for a pro. If his tummy is really matted, take him to the vet and have them knock him out and do it (you can do a bonus tooth cleaning if he's old enough to need this). It is possible for groomers/vets to forcibly scruff/hold down a cat and do it while they're awake, but if you do that they will ALWAYS associate tummy grooming with trauma so I especially don't recommend it for new adoptees.

The other thing NOT to do is scruff a cat and force grooming on them while they fight like H#LL, then immediately throw the cat down/let it get away and run off the second you are done. Grooming should always start and end with combing an area the cat likes to be combed. When you put down the comb sit holding the kitty for a second or 2 before you calmly Put Him Down on the floor (don't let him get the idea he escaped or he will never stop trying to do it again). Bonus kiss on the top of the head, etc.

[Elektra]

Got the zoom groom and he tolerated it...of course my daughter was giving him treats. Didn't try to bite, just turned his head every now and then. We're seeing the vet Monday anyway and I'll ask about his stomach because it actually looks a bit hairless at the bottom, like he's pulling it. Since it's going well with the treats I'll try to cut the lock tomorrow. Thanks everyone

[ChelleBelle]

I was about to say, I bribe my girls with treats. When I tried to teach them grooming (they both bit the brush) I'd start slow with back and tail and then treat them. Leave it alone for the day. I'd work up to grooming the entire body after a few sessions a week over the period of a couple weeks. Always watching their body language to read if they had had enough and back off then give them a treat so it ended on a positive note.

'Chelle

[doodlebug]

Be very, very careful when cutting mats off a cat. Their skin tents easily and it's very easy to not realize that there's skin in the path of the scissors. I always insert a metal comb at the base of the mat and cut on the top side. This way the comb is always between the scissors and the skin preventing any accidents.