Adoption Day Help Needed

[Marcia]

Also, I didn't mention that is is a brand new $13.4 shelter and very nice.

[Jetlaya67]

Aww! She is a darling. She is going to be so much happier with you! My Niska is a sweet girl and loves to be petted but it has to be the way she likes it and where she wants to be petted. If I stray she will give me a warning "nip". She has never hurt me, drawn blood, not even put pressure on my skin. She just wants things a certain way. I don't begrudge her that in the least. It is part of her charm. Your kitty will calm down, now that she is in a stable environment. Congratulations on your new kitty. Enjoy!

[Venusworld21]

Adoption fees at the shelters and rescues around here are $50-75 for cats (usually the same price regardless of sex, size or age) and $75-150 for dogs (also regardless of sex, age or size). Specifically at the shelter run by the city, they have local vets who do $35 surgeries on cats (adoption fee $64) and $45 surgeries on dogs (adoption fee roughly $85). You're lucky to have such a fabulously low cost shelter!

And congratulations on your beautiful new girl!

[spirite]

Congratulations! I'm glad you adopted Lacey - there's something just very appealing about her face.

[Marcia]

I just don't know. Last night I decided to see just HOW uncomfortable she was with being touched in the chin and chest area so I put on a leather glove. She was fine with the overall petting , very affectionate as usual, then I let my gloved hand slip under her chin and chest and imitated a rub. She let in to me good! THANK GOD I had a glove on or I would have gotten a nasty bite.
Scratching a cat under the chin is a natural thing to do for anyone, so I don't think I can live with someone that I have to be on eggshells around. I'll see what happens today, but I may end up taking her back. I spent a week in the hospital on a morphine drip with talk of amputation several years ago because of a nasty cat bite so I am hyper sensitive to being bit. I know taking a cat back for biting is not good - she may not be adoptable again, but it would not be fair to someone else - (kids?) to have her go off on them either.
Can a cat be de-sensitized about something like this? I feel bad, she really is sweet aside from that.
I have until Friday to decide. Any ideas???

[my5kitties]

I'd take her to the vet and have her looked over. Sounds like she could have an injury in that area if she's trying to bite you when you touched her there. Just make sure to warn the vet about her biting.

[britishvixen21]

OUr Boo was the same way when we bought her home. she had been taken in as a stray with an injury to her leg and she went for us everytime we touched her behind when she first came home. She also nipped us at the shelter.

We avoided that area until there was trust on her part for us. I figured that Boo didnt know us from Adam and as far as she was concerned she was being attacked again.

I would give it more time and let the trust build up. We have had Boo 2 months now and she loves her bum being scratched and legs touched. it just took some time thats all.

[Marcia]

I think everything will be just fine. I'm chalking it up to nerves last night. A girl needs her beauty sleep and we had a very trying day yesterday. This morning I donned my leather work gloves and pet her all over: chin, chest, tail, tummy, bottom. When the tail started to swish I stopped the resumed a moment later. Not a reaction at all except bliss. She is quite the sweetie. All she wants is to sit on your lap and be loved. I think I picked a winner....funny face and all. Sunday is day spa day and Tues is well-baby checkup. Usually my vet does not charge for those because it's just a cursory glance. The day spa gives 50% off new adoptions for the first two weeks. The full treatment will cost me $35! I feel like I hit the jackpot!!!

[Carmel]

Some cats aren't going to trust just anyone scratching them certain places, if you know those are trigger areas, avoid them for now. It may take a while for her to be comfortable around you, and you already knew she was a bit of a biter, so you definitely need to give it way more time. Trust is earned. Some cats are never comfortable with people touching certain areas.

Also, a vet visit should be scheduled to make sure she doesn't have any problems (tooth related perhaps?). Blacky has had two or three infections around her chin for whatever reason over the years and needed to go on metacam for a while each time.

Also, while I understand the paranoia of a cat bite, what you went through is very rare. I don't think you could duplicate it if you got a thousand cat bites. Blood poisoning can act fast but if you realise it's happening, know the signs and get some antibiotics from a doctor then you likely won't need to go to the hospital.

[Jetlaya67]

The poor baby is still getting to know you. She probably needs a little more time. Using the gloves for now is a great idea. Once you know her more and her personality becomes more clear it will be better for both of you.