Expert: Ali - 10/13/2009

Question
we have just taken a cat into our home.  Her previous owner needed to find her a new home because of her children. They have behavioral issues and she was afraid for the cats safety. She's been in our home for 24 hrs and hasn't eaten or used her litter. She has been burrowed under a sofa since we brought her home. I pulled her out to show her the litter tray and food but I'm afraid the challenge may have been perceived as an attack and been counter productive. I held her for a while and pet her and she was shaking and terribly frightened. It breaks my heart. Our home has just 2 adults living there but my grandchildren children visit. Any tips or advice to help my Kitty feel better in her new home would be appreciated. Thanks

Answer
Kelly,Kelly,

Congratulations on your new addition, clearly this kitty's been through a really rough time. I do apologize for the delay in getting back to you, I've spent a considerable amount of time on this answer so I hope that it will help you get this kitty started on the road to rehabilitation. It's obvious to me that you want what's best for this little girl and you're willing to take the time, energy to work with her and help her to regain trust. With any new pet coming into a household it's important to have them medically evaluated by a veterinarian ASAP, given this kitty's history this may turn out to be doubly important. If at all possible I'd suggest dealing with a vet who is willing to make a house call in light of this little girl's previous history. Blood work, a urinalysis and a general physical exam will most likely find any pressing medical issues that would require immediate treatment. Once this kitty is more comfortable with people and being handled then I'd suggest taking her back to the vet for x-rays of her body just in case she's suffered a fracture at the hands of the children in her previous home. Cats are very good at hiding illnesses until things have reached a very serious level and they can be equally as good at hiding serious injuries which is why it's important to have a complete overall picture of this cat's overall physical condition including whether or not she's had any broken bones her previous family wasn't aware of since you mentioned that the children have serious behavioral issues. I am a firm believer that pet parents are responsible for feeding, providing medical care for and properly handling any pet that they bring into their home. This means that pet parents with young children or children with special needs arising from behavioral issues absolutely MUST teach their children how to properly handle any pets within the household and the pets must be protected from abuse or neglect at all costs. I'm not quite sure why this kitty wasn't re-homed long before this point if the previous caregiver's children had serious behavioral issues that the children didn't understand or learn about handling the cat gently and provide appropriate care for her. Honestly, allowing this to continue for any length of time really wasn't beneficial for the cat or the children since the cat now bears the emotional scars caused by her improper handling and treatment and the children obviously haven't grown and learned how to respect and care for their kitty humanely.

Over the years I've seen far too many cats in the state that this little girl is in and it never gets any easier - every time I think that I've seen the worst there is to see in terms of what a human being is willing to do to a vulnerable creature 1/10 or less of their size something more heartbreaking comes along. In this situation there are some great homeopathic remedies that can help facilitate the rehabilitation process if they're given consistently over a period of time. I've used Bach Flower essences for well over 10 years now and they've got some huge advantages over prescription anti-depressants or anti-anxiety medications. Above all homeopathic remedies are gentle, they work gradually, they don't generally have side effects and the biggest selling point for me is that if you happen to administer the wrong remedy or dose the worst that will happen is absolutely nothing in most cases. I would say that there are a few Bach flower remedies that this kitty could benefit substantially from and I've taken the liberty of providing you with a short list of remedies, dosages, basic information about each remedy and what each remedy is specifically intended to do. It is important to note that unlike dogs or other pets cats will not generally voluntarily take conventional or homeopathic medications if you hide them in food, you can however add a dropperful of Rescue Remedy to the kitty's water at least twice daily until she becomes more confident and comfortable. Once the kitty allows you to handle her and enjoys being petted, played with, cuddled and generally being a pet then you can begin administering any further remedies she might need by gently massaging 4-5 drops of a Bach flower remedy into the relatively fur free area of skin in front of her ear, but do be careful because these remedies contain alcohol and may sting if the cat has an ear infection or broken skin around that area. The list of remedies is as follows:

~ Bach's Rescue Remedy: This remedy is a blend of 5 flower essences that are designed to help when a kitty has experienced traumatic events of any description. The flower essences that make up Rescue Remedy include Star of Bethlehem, which helps with trauma and shock, Clematis, this remedy helps to ground the recipient after an acute trauma, Rock Rose is helpful to alleviate panic, Impatiens is a remedy that helps to reduce irritability and tension, Cherry Plum is meant to help prevent the recipient stay in control. Rescue Remedy is fairly well known in comparison to many of the other Bach flower remedies and it's been used by pet parents, holistic veterinarians and even some mainstream vets worldwide for years to help treat traumatized animals and minimize the effect that traumatic event will have on that pet over the long term. Rescue Remedy is a gentle, effective way to help bring your kitty back to a state of balance and help her to be less fearful when she's being handled for any reason.

Over the years I've found Rescue Remedy to be an incredible tool that sometimes produces miraculous outcomes that allow me to help cats overcome their fears more quickly and easily. It has been my experience that administering Rescue Remedy to seriously traumatized cats or kittens can sometimeshasten the bonding process between the kitty and their human family members - I think that your new feline companion could use all the help she can get to overcome her fears and her well placed mistrust of human beings caused by improper treatment in her previous home. Rescue Remedy and other Bach flower remedies are my first choice when it comes to treating fear, anxiety and many other negative emotional states because unlike allopathic medicines which often mask symptoms instead of addressing their cause and effects on the cat's system these remedies allow cats to heal themselves and slowly return to a state of balance. The use of narcotics, sedatives and psychotropic drugs has a place within veterinary medicine, but I do believe that it's best to start off with the least invasive treatments and move to the next level if it's necessary to do so. Even once this kitty has settled into her new home I think it's well worth keeping a small bottle of Rescue Remedy on hand in your kitty's first aid kit to use in the event that something frightening, painful or traumatic happens to this kitty. I can provide information on basic first aid supplies that it's good to have on hand in case of emergency if you're interested. Rescue Remedy is a great way to start off this kitty's rehabilitation since it sounds to me like she's had an incredibly rough ride over the course of her lifetime. I would advise against adding more remedies to this kitty's rehabilitation plan simply to avoid overwhelming her system, however I have included a list of remedies that you might want to consider in the future in the event that the Rescue Remedy alone isn't sufficient to help your feline companion overcome her anxieties. Some other remedies that just might help this kitty's progress include:

~ 1 ~ Mimulus which is intended to treat known fears and works well to help timid animals come out of their shell more quickly.

~ 2 ~ Chamomile is a remedy that helps to calm the emotions and works well with restless or cranky animals.

~ 3 ~ Heather will help to minimize how needy your kitty is. Sometimes during the rehabilitation process traumatized cats can become overly attached to their human caregiver to the point that they'll do their best to try and stay close to the person they feel has saved them.

~ 4 ~ Honeysuckle can help traumatized, abused, neglected or otherwise improperly handled cats move forward and leave their past behind. If your kitty doesn't seem to respond to the Rescue Remedy this remedy in combination with chamomile and mimulus should help to change things substantially. In situations where you administer two or three different remedies I'd suggest that you put a dropperful of each remedy into the cat's water dish 2-3 times daily if she won't allow you to handle her. If your kitty progresses to the point where she's clearly very interested in you and she wants you to massage 4-5 drops of each remedy into the skin on her ear flaps until they've been completely absorbed, this is the faster, more effective way to give these remedies.

~ 5 ~ Chicory will help to alleviate separation anxiety, clinginess or possessiveness. These issues often crop up with cats who have been abused, neglected, abandoned or traumatized. Separation anxiety seems to be referred to more as a dog problem, but I've seen it quite frequently in rescue kitties with rough histories. A traumatized kitty who has become comfortable enough in his/her new home to become attached to his/her human caregivers may develop serious anxiety that manifests itself in behaviors like excessive vocalization (meowing, moaning), stealing items from dirty laundry that smell like you (my youngest cat's favorites were dirty socks and underwear and I wondered why they seemed to be disappearing at an alarming rate) or even destroying personal posessions as a way to reduce the surge of anxiety and adrenaline that go along with being fearful.

My youngest cat Kizmit is an interesting example of a kitty with an awful background who developed severe separation anxiety after being rescued and learning about the finer feline comforts in life. Kizmit came into our family when she was only 8-9 weeks old. She was absolutely filthy, extremely emaciated and she was suffering from distemper neuropathy which manifests itself in kittens whose mother contracts distemper while she's pregnant or nursing her babies and to top it all off Kizmit had evidence of head trauma severe enough to cause a concussion. On top of all of the physical issues it quickly became evident that Kizmit didn't understand how to play, her social development was dramatically delayed and overall she was in need of careful medical observation, plenty of good food, patience, TLC and more TLC. Once Kizmit learned about wonderful things like kitty teases she was thrilled to say the least, sadly her happiness wasn't complete, she quickly became incredibly fearful of losing the source of her comfort. see me - I couldn't even close the shower curtain when I showered or she'd moan and cry like her world was ending. When I had Kizzy spayed she actually cried from the moment I disappeared from view after placing her in the hospital cage until she was sedated for surgery, after surgery she began crying non-stop until I went to pick her up. While my husband talked to the girls at the front desk about Kizmit's surgery the technician brought her out to me kennel and all. Upon seeing me Kizmit still didn't stop crying until I picked her up and held her close to me.

~ 6 ~ Elm helps to foster optimism which a kitty like yours will need along the way.

~ 7 ~ Gentian is a remedy that is meant to restore hope, sometimes abused/traumatized cats lose hope which makes rehabilitating them a challenge. This remedy helps the kitty to see the world differently so that it's not so overwhelming.

~ 8 ~ Gorse can be helpful for kitties that feel hopeless and it's also great for very demanding cats, it helps them to become more secure so they're less demanding of attention, time, etc.

~ 9 ~ Larch can help to restore self confidence in a cat, this is especially important in traumatized cats.

~ 10 ~ Pine is a remedy that's useful for cats who have been abused, particularly if they cringe when you try to handle them.

~ 11 ~ Sweet Chestnut is great for cats that have been subjected to severe abuse, neglect and psychological trauma.

~ 12 ~ Walnut is for kitties that are overly sensitive to their environment, this can happen as a result of abuse or other traumatic incidents.

This list of remedies is not necessarily an indication of what your kitty will need, it's intended as a guide for remedies that might be helpful as the rehabilitation process continues. There's a good chance that you may not need very many remedies for this kitty - the Rescue Remedy alone may be sufficient. You can find Rescue Remedy and other Bach flower remedies at health food stores, naturopathic pharmacies, some mainstream pharmacies sell these remedies in the aisle where vitamins and other nutritional supplements are displayed and failing that you can purchase these remedies online.

It's very important to be patient, rehabilitating an abused, traumatized cat won't happen overnight, it's a process that's going to require time, patience, plenty of love and loads of attention. There is no specific time estimate that I can give for when this kitty will begin to trust, every cat is an individual, they've each had their own experiences and their personalities and psychological makeup will determine how this kitty's rehabilitation process will go and how long it will take. I have to commend you - it really is quite brave to take on a traumatized cat when you haven't got much experience in the area and I will do absolutely everything I can to pass along information, make solid, humane recommendations about handling and caring for this kitty. Please feel free to send my any questions that you might have during this process, after all the main goal is to help this little girl on her journey to being a happier, healthier cat, overcome her past and become more comfortable with people in general. Given the situation that your new feline companion came from I have to be honest with you - it's quite possible that she'll never be comfortable with children which may mean that you'll need to reduce her stress levels by confining her to a "safe" room (your bedroom will do nicely) with the usual feline comforts when your grandchildren come to visit. As time goes by and your grandchildren get older you may find that the kitty is less fearful and she'll become more confident about the fact that she's safe in your home. If your kitty does start to become more comfortable with children it's crucial that you do not leave her unsupervised, a traumatized kitty (even one that's been essentially rehabilitated) is much more likely to assume that there is a threat to his/her safety and adopt a defensive stance that may include scratching or biting in an effort to provide an opportunity to escape.

Beyond administering Rescue Remedy it's important to help this kitty feel less overwhelmed. The easiest way to do this is to set her up in a quiet room with food, water, a cozy place to sleep (she probably won't want to spend much time on top of furniture at the moment, it will take some time before she's comfortable and confident enough to allow herself to be that vulnerable), a few toys and special hiding places. I find that setting up abused, neglected or traumatized feline additions to our household in our bedroom works well because they have a chance to become accustomed to the sights, sounds, smells and household routines in a non threatening environment. For kitties coming from situations with people that have left them fearful allowing them a chance to inspect you in such a way that they feel relatively safe is very important. This little girl might find that she's got more courage to check her human family members out when they're sleeping and this allows her to build trust because it's clear to her that you're willing to be vulnerable with her - sort of a kitty see, kitty do kind of process.  This approach will allow your cat to feel a bit safer, it takes far less time to become familiar with one room than it does to cope with an entire home. At this stage in the game it's important to understand that although this kitty has had a very rough start in life he's safe now. It doesn't do the cat any favors if you focus on what may have happened to him at the hands of other human beings in the past. Your kitty is safe now, she will be provided for, rehabilitated and she's already living in a loving permanent home, the bad things that happened to her are in the past, she wants to move on so it's important to allow her to do that by not focusing on prior traumatic events.

You need to be as calm as possible when performing basic daily care including cleaning the litter pan and providing fresh food and water each day in this kitty's safe room. A good plan at this stage in kitty's rehabilitation would be to prepare yourself before going into the safe room, visualize the results you'd like to see for this cat's future and don't allow excitement, empathy, sadness or negativity to influence your state of mind. Rehabilitation for this cat is going to be a fairly long process that will require patience, commitment and consistency, but the bottom line is that it is possible to help this cat to live a more normal life. I would recommend that you avoid touching this cat (when possible), giving any eye contact or talking to the cat for the time being. At the present time this cat hasn't had much in the way of positive experiences when it comes to human beings touching her. She's learned through experience that people will do things to hurt/scare her. It took some time for the cat to be socialized in this way in her previous home so it stands to reason that it will take some time to unlearn the fear based behaviors that ultimately saved her life. The goal of the way that I rehabilitate abused and traumatized cats is to be patient and allow the cat to seek out attention from me on his/her own terms. I realize that taking a passive approach can sometimes be a bit frustrating so I would encourage you to consider writing a journal describing your kitty's behavior and demeanor each day. Over time you'll be able to look back on the rehabilitation process and it will be easy to see just how far this cat has come.

Speaking to the cat isn't going to be helpful at this stage because it will provide her with another source of unnecessary stimulation when she's already overloaded with her fears. Unfortunately if the cat was physically abused it's quite likely that she was also yelled at. Cats can be quite vocal, but when they are frightened having someone talk to them can actually cause more fear which goes against what you're trying to achieve. Over time this cat will begin to relax and you'll start seeing signs that she's becoming more comfortable with you. As the rehabilitation process moves forward you'll be able to gradually start speaking to the cat. Once the cat has become comfortable enough with you that she no longer shuts down, shakes or freezes up when there isn't anywhere to hide you can begin working on getting her comfortable with being spoken to.

Food rewards are a fantastic way of reinforcing behaviors that you want to see from your cat. You should choose foods that are normally considered to be special treats so that your cat understands that he's being rewarded. Choosing a food reward is all about finding out what an individual cat prefers, some cats enjoy commercially made cat treats, most enjoy tuna, salmon or sardines packed in water. Other common favorites include chicken, lamb or beef - you could also give this kitty a tablespoon or so of unsweetened, organic plain yogurt. The majority of cats are lactose intolerant from around 12 weeks of age, however yogurt and cheese contain beneficial bacteria that are normally found within a healthy digestive tract and the lactose in these items is pre-digested so it doesn't usually cause digestive upsets. If you do plan to give this kitty cheese I'd recommend a serving no larger than a teaspoon because cheese can cause constipation, another tip to consider - most cats really enjoy old cheddar and it contains enzymes that can help to discourage the formation of plaque and tartar on their teeth.

At this stage much of the rehabilitation process is going to be about sitting patiently while waiting for the cat's innate curious nature to resurface. Eventually this cat won't be able to help herself because the way that you've handled her is completely different from how other human beings and she will want to investigate further. The cat will show you when she's ready to be handled, many cats have actually gone so far as to stick their heads underneath my hand or rub up against me repeatedly. Once this happens you'll want to slowly, gently and calmly return the scratches and pets while keeping movements to a minimum. You will want to pet this cat from below her head rather than above to build her confidence. When the cat has learned that she can trust you it will be time to allow her limited access to the rest of the house so that she becomes comfortable and begins to trust you regardless of where you are in the house. Over time it's not a bad idea to have some cat loving friends of different ages, sexes, races and body types come to your home (one at a time at least initially) to help this kitty learn that you aren't the only kind human being in the world. It's certainly important to let you know that there will be times when you see set backs at different stages of the rehabilitation process, when this happens you should go back to a previous step where the cat was comfortable and try the new experiences again in a few days. Once the cat is comfortable with different people, noises and experiences I'd recommend that you start working with this kitty so that she's okay when it's time for her to go to the vet. From the beginning of this cat's rehabilitation it's best if you keep the travel kennel out and accessible to her so that when she must see a vet the kennel isn't unfamiliar to her. You can prepare this kitty for a vet exam by doing some gentle basics like looking into her eyes, ears, mouth and running your hands over her body once she trusts you and other people and she's comfortable and confident with being handled.

At this point it's probably best for this kitty if you take a step back and let her come to you. I've found that this approach works best when dealing with fearful, anxious, abused or traumatized cats since they feel that they've been given some control over the process and that they can get to know you and bond with you when they're ready to do so. By housing this kitty in your bedroom you'll give her a chance to come out and explore her surroundings at night when you're sleeping and she's less likely to view you as a threat. You can also help to speed the process along by spending some quiet time with your new feline friend several times throughout any given day (2-3 times will work, however in this case the more time you can spend with her the more quickly she'll start to trust again). Although your first inclination is going to be to try and comfort this kitty at this stage of the game it's best if you pretend that she doesn't exist, it will help her to feel more secure. Have you ever noticed how cats seem attracted to people who don't like cats? This is because people who aren't fond of cats don't tend to make eye contact with them which is considered a polite way to introduce yourself in the feline world. In the human world eye contact is a very important part of how we communicate with each other, however in a cat's world direct eye contact can perceived as a gesture of dominance (really what you want to avoid in this case) or a threat (which could cause her to strike out defensively or retreat further into her shell as a form or self preservation).

When you do spend time with this kitty I'd recommend bringing along a crossword puzzle, book or other project that will require your attention, thus alleviating some of your kitty's anxiety and for a loving cat caregiver it's easier to ignore the kitty when you're doing something else. This exercise is something that any responsible adult living in your household can take part in, this allows the cat to learn that all of the humans in her new home can be trusted rather than having her bond exclusively with one person. I've found that bringing in a plate with a serving of especially tempting feline favorites like tuna, salmon/sardines packed in water or a high quality meat/broth baby food can sometimes encourage a fearful kitty to come out of hiding. I'd suggest that you place the plate of food within comfortable reaching distance of yourself while you're seated on the floor as this will help to encourage the cat to come closer to you while she's rewarded with a special treat and she learns that you're not going to hurt her. Although it will be tempting to be overjoyed when the kitty finally makes her move and starts to eat her treat it's crucial that you keep things calm, if you want to say something then a quiet, "good girl" will suffice - you don't want to have her take a step forward and be frightened by your joyful reaction. Taking food in your presence is an important indication that things are starting to turn around for this kitty - a fearful animal will not take food in the presence of people, but in the case of a traumatized kitty you'll need to let her gradually build her confidence to the point that she comes to you for attention. It's best not to make the first move, I've found that bringing the treat plate closer (once she's consistently eating from it in your presence) will allow your kitty to get more comfortable with the idea of getting close to people. Often times a major milestone in a cat's rehabilitation is when they start seeking out your affection - they'll do this by rubbing against you or even demanding attention by finding their way between you and your book, crossword, etc. Again this is something that you'll be super excited about when it happens, but try to keep things as calm and understated as possible to avoid frightening your kitty. Over time she'll start coming out when you enter the room (or you'll notice she spends her time sleeping on the bed instead of under it) and she'll start actively seeking human attention - this is when you can start the process of showing her affection and teaching her that she doesn't have any reason to fear human hands, voices or movements.

When it comes to baby food I'd suggest that you consider making your own chicken/turkey puree with cooked organic turkey/chicken and homemade turkey/chicken broth OR you can pick up Mother Hen meat purees (chicken, turkey, beef or lamb are household favorites) - you can find this line of baby food at Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacies in the baby section, they're not shelf stable so they're stored in a small freezer. With your typical shelf stable meat/broth baby food you'll generally pay somewhere around 2 dollars Canadian for a single jar, with Mother Hen baby food you get 6 individual sealed cups for roughly 8 dollars and the meat tends to be higher quality with less junk in it than the shelf stable varieties. Whichever option you choose when it comes to meat/broth baby food it's important to read the ingredient list thoroughly - cats can't have onions, garlic or spices and since they're obligate carnivores it's best to avoid the meat/veggie or stew type baby foods, they don't need that much vegetable matter in their diet on any kind of a regular basis (although baby food sweet potatoes or squash or pure canned pumpkin given in small quantities will help to alleviate constipation).

Any traumatized kitty should have the opportunity to get some of their anxieties out in a safe, productive manner through play, exercise and entertainment. You may want to invest in some kitty teases, these are excellent toys for traumatized kitties because they can play with the toy while they're far enough away from their human caregiver to feel safe. Toys for independent play are also important, for kitties like this I suggest going with small, non threatening toys like little mice or small foam balls - keep the toys small, quiet and simple, you can build on them later when this kitty's more confident. Many cats alleviate muscle tension and anxiety by exercising their claws on furniture, scratch pads, posts or mats. Contrary to popular belief cats aren't actually sharpening their claws when they scratch furniture, carpets, scratch posts, mats or pads, in fact the behavior is more of a territorial thing. For cats the very act of "sharpening" is about scent marking, stretching the muscles in their shoulders, backs and legs. Even if this kitty is declawed she will likely continue to "sharpen" her claws, provided of course that the surgery isn't causing her to have arthritis pain or the feline equivalent to phantom limb pain, some cats experience lifelong discomfort in their paws after being declawed which is why it's generally best for everyone if the cat is simply provided with appropriate materials to scratch and conditioned to use them instead of other furniture and surfaces that may be damaged or destroyed by kitty's claws. I do NOT recommend declawing for any reason beyond a rare medical condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (aka Rubber Kitten Syndrome) which causes the skin to be very stretchy and weak leading to serious wounds when the kitty scratches an itch.

Declawing a cat is such a painful procedure that the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has set out extensive guidelines for ensuring that the cat has adequate pain relief during and after surgery. The AVMA recommends that veterinarians declawing cats administer a long acting narcotic pain reliever once the cat's been sedated for surgery, it's also recommended that veterinarians administer a four point nerve block on each of the cat's paws before performing the actual procedure this is in an attempt to reduce the significant pain caused by this procedure in the immediate post operative period. Veterinarians wanting to ensure that their feline patients don't suffer unbearable pain after they've been taken home to recover send along powerful long acting narcotics such as Fentanyl in the form of a patch to be replaced at specific times recommended by the vet. If your kitty was declawed and she wasn't send home with pain medication to administer by mouth or patch that could contribute to her anxiety, my theory is that cats often suffer something similar to phantom limb pain in people after being declawed.

To declaw a cat isn't a simple task and there are serious risks associated with this surgery. People often compare declawing a cat to amputating our fingers at the first joint, but it's just not that simple. Human beings don't use their fingers in the same way that cats do and we don't retract our fingertips. Declaw surgery is extremely painful for the cat and it can have lasting psychological, physical and behavioral problems associated with it. The actual surgery involves amputating the cat's digits, tendons, ligaments and soft tissues at the first joint. If any tissue or bone beyond the first joint is still present it can cause a painful abscess and require the veterinarian to anesthetize the cat again and perform a second surgery in an attempt to correct the first improperly performed operation.

Some cats undergo drastic personality changes after being declawed as a direct result of the pain caused by the surgery. It's well known that declawed cats are more likely to bite than cats that have their claws and that's dangerous in a household with elderly family members or small children. Cats are normally quite polite when they express their displeasure at being handled improperly or bothered. The signs that a cat's annoyed are progressive, there's often a change in body posture and they may flick their tail about - if the subtle messages aren't understood a cat will increase the intensity of the warning by swatting at the person or pet that's disturbing them with sheathed claws. If the cat's wish to be left alone still isn't clear s/he will progress to lightly scratching the person or pet that's upsetting him/her. Cats don't usually bite as a means of defending themselves but if they've been declawed it seems to leave them feeling more insecure and vulnerable which often means that they are more likely to bite someone. Sadly declawed cats are often abused, abandoned, admitted to animal shelters or euthanized because they've developed inappropriate behaviors and human family members are concerned that their cat is going to hurt someone.

Cats use their claws for a variety of purposes. Many people believe that cats sharpen their claws, this is actually a myth - when they claw a scratch post or piece of furniture they're exercising their shoulder and back muscles, stretching their body out and marking the area with their unique scent because cats have scent glands located in their paws, and head. Scent glands are also present on either side of a cat's rectum, that allows other cats who find the droppings to learn about the cat that left them, their age, reproductive status, gender, diet and health problems. Most cats will play with toys using their front paws to bat the toy around so that they can chase it. I've had some amazing experiences with cats who haven't been declawed - there's nothing quite as powerful as a cat using a paw with carefully sheathed claws to gently touch your hand or face as a gesture of love. I'm more than willing to answer any questions or address any concerns that you may have, so please don't be afraid to contact me again, I'll do my best to help you solve the issues that you're having with your kitten. It's important to bear in mind that cats are very good at hiding illness, injury or pain so often times pet parents aren't aware of how serious their cat's illness, injury or pain is until things have reached a crisis point.

Your kitty may feel most comfortable if she's being fed under the bed or behind a partially closed closet door since that would allow her to reduce the amount of stimulation she's getting and an anxious cat shouldn't be overstimulated. If at all possible I'd suggest creating little hiding places for your little girl so that she feels safer during the time she's getting to know her new human family. Simple things like closed cardboard boxes lined with blankets with a small entrance cut into the box can be great, inexpensive ways to help your kitty feel more secure. It's not uncommon for cats who have been traumatized to find their own hiding places, but providing some by making them at home or leaving the door to your closet ajar will make them more comfortable. At this point I'd strongly suggest that this kitty isn't handled by kids, right now she's obviously not feeling very secure with people in general and if children were a significant part of the reason for this kitty's overall trauma she may not be able to cope with her fear which could lead to her striking out defensively or she may withdraw further into her shell.

You may find that seeking the assistance of a holistic veterinarian (a vet trained in conventional medicine as well as one or more alternative therapies such as homeopathy, acupuncture, Reiki or massage to name a few options) will help to reduce your cat's anxiety levels. My vet is a fantastic holistic veterinarian who uses homeopathy and conventional medicine in her practice and I've seen some amazing results with the homeopathic remedies both on their own and in combination with conventional treatments. In my opinion a holistic approach is helpful for any cat, but it's even more important when a cat has become very fearful as a result of improper handling, abuse, neglect or other traumatic incidents. Ultimately it's up to you which discipline you seek out if you decide to try alternative treatments, I'm most familiar with homeopathy though.

Good nutrition is extremely important to ensure the health of any pet that you adopt. Many people are put off by the cost of pet foods sold in pet supply stores. Sadly not all expensive foods are high quality and there really isn't much in the way of legislation preventing the pet food manufacturers from making the ingredients of their brand of food sound more appealing to the pet parent who ultimately becomes the consumer. Most of the foods that are out on the market are less than nutritious and just like humans cats require a steady diet of high quality, healthy food to be healthy and strong. It may be tempting to give in to the ease of purchasing pet food at the grocery store along with the regular grocery order, however I can't recommend that in good conscience. I have a somewhat disturbing article on pet food safety that I've included in other answers, I can send it to you directly if you like or you can feel free to look it up in my previous answers. The Menu Foods scare claimed the lives of many pets and caused serious long term health problems for countless others. My oldest cat actually developed renal failure as a result of eating contaminated food. My faith in the pet food industry was already shaky, but it crumbled when I realized that my baby girl almost lost her life because of the food that I was feeding her, even though it was supposedly a high quality name brand of food routinely recommended by veterinarians. Luckily my kitty has regained her health and she no longer requires ongoing care for her kidneys - she eats a high quality diet prepared by me in addition to high quality cat foods like Wellness and Spot's Stew.

I came to a point where I really wasn't sure that I trusted mainstream pet food manufacturers anymore, I still don't to be completely honest. When I explained my concerns to my family veterinarian she recommended that I check out a website called catinfo.org, this site was written by a veterinarian and contains interesting information on proper diet for cats. If you aren't comfortable with the idea of feeding the diet described on this website I would recommend that you seriously consider feeding one of two brands of holistic food made with human grade ingredients. Wellness is a company that recommends their food be fed as a wet/dry combination which can get a bit expensive, however the more water in a cat's diet the healthier they will be when it comes to preventing issues like stones or crystals in their urinary tracts. I personally feed a high quality, holistic pet food called Spot's Stew which was manufactured by Halo. I have had great results with this food and my vet was impressed at the quality of the ingredients found in this food, this company sells treats, supplements, canned food and several formulas of dry food. If you would like to research your cat's nutritional needs then starting off at catinfo.org is a good plan.

I did happen to notice when I came to answer your question that you're in Canada, I am too. I would be more than willing to offer help and support with this cat's rehabilitation on this site for as long as you'd like. In the event that the site tells you that you've asked too many follow ups you can just start over again by returning to the expert menu and asking a new question. If I knew the general area that you're writing from I'd be more than happy to try and help you to find a good holistic vet - if you live in my area I may be able to recommend you to my vet, she's fabulous and I've seen her accomplish some pretty amazing things with a combination of homeopathy and conventional medicine.

Cats enjoy having a high place to watch the world from. Some cats will pick places like the top of the fridge or a high shelf. I generally recommend investing in a fair sized cat tree, it allows the kitty to go up to a height that he feels safe at and he can watch the world go by. Generally decent quality cat trees range in price from about $200-500+ depending on the level of customization you want, this is one area that you don't want to compromise on because if your kitty climbs on the cat tree or "sharpens" on it and the whole thing comes tumbling down she'll never use it again. Right now concentrating on letting this little girl settle into her new home and making sure that she has a clean bill of health are priorities. If you have any further questions, concerns or you'd like me to clarify anything in this answer please feel free to contact me again and I will do my best to help you out.