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Expert: - 10/24/2011


Question
hi i have a problem with my new female brown marbled bengal.
i just got her home last night.
she is extremely frightened and has immedietly ran and hid behind my fish tank.
she is a 3 year old pedigree and has spent every day of her life in an outdoor enclosure with other bengal cats.
it has now been 24 hours and she hasnt ate drank or done the toilet.
i have tried to just leave her but i am getting really worried. have you any suggestions?
thanks very much
Dean

Answer
Dean,

Is she spayed?  If not, it would be a good idea to have her spayed!

Cats are very territorial and tend to be more connected with place.  Whenever a cat moves to a new home it can be very traumatic.  She will have to adjust at her own pace.  My experience has been that the best thing to do in these situations is what you are doing.  Leave her alone.

In time she will come out of her shell. In fact, ignore her.  Provide her with food and drink and leave her to her own devices.  Otherwise do not approach her. Let her approach you. Cats do better if they think it is their idea to warm up to you.

Also. does she have access to high places to perch, for example the top of a bookcase. Cats love high places and she will do better if she can walk around various places in the house above human eye level.

Finally, 24 hours is very little time for a cat to adjust, so give it a few more days to a week or two.

Please let me know how she does.

Best regards... Norm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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