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#1
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Arrrgh
Sorry folks, I have to get it off my chest.
I have just had a discussion with a lady who works in rescue, where I have agreed to foster a pair of very bonded cats to assess them for re-homing. They have been in cattery pens for 7 months, because apparently, Contessa is "difficult". I've had them 4 hours and IMNSHO, the boy, Champion, is a sweet- heart, cuddle-bug etc. The little lassie, Contessa, is a very fraidy, fraidy timid and shy semi-feral, who is scared of everything. She's very reliant on Champion, and she hisses as everything and tries to hide. The BLOODY RESCUER described her to me, as the "Bitch from Hell" (presumably because she hissed) and said (and I quote) "I had to manhandle her into the box because she was un-co-operative". Because Contessa is afraid of humans, and hisses at them and won't interact with people, they have been handling her with leather guantlets and forcing her to do things - i.e. making her run becuase she hisses at them, and being agressive towards her. She's now so friady, she SHAKES when a human goes near her. IT MAKES ME SO BLOODY MAD. All that little lassie needs is someone who is not going to pressure her, and lets her do things on her own terms. Instead, she's just been through 7 months of terrified hell because she had the wrong attitude from her foster carer, and her foster carer can't read cat body language. Fortunately, they are due to move on to a large no-kill rescue facility that I work with, and that is experienced in dealing with shy and timid cats once I've assessed them properly, but jeez. I am so bloody mad at the rescuers. Sorry, had to get it off my chest. Helen M |
#2
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"HRFLTiger" wrote in message
oups.com... Sorry folks, I have to get it off my chest. I have just had a discussion with a lady who works in rescue, where I have agreed to foster a pair of very bonded cats to assess them for re-homing. They have been in cattery pens for 7 months, because apparently, Contessa is "difficult". I've had them 4 hours and IMNSHO, the boy, Champion, is a sweet- heart, cuddle-bug etc. The little lassie, Contessa, is a very fraidy, fraidy timid and shy semi-feral, who is scared of everything. She's very reliant on Champion, and she hisses as everything and tries to hide. The BLOODY RESCUER described her to me, as the "Bitch from Hell" (presumably because she hissed) and said (and I quote) "I had to manhandle her into the box because she was un-co-operative". Because Contessa is afraid of humans, and hisses at them and won't interact with people, they have been handling her with leather guantlets and forcing her to do things - i.e. making her run becuase she hisses at them, and being agressive towards her. She's now so friady, she SHAKES when a human goes near her. IT MAKES ME SO BLOODY MAD. All that little lassie needs is someone who is not going to pressure her, and lets her do things on her own terms. Instead, she's just been through 7 months of terrified hell because she had the wrong attitude from her foster carer, and her foster carer can't read cat body language. Fortunately, they are due to move on to a large no-kill rescue facility that I work with, and that is experienced in dealing with shy and timid cats once I've assessed them properly, but jeez. I am so bloody mad at the rescuers. Sorry, had to get it off my chest. Helen M Gosh, I'd be really mad too. Does she have a supervisor you can talk to about this? I'd hate to see this type of abuse continue! Hugs, CatNipped |
#4
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I'm glad she finally has a chance since you get to assess her. Poor baby.
Purrs for things to get better for her from here on out. Christine "HRFLTiger" wrote in message oups.com... Sorry folks, I have to get it off my chest. I have just had a discussion with a lady who works in rescue, where I have agreed to foster a pair of very bonded cats to assess them for re-homing. They have been in cattery pens for 7 months, because apparently, Contessa is "difficult". I've had them 4 hours and IMNSHO, the boy, Champion, is a sweet- heart, cuddle-bug etc. The little lassie, Contessa, is a very fraidy, fraidy timid and shy semi-feral, who is scared of everything. She's very reliant on Champion, and she hisses as everything and tries to hide. The BLOODY RESCUER described her to me, as the "Bitch from Hell" (presumably because she hissed) and said (and I quote) "I had to manhandle her into the box because she was un-co-operative". Because Contessa is afraid of humans, and hisses at them and won't interact with people, they have been handling her with leather guantlets and forcing her to do things - i.e. making her run becuase she hisses at them, and being agressive towards her. She's now so friady, she SHAKES when a human goes near her. IT MAKES ME SO BLOODY MAD. All that little lassie needs is someone who is not going to pressure her, and lets her do things on her own terms. Instead, she's just been through 7 months of terrified hell because she had the wrong attitude from her foster carer, and her foster carer can't read cat body language. Fortunately, they are due to move on to a large no-kill rescue facility that I work with, and that is experienced in dealing with shy and timid cats once I've assessed them properly, but jeez. I am so bloody mad at the rescuers. Sorry, had to get it off my chest. Helen M |
#5
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Cheryl Perkins wrote: But Betsy gained confidence with me eventually, once she was left to approach me at her own speed. She's still not really fond of other humans - it's only been about 15 years! - but is much friendlier with me./// She's exactly like Pandora - only Pandora and I have reached an understanding that I explain exactly what I am doing to her at all times, even if I'm just going to scritch her head, and she's relaxed and happy to the point that she squeaks at me to hurry up with her fish supper when it's fresh fish for dinner, and she kicks me in the head in bed at night when she's getting comfortable. My only rule is that I let Pandora dictate what I am and am not allowed to do. Hopefully it will work with Contessa. Helen M |
#6
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CatNipped wrote: Gosh, I'd be really mad too. Does she have a supervisor you can talk to about this? I'd hate to see this type of abuse continue!/// I think TBH, it was ignorance of being able to read ferals & their behaviour, rather than deliberate agression. I was ahem "very direct" in my opinions to the rescuer. I think she'll be changing her attitude. ;o) Helen M |
#7
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"HRFLTiger" wrote in message
oups.com... CatNipped wrote: Gosh, I'd be really mad too. Does she have a supervisor you can talk to about this? I'd hate to see this type of abuse continue!/// I think TBH, it was ignorance of being able to read ferals & their behaviour, rather than deliberate agression. I was ahem "very direct" in my opinions to the rescuer. I think she'll be changing her attitude. ;o) Helen M Ah! Well hopefully you've educated her so that it won't happen again. First contact with a human, for a feral, is very crucial and should be handled by someone who knows what they're doing. Hugs, CatNipped |
#8
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Also remind the handler that being feral is not native behavior. These
are domestic animals. They LEARN to be feral. And if they're to ever become non-feral they have to be taught to be non-feral through a system of reinforcing good behavior and building trust. HRFLTiger wrote: Helen M -- “So includin’ last night that’s three . . . damage incidents that didn’t kill you. Pain or damage don’t end the world. Or despair. Or . . . beatings. The world ends when you’re dead. Until then . . . you got more punishment in store. Stand it like a man. And give some back.”—Al Swearingen, Deadwood |
#9
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HRFLTiger wrote:
IT MAKES ME SO BLOODY MAD. All that little lassie needs is someone who is not going to pressure her, and lets her do things on her own terms. Instead, she's just been through 7 months of terrified hell because she had the wrong attitude from her foster carer, and her foster carer can't read cat body language. Fortunately, they are due to move on to a large no-kill rescue facility that I work with, and that is experienced in dealing with shy and timid cats once I've assessed them properly, but jeez. I am so bloody mad at the rescuers. Sorry, had to get it off my chest. Please, don't apologize. We went through something similar with Calvin, and again with Grayling. Calvin had been dumped and had lost trust with hoomins, and Grayling had never been socialized and was described as feral and wild. The person who "rescued" him was supposedly an experienced rescuer. Grayling just needed patience and someone to teach him where the line was drawn. Calvin just needed fed properly and lots of comforting. Sometimes, I get so mad when told that certain cats have certain behaviors...and then I write a page about Calvin's likes and dislikes for whoever adopted him. Pam S. |
#10
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Fortunately, they are due to move on to a large no-kill rescue
facility that I work with, and that is experienced in dealing with shy and timid cats once I've assessed them properly, but jeez. I am so bloody mad at the rescuers. Sorry, had to get it off my chest. Helen M Isn't it irritating when people who profess to care for cats can be so completely ignorant of basic behavioral clues? |
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