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

"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

in article , HRFLTiger
at wrote on 4/25/05 5:05 PM:

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

I don't blame you for ranting. Perhaps you should send the old fosterer a
book on how to handle cats!! For god's sake, if she is going to foster she
should know *something* about working with them!

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

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

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

"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

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

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.

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?