Cat Chat Feline Forum

Hi Deb from Little Paws visited Sat & Jezebel came straight out when she heard her voice. Deb checked mouth & bit of gingivitis. Jeze did get out from under the bed yesterday morning & I stroked & spoke to her but was soon under the bed. Deb gave me Vibavet paste yesterday. Issue - I had to get Jeze to give it to her. Probably did the wrong thing but she needs to take it. She's under bed in 3rd bedroom. I'm really at my wits end & trying to be patient but I'm not getting anywhere. Deb said perhaps she's missing her Maine coon & that she may have to take her back. Vivian

Hi viv. Couldn't you have her companion. I am going through same sort of thing we recently got a 10 year old and although she doesn't hide she hardly moves from her comfy places, hisses at my other 2 and growls so loudly if you pet her and she's not in the mood. She will sit for ages if you are brushing her though. Spoiled madame! We have had her about 6 weeks now and I'm just not feeling g a connection which fr me is weird. She is content on her own and healthy so I guess I just need to cohabit with her but its like living with a stranger at home. Maybe your jez just needs some other feline companion..? Don't give up a good home is better than a shelter, always. And she's not going to get better than you viv perhaps you should just do her med s then ignore her. As long as she has food and a warm comfy home m sure she will come round eventually xxx

Mayday21 wrote: Deb said perhaps she's missing her Maine coon & that she may have to take her back. Vivian

If she was bonded to the Maine Coon, whey did they separate them?

Hi Meriad Jezebel was in a cage with another cat Ninja & Napples the Main Coon in Deb's house with Bengals & other cats. She just took to Napples. I've put her back in the bathroom & just got up to make a cuppa & heard her meowing. So she obviously wants company. I'll go & see her shortly. Im not going to give up yet. She's a timid thing but a gentle & sweet girl. Vivian

To both of you, it really does take time to build up a bond, especially with an adult cat. Even with purry, laid-back Paddington it took a couple of months before I really felt a connection with him, and just recently he's been ill and it's been so touching to see how much he now looks to us for help.

When Grumpy Nellie (in my avatar) came to live with us, aged about 10, I swear she thought we were a rather shoddy hotel and was waiting to get back home for almost a year (hence the nickname) but she's an integral, fully-fledged member of the household now and a total sweetheart. I do think it helps to try and look at things from their point of view - they have no idea who you are or how long they will be with you at first, and I firmly believe that it's the most reticent at first that make the strongest bonds over time.

Hi Folks this afternoon I visited Jeze @ Deb's. Deb told me her mouth wasn't as raw but not eating wet food & she doesn't like being with other cats. Atm she's in a room with other cats in cages, free & kittens in a cage & not happy. Deb suggested I put her in my bedroom which has ensuite & lock her away from the other two TC (boy) & Bullyflake (dominant female) the latter waited for Jeze & pounced. Issue - hate sleeping with a door shut & TC makes his way into bed with me during the night & is always with me when i wake up. I dont want to jeopardise bond with TC. Deb says if this isn't an option Jeze needs to go to a one cat home which will be difficult. To sum up as I'm on my own I want cats to interact if not with ea, with me which TC & Bullyflake do - Bullyflake even bullies me re. Food Quandry! Vivian

Personally I think Deb should start looking for a one cat home for her, not being happy with cats could explain why she hides so much at yours, and I don't think it's fair to stop TC coming to bed with you

I'm tending to agree, if she'd be happier as an only cat then, really, it's in her best interests to hold out for one - even if it takes a while to get one. It's her happiness, long term, that is the most important thing, after all. Bless you for the care you've taken over her. xx

Thanks Helen & Booktigger she really is a little miss. I can't help remembering that she was out & about for 24 hrs when she first came out from the bathroom but that night she was hiding and that's when I had Elsa. I tend to agree that she should go to a one cat household but there's the issue with her gingivitis/ulcers which may be a chronic problem. Would someone be prepared to take that on? At least I know she has this. Ooohhhh I feel so guilty for taking her in and giving her back. I know how abandoned I'd feel. Vivian

Just a thought, the gingivitis and mouth ulcers could be due to the calici virus which can be passed to other cats and is made worse by stress, so it could improve if she's homed as an only cat. You shouldn't feel guilty, you've done this for the sake of her health.

Hi Booktigger I'm catching up with Deb later to go to movies & will see Jezebel. I'll run the calici virus past her. The vet I volunteer for diagnosed the gingivitis & said without knowing her history it may be genetic or she may have had flu & immune system impacted. If no improvement after Vibravet all teeth out. And there was no improvement after a month of Vibravet. Deb did say the ulcers may be due to stress. Mouth has settled a tad. Vivian

Calici is one of the flu viruses - I've had cats with all their teeth removed for mouth ulcers and it hasn't worked, but as long as it hasn't affected their quality of life, we haven't done much in the way of treatment - both were older with other health issues though, hence us not wanting to use long term antibiotics (which did help the gums).

Hi Booktigger & folks Jezebel will stay with Deb for a tad longer. We think she's going to be difficult to rehome. I bought some kangaroo for TC & Snowflake alias Bullyflake & took some over for Jezebel. Deb said she's always been a finicky eater & I'm wondering if that's due to her mouth issues. I'll visit her on Wed. Vivian

I found that lactoferrin is a great treatment for gingivitis. You can look it up on google where it's been studied scientifically. I give 250mg once per day until symptoms are relieved. There is also an oral spray that is recommended 2 times per day.