British Blue

IMPORTANT: If your cat is in any distress or discomfort, please consult your own vet as your first priority.
Post Reply
tippertool
New Cat Chatter
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jun 09, 2014 4:36 pm

British Blue

Post by tippertool »

We recently brought a British shorthair blue from a women in South Wales where we found a very frighten and nervous kitten approximately 9 months old this small and fragile kitten has had a hard life to begin with so we brought him home hoping that a quite home would do him the world of good.

We have had him for 3 weeks and so far have made little progress with him in other words if we so much as move he runs and hides from use, today we booked him into the local vets but was unable to pick him up as this just freaked him out so at present he is underneath the freezer where we are unable to get him out.

We are in desperate need of some help as where do we go from here he is a lovely kitten but so frighten and nervous, is there anybody out there that could point us in the right direction we live in Bristol.
User avatar
MagnificentMogs
Frequent Cat Chatter
Posts: 21
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 1:34 pm
No. of cats in household: 0
Contact:

Re: British Blue

Post by MagnificentMogs »

I'm going to move this thread to Health & Behaviour as I think you'll get more responses on there.

MM
User avatar
meriad
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 1313
Joined: Wed Mar 12, 2014 1:14 pm
No. of cats in household: 6
Location: Surrey

Re: British Blue

Post by meriad »

Pardon me being a big daft ;) , but did you come home with two kittens? The British Blue AND the frightenend one?

personally I'd somehow get the little kitten into a safe room (ie a spare bedroom if you have one) where he can in his own time get used to the smells and sounds from the house. Spend as much time as you can in the room; just going in as normal speaking quietly and calmly to him (no need to whisper), sort out his food / water / litter tray(s) and then sit on the floor and read a book or magazine; but aloud - all the time ignoring him. That will help him get used to your smell and voice and hopefully it won't be long before he starts being curious and showing some interest in you / eating in front of you etc. When that time comes and he comes closer to you; have some treats in your hand and feed him one or two so again he associates you with good things.

Lots of patience and love will hopefully eventually make him into a happy cat - good luck
tippertool
New Cat Chatter
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jun 09, 2014 4:36 pm

Re: British Blue

Post by tippertool »

Sorry for the late reply but we have been having some strange days with the kitten and its only the one kitten we have.

He eventually came out from the freezer the following day and is still more or less the same very nervous he is alright if we sit completely still but the moment we more he is gone to hide somewhere.

When we got this kitten he was a very frightened kitten in a very noisey house with a small child constantly shining a bright light into his eyes and poking him which we don't think has helped, also its mother and father where in the same room with the queen on heat so all hell was happening, this kitten was advertised as having a pedigree which to date we have not seen as the person selling the cat said her printer was without ink and having tried calling her to ask for a copy of the pedigree and so far she hasn't answered her phone so we think it was a lie.

He is not for show only for a pet but its the fact that she is miss leading buyers into thinking you are getting a pedigree. We think she is only doing this for the money and not for the good of the breed.

We are still unable to get him to the vets for a check up as he is so thin that we are concerned that there could be under lying problems we have wormed him plus brought a feliway to try and calm him down but not sure if this is working.

I have never know a kitten to be so frighten and nervous around people as something has happened in the previous 9 months before we got him its just a shame as he is a beautiful kitten
User avatar
canterbury-cats
Returning Cat Chatter
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2014 6:04 pm
No. of cats in household: 3
Location: Canterbury, Kent

Re: British Blue

Post by canterbury-cats »

I read this thread yesterday, sadly its something we in rescue hear far too often... If you are going to purchase a pedigree cat or kitten please, please do your homework with breeders and even call the welfare rescues involved in the breed...

The idea that people can sell (at a great deal of money) supposely pedigree kittens, that have not had any of their injections, been vet checked, have a GCCF registration and do not leave the breeders care until at least 14wks o age.. If you get someone trying to sell you ca pedigree kitten without any of these stimulations then they are probably not worth giving your money too.

If the little kitten has not been well socialised (and it seems not) then you will need do what you can to help with that buy introducing her to new environments slowly and carefully.. Maybe seek some advice from a vet? This is a very typical behaviour with kittens that have had little handling or interaction with people, or other animals.. In rescue its something we see a lot when kittens are born outside to a stray mum and thus are not handled or socialised with people, evenutally (if no one does anything about it) becoming a feral cat and fearful of people.

Why not give the British Blue welfare organistion a ring and speak to their welfare people ( i am sure that this is listed on catchat pedigree homing page).. Do you actually know that this is a pedigree kitten now as without the GCCF registration then in truth it may not be? It is true that blue moggie but i am aware of two lovely solid (Sheba type) kittens that have just been rehomed via rescue.

Would certaintly keep the little one in a room on her own for a few days with litter tray and food/water, and then every so often go in the room with her and sit down with a book or cup of coffee and wait until she feals secure around you.. Get her playing with feathers on sticks and make sure that you are not the only person that she interacts with, get other members of the family to quietly join you and sit quietly... Try catnip and feeding her by hand some treats.. Do not let her out the house until she is very relaxed around the family and certaintly get her neutered as soon as possible (5m) and chipped.. As she may always be a kitten that gets very scared around new people and situations and not likely to be easy to handle if she gets frightened..Even if an indoor cat always recommend neutering (for health reasons such as reducing the risk of mammary cancer) and chipping as if she did get out then she would have no knowledge of where she lives and unlikely to find her way home.

I hope this little one improves with time and patience.
Good luck
Post Reply