I need your advice to deal with my two felines. I adopted them from a local humane society a year ago where they came in as ~ 1 year old strays (1 male and 1 female). I thought we might be able to give companionship to each other. But I was wrong. :-(
Well, they still don't trust me. I want to snuggle, they don't. They only come near when food is needed. They bite if constant supply of food is not present in their food bowls (male still bites my feet when i am sleeping, and skin breaks most of the time). I am really looking for an ounce of love and companionship in these cats. I feel dejected and disappointed. I clean their 2 litter boxes everyday, yet they pee outside the box whenever their fancy strikes.
Although I can't bear the thought of leaving them, can I give them away to some other cat parents and adopt a kitten instead so I can bond with him/her at a younger age? Does that ever work? Are stray cats most likely not able to bond with humans?
How can I make them not get revolted my by mere eye contact? I had a theory that their initial human experience might have been abusive, and this may be a reason behind their aloofness, fear and lack of trust.
Isn't one year of conditioning in a loving home where they live with only one human, and they are free to do anything, enough to forget the tormented past and begin new relationship?
I really love them, and find it so heartbreaking that they don't reciprocate. It might be my mental health right now, but everytime they give a look of disdain and fear, my spirits move closer to the bottom of the dark ocean of hopelessness and numbness.
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branchandroot
Cat questions for the Wise Yitzak
Date: 2008-01-31 01:32 pm (UTC)I need your advice to deal with my two felines.
I adopted them from a local humane society a year ago where they came in as ~ 1 year old strays (1 male and 1 female).
I thought we might be able to give companionship to each other.
But I was wrong. :-(
Well, they still don't trust me. I want to snuggle, they don't. They only come near when food is needed. They bite if constant supply of food is not present in their food bowls (male still bites my feet when i am sleeping, and skin breaks most of the time). I am really looking for an ounce of love and companionship in these cats. I feel dejected and disappointed.
I clean their 2 litter boxes everyday, yet they pee outside the box whenever their fancy strikes.
Although I can't bear the thought of leaving them, can I give them away to some other cat parents and adopt a kitten instead so I can bond with him/her at a younger age? Does that ever work? Are stray cats most likely not able to bond with humans?
How can I make them not get revolted my by mere eye contact? I had a theory that their initial human experience might have been abusive, and this may be a reason behind their aloofness, fear and lack of trust.
Isn't one year of conditioning in a loving home where they live with only one human, and they are free to do anything, enough to forget the tormented past and begin new relationship?
I really love them, and find it so heartbreaking that they don't reciprocate.
It might be my mental health right now, but everytime they give a look of disdain and fear, my spirits move closer to the bottom of the dark ocean of hopelessness and numbness.
What is your advice for this human?
Thanks in advance,
Grace from Ann Arbor