loumeinhart 0 #1 December 19, 2011 I adopted a cat last Thursday (6yr old female). She is honkered down in the deepest darkest hole of my basement. Does she hate my guts? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
guineapiggie101 0 #2 December 19, 2011 catnip can work wonders!!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kunosoura 0 #3 December 19, 2011 She just needs time and patience. She'll make her way upstairs soon enough. An older kitty recently found us.. she hung out in the upstairs spare bedroom for a good two weeks or so before moving around to the rest of the house. Now she is everywhere and really warming up. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWFlyer 2 #4 December 19, 2011 She probably doesn't hate you, but she's clearly taking her time to adjust. I recommend bribery in the form of tuna. Preferably "tuna for cats" from Trader Joe's (it's extra stinky)."There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
monkycndo 0 #5 December 19, 2011 Get a laser pointer leash. They have a hard time resisting them.50 donations so far. Give it a try. You know you want to spank it Jump an Infinity Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
loumeinhart 0 #6 December 19, 2011 catnip, tuna, laser pointer, and some patience. good deal. She's a 20 pounder so I'll get the big tuna pack. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LisaH 0 #7 December 19, 2011 Quote catnip, tuna, laser pointer, and some patience. good deal. She's a 20 pounder so I'll get the big tuna pack. Twenty pounds?? Maybe she's just too fat to get back up the stairs. Careful with the amount of food you give her. Patience is the key. Don't force it.Be yourself! MooOOooOoo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
missbrz 0 #8 December 19, 2011 If she's a maine coon or similar type of cat 20 lbs isnt too bad. My old cat was 18lbs and considered only slightly over weight. and to the OP, from my experience, cats hate major changes. As said above, she'll warm up to you. Bribes work wonders. If she doesn't respond to tuna (one of my cats actually doesnt like it that much) just try something else food wise. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dzdiva 7 #9 December 19, 2011 I had one years ago that stayed under the upstairs bed for about a week. Each day I would take a few minutes and take her dish up to her. I would lay on the floor and just talk to her for a few minutes each time. If she started getting nervous I would leave. She eventually started inching her way out. She became one of the best lap cats!Patience, love and food!! Yours will come around. "It's not just a daydream if you choose to make it your life..." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 24 #10 December 19, 2011 Quoteshe won't come up from the basement Who else thought of "It rubs the lotion on its skin!"Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #11 December 20, 2011 20 pounds? You don't have a cat. You have a mountain lion.My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BrokenR1 0 #12 December 20, 2011 20lbs should feed 4 nicely. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Rap is to music what etch-a-sketch is to art. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldwomanc6 38 #13 December 20, 2011 20 lbs is big for a female, my male siamese is 23 lbs. You adopted her last week, are you sure she's not preggers?lisa WSCR 594 FB 1023 CBDB 9 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 558 #14 December 20, 2011 "Quote... and to the OP, from my experience, cats hate major changes. As said above, she'll warm up to you..." .................................................................... I suspect that is because cats are hunters and they track mouse movements by noting changes in their environment. She will need a few weeks to draw a mental map of your basement, then she will start to slowly expand her mental map to include the rest of your house. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shah269 0 #15 December 20, 2011 Provide food, water a nice warm blanket and an open door. Give her time and she will find you..... It may take a day it may take a monthLife through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay. The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 0 #16 December 20, 2011 QuoteQuoteshe won't come up from the basement Who else thought of "It rubs the lotion on its skin!" The instant I read the title. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gonzalesna 0 #17 December 20, 2011 Quote Quote she won't come up from the basement Who else thought of "It rubs the lotion on its skin!" Not me.Some people refrain from beating a dead horse. Personally, I find a myriad of entertainment value when beating it until it becomes a horse-smoothie. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiver604 0 #18 December 20, 2011 We adopted a rabbit 2 years ago, when we got him all he knew was the inside of his cage, we gave him full run of the apartment , fortunately litter training took only 2 days, he spent the first 3 weeks under the couch, only coming out to eat and do his business in the cage, after that he came out to explore a little bit and then back under the couch, after 2 more weeks he hung out in front of the tv, very standoffish, and would scoot under the couch if something startled him or we had a visitor. Now he travels the apartment from room to room, hangs out in his spot in the corner of the living room, at least 2x per day hops up on the couch for a visit and to get his ears scratched and get his daily feed of pumpkin seeds, greets visitors at the door, presumably looking for a handout and has on occasion gone exploring the hallway if the wife or I leave the apartment door open. Give her time, she'll come around. "The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it." - Michelangelo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 24 #19 December 20, 2011 QuoteQuoteQuoteshe won't come up from the basement Who else thought of "It rubs the lotion on its skin!" The instant I read the title. We may need counselling, councilor...Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gonzalesna 0 #20 December 20, 2011 QuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteshe won't come up from the basement Who else thought of "It rubs the lotion on its skin!" The instant I read the title. We may need counselling, councilor... there's good therapy HERESome people refrain from beating a dead horse. Personally, I find a myriad of entertainment value when beating it until it becomes a horse-smoothie. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,382 #21 December 20, 2011 Send Shah down to the basement to spend time with her. She will be upstairs in under a minute. "There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiver604 0 #22 December 20, 2011 Thanks,,,I was enjoying that coffee, hopefully the keyboard is not totally fucked "The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it." - Michelangelo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
