Update on my new cat

The cat I was hoping to adopt wasn't available, so I picked Wildfire, a four-month-old female who, I find, is appropriately named.

She is very, very skittish, so no pictures yet. I brought her home yesterday afternoon and transferred her from the carrier to a comfy bed I had prepared for her.

She immediately, literally in the blink of an eye, shot off to hide in another part of the house... a part I wasn't able to discover until a couple of hours ago.

Her history isn't a happy one, so I'm guessing it is going to take time for her to trust me, or from what the staff at the Humane Society said, to trust or socialize with anyone. Her siblings were much friendlier but I decided on Wildifre as the kitty that was most in need of a permanent home.

Pictures will come when Wildfire decides to grace me with her calmer self.

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Ontheroad · M

Finally able to get a quick pic. She still has her collar on, so not a great shot, but here she is!

Onestarlitnight

@Ontheroad
Why is the cone on her??

Lilymoon · F

@Ontheroad awww why the cone?

Onestarlitnight

@Lilymoon
That’s why she’s hiding, she’s very vulnerable when she’s wearing that cone.
Especially being in an unfamiliar environment.
They’re usually used after surgery so the cat doesn’t open the wound while trying to clean itself

Lilymoon · F

@Onestarlitnight yeah poor sweetie

Onestarlitnight

@Lilymoon
When it comes off she’ll be more sociable and stop hiding so much

Lilymoon · F

@Onestarlitnight plus she's new to the environment so she's naturally a bit skittish

Ontheroad · M

@Onestarlitnight @Lilymoon She was licking and biting at the incision on her abdomen (spayed) and it needs to be on her for a few more days.

Onestarlitnight

@Ontheroad
That explains why she’s hiding.
When it comes off she will be more sociable and outgoing.
For now she doesn’t understand why she is wearing it and she isn’t happy about it.
Plus she’s in a strange place with little experience with people because she’s so young.
I didn’t see you mention this earlier but it explains a lot

Ontheroad · M

@Onestarlitnight Yeah, I didn't mention it... I think I was a bit unprepared for becoming a new dad to a kitten with trauma from her short and heretofore unhappy/rough life.

I'm just glad I was smart enough to ask for help and encouragement from all of you amazing people.

As quick as I can, I'm going to get her into a vet I previously used for my dog. Hopefully, I can get her in no later than Tue or Wed. I really want to get that collar off, but I don't want to be too hasty.

Onestarlitnight

@Ontheroad
It usually takes about a week for the incision to heal, after the stitches are removed the collar can come off most of the time

Ontheroad · M

@Onestarlitnight Thanks! They told me on Friday to leave it on for a few days, but I'm just not sure... if I can't get her in to set my vet by Wednesday, I'm going to take it off and just watch her closely.

Onestarlitnight

@Ontheroad
If there are stitches that haven’t been removed then leave it on because she will try to get them out.
If the stitches are already out, then three or four days should be enough.
Call the adoption center where you got her from Monday morning and ask them