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barb_roselover_in

bed for cat

barb_roselover_in
13 years ago

I am now in charge of my deceased husband's 17 year old cat. She spends her time out in the heated garage and is very persnickety about her bed, which is under the sink but right in front of a heat vent. She does NOT want to come in and doesn't even like for me to do anything but feed her. I have two of the new beds which she will NOT use, but prefers the little covered rubber form which has a washable cover. It is getting slight bedraggled. I keep a clean towel in there which she absolutely shreds by "making her bed with her paws". It has to be just-so. Needless to say she misses sitting on my husband's lap and his constant petting. I guess I am just not used to having a cat on my lap all the time. Anybody got any ideas how to make a new suitable bed? Thanks Barb

Comments (7)

  • philanna273
    13 years ago

    I would not make her any more beds since she refused the other two. I would just feed her and let her do her own thing. We used to have a cat like that many years ago. She would only let my husband [his cat] fuss with her.
    Good luck. Kind regards, Philanna

  • noinwi
    13 years ago

    Our cats absolutely love that soft shaggy fleece...is it minky? I bought a small throw a couple of years ago and they went nuts for it. They're very tactile creatures. It's on my bed and whatever cat is there at any given time will "make biscuits" forever before settling in. Of course, if you give a cat a new bed, it will immediately reject it...the cat has to "discover" it on its own, LOL. If you make a new bed, place it near but not in place of the old one...when you see her using it, then replace the old one. Do you have any of your husbands old clothes? A sock or shirt? It may help her accept the new bed.
    We can't sit down anywhere without having a cat in our laps...sometimes don't even realize there's one there until we try to get up, LOL.

  • barb_roselover_in
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks for the comments. It is nice to talk to other cat lovers. We have always had cats, but my first husband was allergic to them, so most of the ones we had stayed outside except to visit. Unfortunately, he was only 56 when he passed on after heart surgery. When I married my husband who just passed away, he made buddies with this cat who was a "barn cat". She definitely belonged to him, but prefers to live in the garage. I will keep trying. I feel sorry for her, but she doesn't seem to be hurting, so I am just trying to make her comfortable now. She definitely is an independent soul --Barb

  • noinwi
    13 years ago

    We have 4 boys, all rescues. The most recent we saw last winter digging in our neighbors' garbage and started putting out food for him. It took until the end of the summer before we could pet him. Once he let us pick him up, we stuffed him into a carrier and got him neutered. We let him go after a few(stinky)days, and he stuck around. Now he is learning to play(at about 5 years old)and when he climbs into your lap he actually wraps his paws around you and hangs on if you try to get up or remove him.

    "She definitely belonged to him"
    I think it's the other way around...we belong to them.

    "I am just trying to make her comfortable now"
    Bless you for that.

  • evaf555
    13 years ago

    So sorry for your loss.

    I would just keep putting clean towels on the bed. That's what she likes.

    I wouldn't use MY good towels, just whatever was already worn, or towels from Goodwill or Salvation Army.

    I think I heard that Martha Stewart just lays down hand towels where the pets habitually sleep, and launders them regularly.

  • bestyears
    13 years ago

    One trick that may draw the kitty closer to you -hand feed her a couple of times a day. Can be just a treat or two, each time, but make sure the kitty takes it from your hand. It helps build trust more quickly than almost anything.

    And yes, bless you for being so kind to this sweet kitty...

  • rosefolly
    13 years ago

    You might try putting her old bed on top of one of the new beds. If she will tolerate that, the new bed will gradually come to smell like her old bed. Possibly that will do it for her. And possibly not, but it's worth a try.

    A hint on the hand feeding. Try putting a tidbit of canned tuna (for humans) on your finger and let her sniff it. She may come to like that and even eat it. When our old cat has badly injured and refusing to eat, the vet thought she would die. We got her to eat that way, and she lived several more years.

    Rosefolly

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