# Do you ever wonder?



## Olivers-Slave (Jul 25, 2010)

Do you ever wonder what happened to your cat before you adopted them? Every time I look at Hana I keep wishing I could ask her "where were you? what happened to you before now? Are you happier now then where you were?" and actually get some answers. I have no info about her past, they didn't even know her age. Heck I thought she was a feral cat when I adopted her who just needed medical attention. Boy was I happily surprised when she turned out to be this skittish purring machine. But I wish I could say stop freaking out I am not going to hurt you...and be understood. She now runs if you suddenly appear but if you approach her slowly shes insta purr. So why does she run? why is she so scared of any hand movement? why was she so under fed?

why, why, why. So many questions that could only be answered by her. 

Do you ever have these kind of questions? what would you ask your cat if you had one chance to get one answer?


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## Ummm (Jul 16, 2010)

Oh yes. I wonder why they were surrender because I don't see any reason they'd want to! Supposedly one of them was given up due to allergies... the other didn't have much of a reason. I want to know what they looked like when they were kittens!! (they were 1.5 yo and 2-3yo when we adopted them).


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## Vivid Dawn (May 31, 2010)

I don't know anything about Nebbie's past. I got her when she was 1.5 years old. She was hand shy (flinched and balked when you reached out to her), and I assume she was mistreated. Healthy and well fed, but scared of being touched.
She's doing better now. Still flinches if I move too fast, or don't give some sort of warning like coming behind her. She'll snuggle in bed, and WILL let you pet her...on her terms. Kind of "I can touch you, but you can't touch me" sort of thing.

I was busy with other things when her previous owner dropped her off, so I don't know why she got surrendered. Nebbie was in a carrier, and the lady did have vet papers...so I know her _medical_ past. That's at least one good point for the owners - that they got her shots and spayed and stuff.


Paizly was born under the back porch of the house, and I took her in when the litter was old enough to go out for hunting lessons. (having no back lets, she probably would've failed! LOL)
Agate, Tourmaline (who are now in foster homes), Disco and Zinny (who I'm keeping with the colony) were born in the back yard, by the old tool shed and I started taking care of them when they were about 3 months old.


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

I definitely wonder. Sinatra was a stray and I wonder who would have given him up since he was not feral by any means. He is the sweetest boy ever. I know why Nutmeg was given up but I would ask her if she was happy here with us.


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## Ducman69 (Aug 28, 2010)

If you think about it, knowing wouldn't really change anything, so I don't worry about it. Important thing is they got a clean bill of health and documentation that shows they got all their shots at the shelter. The rest we just work on the now.


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

But don't you wonder WHY? If it doesn't bother you then you are certainly a more forgiving person than I am. I can't forgive Sinatra's old owners and I want to know what kind of people would let him go. Either they let him go or they stopped looking for him. He was at the shelter for months before we adopted him (adult cats often sit for extremely long periods of time in our shelters since a lot of people want kittens). If they did let him go, why let such a handsome, loving boy out when he had little chance on the streets considering this is a major metropolitan area. Why not just surrender him to the humane society?! We are just lucky that someone found him and brought him in. I would like to talk to them and ask them all of these questions. Of course I can't find out who they are and I certainly can't ask sinatra, it still bugs me to think about.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Sometimes I wish I didn't know about Cinderella's past. She died so young, it makes me sad that half of her short life was so unpleasant. 

I know Cleo was tormented by a two-year old who made her HATE being touched or held. Brat!

I sometimes wish I knew more about Gigi's past. She was underweight and severely matted when she was dropped off at the shelter, so it wasn't great. Maybe details aren't necessary.


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## Huge2 (Jan 28, 2008)

I don't know a great deal about Peggy's past. She's obviously had a tough life at some point because of her feisty nature, but she's obviously happy now.

I'm quite happy not knowing exactly what's gone on, as I don't think I'd like it.


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## OctoberinMaine (Sep 12, 2006)

Oh you bet, I wonder _intensely_ about his past. 

His paperwork at the SPCA said the former owners gave him up "because he didn't get along with their other cat," which I wasn't sure I could believe or not. I felt like I really needed to know. Another thing in their paperwork was a form from his previous vet, so I sent the vet an e-mail and asked him to forward it to the former owners, asking them that question and letting them know he's happy and healthy in a new home. Sure enough, within 2 days the former owner wrote me, confirmed that he didn't get along with their other cat. When one of them had to go, she returned Murphy to the shelter because he was so affectionate, and thought he'd be adopted easier than the other one. That'll teach you to be affectionate.

I'd pay big money to be able to ask him one question: Are you happy? I knock myself to make him happy, and it'd be really gratifying if I could hear him say, "Relax, it's all good."


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## Ducman69 (Aug 28, 2010)

October said:


> I'd pay big money to be able to ask him one question: Are you happy? I knock myself to make him happy, and it'd be really gratifying if I could hear him say, "Relax, it's all good."


Yeah, but then she might answer me, 
"Yuppers, everything is peachy, fatbutt."
Me: "Wondeful! Wait, fatbutt??? I'm not fat."
Buttercup: "You're near 200lbs, I feel the ground give when you walk."
Me: "I'm just big, not fat."
Buttercup: "Can you lick your own back?"
Me: "Of course not."
Buttercup: "Its cuz you're too fat."
atback

See, so then I'd be happy knowing my kitty is happy, but I'd be self conscious about my fat butt, so its better they just meow politely.


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## OctoberinMaine (Sep 12, 2006)

Ducman69 said:


> Yeah, but then she might answer me,
> "Yuppers, everything is peachy, fatbutt."
> Me: "Wondeful! Wait, fatbutt??? I'm not fat."
> Buttercup: "You're near 200lbs, I feel the ground give when you walk."
> ...


Oh, so now the kitties are Don Rickles too? Horrors. And here I thought Murphy was the one person I wasn't self-conscious around because he doesn't have any judgment.


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## Olivers-Slave (Jul 25, 2010)

October said:


> Oh, so now the kitties are Don Rickles too? Horrors. And here I thought Murphy was the one person I wasn't self-conscious around because he doesn't have any judgment.


hehe maybe its only no judgment because they can't talk?


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

Very funny! Ducman. 

I've only twice adopted, one was a kitten dumped in a paper bag with 3 others in a ditch, the other a 5 mo. old kitten that followed my kids home. He was a stray and not feral and we never found his owners even tho we advertised and searched. All the other cats I've had over many years I raised myself or bought from a breeder. Yes I would wonder too. 

I think a lot of kitties learn to have a "quick startle response" if they were dumped and left to stray for a while or were born feral....if they didn't they didn't survive. So I think in some respects it's probably hardwired into their brains or learned behaviour from near misses. But what are they thinking? Some people do have the ability to communicate with cats, so that might be one way of finding out.


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

Olivers-Slave said:


> ...Boy was I happily surprised when she turned out to be this skittish purring machine. But I wish I could say stop freaking out I am not going to hurt you...and be understood. She now runs if you suddenly appear but if you approach her slowly shes insta purr. So why does she run? why is she so scared of any hand movement? why was she so under fed? why, why, why. So many questions that could only be answered by her.


I’m fortunate to know Muffin’s background, since she was only a little over 11 weeks old when I adopted her. Yet she too runs and jumps at every noise, is scared of sudden movements and hates to be held or handled. She didn’t have the greatest start in life, spending most of her time in a cage with her littermates. But her skittishness and fearfulness are mainly due to her nature and her personality, as opposed to anything that happened to her. So, even when you know their background, you still don’t have the answers to all of your questions.

When I adopted Abby, Muffs was terrified of her, and I hired a cat behaviorist to help with their introduction. For what it’s worth, he told me cats who are skittish because of past experiences have a relatively good chance of overcoming their fear if they’re given time and patience (although it sometimes takes a lot of time), whereas cats who are skittish by nature are less likely to change.


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## sephi (May 9, 2010)

i know all about sephi my almost 4 year old white mix. his mom was stray cat running around my apartment complex, she had 4 kittens and one was sephi. he was left out one nite by herself at age of 5 weeks old. i went and recsued her.. never saw the other 3 kittens anymore..hope someone adopted them.. 
my orange tabby name nazzy was the puzzle. one morning i was leaving to go to work and i opened the door to my apartment and i saw this skinny cat, found out later she was about 6 months old begging for food. she was a feral and would not let me touch her. i fed her for few months till i finally told myself that if i would not take her in she will not survive. i never saw her before and i lived there for 2 years. it could have not been someone cats because she is so unsociable. i wonder how did she make it the last 6 months and where was she before she showed up in my doorstep?


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## OctoberinMaine (Sep 12, 2006)

The not knowing is kind of awful, isn't it? You have this little creature you're totally in love with, and you have no idea how it started its life or under what conditions. And you people who rescued a cat off the street or dumped in a ditch, I have such respect and admiration for you.


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## Dave_ph (Jul 7, 2009)

My Vet definitely wants to know Fay's background for medical reasons. She has some alergies at the least.

I'd like to know more about Fay because the neighbor who gave her to me said she was a 'Champion Show Cat....we paid a fortune for her' but they won't tell me her full name or who her breeder was because they had a falling out with the breeder. 

My Vet has Mia's info but has her in the Kitty Witness Protection Program so all I know is that she was confiscated from a breeder and must have had litters because she was 2 years old and unspayed. My Vet thinks she would have been in a cage all the time because she was unspayed. 

I've tried to ask them abpout their pasts but it must be painful because all either will say about it is *meep*


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## Time Bandit (Aug 17, 2010)

I think about it plenty. Both Samantha and Rochelle came into the shelter we adopted them from as strays. Samantha has a small scar on the back of her ear as a reminder of the days she spent out there alone and declawed...I often wonder where she got it from...a fight, or perhaps wiggling under a fence.

Alice's conditions I saw...I rescued her from a taped up cardboard box with holes punched in it, sitting in her own urine. Her "owner" (and I use the term _VERY _lightly) was standing right there. I often wonder what else that *bleep* did to her...

I dunno what I'd ask them...maybe just make sure they were happy now.


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

Time Bandit said:


> Samantha has a small scar on the back of her ear as a reminder of the days she spent out there alone and declawed...


It makes me so sad to know that someone would declaw their cat and then let it outside


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## Time Bandit (Aug 17, 2010)

Sinatra-Butters said:


> It makes me so sad to know that someone would declaw their cat and then let it outside


I know. I can't imagine how life was for her out there, with little defenses left. I'm just glad she was found before any other damage was done to her...one little scar is one too many. *huggles her Sammy*


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

Sinatra-Butters said:


> It makes me so sad to know that someone would declaw their cat and then let it outside


I had the exact same thought when I read Time Bandit's post. That's so sad.


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## Ducman69 (Aug 28, 2010)

Susan said:


> I had the exact same thought when I read Time Bandit's post. That's so sad.


Thats one of the challenges of a declaw though (or to some extent even softpaws since they can last for a month or more in some cases), is that it may not have even been intentional. Kitty might have escaped and gotten lost until picked up. 

One of the concerns even of having a collar with a bell. The probability of a successful hunt is probably even less than a declawed cat were the cat to get out and need to feed itself. 

I hope that someday they'll have little bio-powered micro GPS chips as an upgrade to the identity chips we have today.


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## Time Bandit (Aug 17, 2010)

Ducman69 said:


> Thats one of the challenges of a declaw though (or to some extent even softpaws since they can last for a month or more in some cases), is that it may not have even been intentional. Kitty might have escaped and gotten lost until picked up.


Yeah, that is always a possibility...declawed cat just escaping the house. I cannot see Samantha doing this though...I can stand with the front door wide open, and she'll just poke her head out and look around and come right back in. She's curious, but she knows where her home is and she doesn't venture out. She's definitely one of the most intelligent cats I've met.


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## RowdyAndMalley (Aug 9, 2010)

I wonder all the time... we found Rowdy at 6 weeks on a very busy freeway ( I live in southern, CA all freeways are extremely busy), he was emaciated, and filthy. Malley we adopted from a kill shelter at 9 weeks. Rowdy is mister skiddish, and Malley is the Dora the explora of kittehs. I would want to know if they are happy and healthy.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Nina's owner went to a nursing home, and she was in a shelter, scheduled to be put down the next day, when the Siamese Rescue found out. She stayed in a foster home until she was spayed, and then came to me! Thank goodness for her! She has always been a cuddler and a purrer. 

The Siamese Rescue people delivered her from Virginia! They have volunteers who do legs of the journey.


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## SlightChanceOfFurries (Oct 1, 2010)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but do cats not compensate for the lack of claws by instead developing slightly stronger and sharper teeth in addition to other beneficial defense mechanisms?


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## Nan (Oct 11, 2010)

Well, their shelter profile said they were surrendered because their owner couldn't take care of them and medical history said the skin on both cats had "alopecia or thinning all over belly & back end also near ears, cat was covered with fleas and large amount of flea excrement" (so ICK- not much to imagine!) and then a month later both were treated for an upper respiratory infection. They were well cared for at the shelter (although in cages) & their fur looked beautiful when I adopted them.


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

Ducman69 said:


> Thats one of the challenges of a declaw though .


Well, that's a good reason why people shouldn't declaw!! But this isn't a thread about this so I won't open up that box of worms.


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## Ducman69 (Aug 28, 2010)

Time Bandit said:


> Yeah, that is always a possibility...declawed cat just escaping the house. I cannot see Samantha doing this though...I can stand with the front door wide open, and she'll just poke her head out and look around and come right back in. She's curious, but she knows where her home is and she doesn't venture out. She's definitely one of the most intelligent cats I've met.


Or maybe you're just so awesome that she doesn't WANT to leave... the old care taker on the other hand was annoying and blew the vuvuzela constantly while yelling at the TV during televised soccer games.


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## Dave_ph (Jul 7, 2009)

Ducman69 said:


> I hope that someday they'll have little bio-powered micro GPS chips as an upgrade to the identity chips we have today.


I looked for a GPS after Mia got out once. They're still too big and you need an antena rig to track them down.


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## NRD (Mar 31, 2010)

Yes and no. Part of me wants to know, but a larger part is somewhat glad I don't know more. Hershey was brought into a shelter near Philadelphia from the street bleeding head to tail and emaciated. Taken to an animal hospital right away. The person who brought him in said they had seen him on the street for awhile. How a cat as intelligent, even-tempered and loving as that ended up in that situation is beyond my comprehension.

Little Hersh was brought to a Miami kill shelter at two weeks, saved from euthanasia by a local group, bottle fed and then fostered until I got him at four months. Snowball had been caught by animal control and brought to a humane society kill shelter, no one knew her past and she was not socialized. Her I would like to know about, to understand why she was so ill at ease with my other cats for so long. Blizzy came from a West Virginia kill shelter, was fostered for a month before I got him. 

When I look into their eyes, I wonder if they even remember their past at this point. I will say this--none of them acts like he/she wants to go outside the house, though I don't take any chances.


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## paperbacknovel (Jun 9, 2010)

Coda and Allegro were picked up as part of a stray momma and litter and stayed in foster homes from a rescue until I adopted them at 6 months of age.

Forte was on the streets until he was picked up at 3.5 months. They said he was emaciated, his fur ragged and looking like a dead animal, and a BB was found in his tail. The rescue had him for 4 more months until we adopted him. 

I wish I could ask if they were happy. I am sure they are, but...I'd just like to check.


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## Kobster (Feb 1, 2007)

I've had Ninja all but a few days of his life, and I'm sure he doesn't remember that unfortunate near drowning incident. I DO wonder how Sully mangled his leg so badly before he came to us. I know Thurston was "accidentally stepped on" resulting in a broken hip as a kitten. His owners couldn't be bothered to fix it so they relinquished him to us. I have my suspicions that the kitten was kicked by the owners fiance/boyfriend/SO. She seemed to care for Thurston (then Patrick), he was a jerk who could care less. Idiot! 
I wonder what life was like for Kobie before I found him, but I'm not convinced it was bad. As much as he loved to run outside, he must have had fond memories (of romancing the ladies no doubt). Not sure he was even owned really. If not, he was a very friendly stray.


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## Meeowmie (Sep 21, 2010)

I wish I knew more about Meowmie's past. Her previous owner gave her up and she was lucky enough to only be in the shelter for a few days before I wandered by and adopted her. She wasn't necessarily bad when we first got her, but I wish I knew why her previous owner gave such a sweet cat up (for example, peeing on the bed?) But if I had a chance to ask Meowmie something I think I'd just ask her if she liked it here and was happy.


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