After a month of being with us, I finally took Luna for a thorough groom with haircuts and nail trim and baths. She wasn't a fan but tolerated well enough. I talked to the vet about her current health status and got some supplements as well. This was her last night. She usually would groom in my bed and leave but she fell asleep there. I can't 😭😭😭😭
Long post alert!
I have brought home a 4 year old Himalayan/Persian home and it has been 7 days. I want to give more context and ask some follow up questions and I would love to hear from the seasoned parents.
I live in Delhi which is currently experiencing the rainy season. I read up and tried to confine Luna to a room thinking she'd need the space to adjust to the house but she has refused to be restricted in a single room. She has been roaming around the house since day 1 and even used the new litter we got her from the very first day. She also established my bed as one of her grooming spots shortly after she arrived and is often found grooming herself there.
Food habits: Her water intake was pretty good when we brought her but she refused the dry food her previous owners gave me. I resorted to boiling chicken/chicken liver/heart/ fish, a little bit of pumpkin/carrot and blending them into a puree and mixed it with Whiskas wet food which she has taken to well. She had an upset stomach when I tried feeding her only Whiskas wet food and immediately switched back to the boiled recipe. I'm a first time cat parent and out of caution may have been feeding her a little less than what she requires.
Grooming: She has come a long way since the first day in letting me touch her fur but her belly, eyes and hind quarters are still off limits and it takes two of us to restrain her and just clean her eyes everyday. I once gave her a full pouch of Whiskas wet food and found out the next day that she had a soft stool that created some massive dingle berries. It was a tough evening for the both of us.
Behaviour: She has been the sweetest cat and has an extremely calm personality but she doesn't seem interested in play. I got her a corrugated cardboard scratch pad for her to tend to her nails and even sprinkled some dry catnip for interest but it didn't have much of an effect. She merely sniffed the mat for the first 2 days and rested on it and stopped interacting with it. She does bunting now and then and mews but doesn't show a lot of energy. She almost exclusively just eats and sploots in the house. I know that as long haired cats Delhi heat must be kept in air conditioned rooms but she seems to dislike that and just chills in rooms with only fans on.
Follow up questions:
1. I'm still trying to find the adequate amount to give her but I have observed that she seems to have lost some weight because she has suddenly been feeling a little bony to touch. Should I be concerned?
2. Her current diet consists of the boiled and pureed food that I make her mixed with Whiskas wet food which she tolerates well. Is this enough to keep her healthy? I'm sceptical of switching to only commercial cat food due to the preservatives used but is that a healthier choice at the end of the day?
3. Is her lack of play typical of her breed and if not, what kind of activities are meant for her?
4. How long would it take before she trusts me to groom her thoroughly? Right now I'm trying my best to comb her coat on the back but I still need to restrain her to clean her eyes.
I would love to hear your tips and insights on this, tysmia ❤️🎀
I recently adopted this 4 year old female. I was told that she's a Persian but her markings are very Himalayan. Can someone help me identify her?