New (to me) Cornish Rex in the (tiny) home! How to keep her happy?
Hi! I recently adopted a 5 year old female Crex. It was kind of unexpected, but of course I've completely fallen in love!
She came to me because of fighting with other cats in her last 2 homes (the last time resulting in a claw in her paw becoming infected and her having a lil cast for a while). It was hypothesized that she might do better as a single cat. She's spayed. She loves people. But she's never lived alone before and I worry about her being lonely or bored (though this is better than her being bullied or injured even worse).
I live in a small 2 bedroom 800 sq foot apartment. She's only been here for 3.5 weeks but I'm noticing that it's sometimes hard to keep up with her energy levels! She has no destructive/negative behaviors, I just worry that she might be bored.
I've installed 2 climbing walls for her in (in different rooms) and gotten a cat wheel, but she hasn't been brave enough for any of these yet. We play every day for about an hour cumulatively (in 10-20 minute increments). She cuddles with me often, but ultimately usually prefers her heated cat bed.
She came to me a little overweight, but she's not finishing her food (overeating was a negative behavior she had in her last home) and seems content as long as she can be in the same room as me. She is very affectionate and not shy greeting new people. I was nervous to have lots of people over at first, when she was settling in, but letting my friends and neighbors meet her seems to be her favorite kind of mental stimulation!
I realize 3.5 weeks isn't a very long time for settling in, but this is my first time owning a cat as an adult, and I want to take perfect care of her! Any advice for keeping a crex happy in a small apartment?
PS next summer I'm hoping to screen in my porch so we can both enjoy the outdoor space (I don't use it right now because of mosquitoes). I also hope to keep expanding the cat climbing walls (if she will use them).
PS I've lived entirely alone for a long time now (moved around a lot) so sharing my space is also new to me, but she is my priority! Any advice about adjusting to sharing my home is welcome, too. Thank you! as