Last September I adopted a 3yo Main Coon, to rehome her to a friend. It was odd transfer.

We found her on Petfinder, great site. Arrangements were made for us to pick her up.

No fee bc they said they were never home & it was hard on her. Ok logical.

The owner met us in front of a large complex. Gave directions to park & wait.

We thought we’d meet her but ok, their home, safety etc. we never see her except her face, fur, through cat crate. It’s her. Coco.

He seemed very concerned that she’d be loved. Got her stuff and home we went. She growled like a mountain lion of 18lbs.

All the way home, 45min. I put her crate on the floor of the guest room that was set up for her to decompress.

Let her tell me what she needs. I have kids some are cats & dogs. I could see she’d been traumatized so I decided to keep & help her heal.

1 week in she finally showed me her tail, it was shaved including her fur beyond that... the rest had been faded so it wasn’t as obvious.. I figured out she’d had kittens, probably had a mess & before adopting her out aggressively groomed her. These little stuffed kittens were clearly fake babies to help her.

I respected them as her babies. She softened up with me even more. We have a "it’s ok" sign developed early on. She is playful with me, but she is happy to be the lone cat… except she doesn’t.

I’ve found her cuddled up to the dog she pretends to not like. If she’s been bred/isolated, it makes sense.

She's sweet but she’s had trust broken. She’s 4yo now. We love her. Patient with her. She’s seen a vet. She is purebred. The vet noticed Coco being overly guarded from the waist to her tail, but that it’s hard to know on cats.

We’d like to help Coco calm down & let her guard down. Maybe it's brought out a little diva who likes it this way? Kinda doubt it. Thank you from Coco & her family.

Reply:

Hi Teresa, thank you for sharing Coco's story! It sounds like you’ve given her a wonderfully caring home, and I'm sure she appreciates the love and patience you've shown her.

Given Coco's background, it’s understandable that she’s still guarded and has trust issues. Her past experiences likely left her feeling vulnerable, and it will take time for her to fully relax and trust again.

It sounds like you are already giving her the security and patience to feel safe again, and are looking for some extra suggestions.

You really are doing a good job already! These things can take quite some time. Here are some additional ideas, though you may be doing these things already:

Consistent Routine: Like many cats, Coco will benefit from a predictable daily routine.

Feeding her at the same times, engaging in regular play sessions, and maintaining a calm environment can help her feel more secure.

Safe Spaces: Ensure Coco has multiple safe and quiet places around the house where she can retreat to when she feels the need.

Cat trees, cozy beds, or even simple cardboard boxes can offer her the comfort of a personal hideaway.

Positive Reinforcement: Reward her for calm and relaxed behavior. Treats, gentle petting, and soothing words can reinforce her trust in you. Be patient and let her set the pace for interactions.

Interactive Play: Engage Coco in interactive play with toys like feather wands or laser pointers. This can help build her confidence and strengthen your bond with her.

Playtime can also serve as a great outlet for any pent-up energy or anxiety.

Pheromone Products: Consider using calming pheromone products like Feliway.

These can create a more soothing environment and may help reduce any lingering anxiety she has.

Gradual Introduction to New Experiences: If there are any new experiences or changes in the household, introduce them gradually.

Sudden changes can be stressful for cats, especially those with Coco’s background.

Monitor Her Health: Since Coco is guarded from the waist to her tail, keep an eye on any changes in her behavior or signs of discomfort.

Your understanding and patient approach have already made a significant difference. Over time, with continued love and care, she’ll likely become even more comfortable and trusting.

Wishing you and Coco many happy and peaceful moments together. Thank you for being such a wonderful and compassionate cat parent!

Comments for Traumatized MC…abused Click here to add your own comments

Help w/cat by: Sandy Try Purina Pro Plan Calming Care Probiotic (Amazon). It worked wonders for my rescue Maine Coon who also was rescued as a 3 yr old. Love & continued care for your new Maine Coon! Sandy

Coco by: Kathleen J Hi coco’s mom Eight years ago, I adopted a part Maine coon cat. She was black. She was about a little over a year old. I named her Hazel - Hazel had a very traumatic kitten hood. At a very tiny age she was front declawed left in pain and subsequently was sent to a shelter because she got a little bit aggressive. I assume she was in pain therefore she got aggressive. Understandable. And that shelter, she became more aggressive as she was put in a cage. They had to pole catcher her because she was just very aggressive, I believe she was abused there and very misunderstood because all she was was very scared. From the shelter, she went to a foster care into a cage again because she was just too aggressive could not be with other pets. Her sad picture twisted my heart, and I adopted her. She was the only pet in the house. She immediately became very aggressive when we got home so I just let her be. She had for three days no eating no drinking and barely using the bathroom. I worked the 12 hour day so she had the house to herself. I monitored her with a camera at the time. After a week of this, I figured out which food she wanted and she would use the bathroom in the middle of the night and would eat in the middle of the night when I was sleeping, then I started looking up Jackson Galaxy’s videos to see how I can best help her. Recommendation was to close up hiding spots and force her into the room which I did and it worked. It took her couple weeks to really trust me a little bit, but I started noticing her behaviors and metal clicking sounds would distress her. She did not like to be in an enclosed small space, she did not want to be touched. She wouldn’t even look at me. This made it very hard for her to be vetted. After about two months, she actually came over to me and sat next to my legs and allowed me to just scratch her head a little bit, always short and sweet. She remain this way for three years and a week I had her. She acclimated, but she didn’t never trusted me fully. She would sit next to me or when I was sleeping at night she would sleep on my back, I know she love me and became close to me, but the minute I moved, she was gone for 30 or 40 seconds and that was it. Vetting her was an issue because I had to tranquilize her and they had to her in order to vet her because she was a wild animal. I was very sympathetic to her stress so I made sure to get a Doctor Who understood, her process and I was very aware of making sure she was comfortable letting her know what I was doing and what was happening. It takes a long time for them to trust and sometimes they’ll never fully trust and patience and time is the key and letting them know that they’re OK and also making sure that she had her space and I would follow her clues. She ended up having a severe case of asthma and been known to me trying to get her to feel better. I found out it was a little bit too late when we found the asthma and she only lasted three weeks. She was with me one year and a week before she passed away. I miss her a lot and I was always glad that I was her mother in the end because she needed that space and time and understanding and I needed to be sensitive to her feelings and her needs which I did, and I believe she was very happy at the end. I got to hold her for a long time and she passed away in my arms me singing to her. So my advice is routines make sure she has her make sure that you are sensitive to her needs and her issues and she’s very sensitive on her lower part of her body. I would definitely vet her to be sure she’s not really hurt. Thank you for taking good care of her and giving her home. Hugs to you and Coco.

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