Ophelia
Female Young Domestic Shorthair Medium
I am Ophelia, the mighty! I'm actually a giant kitten who LOVES food. I am extremely food-motivated. In fact, if you humans didn't have...
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I am Ophelia, the mighty! I'm actually a giant kitten who LOVES food. I am extremely food-motivated. In fact, if you humans didn't have food to offer, I would probably ignore you completely, or maybe eat you when I'm peckish. I was the baby of my family until they thought they could go and have more *human* babies, and when I tried to eliminate the competition, they brought me to the shelter. So I am not suitable for a home with small children, or children in general, and really most adults should be cautious with me. I am a smart, savvy girl and would likely be a great mouser. My instincts are keen and I have a high drive to play, which usually correlates to hunting for cats. And I don't mind being pet now and then and will even let humans pick me up for short periods, as long as you have given me sufficient amounts of snackies. If you think you can follow the rules of Ophelia, give me lots of snackies, roaming time, and a job to do, I would be happy to take over your home and life. The Book of Ophelia Ophelia is a special kitty who does not crave a lot of human attention but does enjoy both physical and mental exercise. Anyone adopting Ophelia likely already knows all about her aggressive history and snappy attitude, but we’ll cover a few basics. Ophelia will yowl or meow sharply to let you know when she doesn’t want to be touched, blocked, or interacted with. This may be most of the time because Ophelia is very independent. Offering her a snack in exchange for calm behavior increases the likelihood of her remaining calm with you. Ophelia LOVES snacks. There is a reason she has become plump at the SPCA; we can’t help but soak up the attention she gives us when we give her a treat. Do NOT tease or withhold a snack from Ophelia. Giving her a portion while holding the rest of it is considered teasing to her, and she is likely to lash out in anger at the thought of you holding back the snackies. Children are an absolute no for Ophelia. If you have children visiting, consider keeping Ophelia in a separate room or possibly a large dog-sized crate. Catnip - Ophelia enjoys romping in catnip and likes it when toys are “freshened up” with catnip for her to smell and roll around on. Catnip does not overly excite her but we would recommend letting her enjoy it independently instead of trying to use it touch her. Touch - Touch is a fairly alarming experience for Ophelia. She does not always know the different between being pet and being hit, so she can react very strongly when touched suddenly. !This is when most of her bite incidents have occurred, when someone reaches down to pet her or extends a hand to her! Brushing - Similar to touch, do not try to suddenly brush Ophelia. This can be an extremely stimulating experience for her, and that may trigger bite mode! Crating - Ophelia is excellent when it comes to entering a carrier or moving to a kennel, as long as you remain calm and reward her calmness with treats. Highly recommend to store some extra tasty treats (such as Delectables or Churu) in the back of the carrier to encourage her to walk in on her own. Investing in a dog-sized kennel or a small animal kennel like the below image (found on Amazon.com or in local pet stores) would be a wise investment if you do not have an extra room for Ophelia when guests or new people come by. Load it with blankets, toys, and everything she loves to keep it a positive experience so she enjoys her “little home”. Medication - To help manage the anxiety Ophelia feels (if you’re familiar with that sense of being so overstimulated you could scream or cry, think of that), she is on daily medication (Fluoxetine, an SSRI). She receives 2.5mg per day in the morning with her breakfast. She will eat it mixed into food or treats, but she is also excellent about taking it with a pill popper, pictured below. Indoors/Outdoors - Ophelia enjoys going outside, though most of her experience has been as an indoor-cat. She would likewise do fine in an area far away from main roads. Considering how easily trained in other ways, it is possible that she might be harness trained, though her walker should keep in mind that she easily snaps into overstimulated aggression mode, especially when approached by strangers or when she senses stress. Ophelia is EXTREMELY sensitive to stress, as much as it might not seem like it. She reacts strongly to change and anything sudden in her environment. A quiet home with someone who has patience and a willingness to work with a cat who has special needs would be ideal for her. She would likely enjoy a playmate.
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