Shocked By My Cat's Reaction

[Firefly]

I adopted a rescue cat six months ago. He had been in the shelter for nearly two years, and had been fed on biscuits. That in mind, I have introduced wet foods together with dried food gradually to his diet. Today he was offered warm roast chicken, my other cat's favourite. His reaction to it shocked me, he sniffed the dish, put his ears down and backed away from it, thinking it was just something new, I offered it to him a couple of times more, and he still reacted in the same way. We know he has been badly treated in the past, so whether he associates the smell with something bad, or just doesn't like the smell I don't know. Any thoughts please.

Jackie

[Dominic]

At a guess I would say the cat has eaten some chicken he shouldn't have in the past, and been severely punished for it. I remember one Christmas my Mum gave a scream in the kitchen because the cat had pulled the cooling turkey off the work surface. Being animal lovers, Tigger remained unpunished, other than a stern talking to which was treated with feline good grace. Had we not been animal lovers, I could imagine the cat would have received a kick or a whack, so perhaps your cat is just remember a painful lesson?

Alternatively, he has eaten some chicken that gave him a dodgy stomache?

[Firefly]

I fear you may be right Dominic, he has evidence of old injuries, probably inflicted by some low life, poor thing.

Jackie

[PW in Polemi]

I tend to agree, your poor cat has been mistreated in the past over cooked chicken.
Our first ever cat was a rescue, collected from the animal shelter as being a stray. Over the next few weeks as we got to know her, we realised that she had become a stray to get away from the man who beat her with a stick. She was terrified of men (although soon recognised Dave as a softy cat lover ) and anything ressembling a stick sent her running for cover, so rolled up brollies, vacuum hoses, brooms, etc etc were off limits until she'd gone to a different room or outside.

[Dominic]

I tend to agree, your poor cat has been mistreated in the past over cooked chicken.
Our first ever cat was a rescue, collected from the animal shelter as being a stray. Over the next few weeks as we got to know her, we realised that she had become a stray to get away from the man who beat her with a stick. She was terrified of men (although soon recognised Dave as a softy cat lover ) and anything ressembling a stick sent her running for cover, so rolled up brollies, vacuum hoses, brooms, etc etc were off limits until she'd gone to a different room or outside.

When I was trekking in Nepal I stopped to play with a dog that was sniffing around. I picked up a stick to throw for it, and the poor thing cowered on the floor, thinking I was going to beat it. I will never forget that.