things are not looking good
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wildorchid78
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2004 10:06 am
- Location: new york
things are not looking good
I don't know if anyone remembers me writing about my aggressive cat, Mitzi, last month but I'm back and the news isn't good. She still can't stand the sight of the other cat even after all this time. I've kept them seperated for the last month and made a few attempts at reuniting them with no luck. She got out of her room today and attacked him pretty bad and now she's decided that she hates one of the other cats too, and me. She is hissing at me and won't let me get near her. All this happend within the last hour. I'm thinking that the only way to solve this problem is to give her away. It's hard living in a two bedroom apartment with feuding cats. It's even worse now that she's turned on me. She even bit me when I tried to break up a fight. Why she turned on one of the other cats I have no idea because they got along this whole time. It breaks my heart to have to give her away after all these years and especially now when nyc shelters are overpopulated with cats which means she might not see a new home for months or maybe years to come. If someone has any advice that might help please I'll be willing to listen. If you need more background info on my problem just look up posts put up by me last month. thanks
Re: things are not looking good
In your first post , you stated your reservations about re-introducing them and keeping them seperated.....and since you stated today that you've only allowed them in the same room together a few times over the last month, this is probably part of the problem.
Ideally, you should be taking time every single day with re-introducing them, allowing all of them in the same room together. Yes, you might expect Mitzi to be reserved, agitated, whatever, but this has to be done on a consistent basis, and the least interference from you, the better (unless the cats are hurting each other, then you need to intervene)
You also mentioned a small home, cats need room to run, play, exercise, and confinement does not allow them to do that. Constant confinement will indeed cause stress, fear, withdrawal from socialization...each kitty needs to be able to roam your house at given times throughout the day. It is also important for you to introduce playtime for them on a daily basis so that they are getting enough exercise and activity, which in turn, helps with their socialization.
I'm thinking that Mitzi's newly developed agression is due to a stessful environment (confinement, fear), rather than learned behavior. She probably doesn't necessarily dislike her siblings, but rather she is under some heavy stress and is reacting to the stress, reacting to her siblings, reacting to you. If she is in hissing and growling mode and you interfere, she will of course act toward you.....one thing you can try is ignoring that and allowing her to work through that on her own, as in, letting her roam the house, let her hiss and growl, let her find her own sense of security. If she hisses, growls at the other cats, don't intervene unless claws and teeth are used. The cats need to work out their differences with as little interference from you as possible. But, you should also be spending time with them involving them together, playtime, activity, etc.
Again, please search through the forum (or use the search function) for "introductions".....pay special attention to time-out tips, these will work if they are done correctly, and at the appropriate times, the key is short time-outs, not long periods of confinement.
On another note, if you haven't had the two females rechecked by your vet since their spays, you might want to consider it right away. Since Mitzi is dealing with a great deal of stress, you want to ensure that she is not developing any hidden health problems. Stress can exacerbate any underlying health condition as well as induce a health problem.
Don't give up on her, there is every opportunity to make this work amoung all the cats. You stated all the cats got along fairly well before this incident, and sometimes it simply takes time to work through the issues. Don't expect a miracle and don't expect it to happen overnight, be patient, be consistent, and work on letting all the cats out of their respective rooms more often (on a daily basis). Also reduce other forms of stress in the environment, meaning yours, that of other family members, routines, etc etc.
Ideally, you should be taking time every single day with re-introducing them, allowing all of them in the same room together. Yes, you might expect Mitzi to be reserved, agitated, whatever, but this has to be done on a consistent basis, and the least interference from you, the better (unless the cats are hurting each other, then you need to intervene)
You also mentioned a small home, cats need room to run, play, exercise, and confinement does not allow them to do that. Constant confinement will indeed cause stress, fear, withdrawal from socialization...each kitty needs to be able to roam your house at given times throughout the day. It is also important for you to introduce playtime for them on a daily basis so that they are getting enough exercise and activity, which in turn, helps with their socialization.
I'm thinking that Mitzi's newly developed agression is due to a stessful environment (confinement, fear), rather than learned behavior. She probably doesn't necessarily dislike her siblings, but rather she is under some heavy stress and is reacting to the stress, reacting to her siblings, reacting to you. If she is in hissing and growling mode and you interfere, she will of course act toward you.....one thing you can try is ignoring that and allowing her to work through that on her own, as in, letting her roam the house, let her hiss and growl, let her find her own sense of security. If she hisses, growls at the other cats, don't intervene unless claws and teeth are used. The cats need to work out their differences with as little interference from you as possible. But, you should also be spending time with them involving them together, playtime, activity, etc.
Again, please search through the forum (or use the search function) for "introductions".....pay special attention to time-out tips, these will work if they are done correctly, and at the appropriate times, the key is short time-outs, not long periods of confinement.
On another note, if you haven't had the two females rechecked by your vet since their spays, you might want to consider it right away. Since Mitzi is dealing with a great deal of stress, you want to ensure that she is not developing any hidden health problems. Stress can exacerbate any underlying health condition as well as induce a health problem.
Don't give up on her, there is every opportunity to make this work amoung all the cats. You stated all the cats got along fairly well before this incident, and sometimes it simply takes time to work through the issues. Don't expect a miracle and don't expect it to happen overnight, be patient, be consistent, and work on letting all the cats out of their respective rooms more often (on a daily basis). Also reduce other forms of stress in the environment, meaning yours, that of other family members, routines, etc etc.
..........Traci
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wildorchid78
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2004 10:06 am
- Location: new york
Re: things are not looking good
thanks for your answer traci. they were never confined to just one room. each of them had their own room to stay in either at day or at night but got to roam the house while the other one was in their room. anyhow i'm just worn out from today, will keep you posted.
Re: things are not looking good
Just a word of encouragement... I read the 'First Post' and sounds like you've got your hands full... At the risk of sounding cheesy... Don't give up, hang in there, the sun is already shining in New Zealand! 