Odd cat behavior.

[SpazTheGreat]

I'm new here, and wasn't sure where to post this, but I'm sure mods can help me out there.

I was given a one year old cat named Jimmy Page just over a year ago, so he's a little over two years old right now. He's always been playful((at least, since he got use to the house transfer)), and he's always really liked me. However, recently he's been getting a bit odd. It is constantly increasing with time. First he started growling whenever someone would come to the door, which is fine, I understand he's very territorial. However, he flips out occasionally, which includes sessions of walking the edge of the couch((laying on his side)) while looking cracked-out.

It got a bit worse when we introduced him to my girlfriend's cat, Coffie. Coffie grew up as an out-door cat raised by a dog, but now she's an indoor cat((and loving it, actually)). This is one baaaad cat, too. I mean, she use to take on wild turkeys. And win. The turkeys were actually afraid of her. Jimmy, on the other hand, is a fighter. He usually doesn't fight for no reason, but he's very protective.

They had a lot of conflict at first, but now they only fight every now and then((they have been in each-other's company for almost half a year now)). Jimmy still attacks her whenever he gets in trouble((which is daily, he's my little trouble-maker<3)), and he goes psycho in the mornings, which includes terrorizing Coffie.

Jimmy is a very jealous type. He doesn't do too bad, but he really doesn't like me giving attention to Coffie. Coffie, however, is very full of herself((she has more character than body, and she's a big girl)), and will hold grudges against Kelly((my girlfriend)) for doing as little as playing with Jimmy.

Recently, Jimmy has started going after what I assume is non-existent things. He gets intensely excited over something that none of the rest of us can see. And he gets DETERMINED to get to it. And it's always the same spots, one of them is in the corner right above my bedroom door. Nothing can deter him from wanting to get to these things we can't see. Any ideas on what could be up? Kelly suggested he was bored and having imaginary hunts, but I feel it's something more than that.

Do you think he's still feeling like he isn't getting enough attention? I try to baby my cat, because I love my cats, but sometimes he does get overbearing.

Sorry for the long post, and for the record, they are both sleeping peacefully right now.

Thanks for any input.

[momPaws]

Mice in the wall? Where I live they come in this time of year...my cat does that too, until I get rid of them. Your cat sounds like an interesting character!

[SpazTheGreat]

Hmm, if they are colonizing in these areas it could explain why he's so interested. It would also explain why he follows these non-visible items across walls.

[Traci]

Health and behavior questions should be posted in same, feline health forum, so have moved this post.

First, please define flips out, cracked-out, and goes psycho. Be sure you understand that most of what you've implied is playful behavior, and/or as your GF rightfully mentions, potential boredom.

How agressive exactly is Jimmy with Coffie? You said he "attacks" her, in what way? Is it physical and is he actually harming her, or is he attempting to initiate play? And what do you mean when "he gets in trouble, on a daily basis"? What kind of trouble is he getting into and how do you address that? Are you reprimanding him harshly or are you calm and taking steps to train him not to do some of the things he's getting in trouble with? Knowing what the "trouble" he's getting into would be helpful.

Are they spayed and neutered? How old is Coffie? When were their last vet exams?

Did you attempt to properly introduce the cats in the beginning? If not, and you feel they are not getting along as they should after all this time, you might have to start over, read the links here and here. These are guidelines you can use even now to help them feel more adjusted together. Also, both you and GF should be spending lots of quality time with both cats, involving them together in the same space with playtime, bonding, socialization etc, kind of like a "family activity" if you had kids. Be consistent about a time set each day for this time and activity with them. They will soon learn how to coexist and appreciate the time in playtime etc and will learn to look forward to it each day.

Watching or chasing unseen poltergeists is normal in most cats. It could be a shadow they see, or a bug/fly/etc they've seen recently that sparked their attention and interest but the bug may no longer be there, it could be mice or termites in the walls as Mompaws mentioned, it could be a cathair or dustbunny that waves in the air and perhaps YOU cannot see it but the cat can. See if there is anything there first, and if there isn't, then it could simply be he is playing and associating the top of the door with something he's seen there recently or in the past. Remember that most of the time, it IS a small bug or dust or something that moves and if they continue to seek that area, you should be looking for bugs etc.

What is the environment like, what is yours and your GF's schedule like (is it calm and routine or is it hectic and busy and constantly changing)? Are the cats left alone for most of the day or eve? Do they have plenty of toys and interactive toys to keep them entertained throughout the day? Do they have scratching posts, a kitty perch or kitty tree, etc? How much time do you and GF devote to them as individuals and as a group? How do the cats generally act toward one another, are they normally playful, do they sleep together, do they groom each other, do they share the same space, toys, etc, do they eat together etc......or are they avoiding each other, intimidating one another, etc?

[SpazTheGreat]

Whew, long post is long. I'll try my best to answer your questions.

Like, when he flips out, it's nothing like when he's playful. His eyes bug out and he reacts in a manner that is more... Harsh... Than his playful mood.

The attacks vary. If I've just gotten on to him, it's like he's mad that he got in trouble and she didn't. In the mornings it's like that, too, regardless of what happens. However, I've watched him attack her with the most harmless intent, but she doesn't like to play like that, and it turns nasty. He also likes to go up to her and bite her neck. I've never seen that before, and apparently she really hates it.

The trouble he gets into includes attacking Coffie, getting onto the table((the cats aren't allowed on the table, my mom's rule)), and at night he likes to try to get to my bedroom window, via an unstable TV on a bookshelf. I'd prefer not having to dig my cat out from under a TV, so I take him off the tv, or away from it when he's trying to get onto it. But he's persistent. I try distracting him((he is distracted easily)), but sometimes it doesn't work. The big issue with the tv is that he likes to do it at night, when I'm sleeping. The cats usually aren't in the bedroom when we go to bed, but we do wake up all throughout the night to let them in and out.

They are both spayed and neutered, and I think Coffie is around 9 years old. She's up there in age. She's still playful, but she doesn't want to do the whole attack each other thing anymore.

Oh, the beginning was loads of fun.[/sarcasm] We tried various things we read online, but I'm not sure any of them worked that great. I think they just ended up getting use to each other. We tried a suggestion of rubbing them with baby powder to mask their scents. They really hated that. Especially Coffie.

We spend various amounts of time with them all day, through out the day. If we're in the bedroom, one of them will usually follow us in, or come in shortly after. Usually Coffie, because she likes to laze around with us, and Jimmy likes to explore and play. We have all their bowls in the same area((Jimmy has a food and water dish, Coffie has a split bowl for dry and wet food, and a water dish)), and they'll eat together just fine. They'll sleep in the same vicinity, and they can laze around together. They've never groomed each other, and I doubt it will happen. However, the only real problems they have is their fights every now and then. Usually it's Jimmy that starts it, but I believe because of that, Coffie attacks him sometimes when he approaches her. I try not to separate them unless I see Jimmy actually bullying her. Otherwise I like to let him try to be friendly until Coffie swats his face.

We've played with them together before, and they don't mind until their toys are switched. They have their own toys and they know which ones are theirs((Coffie likes little mice, and Jimmy likes things with feathers)). We've gotten them to play with the same toy before, however unamused Coffie looked((it was her favorite toy at the time)).

I understand the various reasons he could be chasing things, but I've inspected his favorite areas, and I inspect the walls when he's chasing them, nothing I could see.

The environment isn't that great. We live with my parents in a cramped two-bedroom house. To top off the cramped situation, my mom likes to let things get to her, and she blows up over small things. So we have a lot of tension in the house various times.

Our schedule is pretty routine, and the lack of a job has me at the house for MOST of the day. I take her to culinary school at 6:30 in the morning, and pick her up at 12:30 pm. We usually((when we have gas money)) go out of town on the weekends, to visit family and friends, but my mom is usually home at these times, and my dad is there sometimes((Jimmy is his buddy, it's going to be hard to separate those two)). They have toys, but we constantly have to fish them from under the couch. They have a scratching box, but it's almost gone, so it's almost time to buy a new one. Coffie loves sleeping on it, though, so we can't get rid of it until we get a new one. No cat trees or perches or anything. However much I want one((I want the biggest most complex one I can find)), we don't have the money or space currently for one.

This is Jimmy Page.


I'll have a picture of Coffie a little bit later

[Traci]

How does mom like the cats? Is she a cat lover and dotes on them, or does she only tolerate them?

It sounds like the environment is stressful, and maybe too cramped. One thing that struck me right away was Jimmy's desire to get to the window. As long as it's shut, no torn screens to escape from, not open enough for him to escape from, a window can be a great distraction for any cat....they enjoy looking out, watching birds, critters etc. While climbing up a tv and unstable shelf isn't safe, can you consider putting a safe sturdy table in it's place so he and Coffie can look out the window? Move the tv to another area in the room? Cats are also nocturnal, meaning they love nightime, and can't sleep steadily like humans do. They have to have something available to them to keep them occupied, like a safe window to watch out of.

He may be attacking Coffie due to boredom or because he truly wants to play with her, maybe even play-fighting, as cats do. Maybe he just doesn't know how, that is, to be gentle with her. Since she is 9 years of age, she isn't a kitten anymore, even though Jimmy is obviously spirited and active, she probably prefers a more quiet and calm environment. You can't change much about that except to spend more time with them, and choose interests and activities that appeal to each individual cat. (ie., use a laser toy with Jimmy or toss cat toys with him etc, perhaps Coffie prefers a grooming session or a different type of toy or different type of activity. Be consistent with both so that each feels they are getting equal attention.

Have you used a squirt bottle as a training aid? Vocalizing or yelling (not saying you yell, I don't know that), doesn't work. A quick squirt of water from a water spray bottle on the fur is usually enough to train a cat of unwanted behavior (like jumping on the table). Again, you have to be consistent so he learns he isn't going to be rewarded for bad behavior. DO however, reward him with good behavior, such as with a treat or special toy or added time to a play session with him.

[SpazTheGreat]

I do vocalize with my cat a lot, and he seems to understand and listen to me.... EXCEPT when trying to get him not to do something he wants to do. I've been able to encourage him to do things, though, and he seems to enjoy listening to me praise him.

I haven't tried a squirt bottle, I should definitely try that. Treats won't work for Jimmy, however, because he won't accept them. He likes to beg for food((more so now since Coffie does it)), but he doesn't eat it once you give it to him. We assume he just wants to know we'll offer it to him.

And yes, Jimmy does love windows. He spends long amounts of time looking out the front window((mainly because there's a lizard who has discovered that Jimmy can't get him, so he sits outside the window and watches him, I'm going to catch the little jerk one day and then Jimmy will have the last laugh)).

When we moved back in here, we closed in the back porch, which was where he use to spend countless hours, where he could see all the bugs critters and stray cats.

My mom likes cats, but she likes to pretend she doesn't((she wasn't able to go with us to put down our last cat..... He was a great cat)).

However, I have forgotten to mention that my mom recently started watching a baby who is very vocal, and cries quite a bit, which makes Coffie reclusive because she doesn't like children.

I was reminded that we have a hole by our roof leading into the attic in which squirrels frequently get into, so THAT could be part of him flipping out. Or mice or bugs could also be getting in that way.

While I'm thinking of it, Jimmy absolutely despises baths((he bounces on his hind legs while I try to holding him, making him effectively bounce out of the bath repeatedly)), and this last time actually climbed the tile((while I was holding on to him, he isn't a spider or anything))... Know any ways to help get a cat unafraid of baths?

[Traci]

Hope you weren't serious, but do not let the cats anywhere near a lizard etc. Some of them emit toxic substances and bite, causing toxic fatalities.

Cats do not need to be bathed, they are generally impeccable groomers. Bathing removes natural oils from their skin and coat, these natural oils protect their skin and coat.

Having an infant or young child in the home could be part of the problem. Crying kids or loud kids can stress any cat.

[SpazTheGreat]

No, we don't purposely give the cats lizards. However, we think one might've made Coffie sick once, because she use to tease them on the back porch at the old house. However, we had just introduced her to a new hairball medicine that might've caused an allergic reaction((the vet we took her to wasn't that great, couldn't give us a straight answer, and told us there was no way that it was the hairball medicine, then charged us 90 dollars for it)).

Jimmy, however, attacks lizards and frogs whenever he finds them. The lizards have gotten wise, I think, for they are now not getting near the floor in the house.

And Jimmy frequently reeks of litter, and the dusty floors((my mom isn't the best house-keeper)) turns his paws a dingy yellow((you can kind of see it on his back paws in that picture)). Plus, we bought shampoo with hairball controll... stuff?.... in it, and Coffie had hairball problems((that's why we bought the medicine)).

[Traci]

Don't use the shampoo, again, cats rarely ever need bathed. You really can't trust over-the-counter products, mainly because they use substances of questionable origin like natural crap, botanicals, citrus extracts, all of which can be extremely toxic to cats.

Dust generally doesn't cause yellowing fur, are you sure he isn't getting into something?

Frogs and toads can be as toxic as lizards. No more catching amphibians!

Reeking of litter is indicative of a litterbox not kept scooped enough and cleaned/rinsed on a weekly basis. Who in the home has litterbox duty?

Btw, the vet was more than likely right. I've never known a commercial hairball remedy to cause a severe allergic reaction. Unless it was an off-brand, "herbal or natural" product, in which again, do not use.