My cat is being really mean! (sorry its so long)

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MysticalSocrates	My cat is being really mean! (sorry its so long)		Lead	[-]
Posts: 2 Aug 3, 2008 16:54:25 Littermate	Tags : attack, unspayed, bad behavior Last September a neighbor cat tried getting into our house, and our oldest cat, Mystical now 4 (black medium hair un-spade female) attacked the intruder cat and got it out of our house. She then was really jumpy and eventually started to attack me, my husband, and our other cat Socrates now 3 (gray short hair neutered male). She screamed and howled at him, got him cornered and attacked him. We finally got them separated and she has been in her own room now for almost a year, she comes out for awhile with Socrates put in the room that she was in, and she is fine around me and my husband. She also comes out to be with the rest of the family in a pet carrier. She has managed to escape the carrier a couple times now and it is always the same thing; she always chases Socrates down and scares the shit out of him (literally). A couple days ago she got out of the pet carrier and it was a completely different story, she was calm relaxed and quite pleasant to all of us. The two cats were playing together and it seemed as if our hell had ended. Everything seemed to be back to normal. But then something frightened Socrates and he ran away from her and she chased him and it was hell, she was screaming, he was howling. She chased him around the house and got him cornered again. My husband and I tried getting her away from him for like 2 hours (she was under a dresser and we couldn't reach her). Finally we got her out of the room Socrates was in and put her in the room she has been in. Socrates had a couple scrapes but nothing too bad. She stayed in her room all night and half of the next day, when me and my husband went in to give her food and check her water and make sure she was ok. I left the room to go get her some water and when I left the room she started being mean to my husband, she attacked his arms and what ever she could get a hold of. He managed to get her under a blanket and leave the room. He was all bloody and very confused and hurt. We don't want to get rid of either of our "kids" but we really can't keep living like this. I tried to talk to my vet about it but it didn't seem like they understood where I was coming from; they gave me some herbal drops and that didn't do anything. I have that pheromone spray and diffuser, but that doesn't seem to be doing much either. Before the incident with the neighbor cat, Mystical was very loving to all of us especially Socrates, they did everything together. It breaks my heart to see them without each other and it breaks it even more to see her attacking him and us. I don't know what else to do so all the help I can get is much appreciated. Thanks and once again sorry this is so long *Angela* Edited by Suse: Added search tags. Last Edited By: sniksnak Aug 3, 2008 17:14:04. Edited 1 time.
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sniksnak		#1	[url]	[-]
Posts: 22577 Aug 3, 2008 17:27:51 FF&F Staff Board Owner Suse Critter Care Giver Totally Caffeinated	to FF&F, Angela! Nice to meet you and your two cats. First, is there a medical reason why Mystical isn't spayed? Cats will continue to seek out a mate until they have mated or been altered. Older female cats will suffer from many health issues if not spayed. Benefits to Spaying/Neutering Feliway diffuser is a pheromone based product that is supposed to curb aggression in cats. Sometimes it doesn't work on some cats, though it may once Mystical is spayed. Second, you will probably have to re-introduce her to Socrates. She may be thinking that he's part of her problem last fall when she was so terribly frightened and is redirecting her aggression towards him. Both you and your husband need to provide her a stress free environment once she's spayed. She will probably be much calmer around both her human and feline family. Feline Redirected Aggression Territorial Aggression The latter link can be used to re-introduce one cat to another. Don't let it's title fool. Just follow the steps as though Mystical and Socrates have never laid eyes on each other. Both cats are terribly confused right now. Let us know how things go with them. Good luck!
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joanne r		#2	[url]	[-]
Posts: 5110 Aug 3, 2008 17:40:06 FF&F Staff Administrator Jo Down Under in Ozland	I am sorry this has happened to your kittys and for all you are going thru. First I would have Mystical spayed ,she dosn't need her hormones getting in the way of all that she is going thru,she is like a crime victim,so just feels unsafe all the time,people finds home invasion very hard to get over and they can talk it over with other people,poor Socrates is not the problem, go back to your vet and explain this is not a passing thing, but a major problem for all,if he/she is not listening,seek another vet,a year is a very long time for a cat,you need help now,I feel she will get better ,but start with 20 minutes with Socrates,if she chases him,pick him up and remove him from the room,ignore Mystical,by chasing her,she could think something is wrong again,maybe another cat in the house and in her mind it all starts again.She is not mean,just very scared inside.Please keep us up dated.
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MysticalSocrates		#3	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2 Aug 3, 2008 19:40:45 Littermate	Thank you both for your advice. I do know we need to get her spayed; however, I am afraid of her having an episode while recovering from the surgery. I do not know if it would be healthy for her to sit in a carrier or locked in her room while recovering. If we keep her locked in her room we still need to go in to give her food and water and what not. With my husband currently wrapped in gauze from hand to elbow on both arms, I do not know how safe it would be to have her get the surgery and risk them both getting hurt again. Any suggestions? In regards to keeping the two of them together for 20 mins. at a time, I must reiterate the extreme violent nature of her episodes. I am sure my husband probably should have gotten stitches this time and the times before as well. Thanks again for the advice, *Angela*
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joanne r		#4	[url]	[-]
Posts: 5110 Aug 4, 2008 03:06:11 FF&F Staff Administrator Jo Down Under in Ozland	Hi Angela,Suse has given you some great links,why do you think spaying Mystical would make her aggressive ? keeping her in one room after spaying would not hurt her and you must be going in for feeding and litter changes now,do you mean you think she will be in pain and react badly,vet can give pain meds straight after,last a while,the reason I suggest this is that as a adult female cat she can come into season every 3 weeks until she finds a mate,anything that will help settle her moods must help,at this point really can't see it could make the situation worse,I had 2 foster that I could not handle,one worse then the other and spaying was the making of them,Well they both got homes ,the worse within 3 weeks,so that would be my first step.
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