Expert: Dear Tabbi - 7/22/2008

Question
Hello, I have a 2.5 year old moggi that I hand reared from three day days old because it was found dumped on the highway.  As you can imagine we had a very strong bond, she was my baby! She was loving and friendly. Although she played very rough with us but this was not a problem with us.
Anyway all was going well until she was about a year old, we sold our home and were moving when we came home between shifting trips to find someone had broken into our house and she had got out. (She was an inside only cat) I was devistated. Two days later we had a call from our old neighbours to say she had been seen sitting at our old front door, so we went back and were lucky enough to find her still there.   She then came to live with us at our new house (a rental) but was very traumatised.  She did not come out from under the bed for nearly two weeks, and even then was only for 10 min at a time, two or three times a day.
A month later i was very shocked and disappointed to find under the bed she had given birth prematurly to three kittens. (no survivers, no fur) I was unaware she was pregnant as she was never out (except during the burglary). I took tilly to the vets and they said that almost definately, it was the stress of the move that had cause the premature labour.  It has now been about 8 months and we have shifted again into a house we purchased and her personality is still completely different. She has never settled in, she attacks my other cats she used to play with, she growels when you pick her up or pat her more than two or three times and if the growels are ignored she will bite us.  She never comes to us for affection and will hide away in between feeds.  It seems she had a nervous breakdown which she has never recovered from.  Although I love her to bits,she is very unenjoyable now and I am contemplating having her put to sleep.  This breaks my heart but I dont want to see her so anxious all the time.  My last thought was that maybe if I get her fixed up will she settle down? What do you think?  or is there a hormone treatment I can give her to calm her down?  I have always intended to get her fixed but havent wanted to stress her out so ive been waiting now 8 months but if anything she seems to be getting worse...

Do you think theres any hope for getting her old personality back?  I am really upset! I miss her!

Regards Natasha

Answer
Natasha,

Poor kitty!

Unfortunately, alot of times a cat won't get over it if they have been severely traumatized. If she was bred for the first time when she was outside (which is traumatic in itself), plus strangers in the house, and being  alone and confused at your old house without you nearby, probably caused severe emotional trauma. Before you do anything drastic (and permanent) my suggestion is to have the vet put her on "kitty Prozac". It is very commonly used for cats with severe stress and/or emotional problems. See if that helps her.

And, I would most definitely get her spayed....ASAP! She doesn't need hormonal imbalance/heat on top of everything else. It won't traumatize any more than she already is, it can only help.

Let her hide if that is what makes her feel secure. Don't force her to come out or to be socialable. She has NO trust of humans right now, and may never have again. But then again, she may gain some back with lots of time, patience, love, reassurance, and kitty treats.

Keep me posted.

Tabbi