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Cats/Found our cat and now she is aggressive
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Question
Hi,
We found our cat when she was only a few weeks old in a ditch 1 1/2 years ago. We brought her in a gave her lots of love good food and had her spayed. 2 weeks ago she went missing. The neighbors a street down told us they think they found our cat. We found her in our yard this morning and my kids where so excited but when they approached her she growled and hissed. She won't even respond to me or her name, it's like she doesn't recognize us. Is this common? We are so sad any advice would help
thanks
Sarah,
I'm left wondering if the cat that you have found in your yard is indeed your cat or if she is a cat that looks like your cat...If you are positive that this kitty is definitely your cat I would guess that she has probably been the victim of animal cruelty as this would explain the aggressive/fearful response that you describe. Sadly when cats are indoor/outdoor you aren't able to control every aspect of who they meet and what they endure. If you are positive that this is your cat and her vaccines for rabies are up to date then it will take some time to help gain back this little one's trust. I would recommend placing food and water on your porch for a couple of days. I would suggest that you add a homeopathic remedy called Bach's Rescue Remedy to the water, this remedy is a blend of flower essences designed to calm and reassure. Once your kitty has had this in her water every morning for a couple of days you can try to reapproach her. If this goes badly then I would recommend that you speak to your veterinarian about using a humane live trap to catch her and bring her in to be assessed just to be sure that there isn't a medical reason for this strange behavior. I wish you the best of luck, you, your kitty and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. I hope that there is a way to help this cat become the treasured member of your family that she was prior to going missing. It may take some time and work to gain back the trust that was lost in humans, but it can be done.....I'm here to offer support and suggestions if you would like them.
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Answers by Expert:
Ali
Expertise
I am the proud guardian of 5 mixed breed cats ranging from 12 weeks to 13 years old and one purebred ragdoll. I have 20+ years experience working with mixed breed cats from a variety of different situations. I have fostered cats/kittens with special needs/behavioral issues. I have rescued/rehabilitated/re-homed a variety of stray/abused cats. I can offer advice on managing feral cat colonies, rehabilitating strays and finding them forever homes. I can help you to determine whether a cat is stray or feral, there IS a significant difference. Improperly introducing a new cat/kitten can result in aggression between newly introduced cats because cats are territorial by nature and they don't like sudden changes in their environment. To learn more about a peaceful way to introduce a new cat into a home with other cats please check out my previous answers on this subject. Proper nutrition for cats can be confusing, I recommend checking out catinfo.org which was created by a veterinarian (Dr. Lisa Pierson) who takes a common sense approach to explaining feline nutrition. Cat behavior and instincts are different from those of humans, I can help you understand your cat's needs so that you can meet them adequately and have a balanced, psychologically and physically sound kitty. Cats vary in personality, energy level and intelligence, different approaches may be required to achieve results in terms of training and interaction with your feline companion. An intelligent, high energy cat must be kept busy or they will make their own fun. I am NOT a licensed veterinarian and I can't offer medical advice. If your cat is ill/injured my advice is always the same: get prompt medical treatment provided by a veterinarian. If finances are an issue I will try to find resources in your area that can help with medical costs or make other choices to ensure the welfare of your cat.
Experience
I have fostered feral and stray cats, rehabilitated and homed cats that many people recommended euthanasia for. I am willing to make an effort to do the research and ask questions because I care enough to find solutions to behavioral problems rather than giving up. I have an interest in the use of alternative therapies to help provide the best possible care for all cats and I can say in all honesty that I've seen some incredible things happen for some incredible cats and their human caregivers when the right alternative therapeutic modality is used by a qualified veterinarian with expertise and experience in the field.
Education/Credentials
I've earned my diploma as a veterinary assistant with honors.
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