Expert: Ali - 8/28/2008

Question
I have had a cat for 5 years, we got her as a kitten.  Six months ago we took in a stray that had been abandoned on the military base were we are stationed. He is between 4 & 5 according to the vet and has gotten along great with our female cat from day one.  About a month ago I took in 2 cats to sit for a friend.  After a week the owner decided to only take back one of the two cats and I was left with a female cat approximately 8 to 10 years old.  This cat was owned by a military family, she has been moved several times, including to Germany and back and recently was left in a house with her owner who committed suicide.  The home had 2 cats and a dog, all of whom were left to wander the house for days their deceased owner and without food or water.  Now that I have this cat at my house it is obvious that she is starved for attention, she is very loving, friendly, gets along well with my kids and I, but not our cats.  She growls and hisses at them constantly, won't let them near the food, water or litter boxes and has attacked my cats on several occasions.  She was, at first, very attached to my husband who was shipped out last week for Iraq.  I know that she is having some abandonment issues, and that she is probably having some adjustment problems, having moved so many times.  I have considered giving up the cat to the Humane Society, which I truly hate to do, fortunately for her they are all full in our area.  My husband really likes this cat and so do my children, and I have no problem with keeping her, but I need help in getting her past her issues with the other cats.  As much as I like her I can't, and won't, have my cats abused by her.  If I can't fix this problem she will have to go.  Any help that you can give would be greatly appreciated.

Answer
Dawn,

This cat sounds like she has had a fairly traumatic life up to this point. I would like to start off by recommending that you try a homeopathic remedy called Bach's Rescue Remedy which is a safe blend of flower essences that helps to calm and reassure. The best way to administer Rescue Remedy is to place the dose into a fresh bowl of water daily. I think that given this kitty's tough history a dose of about 10 drops per day will help this gal to adjust to her new surroundings and give her the ability to bond with your family properly rather than becoming overly attached too quickly which can lead to separation anxiety.

Since cats are quite territorial and this cat has been abandoned first by being left alone in the house with a deceased owner and then by being left in your home which is an unfamiliar environment for her she needs some time to adjust. I normally recommend that new cat introductions start off with a 2-3 week period where the new cat is isolated from other cats in the home. During this isolation period it's important to make sure that this cat receives attention regularly and has all of the usual comforts (bed, food, water, toys). This time period allows the resident cats to become accustomed to the new cat gradually which is a significantly more peaceful process for everyone involved. Once you have kept the new kitty isolated for 2-3 weeks you should be able to reintroduce her without the degree of fireworks that you have had recently. It's a good idea to feed the resident cats on the other side of the door that the new cat is being isolated behind as this will help to get all of your cats used to each other's scents and any sounds that they may make while keeping things positive.

I do think that an assessment by a holistic vet will help to treat any ongoing issues. A holistic vet is trained in conventional medicine as well as alternative therapies like acupuncture, homeopathy or massage. My family vet is a holistic vet and I have found that she is more willing to take other approaches rather than immediately resorting to drugs when it comes to more minor medical issues or certain behavioral issues. If homeopathy doesn't entirely resolve the abandonment/anxiety issues that your new kitty has your vet may recommend trying an anti-depressant/anti-anxiety drug. It's important that you not be afraid to ask your vet any questions that you may have regarding the risks or side effects of these powerful psychotropic drugs. It's also imperative that you understand that the anti-anxiety/anti-depressant drugs commonly used for treating cats with anxiety/depression issues are actually tiny doses of human anti-anxiety/anti-depressant drugs and their use isn't without risk.