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Cats/Adopted stray

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Expert: - 1/10/2009


Question
I was adopted by an abandoned cat about a year or so ago. He belonged to my neighbors and they left him. So he started coming to my house so I started taking care of him. I'm not sure what breed or even how old he is but he is very affectionate. I named him Spaztic (Spaz) because he chases shadows in the kitchen. I hit a rough spot and had to move in with a friend who has a female cat that's about a year old named Hinata. At first she absolutley hated Spaz. She'd hiss and growl if she even got a wiff of him. To his credit he only retaliated when she would claw at him and even then it was in effort to get away. About three days into this Hinata went into heat and Spaz responded as a male cat must. (I thought he was nuetered. He is VERY fluffy)Hinata stoppped hissing and growling at him and for about a week they were actually very affectionate with each other. ^_^ Spaz is a indoor/outdoor cat I was going to wait about 6 weeks before letting him out to establish that this was home now. But he got out two days ago and was gone for his usual 24 hours. When he came home Hinata was back to her hatful state and I found that his collar was missing. My plan is to keep him inside untill I can get him a new collar. He is icredibly distressed about having to stay inside. He is still affectionate but he whines, scratches at the doors and climbs into the windows causing all sorts of mess and ruckus. I'm at my wits end on what to do for him. Any adivce?

Answer
JeWell,

You can try a homeopathic remedy called Bach's Rescue Remedy which is a blend of flower essences designed to calm and reassure. I would suggest that you add 5-7 drops of Rescue Remedy to your kitty's water, don't worry it's safe for all pets so it won't hurt his feline housemate. You can generally find Rescue Remedy in health food stores, naturopathic pharmacies and it's even available in some mainstream pharmacies where vitamins and nutritional supplements are kept. Hope this helps.

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Ali

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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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