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Cats/kittten just started to act very scared

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Expert: - 1/10/2009


Question
Our kitten "Lou" is 7 months old. we rescued him from being put to sleep. He has had all his shots and was just neutered at 6 months old.  He is only indoors.  Just today he started acting very scared and defensive, do you have any ideas what could cause this behavior? Thanks for your help.

Answer
Mike,

I'm assuming that there wasn't much history provided to you about Lou or his past when you rescued him so it may be difficult to determine exactly what started this fearful behavior. Here are a few ideas, maybe one of them will fit with what you are seeing. Is it possible that Lou is frightened as a result of a loud noise or a change within the household? If Lou has had any abuse in his past and someone within the household has made a quick move towards him that he wasn't expecting this could also trigger fearful/defensive behavior. I would recommend trying a homeopathic remedy called Bach's Rescue Remedy which is a blend of flower essences designed to calm and reassure. I suggest that you add 5-7 drops of Rescue Remedy to Lou's water, don't worry it's safe for all pets and children. You should start to see significant changes in Lou within a few days. Rescue Remedy is used by some vets and pet parents around the world to treat fearful/anxious animals or those who have experienced trauma in one form or another. You can usually find Rescue Remedy at health food stores, naturopathic pharmacies and even some mainstream pharmacies in the section where vitamins and nutritional supplements are sold.

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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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