Expert: Ali - 1/20/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi,
My daughter was given a Munchkin kitten by her uncle two years ago.  She adored the cat—and it was adorable!  Very sweet and a great companion.  She was living in Philadelphia and all was well until the cat got out one night about a year ago.  When it returned hours later he was obviously terrified.  When he was brought inside he attacked my daughter.  It seemed that anytime he would walk near the front door the memory of getting out came back and he'd viciously attack anyone near the door.  All they could do was throw a blanket over him and put him in his cat carrier until he had time to settle down.  This continued to a point where my daughter was afraid to be around the cat. She seriously considered having him put to sleep.
My son loved the cat and did not want to go that route, so asked if I would take him in.  My husband agreed since he also adored the cat.  We have another cat and have since adopted a dog.  The three of them have adjusted quite well to one another.  The only time I ever saw the behavior in Harley (the Munchkin) was one time when he slipped out the door.  There was no way anyone could go near him.  He did calm down hours later and came inside.
We have had him for over a year and he is adorable.
Last night I heard a rumble in the living room and all three animals were involved.  Maybe the cat tried to take the dog's bone...I don't know, but it triggered this Mr.Hyde personality my daughter was so terrified of.  He attacked me several times.  I was finally able to get him into a bedroom and shut the door.
This morning he seemed better—but I made a quick move and he started again.  I closed him in the room again.

My husband and I went out and returned a few hours later and he seemed Ok..but walking cautiously around the house.
Now he's sitting here on my lap as I write this e-mail looking up at me like his adorable little self.

My first question is...is there any kind of a spray that I could use if he "goes off" to calm him down?  Maybe that's a silly question.
I would hate to have him put to sleep but he gets very scary!
Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated!

Mary


ANSWER: Mary,

It sounds as though this kitty had something awful happen to him when he managed to get outside that has left permanent fear/anxiety which can manifest itself as fear/fear based aggression. I think that it would be a good idea to seek out the guidance of a holistic veterinarian because they are trained in conventional medicine as well as one or more alternative therapies such as acupuncture, homeopathy or even massage. I think that homeopathy would be the best answer based on my experience, but then I may be biased based on the incredible results that I've seen with homeopathy performed by my family veterinarian and the cats that have needed special help beyond what conventional medicine can offer. I think that this fear is treatable and I don't think that discipline is the answer so I would advise against any spraying or other similar actions. At this point the important thing is that you don't make things worse by contributing to the overall fear and anxiety that this kitty seems to be experiencing. For the safety of people and other pets in the household it might be a good idea to set this kitty up in a room with all of the usual kitty amenities for times when he can't be supervised or there is going to be unusual noise, activity or new people that aren't familiar with this cat's history. It's very important that you seek out a holistic veterinarian and it's quite possible that you may need the services of a reputable animal behaviorist specializing in cat behavior and training so that this cat can get the treatment that he needs to be physically, emotionally and psychologically healthy. What you have to remember is that this kitty isn't acting out to be hateful or cause injury, the aggression that you are seeing sounds as though it's fear based, it's not a temperament issue and with love, patience, consistency and the appropriate treatment I think that this should resolve reasonably quickly. Good luck, and please feel free to keep me posted about what's happening.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for your quick reply.  Please understand that I know this is not a behavioral problem and would never do anything to "discipline" him.  When I asked about a spray I was thinking of a spray that had something calming in it..Valerian or something that would maybe not even touch him but calm him.  I guess there's no such thing.
When we throw a blanket over him it's to protect whoever he's attacking and get him into the room where he can calm down.  
Perhaps I will look into the holistic approach...thanks again!

Answer
Mary,

Harley is absolutely adorable! I'm so glad to hear that you understand that Harley's problem isn't about bad behavior, many people believe this is the case in similar situations. I would like to let you know that Valerian isn't a good choice for calming cats, it acts as a stimulant on cats. I've done some more thinking on spray products and it occurred to me that a Bach Flower remedy called Rescue Remedy which is a blend of flower essences designed to calm and reassure might be worth trying in this situation. Rescue Remedy is very safe and is used by pet parents and veterinarians worldwide to help treat anxiety, trauma and fear among other things. Rescue Remedy can usually be found in natural health stores, naturopathic pharmacies, in some mainstream pharmacies in the section with vitamins and nutritional supplements and I believe you can also purchase this product online. 5-7 drops of Rescue Remedy can be added to a fresh bowl of water each morning and I believe that you can purchase this product in a spray form. Do be careful not to spray Rescue Remedy directly at the cat or give him the liquid directly by mouth in this situation, the flower essences are preserved in a solution of grape alcohol which means that most cats aren't keen on the smell or taste. The reason that I hesitated to recommend Rescue Remedy initially is because I suspect that this remedy won't address this issue in it's entirety and finding a practitioner who is accustomed to treating cats and is knowledgeable and experienced when it comes to homeopathy would be best because other remedies might be needed and I didn't want to send you off in the wrong direction.