Expert: Ali - 5/26/2009

Question
Please can you help?  I adopted two rescue cats (brothers)from RSPCA 8 weeks ago.  They had been penned for more than one year whilst being rehabilitated, after being found living rough as kittens in a garden.  Hence no human contact as kittens. They are now almost two years old. After 8 weeks they have come on leaps and bounds, but to date are still hissing every time I approach them with kind words.  They will eat in full view of us but have one eye open all the time.  They now go out into the garden which they enjoy, but will not come back in until we are out of sight!  They are lovely cats but its all becoming rather frustrating when all our kind efforts are rejected.  I also need to treat them with Frontline but cannot get near them, let alone hold them down to apply the gel.  I know there is no easy answer, but maybe you could give me some pointers, or tell me what I am doing wrong?

Answer
Janet,

I would recommend that you consider trying a homeopathic remedy called Bach's Rescue Remedy, it's a blend of flower essences designed to calm and reassure. I've used Rescue Remedy to help hundreds (or more) foster kitties who are fearful, anxious, timid or have been abused, abandoned or spent time in a shelter setting. Over the years I've seen some amazing results with Rescue Remedy and the advantage is that it's completely safe and drug free where the use of anti-anxiety/depressant medicines isn't without risk or side effects. I'd suggest adding 7-10 drops of Rescue Remedy to a fresh bowl of water each morning and giving the brothers some time to settle down. This remedy isn't going to cause adverse effects if you happen to add too much, in fact you can add several times the dose I've recommended to the cats' water without causing any harm. I normally don't recommend administering liquid homeopathic remedies by mouth because they're often preserved in a grape alcohol solution and cats usually aren't fond of the smell or taste of any kind of alcohol. If it becomes necessary to administer a remedy in an emergency situation I suggest massaging a single drop into the relatively fur free skin in front of the cat's ear, do be careful to avoid actually getting the remedy into the ear because it can sting.

You can usually find Rescue Remedy in health food stores, naturopathic pharmacies, some mainstream pharmacies stock homeopathic remedies in the aisle with vitamins/nutritional supplements and I believe you can also purchase Rescue Remedy and other Bach Flower Remedies online as well. I would suggest seeking the guidance of an experienced holistic vet before administering other homeopathic remedies than Rescue Remedy.

Some pet parents have concerns about using 'alternative' medicine or treatments to help their cats, but my experience has shown that these alternatives to the Western approach of using drugs to treat different conditions is safe, effective, gentle and often far less expensive than many medications. I understand that some people are skeptical about the efficacy of homeopathic remedies when it comes to treating physical, emotional or psychological conditions, but if you have a responsible, ethical and experienced holistic vet that you're comfortable with and s/he is able to take the time needed to educate you and answer your questions without making things more complicated than they need to be I think it's well worth a shot. Ultimately I prefer to keep my cats' care as natural as possible, because you're not likely to make mistakes that are serious enough to cause lasting harmful effects in your cats. I do my best to treat issues that my cats may experience using the most effective and natural treatments that are appropriate to the individual situation. I'm well aware that sometimes traditional medicine is the most effective and appropriate option when dealing with illnesses or injuries - if my cats have a serious infection they receive antibiotics, if they break a bone I have the vet repair the bone by whatever means are most appropriate for the situation, so my recommendation is to find a holistic vet you can trust and ask about treatment options that are appropriate for specific health issues that may come up. Once you know your options and your vet's made his/her recommendations you'll know what's right for you and your cat, which is why I find holistic care so much better for my cats, more empowering and less intimidating for me.

A holistic veterinarian with experience and training in the use of homeopathic remedies is able to provide advice about different remedies that you might need to give your boys, s/he will also be able to give solid advice about whether or not it's appropriate to give either or both cats more than one remedy at a time and what the appropriate combinations would be to prevent canceling out multiple remedies or causing unexpected effects. My family vet is a fantastic holistic practitioner and I've seen some pretty amazing results when she's given my cats homeopathic remedies on their own or in combination with traditional medical treatments. A holistic vet is trained in conventional medicine as well as one or more alternative therapies which may include homeopathy, acupuncture, herbal medicine and massage to name a few non-pharmaceutical treatment options.

Unlike traditional medications and drugs homeopathic remedies are designed to cure specific problems rather than masking symptoms. Treating your cats with homeopathy can sometimes be a bit like peeling an onion when you first start out because as one symptom or behavior is cured another may be hiding under that first one so I do believe it's in your best interests to consider seeking out a holistic veterinarian to continue providing the natural, effective care we've started to work on. Other Bach Flower remedies that your holistic vet may recommend if Rescue Remedy doesn't completely alleviate behaviors caused by anxiety or fear include:

- Elm which promotes optimism
- Larch which promotes confidence
- Mimulus which helps calm fears of known threats
- Aspen which calms vague fears and general anxiety.