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Cats/Rehomed 6 times, very aggresive older cat
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Please, any advice will be very much appreciated; we love our new girl but have never seen such aggressive behavior before. As children our family used to take foster cats and a dog or 2 from the SPCA until they were adopted to loving families. We have never re-homed any of our loved pets and lost our 2 Border Collies (14yrs and 15yrs) 3 years ago when they both passed on and we lost our 19 year old cat a year ago as she could no longer eat/drink or use her litter box. Yes they were all pets we had fostered ourselves, that we loved and adopted as part of our family.
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On occasion we en-counted territory problems, but after a few days the cats/dogs would be best buddies. We never had any real aggression problems, until now.
We have a small affectionate neutered Shih Tzu (11 months old), a loving neutered 2 year old Persian and our new addition; a beautiful 8 year old Persian girl who wants nothing to do with anyone.
We just brought her home 5 days ago. We have both been scratched, bitten & spat at whenever we get anywhere near her. We don't have any children and our dog is very loving toward our other cat. Our vet wants us to bring her in again next week; we're hoping after being spayed her aggressiveness may have calmed down slightly... (we just had her spayed yesterday). Her last litter was last year in August 2008.
It's been 5 days and she still hisses at us and will strike out at us with her claws extended, if she thinks we are going to touch her.
We keep her in our spare bedroom at the back of the house so she can hear us and get used to her new surroundings. She has her own litter box, food, water, toys etc all contained in there so she is separate from our other pets. We have screens on all the windows so she can lay on the window sill & enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. We have a new scratching post and cat house for her, also in the room. Either myself or my husband will go in there for awhile and just sit and read, or watch TV and let her see that we won't hurt her and that she's safe.
Sadly she still runs and hides every-time we enter the room, hisses, growls & spits at us. We always talk softly to her and have never raised our voices at her. When she bites/scratches us (I think she feels threatened sometimes) we stay calm, go out clean the scratches/bites etc. We return to the room and talk softly to her and settle down to continue watching the TV or reading etc, so she gets used to us being around her and sees that we won't give up on her.
The breeder that we got her from which was her 5th home, assured us she never physically hurt anyone and that another breeder was asking after her, but the woman who owned her wanted her to go to a pet home to live out her remaining years.
She is a Pedigree cat which was a show cat/breeder to 3 litters and has been re-homed 5 times before because of her very aggressive behavior toward her past owners and other pets; hissing, growling & chasing off everyone; (breeders male & female cats included).
We want to know how we can help make our new cat's transition into our home easier for her, ourselves and our other pets. We will be her 6th and very last home; she is part of our family now and we will love her always. We just don't know what we are doing wrong. Please any advice will be very much appreciated! We want all of our pets to feel safe, loved and happy and see them all become friends in the future. For now we will keep our new Fur-baby separate for everyone's safety; we don't want anyone getting hurt, please can you help?
Lee,
Based on your description of this cat's behavior I suspect that you aren't being told the whole story about her history. Cats do not act aggressively to the degree that this baby girl is without a reason, and in my opinion much more than hormones are behind her aggressive behaviors. Based on my experience I do believe that I can provide you with the tools you need to help your newest feline friend, but I have to be completely honest with you - helping your cat is going to take a fair bit of time, patience beyond what most people have, a heaping helping of unconditional love and a real, honest commitment to work with this kitty through the various stages of her coping mechanisms. I would guess that this little girl hasn’t been anywhere close to properly handled or socialized which is most likely resulting in extreme aggression since she’s fearful and anxious, I’d say that the territorial issues are only a small part of the larger issues in this situation. Over the years I’ve had occasion to deal with many intact female cats who have had multiple litters of kittens and for the most part they weren’t anywhere close to being as aggressive as your new cat.
Unfortunately not every breeder raises and cares for their cats and kittens in a family environment, essentially this means that it's perfectly acceptable from a legal standpoint for a breeder to keep their queens and studs in cages, bring them together to breed when appropriate and raise the kittens to sell for a profit provided of course that certain space, hygiene and care standards are met. There's no law forcing any pet parent to love their pet unconditionally and treat them like much loved members of the family, this extends to breedes. When breeders do their job properly their queens, studs and kittens turn out to be loving, confident pets who will easily accept the unexpected - clearly this isn't the case with your new friend. Sadly breeding pets with pedigrees is just a business to some, they keep cranking out babies to sell at a profit, put very little effort into socializing the cats/kittens in their care and once they've sold their "products" they are no longer accountable for issues that these little beings leave their care with.
It really sounds like you've made a lifetime commitment to this kitty and you are willing to take the time, patience and energy that she needs to help her through these behavioral issues which is a great thing because I really feel that this kitty can be worked with from a holistic standpoint. Love, commitment, patience and persistance are going to be important tools to help this little girl overcome her obstacles. I really think that your special girl would really benefit if homeopathy and acupuncture were worked into her treatment plan. In some instances a holistic vet will be able to provide those services for you, in my experience the best way to find a good holistic vet is through word of mouth - my own veterinarian is a holistic vet who uses homeopathy in her practice. Sometimes the good doctor uses homeopathic remedies instead of conventional drugs, other times she'll use remedies to complement conventional treatments and I must admit I've seen some amazing things happen. If you aren't able to find a holistic vet in your area then you may want to consider speaking with folks who are licensed to practice homeopathy and acupuncture on people. In some cases homeopaths and acupuncturists will step outside of their comfort zone to help an animal in distress.
On a positive note based on the information you’ve provided in your description of what’s happening with this little girl I really do feel like she’s finally found the right home. I believe that this precious girl has finally found a home where she’s going to be accepted, loved and cared about for who she is rather than what she can do in terms of contributing to a breeder’s bloodlines. Being moved around six times in eight years is enough to make anyone anxious, having to get accustomed to new pets, new people and new household routines that frequently can certainly cause some serious problems in terms of fear and anxiety which often leads to aggressive behavior if the issues aren’t promptly addressed using proper techniques to help defuse the situation. Since you have had your share of cats in your lifetime I’m fairly certain that you have a good understanding of what they need to be happy, healthy and well adjusted family members.
In this kitty’s case I’d strongly suggest helping her to take baby steps which will help her get comfortable in her new environment, the first recommendation that I have is to give this little girl a room of her own, a spare bedroom or large bathroom would be ideal. By providing your cat with a smaller environment that she can become comfortable with in her own time you’ll increase her ability to cope with yet another move into another household. For now it’s best to keep your other pets out of the picture, at this point this baby girl is too anxious and fearful to handle any unnecessary stress. In order to maximize this kitty’s start to rehabilitation I’d recommend a few simple things to help her cope with new routines, new people and a new environment:
1) Try to give this little girl an environment that’s as quiet as possible, if your household is a little on the noisy side then you can put a radio on at low volume to mask background noise. When a cat is already highly aroused it doesn’t take much to provoke an aggressive response. A calm, quiet environment is a good start for this kitty. Whenever you or anyone else is spending time with this cat or performing routine tasks necessary to care for her it’s important to keep a positive state of mind. Keep calm, if you are calm this kitty’s more likely to be calm. It truly does sound like this cat may potentially have a history of getting one of a few specific responses with her behavior - if you don’t react then she’s no longer being rewarded with attention for her aggressive behavior (rewards don’t necessarily have to be positive, negative attention is attention too). Be assertive, don’t confuse this with being pushy or overbearing. When you go into the cat’s temporary safe room you need to have a picture of what you plan to do, how you’re going to accomplish what needs to be done and it’s also important to visualize a positive reaction from the cat. I’ve long held the belief that cats can sense whether or not a person is confident and competent to handle their behaviors - if a cat doesn’t think that you are confident and comfortable enough to handle her aggressive behavior she’ll use that to her advantage.
2) Give this kitty some space. This cat‘s had a lifetime of people constantly controlling what happens to her including when any given person is going to handle them, instead of going to her I‘d recommend sitting back and letting her come to you. Sometimes cats with anxiety and fear based issues need to be allowed to make choices in their lives, especially when they‘ve lived a life where their choices and desires weren‘t given much priority by the people handling them.
3) This cat hasn’t had anything close to a predictable life, in fact she’s been moved around very frequently to the point that she’s experiencing some difficult psychological issues that are showing up quite clearly in her aggressive behavior. When a cat hasn’t had a regular routine it’s not uncommon for them to become insecure which can result in some pretty serious anxiety, if allowed to progress the anxiety can become fear and the fear can show up as aggression. Cats really prefer routine, they like to be able to predict household routines and they like to know that any variance from the routine is going to be positive, at least initially. In this cat’s case taking care of her basic needs should be done by establishing a routine that’s as close as possible to the routine she’ll see when she’s relaxed and comfortable enough to live happily within the household. Clearly this little girl needs to feel like she’s got a home, routine and caregivers that she can count on. The more predictable you can keep this little girl’s routine the better results you’re going to have with her.
4) People living within this household should spend as much time as possible in this cat’s temporary quarters. My recommendation is for you and other family members to take time out of their day to sit with this cat, but rather than approaching or handling her you’ll want to do everything you can to ignore her presence since that’s what she really wants. I usually read a book, work on a crossword or do something else that’s quiet and requires concentration. Until this kitty comes to you (and believe me, she will if you’re persistent) the best thing you can do is give her the space to make the decisions she’s never had an opportunity to make before. This kitty has been bounced around from breeder to breeder for her entire life and unfortunately people don’t tend to be all that good at following feline etiquette and introducing themselves properly. I suspect that this kitty’s aggression is simply her way of dealing with situations where she’s been forced to interact with people she wasn’t comfortable with. A good way to repair some of the damage caused by her unpredictable and somewhat unstable life up to this point is to allow her to make decisions, to make the choice to build bonds and ask for affection at her own pace. In the beginning it’s best not to speak to, touch or make eye contact with this cat since she’s on high alert and having difficulty coping within yet another new environment.
5) Reward positive behavior with something extra special. On your trips into this kitty‘s safe room it‘s not a bad idea to bring along food rewards, in fact that might help to speed up the process when it comes to luring this little girl out of her shell on her own terms. Cooked chicken/turkey breast, cooked salmon or tuna, strained meat/broth baby food (none containing onions though, they’re bad for cats) or a really high quality canned cat food made from human grade ingredients such as Wellness or Spot’s Stew by Halo work quite well. If you routinely come into this little girl’s room and completely ignore her (since that’s what she wants at the moment, you’re just indulging her fantasy) you’ll start to see her demeanor change significantly. Eventually the big displays of aggression you‘re seeing from this cat will decrease in intensity and over time these inappropriate responses will disappear entirely. Cats are known for their instinctive curiosity and in most cases when a cat‘s given choices and space to work things out their behavior will become less aggressive and she‘ll become progressively more interested in trying to figure out why she‘s not getting any response when she‘s behaving badly. , your little girl’s innate curiosity will start to take over. Rather than hiding, hissing, scratching, spitting, biting and otherwise getting pretty nasty (she may very well do this in the beginning) she’ll get to a point where she starts to be more relaxed. The changes will be obvious in her body language, her pupil size, the way that she interacts with her environment and people - rather than actively telling people to get lost by behaving aggressively you may see some pretty incredible changes, she might be puzzled or curious, that’s what you want. When a formerly aggressive cat is puzzled or showing curiosity they’re close to being completely rehabilitated, this is a critical stage so it’s important to keep yourself grounded and stick with the program so you can continue helping this little girl become a happier, healthier pet with a lifetime of positive experiences as a well loved family pet ahead of her.
6) Make use of alternative treatment modalities, sometimes conventional medicine and treatments don't have all of the answers for every situation. I’d suggest that you consider seeking the assistance of an experienced holistic veterinarian that uses homeopathy in his/her practice alongside conventional medicine. If you can find a veterinary acupuncturist that would also make a significant contribution to this little girl’s rehabilitation. My own veterinarian is a holistic vet who uses homeopathy in her practice in combination with or sometimes instead of conventional treatments depending on what’s appropriate in any given situation. I’ve used Bach flower remedies for years to help cats in my care get emotionally and psychologically healthier, in my experience they’re safe, effective and relatively inexpensive when compared to allopathic medicines. The use of homeopathy has some significant benefits when it comes to treating physical, psychological or behavioral issues in pets. If your pet receives the wrong drug for a condition the consequences could potentially be life threatening, if your cat gets the wrong homeopathic remedy the worst that will happen is absolutely nothing. If you'd like to run some questions by a holistic vet I'd recommend checking out the Ask a Vet segment of this site and asking Dr. Christine Chambreau a few questions.
Bach flower essences to consider in this situation:
- Bach’s Rescue Remedy: a blend of flower essences designed to calm and reassure. I’ve often used this remedy to treat anxious, fearful cats coming from a variety of situations. It’s the basic all purpose remedy in our kitty first aid kit.
- Cherry Plum: works well to treat fear associated with losing control or lack of control. Also helps to build trust and courage in new situations.
- Crab Apple: teaches acceptance of a new environment, can also help to cleanse body, mind and spirit
- Elm: when you’re overwhelmed and feel like things are just too much to cope with this remedy helps to increase positive outlook and composure.
- Larch: for those who anticipate failure and doesn’t make any attempt to succeed. This remedy increases self confidence to take on challenges.
- Mimulus: this remedy treats known fears, leaves one with courage and an understanding of the fears of others.
- Walnut: This remedy works well to ease any transition.
Using these remedies may drastically improve this kitty’s ability to cope and the aggressive behavior may completely disappear. It’s best if you consult with a holistic vet for dosage details and a dosing schedule. It’s quite possible that a holistic vet will recommend remedies other than the ones I’ve mentioned here, I’d recommend doing whatever an experienced holistic vet suggests since I haven’t got any formal training in homeopathy. If you have any further questions, concerns or you’d like me to clarify anything in this answer, please feel free to contact me again and I’ll do my absolute best to help you out to the best of my ability.
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| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | Ali, thank you so much for all the wonderful advice! I've never come across or even heard of a Holistic Vet before. I'll ask our vet when we see her on Friday; our other cat & our dog are going in for their teeth scaling that day. This is really great to know as we ourselves prefer herbal remedies, as they are much easier on the body & stomach. Thank you | ||
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Answers by Expert:
Ali
Expertise
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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