Sweet cat with redirected aggression, please help: euthanasia may be the only option.

pearl99

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and I feel extremely horribly because she hasn’t been affectionate with me, at all. I’m not sure what else to do. Besides try transdermal, but I feel like this vet no longer wants to help
I have had this happen when I've had to give pills, don't worry she can get past that and accept the pills. It's for her own peace of mind keep in mind, but it's hard when they say "nope, not playing with you today."
 
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catluvs

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Thanks guys! I think I’ll try to get a pill gun and see if that works better, at least it won’t be the liquid I’m shooting in her mouth. It’s just hard because I’m literally terrified of this cat, so I don’t want to set her off and have her start attacking all of us for days on end again, but I also love her and hate to see her dislike me :\ sigh
 

pearl99

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Thanks guys! I think I’ll try to get a pill gun and see if that works better, at least it won’t be the liquid I’m shooting in her mouth. It’s just hard because I’m literally terrified of this cat, so I don’t want to set her off and have her start attacking all of us for days on end again, but I also love her and hate to see her dislike me :\ sigh
We will hope for the prozac to take effect sooner rather than later :grouphug:
 

Jcatbird

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She doesn’t dislike you. Her reactions are more about her world but not you personally. She curls up with you, wants pets and demonstrates love and trust for you. The reactions are to something else. If she didn’t love and trust you, she would cuddle you or even be near you. You are the one rock in her world.
 

Animal Freak

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What if you tried giving her pieces of food in the same manner as the pills? Say, if you use cheese then wrap some food in cheese as well as the pill. Then start feeding them to her one after the other without giving her a moment to pause. Throw in the one with the pill and immediately give her another piece of food so she doesn't take the time to realize what she's eating. You could even start using the food ones throughout the day so that way they become normal and she doesn't suspect anything. Perhaps you could use the treats she loves and implement the same idea of using them as a pill pocket. Then you could have double the tasty treats by putting the pill in a treat and wrapping the treat in something.

I've had to syringe medicine into my cat on several occasions. He's gotten over it every time. You're cat will get over it too. Don't worry about her hating you. It is nice when it's easy and you don't have to fight them though.
 
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catluvs

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Guys, I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice...

She really, really started fighting the Prozac, to where I couldn’t get it down her. I still have some other things to try with the pills, including gelatin capsules, so we’ll see, but... I’m not even sure that would help the issue, anyway.

The more I think about it, the more she just needs to be in a home with no other animals. I couldn’t euthanize her, unless it gets worse and worse and I have no other options, but I truly don’t think she needs to be, anyway. I think the vet jumped the gun. She loves playing, she loves cuddling... Yes, she has problems, but they all seem to stem from her siblings. Like, my boy cat was trying to play/stalk my other girl cat, went through the tunnel really fast and made a banging noise, and that caused her to rush in, puffed up, ready to fight. Thankfully there was hesitation this time and no big brawl, but she did chase him into a corner and tried to go at him a few times. I’m really scared she’s going to cause his FLUTD to flare up again, as well. I just have constant anxiety in my house. Every little noise I hear, my heart starts pounding becuase I’m not sure how she’ll react. When she goes around sniffing the doors, I’m afraid she’ll smell another animal. I think my tolerance is so low because after Tuck’s blockage/the emergency vet scaring me to death, thinking he was going to die in November, really put me in a bad place. Walking on eggshells is affecting me so much. I just graduated college and am supposed to be looking for a career, but I’m keeping my crappy part time job so I can be home as much as possible becuase of this.

How would I even go about trying to find a home for her? Is it even possible? I find it hard to believe someone would give her a chance, and I of course would absolutely say that she has indeed attacked me before, because I smelled like another cat/voiced loud concern when she was attacking Tuck a few times (which I learned not to do).

I just don’t know what I’ll have to do or how to go about any of this, I have no resources
 

rubysmama

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You could certainly look for no-kill shelters, or rescue groups in your area. Perhaps your vet, or maybe another vet, would have some helpful contacts.

The topic does come up from time to time, so I did a site search on "rehoming". Here's a link to the threads it found. Maybe something in one of them will be helpful. Search Results for Query: rehoming

You could also post a new thread in the Cats S.O.S forum.
Note: this is at the top of the forum, so might want to read it first: Please read this before posting in Cats SOS
 

Furballsmom

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tarasgirl06

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Guys, I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice...

She really, really started fighting the Prozac, to where I couldn’t get it down her. I still have some other things to try with the pills, including gelatin capsules, so we’ll see, but... I’m not even sure that would help the issue, anyway.

The more I think about it, the more she just needs to be in a home with no other animals. I couldn’t euthanize her, unless it gets worse and worse and I have no other options, but I truly don’t think she needs to be, anyway. I think the vet jumped the gun. She loves playing, she loves cuddling... Yes, she has problems, but they all seem to stem from her siblings. Like, my boy cat was trying to play/stalk my other girl cat, went through the tunnel really fast and made a banging noise, and that caused her to rush in, puffed up, ready to fight. Thankfully there was hesitation this time and no big brawl, but she did chase him into a corner and tried to go at him a few times. I’m really scared she’s going to cause his FLUTD to flare up again, as well. I just have constant anxiety in my house. Every little noise I hear, my heart starts pounding becuase I’m not sure how she’ll react. When she goes around sniffing the doors, I’m afraid she’ll smell another animal. I think my tolerance is so low because after Tuck’s blockage/the emergency vet scaring me to death, thinking he was going to die in November, really put me in a bad place. Walking on eggshells is affecting me so much. I just graduated college and am supposed to be looking for a career, but I’m keeping my crappy part time job so I can be home as much as possible becuase of this.

How would I even go about trying to find a home for her? Is it even possible? I find it hard to believe someone would give her a chance, and I of course would absolutely say that she has indeed attacked me before, because I smelled like another cat/voiced loud concern when she was attacking Tuck a few times (which I learned not to do).

I just don’t know what I’ll have to do or how to go about any of this, I have no resources
She knows you and she does trust you to care for her and protect her. I would never betray that trust. That's just me.
On pilling, have you tried coating it, or a treat with it inside, in margarine, butter, or meat-only Gerber baby food (the little jars -- chicken, turkey, lamb, or beef)? If she has a favorite food, you could try putting it inside that, too. Maybe you already have. I would not give up. And as for her "hating" you, I agree with Jcatbird Jcatbird -- she surely does not.
 

Jcatbird

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It sounds like you are stressed out. I’m so sorry. Care giving does take a toll on us at times. You’ve made so much progress but I know it’s hard to see when you are right in the middle of it. She has been calming some so please hang on. The thing is, once the calm is established, everything should get easier. Maybe not perfect or without rough days but we have those in life. Do try the other alternatives you mentiioned. If you ever get the medicine levels going in her, the rest should ease some. I know we all feel like turning things over to a helper sometimes. Me too. I get tired but it has gotten easier. Ups and downs some days. When it’s hard I remind myself what the alternative for the cat would be. Are they better off with or without me. Although it is possible to find an individual rescuer that could handle her, the general public might not be as great with her as you are. She knows you as her parent/family and trusts you beyond her own siblings. Can anyone else match that? It would have to be someone she found a true bond with when she met them. A few rescue groups focus on cats with health issues or special needs. Maybe you could find someone who has retired from that who is capable of what you have managed to do. You have a special touch with her. Most shelters where I live would not be willing to take her since they are over run with kitties. If you can work with her long enough to get her to a more adoptable state, you increase your chances greatly. I really do feel that it’s a matter of giving her time and stability in all you are doing. Many times with working through these things we take baby steps but .... we get there. I can assure you that I have seen similar things many times but the diligence not only worked but gave the human great happiness with a kitty who was more devoted to them than any other could be. Keep working through the current efforts and try other tempting things to get the pills in. You’re doing great! Follow through makes all the difference. Please keep us updated and we’ll be here. :alright::redheartpump:
 

pearl99

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Guys, I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice...

She really, really started fighting the Prozac, to where I couldn’t get it down her. I still have some other things to try with the pills, including gelatin capsules, so we’ll see, but... I’m not even sure that would help the issue, anyway.

The more I think about it, the more she just needs to be in a home with no other animals. I couldn’t euthanize her, unless it gets worse and worse and I have no other options, but I truly don’t think she needs to be, anyway. I think the vet jumped the gun. She loves playing, she loves cuddling... Yes, she has problems, but they all seem to stem from her siblings. Like, my boy cat was trying to play/stalk my other girl cat, went through the tunnel really fast and made a banging noise, and that caused her to rush in, puffed up, ready to fight. Thankfully there was hesitation this time and no big brawl, but she did chase him into a corner and tried to go at him a few times. I’m really scared she’s going to cause his FLUTD to flare up again, as well. I just have constant anxiety in my house. Every little noise I hear, my heart starts pounding becuase I’m not sure how she’ll react. When she goes around sniffing the doors, I’m afraid she’ll smell another animal. I think my tolerance is so low because after Tuck’s blockage/the emergency vet scaring me to death, thinking he was going to die in November, really put me in a bad place. Walking on eggshells is affecting me so much. I just graduated college and am supposed to be looking for a career, but I’m keeping my crappy part time job so I can be home as much as possible becuase of this.

How would I even go about trying to find a home for her? Is it even possible? I find it hard to believe someone would give her a chance, and I of course would absolutely say that she has indeed attacked me before, because I smelled like another cat/voiced loud concern when she was attacking Tuck a few times (which I learned not to do).

I just don’t know what I’ll have to do or how to go about any of this, I have no resources
I still have a gazillion capsules and would not mind mailing a bunch, if you trust messaging me an address to send them to. I have no need for this many. May be faster than ordering?
 

tarasgirl06

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Really nice of you, pearl99 pearl99 :yess:
And once again, words of wisdom and caring, Jcatbird Jcatbird -- I remember when Baby Su first came to us, wandering on our desert land, far too small to fend for herself, and I scooped her up. She was hissy, spitty and claw-y, being feral. When I brought her in to the main house, she came in swinging, ready to take on all comers. Over time, she has learned that there is nothing but love, comfort and good care with us. But she was born feral and she will always exhibit some feral traits. She is only bonded to me, tolerates Tarifa, runs from Elvis, and is inclined to bite and swat at times when she feels threatened by me or Elvis, or even -- for unknown reasons -- Tarifa. I accept her as she is, love her with all my heart and soul, and am absolutely committed to her for life.
 

Gremlin's Guesthouse

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To be fair, I think there’s a big difference between a cat who may have redirected aggression that has a lot of outside space and stimulation, vs that same cat in a small house who attacks when they feel like they can’t get far away. Since her attacks are mainly towards my other two cats, I just can’t see her attempting or even successfully attacking someone outside. I’m not sure. I agree, though, I would be very worried on how she’d do on a farm.... but I’m at a loss. Just this morning, she attacked my other female cat while she was trying to use the litter box. They have 4 litter boxes spread out in my bedroom/attached bathroom so that I can keep a close eye on my FLUTD boy cat who just had a blockage in November, and there was no trigger happening this time. I just managed to diffuse the situation before it turned into another cat brawl. At this point, I just don’t think she can live with me. I’m contacting a rescue about possibly setting her up in a single cat household, if at all possible, but that idea seems too good to be true, given her history.

I really appreciate all of the advice given so far
Lots and lots of good ideas here. However, after hearing about this morning, I'd be "over it"! This situation is absolutely unacceptable, and not fair (perhaps actually cruel) to subject your other cats to a terrorist. How horrible it must be for them to live in constant fear of being mauled, blinded, or even killed by this animal! Yes, I feel badly for your problem child, but this situation is calling for you to make a choice, and make it fast! It certainly sounds like there is something more than bad attitude going on here, and frankly, it doesn't sound fixable. Do you have several thousand dollars to have a brain scan done? When I inquired about this for one of my cats, the quote was somewhere between $4,000-$8,000. Are injectable meds a possibility? I understand how you feel, but you've given it your best and seems you are now out of options. I realize this is hard to hear or think about, but given the cat's apparent affliction, I wonder if euthanasia isn't the kindest thing you can do for her?

I have found that sometimes we just need someone to say it's okay, you've done everything you can and now must do what needs to be done, and no one will fault you for it. So sorry........
 

tarasgirl06

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...another thought: as a small girl, I asked my folks if we could adopt a small longhaired black cat who had been found on the street behind us, sitting beside his mother, a Siamese who had lost a battle with a hit-and-run driver. I don't remember what form the request took or even if there was one; but adopt him we did. He and his "older brofur" into whose home I had been born got along very well; I have a photo of the two of them lying on my mom's legs as she curled up on the sofa. We all loved Kikko very much. He was extremely handsome, large, glossy, and very much a part of our family.
He did have one strange habit, though. Our clothesline was in the back part of the back yard. It was a place frequented by lizards, for some reason, and Kikko defended his lizard patch fiercely. I have memories of my mom coming back from getting the clothes off the line, basket in arm, blood running down her legs from where Kikko had attacked her. He would not tolerate any trespassing into his lizard patch.
There was never ANY thought or talk of anything but Kikko being our beloved family member for life, unconditionally. :yess: :yess: :yess:
 

susan denning

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Hi, I'm wondering if it would be possible for a friend of yours with no cats to take her on a trial basis to see how she does? Or for a rescue group to try her in a foster home with no other cats? She does sound like she might do better as an only cat. And might take some of the pressure off of you and your other cats if there's a lot of fighting going on. If you did decide to surrender her to a rescue, and it was determined that she could do okay as an only cat, that might give them an idea of how to place her.
 
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