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- Sep 21, 2016
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Since our 3 cats live together I am sharing their problems together in case you have insight to one's behavior impacting another/ interrelated.
I'll refer to the cats by their ages 1,2,3. The 3yo had at least 3 homes before ours (shelters & owners). He has become less skittish but is very cautious personality. He has grown more confident over the past 15 months. We havent been able to identify causes or consistency but he will get the biggest poof tail we've ever seen within a sec of whatever is scaring him. When he gets the poof tail he seems in a zone like ptsd. sometimes if i can get close enough I can pet & talk to him until it goes down. However, when he plays with 2y.o. he often goes to poof tail rapidly, doesnt seem to grasp regular play & is aggressive & 2 howls running from him crashing into things, hiding or jumping on me. It seems to have gotten worse since 3 & 1 have become closer. 3&2 aren't as close now. It seems 2's confidence has diminished & he will walk backwards to avoid 3 at times. 3 is very muscular & stronger than any cat I've had, I dont think he knows his strength. 3 has started trying to carry 1 around by the neck. 1 will allow it but start crying in pain, sometimes running away (only to go back to 3 again). 3 doesnt get poof tail when trying to carry 1- it appears loving action. 3 also has extra long teeth so we imagine it hurts. We've consistently been trying to figure out the poof tail & keep thinking it's chemical imbalance but wondering if anyone has experience on this?
With 2 he's always been a bit of a biter, we've tried many cat & dog toys to redirect the behavior. Only recently though he will bite us- hard- often when I'm sleeping or going to sleep he'll latch on to my arm or leg. He has his claws but it reminds me of how declawed cats act. only thing we can see differently is 3&1 closeness and 2 maybe lonely/bored so bites us 4 play? We have tried traditional methods but for example last night he bit me hard and I couldnt yell ouch or i'd wake my husband. I immediately hid my arm. 2 has always loved people but seems more affectionate now. hubby noted when he's upset he often seems to calm down being with us.
1 is a kitten, he loves playing with both 2 &3 and having them clean him. however lately he follows 3, sleeps with him, etc. i know different personalities bond and it's not my fault but i feel really bad for 2 because he's so social and seems shut out from 1 &3 which didnt used to be the case. I want to get him to stop biting us, be happy and confident and I'm wondering if 3's ptsd &/or chemical imbalance is the antecedent to all the troubling behaviors in the house. I also hate that 3 gets so terrified for what appears to be no reason. 3 trying to carry 1 is cute but I'm constantly checking the boys for battle wounds from teeth or claws. WE've given 3 stuffed animals to try to get him carrying those (but 1 is carrying them, ironically).
I'll refer to the cats by their ages 1,2,3. The 3yo had at least 3 homes before ours (shelters & owners). He has become less skittish but is very cautious personality. He has grown more confident over the past 15 months. We havent been able to identify causes or consistency but he will get the biggest poof tail we've ever seen within a sec of whatever is scaring him. When he gets the poof tail he seems in a zone like ptsd. sometimes if i can get close enough I can pet & talk to him until it goes down. However, when he plays with 2y.o. he often goes to poof tail rapidly, doesnt seem to grasp regular play & is aggressive & 2 howls running from him crashing into things, hiding or jumping on me. It seems to have gotten worse since 3 & 1 have become closer. 3&2 aren't as close now. It seems 2's confidence has diminished & he will walk backwards to avoid 3 at times. 3 is very muscular & stronger than any cat I've had, I dont think he knows his strength. 3 has started trying to carry 1 around by the neck. 1 will allow it but start crying in pain, sometimes running away (only to go back to 3 again). 3 doesnt get poof tail when trying to carry 1- it appears loving action. 3 also has extra long teeth so we imagine it hurts. We've consistently been trying to figure out the poof tail & keep thinking it's chemical imbalance but wondering if anyone has experience on this?
With 2 he's always been a bit of a biter, we've tried many cat & dog toys to redirect the behavior. Only recently though he will bite us- hard- often when I'm sleeping or going to sleep he'll latch on to my arm or leg. He has his claws but it reminds me of how declawed cats act. only thing we can see differently is 3&1 closeness and 2 maybe lonely/bored so bites us 4 play? We have tried traditional methods but for example last night he bit me hard and I couldnt yell ouch or i'd wake my husband. I immediately hid my arm. 2 has always loved people but seems more affectionate now. hubby noted when he's upset he often seems to calm down being with us.
1 is a kitten, he loves playing with both 2 &3 and having them clean him. however lately he follows 3, sleeps with him, etc. i know different personalities bond and it's not my fault but i feel really bad for 2 because he's so social and seems shut out from 1 &3 which didnt used to be the case. I want to get him to stop biting us, be happy and confident and I'm wondering if 3's ptsd &/or chemical imbalance is the antecedent to all the troubling behaviors in the house. I also hate that 3 gets so terrified for what appears to be no reason. 3 trying to carry 1 is cute but I'm constantly checking the boys for battle wounds from teeth or claws. WE've given 3 stuffed animals to try to get him carrying those (but 1 is carrying them, ironically).