Aggression in cats - Amitriptyline

[Meowmee]

They used to love each other. Mr Nort was obviously much older, but then Norman Monduli and Weasel were a couple of years old at least when HC and Catsi - these scrappy little baby ferals - arrived in their midst, and I have many pictures of a real 'pile' of happy cats all in a heap, little and bigger ones. It was only when Mr Nort died, that it all went wrong.

I'm looking at ways to do a re-introduction, but sadly our house is not best set-up for cat separation; it's all too open and not easy to contain them anywhere.

This is them now, as I type. L-R: Harry, Catsi, my bag - for separation, although they all know they're all there - and Weasel

What is a thunder coat?

View attachment 441311

Such sweeties I think in time all of this will resolve hopefully since they are all sleeping close like this. Maybe you can do a re intro in a bathroom, or by barricading off an area? It’s hard with your situation, and with cats who go outside too. Here is a link for the thunder coat.
https://www.chewy.com/thundershirt-...8EwyxtVq3Mwlm24Wyj7Tffeyceh-9K5saAo4mEALw_wcB

I’m doing a re- intro of cinnamon, my last outdoor guy who came in a few weeks ago. He has been in a bathroom but I just opened the screen today. I hope it is not too early. When I went back up he had already gone into the bedroom with his friend Fred- they were both bff outside but Fred came in in June due to a limp. But he was hiding from me when I came in. Neither are touchable and cinn is still very scared of me, I hope I can get him back into he bathroom again to work individually with him more if I need too. He was not using his boxes for 2 days at first but then I got him to start, so I hope it continues now that he is in the bedroom with Fred.

He still has to be reintroduced to the rest again who he was friends with through the door. Things seem to be so different when they come inside. Quinn is the one who will be most aggressive and has already screeched at him since he came inside. But since he was in the bathroom, Cinn was mostly in the bathtub or on his heating pad/ bed and has not directly interacted at all with the others through the screen. Cinn behaves like he is invisible when the others came in the bathroom so far.

 

[ElizabethP]

You’re welcome That is great that it’s helping him, and you being there more etc will help too. It definitely can take longer to see if it will help him. I would do lots of playing together with him, and hc, and everyone, and giving treats together too so they continue to associate positive things with each other.
The thunder coat works by mild compression, it’s not weighted, but you need to make sure you get the right size. It has a patch where you can add or spray a calming spray too. Here is Quinn in his. He hated putting it on but then he was ok with it after. He went through two sizes and he no longer wears it. When Sybil was ill with hcm and chf I mostly kept them apart at the end of her life because I didn’t want him stressing her out at all.

Morning, thanks for sending this. I have never seen them before, but have read about using a sheet or cloth to wrap around your animal's middle when they are very scared, to calm them down. It was in the context of how to help your pet when there are fireworks going off, an article in the British press. It's the same compression principle, isn't it.

I'm definitely seeing some results with Weasel - just over 2 weeks on - he's not drugged out, but he is quieter and more relaxed. He's still acting aggressively with Harry when he can. Yesterday afternoon I could hear them having a bit of a set to out in the coffee and hobbled out to try and find them. Frustratingly I couldn't get to where they were but did manage to talk them out of anything further and more violent and they went their separate ways.

 

[ElizabethP]

I’m doing a re- intro of cinnamon, my last outdoor guy who came in a few weeks ago. He has been in a bathroom but I just opened the screen today. I hope it is not too early. When I went back up he had already gone into the bedroom with his friend Fred- they were both bff outside but Fred came in in June due to a limp. But he was hiding from me when I came in. Neither are touchable and cinn is still very scared of me, I hope I can get him back into he bathroom again to work individually with him more if I need too. He was not using his boxes for 2 days at first but then I got him to start, so I hope it continues now that he is in the bedroom with Fred.

He still has to be reintroduced to the rest again who he was friends with through the door. Things seem to be so different when they come inside. Quinn is the one who will be most aggressive and has already screeched at him since he came inside. But since he was in the bathroom, Cinn was mostly in the bathtub or on his heating pad/ bed and has not directly interacted at all with the others through the screen. Cinn behaves like he is invisible when the others came in the bathroom so far.

How are things going today with the reintroduction? I have been reading articles on the Jackon Galaxy site re the introduction - and reintroduction - of cats and trying to think how we could do it here. It would be very hard, with our general lack of doors and closeable spaces; not impossible and I'm not ruling anything out at this point, just hoping that the medication will work (fingers crossed).

 

[Meowmee]

How are things going today with the reintroduction? I have been reading articles on the Jackon Galaxy site re the introduction - and reintroduction - of cats and trying to think how we could do it here. It would be very hard, with our general lack of doors and closeable spaces; not impossible and I'm not ruling anything out at this point, just hoping that the medication will work (fingers crossed).

So far it is ok, but today was a big step because I decided tolet Cinn out into the bedroom. Neither he nor Fred is touchable so I am worried, and I just hope he keeps using his boxes either in the bathroom or the gigantic one in the bedroom that everyone has been using made by exquisicat.
I have not watched the JG stuff for a while but I used to watch his tv show. Maybe you can put screens across an area? I have a screen for the front storm door in a frame that I taped over the bathroom door which worked well. No one broke through it.
Quinn has not been hissing lately when he goes in the bathroom when I clean things out, but I don’t know what will happen if he sees Cinnamon right in his view etc.

It is all very stressful and time consuming. I think sometimes I get more stressed than them, lol. But I have lived with Sybil stress peeing for may years. and I just can’t do that again.

I hope the med works too, and try another one if not, he may only need it for a few weeks too. Yes it is the same idea as the sheet but they can wear it all the time mostly.

 

[ElizabethP]

So far it is ok, but today was a big step because I decided tolet Cinn out into the bedroom. Neither he nor Fred is touchable so I am worried, and I just hope he keeps using his boxes either in the bathroom or the gigantic one in the bedroom that everyone has been using made by exquisicat.
I have not watched the JG stuff for a while but I used to watch his tv show. Maybe you can put screens across an area? I have a screen for the front storm door in a frame that I taped over the bathroom door which worked well. No one broke through it.
Quinn has not been hissing lately when he goes in the bathroom when I clean things out, but I don’t know what will happen if he sees Cinnamon right in his view etc.

It is all very stressful and time consuming. I think sometimes I get more stressed than them, lol. But I have lived with Sybil stress peeing for may years. and I just can’t do that again.

I hope the med works too, and try another one if not, he may only need it for a few weeks too. Yes it is the same idea as the sheet but they can wear it all the time mostly.

Good luck with today, I hope it's gone well. I hear you about being more stressed than them....do they even begin to know what they do to us - beastly little cats!

Harry and Norman had me totally stressed out last night as they bought in a baby snake.....yes a baby SNAKE. We obviously do get a lot of them here, and I have had a lot in the house over the years, but not whilst hobbling on crutches and - in dim light - it was a dark snake. I couldn't believe Harry was patting at it with his paw! Well that stopped instantly and I caught it up under a broom (it wasn't big at all, but I do think it was a poisonous one) then caught it up in a pot and we released it - outside the garden hedge - this morning!!!! I've told them both, I am NOT expecting a repeat performance of that!

 

[Meowmee]

Good luck with today, I hope it's gone well. I hear you about being more stressed than them....do they even begin to know what they do to us - beastly little cats!

Harry and Norman had me totally stressed out last night as they bought in a baby snake.....yes a baby SNAKE. We obviously do get a lot of them here, and I have had a lot in the house over the years, but not whilst hobbling on crutches and - in dim light - it was a dark snake. I couldn't believe Harry was patting at it with his paw! Well that stopped instantly and I caught it up under a broom (it wasn't big at all, but I do think it was a poisonous one) then caught it up in a pot and we released it - outside the garden hedge - this morning!!!! I've told them both, I am NOT expecting a repeat performance of that!

Thanks I am nocturnal so just going to check on the bedroom boys soon. Last I checked cinn was behind the bed still and had not used any lb or eaten much if at all. Fred had eaten some Tuna treat I gave them both and was his usual. I also watch them with the camera and I saw cinnamon coming and looking at the camera he was scared and went back behind the bed and later I saw him walking around on the other side so maybe he went into the bathroom to use his litter boxes there. I had to move my camera from downstairs up here because the one up here is not working so I have to get another one. I think somethings wrong with the cord on it it keeps falling out and is always disconnecting from wifi/ power.

A snake and a poisonous one!!! Wow that must’ve been so stressful especially with you being injured. Thank goodness we don’t have very many snakes here and no poisonous ones as far as I know anyway. I don’t think I’ve ever had one come in the house. That would truly freak me out! Only once I think I’ve seen a garter snake outside many years ago.

In their defense I am sure it was a sign of devotion however they should have killed it before bringing it inside… I hope they listen and don’t do that again!

my guys have only brought me the occasional mouse or vole inside, because we have mice in the garage who seem to be migrating to the kitchen maybe. Well they just kind of leave it somewhere with the head torn off sometimes so I guess they are leaving the rest of it for me lol gross

I call my guys my hooligans Sometimes I think they like torturing me, but I know they love their meowme.
I think your guys rally around you too because they were all cuddled up with you so hopefully in time things will get back to normal.

 

[ElizabethP]

I call my guys my hooligans Sometimes I think they like torturing me, but I know they love their meowme.
I think your guys rally around you too because they were all cuddled up with you so hopefully in time things will get back to normal.

I read on one of threads here about playing your cat 'cat relaxing sounds' music and so I am I often have classical music playing somewhere in the house, and I think they have always liked that; ours is generally a quiet and gentle house with a lot of natural sounds from the bush outside. Good for all our stress levels.

Now I've found a specific cat relaxation music video WITH cat purring!!!! How much do I love this, even I'm now feeling far more relaxed, it almost makes me want to cry, it's very touching. I have it playing on my iPad, next to Weasel on the bed, the audio is gentle, the purring is loud and the visuals are of a very sweet tortoiseshell cat having a snooze.

 

[Meowmee]

I read on one of threads here about playing your cat 'cat relaxing sounds' music and so I am I often have classical music playing somewhere in the house, and I think they have always liked that; ours is generally a quiet and gentle house with a lot of natural sounds from the bush outside. Good for all our stress levels.

Now I've found a specific cat relaxation music video WITH cat purring!!!! How much do I love this, even I'm now feeling far more relaxed, it almost makes me want to cry, it's very touching. I have it playing on my iPad, next to Weasel on the bed, the audio is gentle, the purring is loud and the visuals are of a very sweet tortoiseshell cat having a snooze.

Wow… sounds wonderful! Is it on youtube? The music is a great idea, are usually play purrli for them but I’m going to try and play some soft music for them I have a CD player in there and I still have some CDs. I should get a radio that I could just leave on all the time too.

I’m a little worried because I cannot tell yet if cinnamon has used the larger litter pan and he definitely is not used to a smaller pans in the bathroom he is mostly behind the bed all the time now although I did catch him walking around on the cam once or twice. But not in the litter pan yet he doesn’t seem to be getting very much yet either, so, maybe that’s why- I hope so.

 

[ElizabethP]

The video is here:
I literally had it running all afternoon, it's very soporific - we all fell asleep

I've only had litter trays in the house when the cats are a bit sick or with our very old boy - he became incontinent. I have no idea where our cats go to use the loo, it's all a bit of a mystery But I do feel for you with that, it's an added stress that needs to be managed. I hope things are 'on the up' for you all

 

[Alldara]

I'll share Magnus's playlist here too

 

[Meowmee]

The video is here:
I literally had it running all afternoon, it's very soporific - we all fell asleep

I've only had litter trays in the house when the cats are a bit sick or with our very old boy - he became incontinent. I have no idea where our cats go to use the loo, it's all a bit of a mystery But I do feel for you with that, it's an added stress that needs to be managed. I hope things are 'on the up' for you all

This great! Thanks Quinn and I are listening, he likes it. I will try it for Fred & Cinn later. I envy you having them go outside. Even when I had indoor outdoor cats they still came inside and liked their litter boxes so they use them quite a bit probably but not as much as now that I have all indoor only.

i’m afraid to go see if he used it yet but hopefully he has started now and ate some more. I thought I would be able to tell who’s poopers who’s etc. but I don’t seem to be able to tell yet. There was some little poop in there before I went to sleep but I wasn’t sure if it was cinnamon her friend. But Fred usually only goes once a day although sometimes twice. Pee outside the box is much worse though.
I was recording narration on a lecture the other day and Merlin was on my lap purring very loudly and it picked up his purr… I was debating if I should redo it but I decided to just leave it on there lol it’ll be free therapy for the students

 

[ElizabethP]

This great! Thanks Quinn and I are listening, he likes it. I will try it for Fred & Cinn later. I envy you having them go outside. Even when I had indoor outdoor cats they still came inside and liked their litter boxes so they use them quite a bit probably but not as much as now that I have all indoor only.

I grew up in London, and we had cats, and I worried hugely about the roads all around us; I remember we 'trained' them not to go on the road, by making loud noises near it and so they mostly stayed in the gardens behind all the houses (long surburban rows of houses). I know my sister (in the UK) worries a lot about hers and foxes which are now everywhere in urban areas, although I have never directly heard about any conflict. I know in the US you have a lot of wild animals, we do here albeit different ones. A friend of mine has just moved up across the border in Kenya and she has a large male baboon stalking her chihuahua and small cat; the latter they're less likely to go for but the tiny dog is a real target. I think they're trying to rehabituate the baboon back into the nearby wildlife area, but that's not an easy thing to do and I worry about her animals a lot as baboons and dogs are not a good mix at all!!! I do like to check my cats in and out every day, and if they don't show up for meals I go and call them in. And we don't have baboons in any proximity to the farm thankfully. And luckily they're mostly creatures of habit - and their stomachs - and I know their routines very well. My husband says my life revolves around the cats, he is right.

Things have been quiet here these last few days. Weasel has only once made a bit of move towards Harry, outside on the veranda, but I caught the "stare-off" and talked them out of it. Weasel is into his third week of Amitriptyline and is definitely more relaxed overall. He and I have had some good quality time together, he never wants to be cuddled but he likes the odd tummy rub, and the other day he, Harry and I all had a snooze on the bed. Onwards we go, I'm still expecting some hurdles but hopeful this is going to work.

 

[Meowmee]

I grew up in London, and we had cats, and I worried hugely about the roads all around us; I remember we 'trained' them not to go on the road, by making loud noises near it and so they mostly stayed in the gardens behind all the houses (long surburban rows of houses). I know my sister (in the UK) worries a lot about hers and foxes which are now everywhere in urban areas, although I have never directly heard about any conflict. I know in the US you have a lot of wild animals, we do here albeit different ones. A friend of mine has just moved up across the border in Kenya and she has a large male baboon stalking her chihuahua and small cat; the latter they're less likely to go for but the tiny dog is a real target. I think they're trying to rehabituate the baboon back into the nearby wildlife area, but that's not an easy thing to do and I worry about her animals a lot as baboons and dogs are not a good mix at all!!! I do like to check my cats in and out every day, and if they don't show up for meals I go and call them in. And we don't have baboons in any proximity to the farm thankfully. And luckily they're mostly creatures of habit - and their stomachs - and I know their routines very well. My husband says my life revolves around the cats, he is right.

Things have been quiet here these last few days. Weasel has only once made a bit of move towards Harry, outside on the veranda, but I caught the "stare-off" and talked them out of it. Weasel is into his third week of Amitriptyline and is definitely more relaxed overall. He and I have had some good quality time together, he never wants to be cuddled but he likes the odd tummy rub, and the other day he, Harry and I all had a snooze on the bed. Onwards we go, I'm still expecting some hurdles but hopeful this is going to work.

I lived in Oxford years ago as a child. The house we rented had three cats living there but there were fleas everywhere and the owner said the cats away and we had to be fumigated you could literally see the fleas jumping in front of the vacuum cleaner. Sadly I don’t know what happened to those cats I think someone else adopted them but anyway they were indoor outdoor.
For years here I had indoor outdoor cats but I also trained them very well, and we never had any flea issues until my long-haired girl and I had to give people a bath and sadly I use the free poison for a while as well which caused cancer and at least two of my cats I’m sure it made me very ill too.

we have raccoons, foxes, deer, opossum and various other wildlife here however the foxes don’t really bother the cats I had a fox coming to eat the cat food and they never bothered the outdoor cats. I am in the north east and we don’t have coyotes and others that will eat cats here really fortunately.
That’s scary about the baboon, that would worry me if I had a dog, and I was living there. We have hawks here sometimes and I’ve heard stories of them going after cats elsewhere but that never happens here- they just eat mice and little birds.

That is great that Weasel and Harry are doing better I think the ami is probably working. It must be such a relief. yay!!! I hope he continues to be cuddly etc.

I think this is like day six or seven maybe since Cinn has come out of the bathroom. And things are going pretty well. He does stay behind the bed mostly but I’ve caught him on the camera walking around. I had bought another cat cube for him a while back on a great holiday sale, and I decided to move the heater from the bathroom and put it underneath the new cube. I hope he will use it to stay warm.

So in terms of no fighting things are going well here however in terms of him and Fred becoming more social with me I don’t see very much progress. I’m very busy right now doing stuff for my job and other things and I just don’t have the time that I wouldn’t have had in the past to work with them. And they’re not treat motivated either.
I just got a text from the DVM that I took him to saying he needs to get his boosters. But there’s no way I’m going to try and get him trapped to get him to get boosters they were just risk me being injured and stress him out. If I had kept him in drop cage for three weeks then would’ve been easy to get him back for that.

The same thing happened with Zena he was supposed to get boosters but he was still so scared I didn’t want to stress him out by taking him to Dvm.

I hope at some point once I get everything set up that I have to do for work that I can find some treat that Fred and cinnamon go crazy for and spend more time in the room with them to get them socialized more to me if possible. I did buy some sardines and I gave them some of that. I’m not letting the others in as much because I want Fred and cinnamon to have time together first.

I have not tried the music yet, lol, I feel terrible- I’ve got to try that tomorrow if I have time. The problem is if I left my tablet in there playing the music it will just shut itself off and go to sleep. Quinn chased Fred and Xena behind the bed once when he went in, he’s so aggressive. But no real screeching etc. So I’ve been trying to keep him out of there. So cinnamon is not gonna feel great about coming out and interacting if Quinn is there.
if I kept him in the cage longer he would’ve had to interact with him directly, but in the bathroom he could hide from them in the bathtub.

I think that Fred and cinnamon hiding behind the bed makes the other cats think they are weird so they feel like they have to chase them back there, and then they can dominate the territory of the room.

Zena is the peacemaker- he’s the one who Fred really loves, they will head butt each other and say hi. Zena will come up to me and purr get pets etc. and Fred will watch us but he won’t get very close, as soon as I stand up he runs back behind the bed. Even though he can see that Xena is not scared of me obviously I will actually pick him up a bit and cuddle him right in front of Fred. I just don’t know how I’m ever going to break through this fear they have of people.

I think most people who love cats end up having their life revolve around them lol.

 

[ElizabethP]

I think most people who love cats end up having their life revolve around them lol.

Can the same be said for dogs? We have dogs, and I love them dearly...but I guess my husband would say he is more attuned to them and I the cats.

We have flea and tick issues here too, it's easy to get the spot-on products like Frontline, but I think - after a while - they become less effective. Recently, I've managed to find a German-brand anti flea/tick lotion, very expensive but it seems to work very well. I don't see fleas that often on the cats, but ticks I do keep a close eye out for.

Your cats all have such distinct personalities in how they behave to each other, and to you. I'm trying to remember how they came to you, were they rescues? It's sad when they have such a fear of people and you are reminded of how vulnerable they can be out there. My two ferals (Harry C and Catsi) will not go near people they don't know, ever. And they have been with me and much-loved, since they were 6-days old. I don't think they even saw people in those 6 days, asides from the farm workers who found them - in a pretty bad state, apparently no mother cat had been around for a day or two - and gave them to my husband.

One thing that I really appreciate about this group is that you do realise that you are not alone and there are so many others who have cat issues of varying degrees. You tend to think that your cats are the worst and you are in an utterly unique situation and totally alone...but not so, lots of people have weird cats too and you feel so much better. I hope, as the days go by, your cats will adapt and adjust to each other more and more and then at some point you will look back, when they're all best friends and curled up together, and think "I can't believe it was never like this".

 

[Meowmee]

Can the same be said for dogs? We have dogs, and I love them dearly...but I guess my husband would say he is more attuned to them and I the cats.

We have flea and tick issues here too, it's easy to get the spot-on products like Frontline, but I think - after a while - they become less effective. Recently, I've managed to find a German-brand anti flea/tick lotion, very expensive but it seems to work very well. I don't see fleas that often on the cats, but ticks I do keep a close eye out for.

Your cats all have such distinct personalities in how they behave to each other, and to you. I'm trying to remember how they came to you, were they rescues? It's sad when they have such a fear of people and you are reminded of how vulnerable they can be out there. My two ferals (Harry C and Catsi) will not go near people they don't know, ever. And they have been with me and much-loved, since they were 6-days old. I don't think they even saw people in those 6 days, asides from the farm workers who found them - in a pretty bad state, apparently no mother cat had been around for a day or two - and gave them to my husband.

One thing that I really appreciate about this group is that you do realise that you are not alone and there are so many others who have cat issues of varying degrees. You tend to think that your cats are the worst and you are in an utterly unique situation and totally alone...but not so, lots of people have weird cats too and you feel so much better. I hope, as the days go by, your cats will adapt and adjust to each other more and more and then at some point you will look back, when they're all best friends and curled up together, and think "I can't believe it was never like this".

Very busy at the moment but I will reply later

 

[Meowmee]

Can the same be said for dogs? We have dogs, and I love them dearly...but I guess my husband would say he is more attuned to them and I the cats.

We have flea and tick issues here too, it's easy to get the spot-on products like Frontline, but I think - after a while - they become less effective. Recently, I've managed to find a German-brand anti flea/tick lotion, very expensive but it seems to work very well. I don't see fleas that often on the cats, but ticks I do keep a close eye out for.

Your cats all have such distinct personalities in how they behave to each other, and to you. I'm trying to remember how they came to you, were they rescues? It's sad when they have such a fear of people and you are reminded of how vulnerable they can be out there. My two ferals (Harry C and Catsi) will not go near people they don't know, ever. And they have been with me and much-loved, since they were 6-days old. I don't think they even saw people in those 6 days, asides from the farm workers who found them - in a pretty bad state, apparently no mother cat had been around for a day or two - and gave them to my husband.

One thing that I really appreciate about this group is that you do realise that you are not alone and there are so many others who have cat issues of varying degrees. You tend to think that your cats are the worst and you are in an utterly unique situation and totally alone...but not so, lots of people have weird cats too and you feel so much better. I hope, as the days go by, your cats will adapt and adjust to each other more and more and then at some point you will look back, when they're all best friends and curled up together, and think "I can't believe it was never like this".

I think some people are more cat people and others are dog people prolly. I love dogs too but I have not had a dog since I was a child of those been thinking about it again but I’m so worried about how my cats watching with the dog. Quinn is the only one who was ever around dogs as far as I know when he was a baby because his breeder had Chihuahuas. But I don’t know if he even remembers that now.

I’m glad that you don’t have a huge flea problem because it can be a real nightmare… I’m glad that you found some thing that works better. I ended up just shaving my long hair girl Sybil after we had infestation and I stopped putting any treatment on and that took care of everything. Before while I used it after her long hair attractive the fleas and I got sick and my cats got sick. So I stopped and figure it out I never needed I have never used it before in the past even though I had indoor outdoor cats. I don’t think we used anything on our beagle either- we are not in a warm climate though.

If anybody had any fleas I just gave them a bath. As for ticks if I see your check on them I pull it off. I don’t use the treatment because it’s very poisonous.

There are definitely a lot of weird cats out there lol. They are all individuals just like us, and they all have their life experiences and their personalities. My first cat from when I was an adult was such a gentle soul and fearless, biggest sweetie ever, she came from a shelter as a kitten, and I just expected every other cat to be like that. So, I got a real shock later on.

It is strange that Harry C and Catsi are still so fearful even though they were so young when you got them. My Tess was not scared of anything really not even large dogs only thunder. I don’t know her background at all I’m guessing she was from an oops litter of an indoor cat probably.

all of my cats have been rescues except for Quinn. Either taken from shelters or directly from outside. Fred and cinnamon- I don’t know their history… they just showed up sometime around 2015 when I did their TNR. And they have never been touchable. I’m just starting to think they are never really going to interact with me. They do interact with my cats as long as Quinn is not there. Mostly with Zena.

Fred has been inside for six months now, and he’s still running away from me. I know I have not spent as much time as I should be spending there however I think I hoped by now that things progressed a little more. Because at one point he was coming into my bedroom when I left his room open and I was in there with Zena… if I said anything to him he would run away now he doesn’t really do that at all.
One of my main worries is I don’t know how I’m going to get either of them to the DVM if they need to go it’s gonna be kind of a nightmare because I have to re-trap them in that room and I have to separate them probably in order to do that or I would have to try and throw a blanket over them which I would not want to do because I could be injured and also would traumatize them.
Someone mentioned on my post about Fred or cinnamon that when he and Fred were reunited all of these behaviors would get better but actually they’re just both hiding behind the bed most of the time although Fred now seems to go under the dresser and cinnamon is behind the bed when I come in the room. I don’t think they are happy to be together again though.

When I went in there yesterday afternoon I was not well and was about three or four hours later than I normal… and things were all knocked over, his new bed cube which he likes was pulled over, the water dish had spilled a little, the food dish was knocked all over with only a little bit of food left.

At first I thought maybe he was upset that I hadn’t come in for such a long time compared to usual but it was captured on video- there was a big crashing sound so it seems like he or Cinn was trying to jump on a chair behind the food dishes and everything got knocked over maybe, I’m not sure.

How are HC& Catsi, and everyone?

 

[ElizabethP]

all of my cats have been rescues except for Quinn. Either taken from shelters or directly from outside. Fred and cinnamon- I don’t know their history… they just showed up sometime around 2015 when I did their TNR. And they have never been touchable. I’m just starting to think they are never really going to interact with me. They do interact with my cats as long as Quinn is not there. Mostly with Zena.

Fred has been inside for six months now, and he’s still running away from me. I know I have not spent as much time as I should be spending there however I think I hoped by now that things progressed a little more. Because at one point he was coming into my bedroom when I left his room open and I was in there with Zena… if I said anything to him he would run away now he doesn’t really do that at all.
One of my main worries is I don’t know how I’m going to get either of them to the DVM if they need to go it’s gonna be kind of a nightmare because I have to re-trap them in that room and I have to separate them probably in order to do that or I would have to try and throw a blanket over them which I would not want to do because I could be injured and also would traumatize them.
Someone mentioned on my post about Fred or cinnamon that when he and Fred were reunited all of these behaviors would get better but actually they’re just both hiding behind the bed most of the time although Fred now seems to go under the dresser and cinnamon is behind the bed when I come in the room. I don’t think they are happy to be together again though.

When I went in there yesterday afternoon I was not well and was about three or four hours later than I normal… and things were all knocked over, his new bed cube which he likes was pulled over, the water dish had spilled a little, the food dish was knocked all over with only a little bit of food left.

At first I thought maybe he was upset that I hadn’t come in for such a long time compared to usual but it was captured on video- there was a big crashing sound so it seems like he or Cinn was trying to jump on a chair behind the food dishes and everything got knocked over maybe, I’m not sure.

How are HC& Catsi, and everyone?

Morning. Hopefully you can find a vet that does house calls? I always hate taking any of our animals to the vet, and we do have one chap that will come here if you cover fuel costs as well. We have quite long distances to go too, which doesn't help, but it's good that my husband is quite adept with injections and so all the minor ones we do ourselves. I don't blame you for worrying about vet visits as, as you say, it's not going to be so easy and you don't want to turn it into something more traumatic. I really feel for you and hope that things do settle down in time. It seems very up and down doesn't it, a little progress and then back a step or two, which must be difficult.

My lot are ok I think. The last time there was a physical fight between January 19th, so almost two weeks ago. This is a good sign. However, Weasel is still stalking Harry - this morning Weasel had Harry cornered behind a mirror in our bathroom; nothing physical had happened, but poor Harry was obviously trapped behind there and was not going to come out so they were in a bit of a stand-off.

My hearing is very attuned to Harry growling, so - at any time night and day - I hear him growl and I know it's Weasel who has come too close, and I am never wrong.

We continue with the Amitriptyline and I am heartened that there has not been another physical scrap. I'm not sure if we are out of the woods yet though. When I arrive at an altercation, I am calm and quiet and say NO firmly to Weasel and either pick him up and move him away or he walks off. Then Harry comes out from wherever he is hiding. Weasel spends a lot of time on our bed during the day (they're often all on it at night) and is still much more willing (or rather tolerant) to be stroked. I think he is loving having a little more attention, and I do love him, I just wish he wouldn't be so mean to my most beloved Harry Casual. Onwards we go anyhow...I do slightly dread when my broken foot is finally healed and I'm back to being out and about as who will keep an eye on them then Oh well, life has to go on too


This is such a typical Harry Casual face....he loves being up on his cupboard looking down on life, but is always so curious about what is going on

 

[Meowmee]

Wow Harry C is gorgeous, love that face and his expression…that is good he and Weasel are doing better and not fighting, and that you are attuned to it all. Hopefully by the time you go out more things will have progressed with them and they will be ok alone. I think the ami is helping a lot and maybe he will retrain his behavior stalking etc. in time. I think it’s a good idea to lavish as much attention on Weasel as possible too.

I remember my Sybil when she first saw Wizard through a crack in my studio door- she screamed a bloodcurdling screech that sounded like a person was being murdered. When I found out it was just because she saw Wizard I was laughing my head off.

And then when he came into the house she would not let him move an inch- he was terrorized by her, he would just
sit under the table Afraid to move at all… eventually though she got used to him and they ended up being the best of friends in their old age.
At that time I had a little orange kitten, Ari, who I was fostering who Wizard absolutely loved, they were bff. I felt terrible when he had to go away to be adopted. Wizard was like Ari’s father, washing him, and playing very gently with him. One time when Sybil was terrorizing Wizard , Ari went and sat with him under the table to give him support. The funny thing was that Ari used to chase Sybil around and they got along fine- they used to sit on a cat pillar and wash each other.

I’ve been letting the guys in before I go to sleep in the morning, and I just left them all in there and they all just stay together with no fights or anything. Quinn will sometimes hiss at Fred under the dresser. I meant to say before was that I am sure Fred and Cinn are very happy to be together again not that they aren’t… that was a typo, lol.

I had thought about having somebody come in however there really aren’t very many here that do that, and I think it might be even worse because my cats are all scared of strangers coming in the house… and I don’t think somebody will come in to take care of untouchable cats etc. It could just be even worse than me trapping them and going to Dvm. I just have to hope that nobody has any emergencies or anything like that.

Something funny happened with me and Fred yesterday while I was doing things in the room cleaning, and the other cats were in and cinnamon was still hiding behind the bed. Fred left the room, and then I came to come out of the door and he was standing looking at me…I said I’m not gonna hurt you but he had to run past me to get into the room again because he didn’t wanna be out there with me out there, lol. He’s such a funny guy

Cinn actually looked up at me once when I went to say hi to him behind the bed, and he looked terrified… I can’t remember what was going on at the time. When he was in the bathroom he was squeezing his eyes at me sometimes but he hasn’t done that at all since he’s behind the bed now.

Oh well I guess there’s not really much I can do except maybe try medicating again but I would have to medicate both Fred, and Cinn and I wouldn’t know for sure if they got it because when I give them little tuna treats now I think Fred is eating most of them since Cinn is more scared to come out. I will link one of the videos of Fred and Cinn here if I can.

This was from when they were reunited through the screen when Cinn was in the bathroom. I’m wondering if I should try churu again because I tried that in the beginning when Fred was first in the cage but when I put that or anything near his face he just kind of looked at it and refused to even sniff or eat it. maybe baby food, Fred loved that when I was taming him sort of in the cage.

Saying hi through the screen
IMG_3621.MOV

Eating together
EEBAD241-9F15-4406-B69E-EB0BA55C5C18.MOV