Attempting to prevent non recognition aggression after a lengthy separation

[arr]

Hello everyone,

I wanted to share my current situation and what I’m trying to do, see if anyone might have any other ideas, and let everyone know how things turn out in case someone finds themselves in a similar situation.

Long story short, my husband had a serious medical emergency and we spent 17 days in the hospital. During this horrible time, my mom was coming to my house to feed my cats twice a day. One day she found our boy, Fizzbin, laying down and he wouldn’t come to the food bowl, and when he tried to walk, he could only use three legs. Well, I couldn’t handle anything and told my mom to take him to the emergency vet. It turns out he had a fractured femur and needed surgery. My mom had to handle everything, getting his surgery done, and she took him to her house for his recuperation. This was October 24. Fizzbin still hasn’t come home because 1) I just don’t think I can handle him yet, my husband needs intensive care still and 2) the room she has him in is better than any of the rooms I could put him in at the moment.

We are tentatively discussing December 1st as the day I bring him home. The problem of course is I have two other cats. His mom, Penny, and his sister Chloe. All three have up until now been a strongly bonded trio. So I’m worried about how things will go. I had the idea to lay a t shirt on the girls favorite chair, let it pick up their scent, then a few days later when I went to see Fizzbin, I brought the t shirt and left it there for a few days. Today I went to see him and took the t shirt back, put it on the chair. The girls were extremely interested, sniffing intensely, then they went to sleep on it. I plan to keep carrying the t shirt back and forth to keep them all familiar with each other’s scent. Do you think this could work? Any other ideas?

At this point in time the vet would like him out of the room and walking and jumping on low things supervised, but my mom can’t do that. She has four other cats and a dog, so that won’t work. If he comes back to my house, I could put him in a room and then supervise outings around the house. If my husband improves a little more, I could consider that, but not as it currently stands.

Anyway, thank you all for listening. It has been a terrible time and there are other things that have happened in our family at the same time as this, it has been crazy. In the early days of my husband’s hospitalization, Fizzbin would sleep with me every night, then when my alarm rang early in the morning, he would crawl up for an intensive cuddle session to start my day. Then I would head to the hospital feeling a little better. I was devastated when he left my house and that next morning, no Fizzbin to cuddle before I headed to the hospital. I can’t wait to get him back.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Hello everyone,

I wanted to share my current situation and what I’m trying to do, see if anyone might have any other ideas, and let everyone know how things turn out in case someone finds themselves in a similar situation.

Long story short, my husband had a serious medical emergency and we spent 17 days in the hospital. During this horrible time, my mom was coming to my house to feed my cats twice a day. One day she found our boy, Fizzbin, laying down and he wouldn’t come to the food bowl, and when he tried to walk, he could only use three legs. Well, I couldn’t handle anything and told my mom to take him to the emergency vet. It turns out he had a fractured femur and needed surgery. My mom had to handle everything, getting his surgery done, and she took him to her house for his recuperation. This was October 24. Fizzbin still hasn’t come home because 1) I just don’t think I can handle him yet, my husband needs intensive care still and 2) the room she has him in is better than any of the rooms I could put him in at the moment.

We are tentatively discussing December 1st as the day I bring him home. The problem of course is I have two other cats. His mom, Penny, and his sister Chloe. All three have up until now been a strongly bonded trio. So I’m worried about how things will go. I had the idea to lay a t shirt on the girls favorite chair, let it pick up their scent, then a few days later when I went to see Fizzbin, I brought the t shirt and left it there for a few days. Today I went to see him and took the t shirt back, put it on the chair. The girls were extremely interested, sniffing intensely, then they went to sleep on it. I plan to keep carrying the t shirt back and forth to keep them all familiar with each other’s scent. Do you think this could work? Any other ideas?

At this point in time the vet would like him out of the room and walking and jumping on low things supervised, but my mom can’t do that. She has four other cats and a dog, so that won’t work. If he comes back to my house, I could put him in a room and then supervise outings around the house. If my husband improves a little more, I could consider that, but not as it currently stands.

Anyway, thank you all for listening. It has been a terrible time and there are other things that have happened in our family at the same time as this, it has been crazy. In the early days of my husband’s hospitalization, Fizzbin would sleep with me every night, then when my alarm rang early in the morning, he would crawl up for an intensive cuddle session to start my day. Then I would head to the hospital feeling a little better. I was devastated when he left my house and that next morning, no Fizzbin to cuddle before I headed to the hospital. I can’t wait to get him back.

You can only do what you can do. If it isn't workable for Fizzbin to be let out of the room at this point, then it just isn't. That stage of his recuperation will have to be delayed if there is nothing low that he can jump on in the room. Of course he can walk around in one room, no matter the size, and he will, as he feels better. So I wouldn't worry too much about that.
Hopefully your husband's recuperation will progress well and Fizzbin will be able to rejoin your family very soon. The scent swapping is recommended by experts and it sounds like you're doing very well in that. Also, interactive play will be helpful when he rejoins you. It doesn't have to be vigorous play -- gentle wafting of a wand-and-lure toy such as da Bird between them will be helpful. And eating in close proximity is also recommended.
Keep us informed, won't you? And best thoughts to you all!

 

[arr]

You can only do what you can do. If it isn't workable for Fizzbin to be let out of the room at this point, then it just isn't. That stage of his recuperation will have to be delayed if there is nothing low that he can jump on in the room. Of course he can walk around in one room, no matter the size, and he will, as he feels better. So I wouldn't worry too much about that.
Hopefully your husband's recuperation will progress well and Fizzbin will be able to rejoin your family very soon. The scent swapping is recommended by experts and it sounds like you're doing very well in that. Also, interactive play will be helpful when he rejoins you. It doesn't have to be vigorous play -- gentle wafting of a wand-and-lure toy such as da Bird between them will be helpful. And eating in close proximity is also recommended.
Keep us informed, won't you? And best thoughts to you all!

Thank you so much for your thoughts! You are right, we can only do what we can do for now. I’m going to talk to my mom about playing with him in the room to start giving him a little more exercise.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Thank you so much for your thoughts! You are right, we can only do what we can do for now. I’m going to talk to my mom about playing with him in the room to start giving him a little more exercise.

I wasn't going to suggest that because your know your mom and I don't, but it was definitely in my mind. Good on ya!

 

[arr]

Hello everyone, I wanted to update the situation. We took Fizzbin home sooner than I was planning, due to my mom ending up with yet another cat in another spare room, and other family issues. In retrospect, it’s good because he really needs the extra exercise that I can provide at my house. Anyway, I prepared a room for him and he settled in nicely. The next day, I wasn’t paying enough attention and Penny made it through the door and went up to him. They began sniffing each other and licking each other, no problems. So then I thought, I may as well let Chloe in and they had a wonderful reunion, they clearly remembered each other and now she doesn’t want to leave his side. Today Penny seemed a little confused, occasionally she would walk by Fizzbin and hiss, and sometimes even hiss at Chloe, but it’s very mild, and they are able to all eat together side by side. I expect she will be fine in a couple of days. All in all, I’m so relieved and pleasantly surprised. I don’t know if it was because of the t shirt going back and forth or if they simply remembered each other, but after five weeks of separation, they are going to be okay!

 

[tarasgirl06]

Hello everyone, I wanted to update the situation. We took Fizzbin home sooner than I was planning, due to my mom ending up with yet another cat in another spare room, and other family issues. In retrospect, it’s good because he really needs the extra exercise that I can provide at my house. Anyway, I prepared a room for him and he settled in nicely. The next day, I wasn’t paying enough attention and Penny made it through the door and went up to him. They began sniffing each other and licking each other, no problems. So then I thought, I may as well let Chloe in and they had a wonderful reunion, they clearly remembered each other and now she doesn’t want to leave his side. Today Penny seemed a little confused, occasionally she would walk by Fizzbin and hiss, and sometimes even hiss at Chloe, but it’s very mild, and they are able to all eat together side by side. I expect she will be fine in a couple of days. All in all, I’m so relieved and pleasantly surprised. I don’t know if it was because of the t shirt going back and forth or if they simply remembered each other, but after five weeks of separation, they are going to be okay!

This is a wonderful update, arr -- thank you! SNORGLES on the three of them! I'm hoping you'll be seeing catpiles during the cold weather -- such a happy sight!