Fionn Lives On A Stair... Help?

[Pangur]

Hey all. I just created an account so that I can ask for a bit of help.

My 7 year old, male, muscular, orange and white tabby cat, Fionn, recently had an accident with his tail. He lost the tip of it due to it being smashed in the door on the top of the stairs and he pulled away, pulling it off. Of course he had been to the vet and it's all fixed.

Less than a month has passed since then, and a strange new behaviour is bothering me. He goes to the top stair and stays there, complaining when we try to get him to come down. At first I thought this was a behaviour of him missing my father, but when he came home, Fionn still stays on the top stair. He comes down for a while if we make him, in which he'll eat and use the litter, or he sleeps next to my dad, but otherwise, he stays on the stair. No reason for him to be up there, he knows he's not allowed past the door. Any help?

 

[catsmeow100]

Still fearful! You need to show him that wont happen again! Maybe treats at that door where he lost his tail! Treats to come up and down.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Less than a month isn't very long in a cat's memory of "SOMETHING BAD HAPPENED HERE." catsmeow100 pretty much gave you the same advice that I would have. He needs to associate that area with good things for awhile. But it's going to take time and patience, there are no fast fixes!

 

[tarasgirl06]

Hey all. I just created an account so that I can ask for a bit of help.

My 7 year old, male, muscular, orange and white tabby cat, Fionn, recently had an accident with his tail. He lost the tip of it due to it being smashed in the door on the top of the stairs and he pulled away, pulling it off. Of course he had been to the vet and it's all fixed.

Less than a month has passed since then, and a strange new behaviour is bothering me. He goes to the top stair and stays there, complaining when we try to get him to come down. At first I thought this was a behaviour of him missing my father, but when he came home, Fionn still stays on the top stair. He comes down for a while if we make him, in which he'll eat and use the litter, or he sleeps next to my dad, but otherwise, he stays on the stair. No reason for him to be up there, he knows he's not allowed past the door. Any help?

It sounds as if he is missing his tail tip and/or reliving that experience. The other posters' ideas are very good, and I'd add play to the treats. If you have an interactive wand toy, maybe he would be lured down for a play session? Or some catnip toys strategically placed farther down the stairs? Maybe it is just a question of having love and patience until he decides on his own that he's had enough of staying on the stair. I hope all is well with him!

 

[Pangur]

Thank you so much for responding!! My step mother has been just kicking him down and I try to lure him down. I've spoken to my family and we're going to try all of these ideas! He's been responding well so far. If I pet him at the door and walk a few more steps, I'll snap and he'll follow, then I pet him more. Continue till we reach away from the stairs, where I give him a treat. Everyone else has been trying this as well. He's staying down longer, is purring again, and doesn't seem like such a sad kitty!

 

[tarasgirl06]

Thank you so much for responding!! My step mother has been just kicking him down and I try to lure him down. I've spoken to my family and we're going to try all of these ideas! He's been responding well so far. If I pet him at the door and walk a few more steps, I'll snap and he'll follow, then I pet him more. Continue till we reach away from the stairs, where I give him a treat. Everyone else has been trying this as well. He's staying down longer, is purring again, and doesn't seem like such a sad kitty!

"...KICKING him down"???

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I'm going to assume Pangur means pushing him with her foot, step by step, not actually kicking.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I'm going to assume Pangur means pushing him with her foot, step by step, not actually kicking.

*I am CERTAINLY hoping so!*

 

[MeganLLB]

Yea just give 'em the ol FALCON KICK!

 

[MeganLLB]

Or if that doesnt work you could try...
FALCON PUNCH!


But for realz the treats and playing is probably a good idea.

 

[Pangur]

Oh no! Not actually kicking! Nothing too forceful, however she is forcing him down the stairs in a not so gentle way. She doesn't like cats... My dad's been trying to get her to lighten up. But she would never actually hurt him. Mamanyt1953 is right as to what I meant. Sorry for the confusion! If she was actually hurting him, I'd have something done a long time ago. Today he stayed down all day, cuddling with everyone. However, he's been walking strange. Stretching out his hind legs as he walks, makes him look like an old cat trying to walk. It doesn't look right. Any ideas? I'll try to watch him better next time to get a better picture.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

i'm so glad to hear that your boy has been coming downstairs more!

as for the 'walking strange' and 'stretching out his hind legs as he walks', you might call your vet and discuss this, or if your boy is always walking like that now i'd suggest him being seen by your vet. i'm thinking there could be some sort of infection brewing or something else related to your boy's recovery from his accident with his tail.

 

[KatKnapper]

Your step mom needs to stop...or you'll get a bigger cat that will kick her back! You have to consider that at 7 years old, and being kicked down the stairs, he may have developed joint discomfort (or sustain an injury from the mean ol' step-mom ) and is reluctant to venture down the stairs. Perhaps there is a reason down stairs that bothers him so, that he prefers to stay upstairs (comfort zone and the security of the high perch). I second what MicknSnicks2Mom says about a Vet Checkup.

 

[danteshuman]

I like cats and I taught them with gentle foot nudges not lounge on the stairs in front of me as I'm trying to go up or down. My numb feet make the stairs dangerous enough. There is no way I'm falling down the stairs like one of those crazy cat lady dies stories Still I think in your case the trick is to make him feel more confident. Can you give him a cat tree at the bottom or the top of the stairs? Or reward him for being where his current cat tree is?

 

[danteshuman]

(For the record I never kicked them. I would just gently nudge them with my toes and tell them to move, until they moved, Annoyed them? Yes. Hurt them? Never!)

 

[tarasgirl06]

Your step mom needs to stop...or you'll get a bigger cat that will kick her back! You have to consider that at 7 years old, and being kicked down the stairs, he may have developed joint discomfort (or sustain an injury from the mean ol' step-mom ) and is reluctant to venture down the stairs. Perhaps there is a reason down stairs that bothers him so, that he prefers to stay upstairs (comfort zone and the security of the high perch). I second what MicknSnicks2Mom says about a Vet Checkup.

Get in line, KatKnapper ! I didn't post that, but I was thinking that and a whole lot more. Grrrrrrrrrrrr Hisses and a hairball on that woman!

 

[tarasgirl06]

Oh no! Not actually kicking! Nothing too forceful, however she is forcing him down the stairs in a not so gentle way. She doesn't like cats... My dad's been trying to get her to lighten up. But she would never actually hurt him. Mamanyt1953 is right as to what I meant. Sorry for the confusion! If she was actually hurting him, I'd have something done a long time ago. Today he stayed down all day, cuddling with everyone. However, he's been walking strange. Stretching out his hind legs as he walks, makes him look like an old cat trying to walk. It doesn't look right. Any ideas? I'll try to watch him better next time to get a better picture.

Vet appointment.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Yes, I agree with tarasgirl06 . He needs to have that back end looked at again. There might have been some mild nerve or spinal damage when he pulled his tail free.