Just moved

[kat z]

I just moved from my family's old house which we are selling into an apartment with my cats.  All but one adjusted beautifully despite the fact they had all lived in my house for basically their entire lives.  My youngest, who is only 3 yrs old, did not adjust well at all.  He was hiding & viciously hissing & swatting at both me & the rest of my cats who he has known his entire life!  My simple presence would occassionally send him into a screeching fit that assuredly disturbed ALL my neighbors since it sounded like I was killing him!  If I kept him in the bedroom alone for a couple of hours & then went in, & he would behave nicely to me & want attention, but seeing the other cats would immediately set him off again...I really don't have the space that I can afford to keep him away from the other cats all the time, not to mention moving about the apartment is extremely difficult with him & the other cats trying to enter each other's rooms.  I temporarily brought him back to my old house to stay with my brother in the meantime.  I spoke with the vet who suggested buying Feliway & putting him on Valium until I think he can adjust without it.  I've been reading reviews of both & see each has very mixed results.  I'm truly worried about what's going to happen, because if this does not work I would need to give him up to a shelter since I nor anyone in my family could continue to keep him after our house is sold.  And if he's doing this badly in a new apartment where he's not kept in a cage & he's with things he knows, I can't even imagine how he would survive a shelter that definitely would not have the time or money to properly medicate & integrate him...  Has anyone had a similar problem with their cat?  Any advice?  Does anyone know how much Valium is safe to give a cat?

 

[stephanietx]

I would try the feliway before trying the Valium.  Also, look into the Spirit Essences to see if that might help your kitty.  You could also try rescue remedy.

In addition, I'd put him in a spare room or back into your bedroom, and then try reintroducing him to the rest of your clan.  Do you have something from your old house (couch cushion or rug or something like that) that you can put with him so he'll have something that smells like "home"? 

 

[just mike]

I would try the Feliway before medicating the kitty with anything.  Feliway has worked wonders in my household and I am a firm believer in it. It really does calm them down without my resorting to feeding them any type of medication.  There are other natural products out there that might work as well but I have found Feliway to be the way to go in the way of calming them down.

 

[kat z]

The Feliway is not really helping, but then neither is the Valium...he's been on a pill and a half twice a day for two days now without any noticeable calming on his part.  He really gets aggressive...Last night he jumped on the bed & scratched my arm pretty badly....I'm trying to stick it out for as long as possible to give him a chance to chill, but he can't live indefinitely in my bedroom...Has anyone had an experience similar to this?  I'm starting to think he needs to be on a much higher dosage or another anti-anxiety medication completely...Any suggestions?

 

[annie_belle]

Oh, poor you and poor kitty!  One of the first things you might try is to take your cats bedding (with his scent on it) and rub it along the baseboards and corners of the walls and doors.  You will be spreading kitty's scent which will help in making the apartment more "familiar" to him.

In your room, try playing very soft classical music...harp is best.  The music assists in calming felines nerves.  Have you been able to do any interactive play with your cat, to help drain energy? 

With your Feliway, are you using the plug in diffuser?  That is the one I have used with good success.  Granted, it's not magic, but it did gradually help.  If you have a sweatshirt with your scent on it, leave it where kitty can be around it...maybe right by the feeding station. 

The lack of familiar scents could be overwhelming your cat...almost making it like being in a "white out" blizzard...they "see" with scent, and right now kitty can't "see" anything it recognizes.

I'd be careful about moving kitty back and forth between homes.  He needs to get settled and into a routine in one place.  When moving into a new house/home, it's often suggested to confine your pet to one room for several days.  It gives kitty a secure feeling...allowing the chance to begin to adjust without being overwhelmed.

Also, make sure kitty has plenty of "safe" hiding places in the room...access to look out a window would be good...needs to see plus, a nice way to hopefully "relax".

Please, stick with it, and realize that this is no "picnic" moving for kitty either!

Hang in there...and keep us updated!

Until next time...Annie