Please help!!! My cat is acting ballistic

[chichi]

I am in the middle of the long distance move and I'm driving across the country with my cat. I had to stop at Motel 6 overnight because they allow animals. So the next morning my cat put up a really nasty fight with me about getting into the carrier. He hissed growled and yelled at me like a wild beast. He was really freaked out and frankly freaked me out as well. But after some time I got him in and was on my way.

Now I had to stop for another night because I simply can't make the entire distance by myself. I thought about leaving him in the crate the entire time just because it was so hard getting him in, but I thought it would be cruel so I let him out. He was fine for a while until I took him into the bathroom. I figured I'll keep him in the bathroom this time since last time he was hiding under the bed and me trying to get him out must have triggered his behavior. Was I wrong! As soon as I got him into the bathroom and closed the door, he became aggressive towards me again -- hissing, growling, yelling like a ballistic wild animal. I became scared of him, really. I barely managed to get out of the bathroom leaving him there closing the door behind me. Here is the weird part. This is NOT the cat I know. He was never aggressive towards me in any way, he is the type of cat that would sleep with me, rub his nose against my face and purr every night! Now it's as if I have a different pet. Now I can't even go to the bathroom because as soon as I open the door I am faced with an angry cat who wouldn't even let me get inside to use the bathroom.

Please help, I don't know what to do at this point. If I cannot get him into the carrier tomorrow morning, I pretty much have lost my cat. I feel like a character from the movie Kujo or Old Yeller where my beloved pet is transforming into a monster.

 

[betsygee]

Sounds like he's scared to death.  I'm assuming you don't have any Feliway spray, kitty tranquilizers or anything like that?  Can you get to a pet store near where you're staying?  Get a calming collar, treats or Feliway spray or something you can use to calm him down.  Or do you have food or treats you can use to tempt him into the carrier?  

It's still your same pet, he's just petrified.

 

[tulosai]

I agree he is just scared.  If you are scared of not being able to get him into the carrier, I recommend buying heavy duty gloves and just grabbing him.  It wll not be pleasant but at least that way he will not be able to hurt you.  You may also be able to try throwing a towel around him  and wrapping him in it.

If you must travel with him in the future, make sure you get some tranquilizers from the vet beforehand. If you must stop overnight again on this trip, surely leave him in the crate. He probably will feel  more secure there and so it actually is not more cruel but less  cruel.

If you do get Feliway make sure to get the spray.  The diffuser is IMO more effective long term,but generally takes at least week to work.

 

[chichi]

*sigh* I wish I didn't let him out of the crate... Nothing I can do about it now and thank goodness this is the last night I have to sleep over. I told the hotel manager about this, she was nice about it and told me I can come and use the lobby's restrooms as much as I need to throughout the night. And she gave me the phone number of animal control in case if I can't put him into a crate tomorrow.

I have the liquid "calm down" bottle by whisker city, I added quite a bit of it to his water bowl that's inside the bathroom with him. I have the Feliway refills only, but no spray or the plug in stuff. I opened one up and it's sitting there in the bathroom. Don't know how effective that will be by tomorrow.

I know he is really scared and I wish there is something I could do to make it easier on him but at this point he won't even let me go near him, so the only tranquilizer I can give him is the one that you shoot wild animals with. Problem is, I don't have one.

I like the towel idea, thanks tulosai, I will try it tomorrow, though I'm really scared to.

 

[happybird]

Hopefully, in the morning he will have calmed down some. Poor guy sounds terrified. If the crate is not in the bathroom with him, can you slide the open crate in there without him getting loose? He might go in by himself so he can be surrounded by his own scent in the bedding. You could even add one of your dirty t-shirts or the pillowcase you slept on so he has your familiar scent in the crate as well. It might help to make him feel safe and secure.

If that doesn't work, it is easier to get a fighting cat into the crate if you turn it up on it's end, with the opening towards the ceiling. Snatch him up with a towel, drop him in and get that door latched quick! I know you can do it! Sending you luck and positive vibes for an uneventful capture and end to your move.

 

[chichi]

Thank you guys for all your help and support, I really appreciate it.

Morning update: I went into the bathroom this morning and he was sitting in his crate. Must have gone into it during the night and yes, I did leave his open crate in the bathroom. There was some screaming, hissing and paw swatting as soon as I opened the door but I managed to quickly close the carier opening.

What I'm trying to understand is what exactly he is afraid of and why is he turning his aggression towards me. When he was in the room he didn't display any signs of fear or aggression, he was looking around being curious. He became aggressive as soon as he started suspecting that I'm about to put him in a crate and as soon as I put him in the bathroom. But then again he voluntarily crawled into the crate.

My concern is that Wesley is not the same cat after this trip. Yes, today is my last portion of the trip and I will be finally arriving today, but unfortunately I will be staying with my mom for a month or two until I find my own permanent place and she is not exactly a cat lover or understands anything about cat behavior.

 

[betsygee]

That's great Wesley went into his crate on his own, he probably wanted to be someplace safe and familiar smelling.  

I had a similar experience with a cat I took in several months ago after his owner died.  It was a traumatic move and he reacted with aggression.  For awhile, I was afraid to be in the same room with him because I never knew what would trigger his aggression.  That's why I mentioned tranquilizers before.  I got a prescription of acepromazine from my vet and kept him on it a few days to calm him down.  After that, it just took time.  He needed to get used to new surroundings, new smells, etc.  

Do you have a 'safe room' planned for Wesley?  For instance, can you keep him in the room you'll be staying in at your mom's house?

 

[chichi]

Update: during my final trip I stopped at Petsmart and got some Feliway, both spray and plug in. The vet there also recommended benadryl to make the cat sleepy the next time i have to travel with him. When we arrived at my moms the only room I can put him into where we don't have to walk in and out all the time is a walk in closet in my room. So I put him there with his litter box, food and water. There isn't much room in there but unfortunately that's all we have. He was there for 5 hours, then when I opened the door I was greeted with a whole bunch of hissing. Ok, got it, I made a few sprays of Feliway and closed the door.

So my question is, what should I do, let him out of the closet to freely roam in the house or just my room (problem is, I will be going in and out of it a lot and I don't want to be hissed at in my own room). Or is it better to just let him sit there until he stops hissing when I open the door? God knows when that will be... I can see him being scared in a new place, but aggressive? Maybe he is mad at me for confining him.

 

[happybird]

I am so glad to hear that you got him loaded up safely! That is great news!

Most cats hate moving. Once he gets settled in your new home with all his familiar toys and items with familiar smells, hopefully he will return to having the same personality you know and love. It may take weeks, if not months for him to feel secure, though. All cats react differently, so there is really no way to know how long it might take. You just have to take it at his pace, be patient and reassuring and try to avoid any loud noises or commotion.

We just moved (only across town, thankfully) and this is what I have been doing for my cats. The first thing I did in the cat's safe room was to put out all their beds, blankets, toys, dishes, and litterboxes. I picked our bedroom as the safe room because it is away from the other activity of the house and so they could smell our clothes and lay on the bed (or under the bed). We also put my husband's recliner in the room. They used to love to lay on the recliner at the old house, so I figured that would say 'this is home' to them very strongly. Plus, my husband's scent is well embedded into the fabric. Also, I made sure there were several places to hide underneath stuff and I made some stable stacks of boxes so they could climb up high. I've got 5 cats, so it was quite a bit of prep work to accommodate everybody!

Then, I opened the crates and let them out. I put on some quiet music and sat in there with them, talking softly and handing out treats. Everyone came out of hiding in their own time and began to explore. I did mess up the second day by unpacking some of the boxes in their room. That sent Pooper and Sammy scurrying back under the dresser for the rest of the day. Now, I make sure not to do anything in the room they might associate with the move. Several times a day, I go in there for a few minutes to hang out, play, and talk to them, plus I lay in bed reading and brushing them for about an hour before I fall asleep.

We have been here for a week and they are starting to feel at home, I think. Yesterday, I cracked the door a bit to let them explore the family room, but not everyone has ventured out there yet. It will happen when they feel ready, so I am not worried. I have been leaving on the tv or music all the time, turned down low and I put some boxes under a big window, topped with some pillows, so they can lounge and look outside. Also, I have been feeding them at the same times everyday to try to provide some sense of normalcy or structure (even though I am still a mess with all the unpacking!).

I hope your guy has an easy time adjusting, as well. You are the most important thing in his life, so as long as he is with you, he will adjust. Be sweet, lovey and patient and he will get there!

Edit: I was typing when you posted I would leave him in the closet for now, until you are done doing stuff. You can crack the closet door when you are getting settled in for the night and won't be going in and out. Being restricted to only the bedroom for now is probably best. You can make the closet into his safe room and hopefully he won't get as freaked out by all the unpacking/activity during the day. He might just stay in the closet because it is the most familiar to him now. Or he might find a good hiding spot in the bedroom. And that's ok, whatever makes him the most comfortable. I wouldn't approach him, let him come to you. The hissing and aggression should start to subside once he gets more settled and begins to realize that you are both staying there now. The Feliway is a great idea. I wish you the best of luck!

 

[betsygee]

The thing to remember is that your cat is not angry--he's afraid.  He needs reassurance.  Your being calm and loving towards him will go a long way, too, towards calming him down. 

Happybird has some very good suggestions.  If you have some of your clothing, or his toys, beds, etc. from your previous place that you can put out in your room, that would be good.  If your mom is not a 'cat person' as you mentioned before, maybe it would be a good idea to keep him in your room for a few days until he is calmer and you are feeling a bit better about him as well.   It's frightening to see your loving cat turn into a psycho killer (or so it seems in the moment!) so maybe you both need a few days to re-adjust.   How long have you had Wesley?  

 

[chichi]

I've had Wesley for almost 9 years, got him as a 3 month old kitten. He was always overly friendly and affectionate. That's actually an understatement. When I had guests come over, he would get all over them. Wesley had one big fear -- leaving the house. Even when i open the front door he would never go outside. I had another cat, Chichi, whom I got a month prior and although they were never best friends, they learned to live with one another. Unfortunately due to the nature of my work I have to move a lot and we moved on average every 2 years. I don't like this, but the reality is that when you can no longer pay the bills, you have to go where work calls you. Each time we moved both cats took it surprisingly well. Yes, there was plenty of meowing in crates as we drove them, but they quickly got used to the new home and pretty much the following day were roaming around the house with no problem. Then I had to move to Canada for a few months, that was pretty tough on them, but they recovered quickly.

Last August Chichi passed away from a terminal cancer and all I have now is Wesley. With Chichi gone, he became even more needy with affection and honestly, sometimes borderline annoying. But I love him, so what the heck. And then I had to move again, this last time I told you about. He is not taking it well at all. 3rd day at a new place and he is still in the closet, hiding behind his litter box, still hissing at me when I open the door.

 

[betsygee]

Wow! I'm so sorry -- it must be tough moving so often, on all of you. Maybe the reason Wesley is having such a tough time this time is he doesn't have Chichi there? Just a thought. Have you been able to approach Wesley to pet him or anything or is he still too upset?

 

[jacval60]

You should have tried Comfort zone they sell it at Petco, it is known to relax cats in a stressed out situation.

 

[jacval60]

I know I'm probably late, at this forum. But for another time your cat stresses out, here is a article that would probably help:

http://www.wikihow.com/Calm-a-Cat

 

[chichi]

Thank you all for your support and kind words.  Wesley has finally calmed down and back to his normal loving, purring, overly affectionate and slightly annoying self.

Wesley_couch.jpg

• chichi
• Jan 10, 2014

I think he really likes my mom's couch 

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Oh my goodness; I must have missed your thread before....I am SOOOO relieved to see this happy update!  (And I love that couch too!

)

I was also wondering if not having Chichi with him was part of the difficulty.  I hope that experience is behind you both now!  It's probably a good idea to see the vet about medication for him before you have to move again.  At least any long distance moves!

 

[betsygee]

I think he really likes my mom's couch 

I am SO happy to hear this news and see this beautiful photo.  Best of luck to you, Wesley and your new living situation.   Please keep in touch and let us know how you're doing!  

 

[happybird]

Great news! Wesley is a very handsome fellow.

 

[asherdash]

Yeay! I'm happy things are turning out well