[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference misery::feline_v1

Title:Meower Power is Valuing Differences
Notice:FELINE_V1 is moving 1/11/94 5pm PST to MISERY
Moderator:MISERY::VANZUYLEN_RO
Created:Sun Feb 09 1986
Last Modified:Tue Jan 11 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5089
Total number of notes:60366

616.0. "Help! An aggressive cat" by LEROUF::LISE () Wed Jun 10 1987 11:30

Can somebody explain to me what is happening to one of my cats ????

I saved two sisters from being put to sleep when they were only 10 
days old. That was two years ago. Bubulle has grown up to be a sweet and shy 
tri-colour cat and Yazoo to a beautiful long grey haired cat, but 
though very affectionate towards me (even too much at night) she can be 
quite aggressive.

Six month ago we moved from a flat to a place inside an old village where 
we have a courtyard (chosen in part for the cats). Until then I 
was very reluctant on getting them operated but each visit to the Vet was
getting worse and worse, not for Bubulle (she didn't even felt the shot and 
seems to like the Vet) but Yazoo was getting more and more agressive each 
time (two people couldn't handle her wearing garden gloves), so when 
spring came we took the great decision !! (We gave them some pills for the 
car travel, but they fought to stay awake by biting one another. It was 
quite a horrific journey, but yet made life easier for the Vet) and two
weeks later we began to let them out in the courtyard and garden under 
direct supervision.

They took at once the bad habit of going right where they shouldn't (e.g. 
inside the neighbours house, up the garden to the village's main road)
so I quickly gave up hope of letting them out without us around. After a 
few times I tried to do some gardening instead of looking after them all 
the time, but of course they disappeared for sometimes up to ten minutes, 
but we could always find them because Bubulle spent her time running crying
after her sister (it's over now, but she is very worried when her sister gets 
out of her sight).

The first time it happened was when a black cat appeared in "their" garden 
they ran after him and immediately after began to fight between each 
other really badly. We succeeded in catching Bubulle and put her in the 
bathroom and the other one came home by herself. Then we tried opening the 
door which proved disasterous as they began fighting and spitting at one 
another again. It took us more then four hours to get them to recognize one 
another again by holding Bubulle out of the reach of her sister but making them 
sniff each other, washing them both with some water and a little bit of 
perfume and giving them the milk sweets they like very much. It 
was long and difficult especially as Bubulle didn't understand what was 
happening and was trying to get to her sister to cuddle her as ususal).

This happened again the following Sunday, but this time much worse. Firstly
the Black cat came back and Yazoo ran after him (he seems quite nice, only 
wanting to be friends). Bubulle went after her sister and as a result the two
began to fight really badly once again. While trying to get them apart
we hurt Yazoo. 
We got them back inside and after a while they cooled down and were let out 
again, Yazoo still spitting a little bit. Unfortunately I accidently walked on 
Yazoo toes. She let out an almighty scream, her sister ran to her to aid and 
Yazoo began chasing her, in doing that she nearly felt from a roof down a hole 
between two houses. She succeded in crawling up but (ahem) literally had the
s**t scared out of her on the roof and wouldn't move anymore, even if we tried
to help her down (I think she was afraid as we were angry at her for hurting 
her sister).
This time it took us the whole night and the next morning to get them 
together, but one week after she would still get easily angry at her sister.

Of course, now we don't dare to let them out anymore, but they are really
sad about it and miss the outside world a lot.

So, anyone out there any solutions on how to recreate our happy home with a 
little bit more freedom for the cats?

Thank you
Lise 
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
616.1RDGE00::ALFORDDragon Riders do it in between ....Wed Jun 10 1987 13:1122
	


	Yazoo's agressiveness sounds like a lot of jealousy and 
	sibling rivalry getting out of hand.  As well as, dare I 
	say it, hormonal unbalance.  Have you noticed if she gets
	worse when she comes into season ?

	You may not agree with this, but have you considered having
	Yazoo spayed, I realise that you may wish to breed from your
	cats but your Yazoo really does not have the right temperament
	to breed from, you would only be encouraging bad traits.
	Your Bubulle sounds a sweetie.

	The spaying should help in calming her down.  She will probably
	still be the dominant sister after spaying but the agression
	should go.

	CJA

	As an aside, neutering definitely does the same for agressive 
	Toms.
616.2MASTER::EPETERSONWed Jun 10 1987 13:2221
    I had a very similar situation develope about a year ago.  It seemed
    that my furry little family was falling apart at the seams!  The
    fighting and chase scenes were quite lowd and seemed violent.  I
    tried everything I could to defuse the situation, but it only seemed
    to get worse.  I am not sure I understand what was happening with
    the kitties and their relationships at the time, but the situation
    was resolved (you notice I didn't say that _I_ resolved it).  Half
    of the problem is that people *think* that they understand their
    cats' feelings.  You say that Bubulle "didn't understand" why her
    sister was acting that way.  I suggest that she probably does know
    what's is going on, and they are in the process of working out 
    some sort of disagreement.  Perhaps they don't agree with how to
    deal with the strange black cat.  Perhaps they are a bit stressed
    out by the new house.  You may never know for sure.  Here is how
    I  delt with the problem when I had it.  I completely ignored their
    fights (not an easy thing to do!).  By getting involved, you just
    muck up the works of whatever resolution they will come up with.
    Once I did that, it only took two weeks for peace to return.  Try
    it, and let us know how it goes.
          
    Marion
616.3Try to stay out of itVAXWRK::DUDLEYWed Jun 10 1987 13:3122
    Not sure if I'm interpreting the base not correctly or not.
    I 'think' you are telling us that you had the cats spayed?
    Is that what you meant by 'operated on'.  Then you said that
    you finally decided to do 'it' and started letting them out
    after two weeks.  What do you mean?  That you finally had 
    them spayed, or that you finally decided to let them out?
    
    I have 3 indoor cats.  When a strange cat comes near the house,
    I have one cat who gets VERY upset.  He usually will 'turn' on
    the other male cat, meaning he seems to take this aggression 
    out on the other cat.   It seems to be his way of letting the
    strange cat know who's boss in the house?  Fortunately it is
    not as violent as your problem seems to be.
    
    I would have to agree with the previous reply.  Try to let
    the cats work it out on their own.  NEVER try to break up or
    seperate two cats that are fighting.  You could do serious 
    damage to either yourself, or a cat, as you have seen.
    
    Step aside for a short time and see what happens.  
    
    Donna
616.4Try OVABANVAXWRK::SKALTSISDebWed Jun 10 1987 17:2410
    If you haven't done so alreasy, do consider getting them spayed;
    it does wonders for their termperment. If you have already done
    this, ask your vet about OVABAN. It is a hormone and it works almost
    instantly to calm the cats down. The cats will get gradually decreasing
    doses for a few weeks. The vet said that while the effect is to
    immedialty calm the cat down, the cat remembers pleasent times rather
    than upsetting times. It worked real well with Argus and Alex; Argus
    used to go into a rage when he saw her, now they are friends.
    
    Deb
616.5Thank you for your answers so farHARRYS::LISEFri Jun 12 1987 04:2832
    < .1>
    < .3>


    Sorry if I wasn't very clear (..emotion maybe..) they have both been
    spayed ( couldn't find the right word ) two month ago and then began to
    go out in the "Great Big World" two weeks afterwards.


    < .2>
    < .3>  Let them fight
    < .4>


    I supposed that this is THE BEST solution possible as I won't be able
    to know what they are thinking or feeling (jealousy ??, Yazoo being
    tired of always having her sister "looking" after her ...??) but I've
    never been used to see cats fighting and my friend and I couldn't
    refrain from getting involved even if we "knew" that it was not the
    right thing to do !!!


    I will try to take them out again this week-end (my boy friend is not
    very happy about the idea...) and see what happens. At the same time I
    will try to find the OVABAN ( if it does exist in France )
    
    Thank you for your advice so far, I feel better knowing that it happened
    to other and that solutions have been found.
    Anymore commentaries or ideas are wellcome,
    Lise 

616.6Still Crazy after all these yearsRDGE00::EARLYSpring into SummerMon Jun 15 1987 13:3121
    I totally agree that animals should be left to sort out their 
    differences.  The only time I have ever interfered was when we
    introduced a kitten into the house with a four year old spayed
    female.  While the kitten was tiny we made the spare bedroom its
    home while we were at work, supplying all the necessaries.
    
    There was one day when we were at home and both cats were mooching
    freely around, I was out of the room and Chris was perched precariously
    hanging some curtains, wouldn't you just know it, the older cat
    seemed to be waiting for just this opportunity to grab the kitten
    by the neck and started throwing it round.  Never has one human
    moved so fast...
    
    The older cat, even after three years, has never liked the new
    addition, but at least now tolerates her, although not to have any
    contact.   The older one is allright with the other cat (an older
    male who was already in situ when she arrived), but is extremely
    aggressive towards ANY other cats.  I hesitate to give an animal
    human traits but I can equate it only with jelousy.