by Shojai, Amy
Note: it’s best for cat flaps to be translucent so Sheba can see through and not be ambushed by another cat. There also are cat doors available that “key” open only to the specific cat wearing a corresponding collar or microchip, so you can keep other critters out or limit which cats come and go.
Chapter 6: UPSET KITTY FEELINGS
Cats are just as emotional as people and behavior changes mirror those of owners in similar situations. Stress may be expressed as depression and grief, fearful behavior, insomnia, jealousy or any of a range of emotions. Some cats (Siamese, Burmese, Himalayan and Abyssinians most commonly) relieve stress by over-grooming themselves until they go bald, and once the stress goes away the hair grows back. Physical health problems and instinct can also prompt cats to act out emotionally, so remember to use the P.E.T. Test to figure out the cause.
Pets also react to the emotions their human companions feel. When a cat has bonded deeply with you, she’ll react to your emotional state with purrs and snuggles. Changes in the routine almost always upset cats. Changing work schedule, introducing a new cat, or moving to a new home are particularly stressful. One cat feeling out of sorts makes the rest of the felines uneasy, and can cause an emotional meltdown among all the cats. Recognizing your cat’s emotional state and understanding why she feels that way allows you to help soothe upset feelings, and ensure the entire feline family stays happy.
FELINE GRIEF
Depression and grief can be worse for cats because we can’t explain why a beloved cat or human friend has gone away. Death, divorce, or just leaving for college often leaves one or more of your cats deeply affected, and that always causes a ripple effect that impacts the entire feline household.
For instance, when your top cat becomes depressed, she’ll be less patient with the other felines and may lash out with aggression, or if she disappears under the bed, the other cats argue over taking her top position. A new family member (husband, baby) who demands your attention also upsets the cat, because you are the most important part of Sheba’s territory. Refer to the section on Green Eyed Monsters for tips for dealing with jealousy.
Depressed cats sleep more than usual, avoid company, stop playing, and hide. They don’t groom themselves as well, lose their appetite and refuse to eat. Depression affects physical health by compromising the immune system, so pets become more susceptible to disease, and symptoms of depression may mimic other problems. Scratching or urine spraying increases, especially near and on items that you own (your bed, the laundry) because the scent comforts them. For tips on scratching or spraying, see those sections in Pet Peeves.
Time heals grief, and cats that have bonded closely with other pets or people can become attached to new loved ones. Supporting the feelings of a grief-stricken cat helps her more quickly return to normal, and interact with the rest of the felines in a healthy manner.
· The death of a pet devastates the whole family, including the other pets. It can help surviving cats to understand by letting them “say goodbye” to the deceased pet’s body. Expect any sort of reaction, from sniffing the body, ignoring it, or crying. A last look allows cats to understand the deceased won’t return, and prevents the tortured searching some grieving pets display.
· Losing somebody special depresses you, too, and cats act like sponges that soak up your emotion, so talk to her, and be positive. Your cats won’t understand the words but will recognize your intent.
· When a human family member leaves on vacation or college, keeping scented items as reminders can help soothe cats until the beloved’s return. Seal a few unwashed socks in a baggy, and bring one out now and then for Sheba to sleep or play with as a security blanket. The long-distance human can also mail scented objects home to the cat.
· The scent of the departed pet lingers in the house and can be a frightening reminder to surviving cats that were less dominant. Remove those toys or beds used by the deceased pet, so the remaining felines don’t avoid that area.
· Light therapy benefits people suffering from depression by affecting the production of hormones from the pituitary and endocrine glands. Cats are natural sun worshipers and a sunbath for twenty minutes a day can raise kitty spirits. Set up a soft blanket on a table near a sunny window for feline lounging.
· Peppy music can help Sheba beat the doldrums, so try playing the radio or CDs that have a fast, upbeat tempo.
· A specialized massage technique called TTouch reduces your cat’s depression. Pay particular attention to her ears, face and neck.
· The Bach Flower remedy Gentian works well for general depression, while Gorse works better for severe depression. Star of Bethlehem commonly is recommended for sorry and grief. Put four drops into the water bowl for all-day sipping, or add drops to a treat, like a teaspoonful of plain yogurt.
SHRINKING VIOLETS
Some cats grow up to be worrywarts, and acting fearful or shy is like wearing a “kick me” sign that prompts the other cats in your household to pick on them. Up to 20 percent of any population of a given species will be born prone to introversion and fear. Some cats acquire the traits from poor or missing socialization or from a lack of proper nutrition during gestation. Kittens whose mothers received poor nutrition prior to giving birth are more “reactive” than normal and often suffer fearfulness and shyness.
An intensely unpleasant experience can lead to a “memory” of the event, in which cats generalize the fear to similar future events. A onetime abuse situation or single bad experience with another cat or the car makes Sheba fearful of all cats, car rides, or men.
Signs of anxiety include decreased grooming, reduced social interactions, and appetite loss. The fearful cat signals unease by looking away, holding ears down and sideways, shaking, crouching, urinating or defecating. Stress strains the immune systems, and fearful felines are unhappy pets. Some types of fear never go away, but with lots of patience, you can help the cat feel more comfortable in her home.
· Adopting pairs of kittens together, or a mother with a baby, can give the new pets an ally to build confidence and ward off shyness. Some kitties dislike other cats, but don’t feel threatened by a dog. A friendly, gentle dog may be the best confidence builder for a shy cat. Refer to the chapter on cat-dog introductions.
· Identify all the different sights, places, sounds, odors, people or other things that cause fear. You need to know what she fears before you can address those issues.
· During the spring mating season, cats act more fearful because of the noises of stray cats or wild animals they hear outside. A white noise machine can cover up or mute these distressing sounds, or tune your radio to static.
· Anything irregular or unpredictable can cause feline fear, so create a schedule so she can rely on when to expect meals, petting, or chase the feather game.
· When Sheba becomes scared and can’t hide, stress levels skyrocket. Give her lots of places to stay out of sight, such as kitty “tents” placed in strategic places, and collapsible cat tunnels that create safe pathways through the center of rooms, especially in open areas where Sheba feels exposed. That can encourage her to move around the house more, and build confidence.
· When cats panic, they lash out at anything between them and perceived safety, and stay aroused for at least an hour. Give frightened cats space, and don’t talk, touch or follow her. Cat skin is so sensitive any contact can make the feelings of panic even worse.
· Speed up the recovery time by shutting out any further stimulation for at least 15 minutes. Turn off the lights in the room, draw the blinds, or toss a towel over the cat to muffle scary sounds.
· Comforting a scared cat with baby talk encourages the behavior to continue. Instead, praise and give treats for relaxed breathing, and calm expressions and body postures to help build confidence.
· Yelling and punishment could prompt fear aggression, so keep your temper. Low-pitched men’s voices and heavier walk often sound scary to cats, so take care to “lighten” your tone and your step.
· Strong eye contact is a challenge that intimidates. Glance away while petting the cat and don’t stare.
· When a scared cat hisses at your new boyfriend, his departure rewards Kitty and teaches her a fearful display works. Instead of leaving, encourage human guests to stay calm and sit quietly across the room so the cat can retreat instead.
· Shy cats fear hands if they’ve been abused. Others have a petting “threshold” and become aggressive. Instead of petting on the head, offer Sheba a closed fist or index finger to sniff, head butt and cheek rub.
· Play builds confidence in shy cats. Fishing pole style toys and flashlights allow people to interact at a “safe” distance that doesn’t threaten the fearful cat, while teaching Sheba being near to you offers a fun benefit. Use both hands, a different toy in each, to engage both the shy cat and a resident cat at the same time to help teach them to get along.
· Use the pheromone product Feliway to help the cats feel more comfortable about their environment. The plug-in product helps all the cats “chill.”
· Add several drops of the Rescue Remedy for all of your cats to sip, because it can help diffuse the other felines’ aggression toward the shy kitty.
· Using the TTouch technique on the ears of shy cats can have a positive effect.
· Counter conditioning with incremental exposure to the trigger can help cats learn to tolerate scary situations. Stage “safe” exposures. For example, ask the (scary) child to stand across the other room while you give Kitty treats or play with a feather to reward her staying calm.
· Next, have the child stand a bit closer, or sit on the floor. If Kitty remains calm, offer another treat or game. Only go on to the next level when the cat remains okay with the last gradient.
VET ALERT! HYPERTHYROIDISM
Middle aged and older cats may develop hyperthyroidism, an endocrine (hormonal) disease that revs up the metabolism. The condition caused by an over-active thyroid spills too much hormone into the cat’s system. Affected cats have an increased appetite but lose weight, pace a lot, become short tempered, and often howl and yowl incessantly.
A blood test diagnoses the condition, which can be treated, controlled or even cured with ongoing drug therapy, surgery, or radioactive iodine treatment. Cats suffering from hyperthyroid disease often also have high blood pressure and/or kidney problems at the same time. Be sure to have your cat examined by a veterinarian, if he suddenly becomes hyperactive.
THE “ZOOMS” and MIDNIGHT MADNESS
For most cats, actual hyperactivity is rarely a problem and since cats normally sleep up to 16 hours a day they almost never have problems with insomnia. Felines naturally become most active at dawn and dusk, and nocturnal behaviors that keep you awake are most common in kittens and usually decrease when she reaches 12 to 18 months of age. While the nonstop energy of one cat challenges owners, a houseful of galloping felines multiplies the problem. The hijinks not only disturbs you especially at night, it can rub cranky cats the wrong way and prompt short tempers to flare, or teach bad habits to more sedate well behaved felines.
Some breeds are more active than others. Persians tend to be more sedate, while Abyssinian and Siamese swing from the drapes. When active cats don’t have legal outlets for energy, they get creative and empty your sock drawer. You may reward unruly behavior without meaning to. If Sheba learns opening kitchen cupboards or vaulting to door tops garners attention, she’ll continue the antics. The following tips can help put the brakes on your cat’s non-stop activity.
· Cats sleep all day and want to play when you hit the sack. Prevent access to the cats’ favorite sleeping places during the day, so they sleep at night.
· Tire the cats out in a constructive way and they’ll leave your goldfish bowl alone. Twenty minutes aerobics twice a day works well. Schedule playtime a half hour before bedtime to tire your cats out so they’ll sleep when you do.
· Feed your cats just before you go to bed to keep them from waking up hungry and pestering you at 3 a.m. to fill the bowl. You can put their last meal of the day in several “treat balls” filled with favorite kibble, so they must play and manipulate the ball to shake food out to eat.
· Harp music works as a natural, non-drug sedative but any slow, calm, instrumental music arrangement can be soothing. Special arrangements of cello, harp, bird and waterfall sounds in the “Pet Music” CD collection (http://www.naturespet.com/petmusic.html) also act as a natural sedative.
· The brain manufactures the hormone melatonin, which acts like a time-keeper to tell us when to sleep and when to wake up, and can help lull cats to sleep. Melatonin is available at health food stores—ask your vet for the proper dosage.
· Milk contains the chemical tryptophan that helps promote sleep, and a quarter cup warm milk per cat may help your felines snooze more readily. However, some cats don’t digest milk easily so lay off the treat if diarrhea develops.
· When your new kitten pesters the adult felines in the house, adopting a second kitten closer to her age can more effectively wear her out.
· Smart, active cats relish training, which gives them something constructive to do with their brains. Find a behavior she already does, such as reach out with a paw toward the feather. Reward the behavior with a favorite treat, and you’ve taught her to “wave.” Teaching one cat in front of the others prompts copycat behavior once they realize the “wave” gets a treat.
· Highly motivated cats hate being ignored and settle for your angry words if they can’t get good attention. If you feed her to make Sheba stop biting your nose to wake you, she’s trained you to fill the bowl. Only reward good behavior. Teach Sheba she must pay for attention, food, or anything she wants with something YOU want, such as a quiet “sit.” If she yowls, the food stays in the can.
VET ALERT! FELINE SENILITY
As cats age, sight and hearing fade and they can become disoriented at night. A nightlight helps them more easily find their way around, and calms the jitters so they sleep more soundly. Some very old cats develop memory problems similar to those suffered by human Alzheimer’s patients.
Signs include disorientation, interaction changes (with people/other pets), sleep cycle changes, housetraining lapses, and anxiety. We can’t stop aging changes, but a percentage of cats suffering from these cognitive disorders are helped with drug and/or nutritional therapy prescribed by the veterinarian.
· The drug Anipryl (selegiline hydrochloride) is FDA-approved for treatment of canine cognitive disorder, and helps up to 70 percent of dogs. It has also been used off-label to help cats with similar cognitive disorders.
· Cholodin-Fel, a nutritional supplement, contains choline and phosphatidylcholine that helps brain cells work more efficiently, and may benefit cats with cognitive dysfunction. Find more information at www.mvplabs.com
MOVING ANGST
Cats love routine so much, that change leaves them outraged. Moving traumatizes many cats because they so strongly bond to territory and place. Those upset over a move often act out by scratching more, and spraying urine to mark the new territory. Shy kitties may disappear for days or even weeks, until they feel more comfortable with the new surroundings, and will worry themselves sick if you aren’t careful. Plan ahead to calm cat fears and make the transition go as smoothly as possible.
· Schedule your move when you can be at home with the cats and spend several days together. Don’t leave the cats alone to deal with fears by themselves.
· Move cats in carriers to prevent them from accidentally escaping during the trip or upon arrival. Refer to Crate Expectations section for more tips.
· Once at the new house, confine the cats that get along to a single room, and shut the door. That keeps them safe while you unpack, arrange furniture, and open and shut doors. If you have a large number of felines, you may need two safe rooms.
· Help the cats feel more at home by bringing all the familiar toys, cat furniture, bowls and litter boxes along. Set these up in the safe roo
m(s) to create a familiar “home base” they can become used to very quickly. Your cats should stay confined in the room for at least the first two or three days until you see they feel comfortable in THAT room.
· Add Rescue Remedy to the cats’ drinking water to relieve feline stress.
· Once the cats have cheek rubbed territory in their safe room, and act reasonably calm, open the door and allow them to explore at their leisure. Cats tend to take it slow and easy, checking out new territory a room at a time. If any of your cats don’t get along, give pariah cats the opportunity to explore alone first, then switch out the more confident cats, before giving all the felines free rein in the new digs.
· Return to your old routine as soon as possible. It may be a new house, but a familiar feeding time, play periods, and your comings and goings should help remind the cats all’s well in their world.
· Extra exercise calms cats during the transition period. Playing with them reassures that all is well. Tired cats also sleep more soundly and will be less stressed.
· If you plan to allow your cat outside, you MUST keep her confined indoors for at least one month. Cats let outside too soon after a move try to find their way back to their old home and become lost, injured or killed along the way. It takes time for Sheba to swear allegiance to the new residence, and to learn all the important feline landmarks inside the house and out. The first few visits outdoors are best done on a leash, until the cat has mind-mapped the area for herself and you are confident she can find her way back for dinner.
FEELING LONELY
Separation anxiety results when sensitive cats are apart from human loved ones, and most often happens when you spend less time with your cats due to a job change or vacation. In one study, of the cats with this condition, 90 percent had owners who worked long hours. In 80 percent of the cats, owner absence due to a vacation triggered the behavior or increased the frequency of problems. About ¼ of the affected cats had been adopted from a shelter at less than three months of age. As a consequence, these kitties formed much stronger attachments to one or more family member.
