What should I do? Boo made the descision for me!

[Laura's Babies]

See post #12 for update


Next week, I will go back to work. Things have been going good with Boo since I have been home this time but there has still been some squabbles that were quicky stopped or interrupted by me.. Not many but some. She still stalks Samantha some but there is not nearly as much growling going on with Giz.

One day I think there is no way I should leave her loose in the house while I am gone and the next day I think it would work out fine.

This is my thoughts... If I shut her up while I am gone, it could undo all the progress already made since they will not be use to seeing each other so much.

But if I leave her loose in the house, it could start all the attacking all over again and become a habit again and raise the stress levels for everyone.

I am at a loss at which way to go with this. I do go to town and places with her loose in the house and have noticed that Giz and Samantha do not go hide when she comes up here anymore, sometimes standing their ground and refusing to run hide. I DO think Boo is trying her best to make ammends and be friends... BUT what would happen if no one was around?

What do you think the situation calls for? What would you do? Advice please, any thoughts, or suggestions? Feliaway plug in's are in place already and I have rescue remedy on hand.

[DJFyrewolf36]

My thinking is to let them work things out. If Boo seems willing to make amends and the agression IS getting better, I think them working things through will be the best thing. Does Boo have a problem with being isolated? Take this into concideration as Ive seen cats go balistic being isolated. Id think its better just to let things happen between the cats rather than potentially undo quite a bit of good progress.

Hope thats somewhat helpful :D

[catmandu]

SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO LET THEM WORK THINGS OUT. TUBSTER AND MIQUELITO WERE BRAWLING AT FIRST BUT NOW ITS MORE OF ROUGH AND TUMBLE PLAYING.
I WILL LET THE PET ANGELS KNOW AND THEY WILL APPOINT AN ARBITRATOR TO SETTLE THINGS DOWN.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/catmandu/cat%20photos%202/cats101920.jpg
THE NEWEST FOUND CAT????????????????????????????????????????????

[lvpets2002]

:) Laura do think by chance that these two just get into it while you are there.. My Calitt & Nuggette only have scruffles when I am at home.. When I am gone they are all ok & lounging.. It is a tough question.. Can your daughter check in on them while your gone?? Darn its already time for you to go back to work?! Wittle Rastus Gem is going to miss his Auntie Laura..

[Laura's Babies]

Yes, Rie and Mike will be checking in on them while I am gone. I can not leave them for 28 days without someone checking on them for me.

Boo does not mind being shut in the bedroom alone... well, at least she didn't use to mind, now she has seen the perks of being free to roam and she likes that door being opened all the time now. She does spend a lot of time in there sleeping on my bed or the kitty bunk bed but at certain times of the day she likes to come in here and take a nap on the sofa too.

It is very noticable that she completely avoids any confrontation with Amy and has for weeks now. She has decided on her own (and some talking from me) that Amy is off limits...period! She still watches her trying to get from point "A" to point "B", but it is like she is trying to figure out why she keeps falling over.

lvpets2002- Rastus will grow like a weed while I am gone but tell him that is OK, I can't wait to see how much he grows up in a months time. Tell him stay healthy and happy and don't get into to much trouble!

[lvpets2002]

:) I guess put Boo in the bedroom & then when Ria comes over she can let Boo out for a while.. Hey I know what you mean about no one allowed to bother Amy.. My girls dont bother Taccoa.. Now they all play together.. But nobody is allowed to be mean.. Right now Taccoa's new play buddy is Rastus Gem.. Its like he is attached to her.. Oh he gets a checkup & boosters at the Vets tomorrow Sat 16th.. His sniffles are all gone & one more day of meds.. Here is a pic for you before you go so you will remember.. Ok 2 pics

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b335/lvpets2002/IMG_1108.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b335/lvpets2002/IMG_1109.jpg

[mruffruff]

Can you put a screen door on the bedroom? Then she can be safe but still smell the other cats. Rie Rie or Mike can let her out when they are there for a little freedom. Other wise, I'm afraid you'll have to take a chance either way.

[Freedom]

I think let her be out. Sounds like the group has figured out their hierarchy.

Either way, good luck!

[moosmom]

Laura,

For your own peace of mind, how about putting two baby gates stacked in the doorway so that they can see each other and are still protected. Then when Rie Rie and Mike come over to check on them, they can let them out supervised.

Good luck!!

[Laura's Babies]

moosmom- I tried one baby gate, then 2 baby gates (she jumped with no problems) and had to go to 3 and caught her climbling those, up almost at the third one when I went to investigate the odd noise... :rolleyes: .
Remember, we are talking about an experienced 12 year old c-a-t!

I thought of a screen door but worry about how that would look and mess up my walls..

It would have to be shut her in and Rie let her out when she comes over only to be shut back in when Rie leaves.. OR, let her have free roam. I might try shutting the door with her in there several hours every day until I leave to see if she complains.. I just hate shutting her in there at all and always have..... but the thought her her going back to terrorizing the others scares me..

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Laura, you'll have to play it by ear, and if when the time comes YOU really don't feel comfortable leaving her out all the time, then close her in and have Rie Rie let her out when she comes to visit. I really don't think it will be a total set back once you get back home again. She might need to be reminded of the rules when you first get home and she's allowed to roam free again, then you'll move on from there and hopefully progress enough during that month so that next time you have to leave you feel comfortable enough leaving her out.

I'm not surprised she leaves Amy alone. Animals are smart and she knows Amy is not "normal." I wouldn't be surprised if after awhile she becomes a protector of Amy. :)

[Laura's Babies]

Well, since I posted this thread things went downhill fast. She has suddenly started attacking Samanth and Giz every chance she gets so I guess I have my answer from the girl herself. MAN! I hate this!!! She will soon have a long reminder of what it is like to be shut up in that room for 28 days... Maybe by then she will have learned her lesson and behave herself.

[Catty1]

oh NO! At least Rie will be there to let her out for a bit...does Boo need trannies or what? :(

I am so sorry she backslid! Hopefully she will have learned her lesson by the time you get home!

[Kalei]

Poor Boo, when will you learn? Maybe being stuck in a room for so long, he will finally learn. I'm sorry he didn't keep getting better, I think we need more PT prayers to help:)

[Laura's Babies]

I am sure she will make that connection one day... :rolleyes: but I had hope she already had. I know a 12 year old habit will be hard to break for her but gosh darn, I ENJOYED her being up here to pet and kiss along with the others all day. Maybe the next 28 day isloated will drive it into that thick skull of hers! Poor baby... but now Amy is stressing so bad.. it has to STOP!

[catmandu]

I HAVE BEEN THE LUCKIEST OF CAT DADS IN THAT THE FOUND CATS ALL GET ALONG FAIRLY WELL WITH A BIT OF BOY STUFF BETWEEN MIQUELITO AND THE TUBSTER , BUT ITS ALL IN FUN.
I WONDER HOW ROCCALNO WILL EVENTUALLY SORT OUT HER PLACE IN THE GROUP AS SHES A COMPLETELY FERAL CAT BORN IN THE WILD AND HAVING LIVED I THE WILD ALL HER YOUNG LIFE.
WE WISH YOU ALL THE LUCK IN THE WORLD WITH YOUR CATS LAURA.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/catmandu/th_JJJ3.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v621/catmandu/?action=view&current=1181847606.pbw)

[krazyaboutkatz]

Laura, I'm so sorry to hear this.:( At least you now know that you should put her in a room of own while you're away.

Have you thought of giving her something to help calm her down? I just started giving Storm clomicalm and it's made a big difference around here. I'm also still using the feliway plugins and spray. Storm was also becoming aggressive towards the others as well as peeing inappropriately. Now he's very mellow and relaxed and is only peeing in the litterboxes.:)

[jennielynn1970]

Maybe she senses that you are preparing to go away, and she's "acting out". It could be that this is stressful for her, and she's taking it out on Samantha and Giz, don't you think?? My dad's cat, who adopted them and was an outside cat for most of his life, is like that. If he gets upset or feels that there is something going on in the house (like when my dad in and out of the hospital for his cancer surgery), Squeaks would be ok with my mom and dad, but he would pick on our other cat, Lucy. He was relentless, and he knew that Lucy hated him, and will get riled up over anything that he does. It's his way of letting my mom and dad know that he's not happy with the state of the home.

[Laura's Babies]

I have the plug ins going and am putting rescue remedy in their water.. I think she did better without it... :rolleyes: She just started this bad a few days ago..

This "clomicalm", what is this and where do you get it?

[jazzcat]

I'm sorry to hear that Laura.

About the Clomicalm, Medusa recommended it to me for Rocky when he began marking cat beds and attacking Scout from stress. You have to have a vet prescription for it. It's made for dogs but in smaller doses it will work for cats. Around here I can only get it in cream form for the ear and it has to be compounded at a special pharmacy which means big buck - $35 for a 30 day supply but after a few weeks I was able to cut the dose in half and now I only give Rocky that much about every 3-4 days. This last time he went 5 days before starting to show aggression. Tracey was able to get it for Storm in liquid form in Tuna flavor to put on his food and Medusa gets it in pill form, I believe. You would need to ask you vet about it and what form you can get. It really doesn't seem to have any bad side effects except when Rocky gets a large dose he sleeps a lot. The positive side is he stopped peeing on the cat beds and attacking Scout and went back to being his affectionate self that he was before we brought the kittens in. I've been using it since April and I highly recommend it!

[Laura's Babies]

I AM going to ask my vet about it! It sounds like just what I need!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Laura, I sure hope that this will work for Boo. My vet said that it won't be a miracle cure but it sure seems like it is for me.:) The reason that Storm's was made into a liquid was because he's on such a low dose that it would be hard to cut up a pill this small. I just have to give it to him plain without mixing it in his food though. I tried putting it in some wet food and he smelled it and he wouldn't eat it. The liquid makes him drool for a little bit but them he calms down and gets in his box for the night. I give it to him at 11pm every night and I also make sure to spray feliway in the hallway and entry way before I go to bed. So far so good. Good luck.:)

[Laura's Babies]

Boo has been in the bedroom shut up ever since that day she was in attack mode.. She has not cried to get out or tried to get out and seems perfectly contented... :rolleyes: I am beginning to wonder about that girl.. :confused:

[catfamily]

After reading everything...I'd keep her in her room away from everyone.
Noone needs the added stress.
You'll be happier too and relax while your gone.
I think it's best each time.My opinion only though.You know better because your there and know them all better.