Taz is out of control! Update (sorta) w/pix #25.

[Taz_Zoee]

Here I thought his surgery might make him feel better and he would be nicer to Paizly. Boy was I wrong!! He is actually worse now. I don't know what to do. So I thought I'd come ask my PT family what they suggest.
I know there are several things I've read about on the cat side, but what would be better suited for my situation? What have you used to help calm a hissy cat? He hisses and growls when he just hears Paizly's tags jingle. And now he is beginning to get pissy with the dogs too.
I could live with this because it's not affecting Paizly in the slightest, but I don't like to see him this way. AND since it is becoming more frequent and severe I must find a solution. He even smacked her while they were both laying on me earlier. No, it's not a jealousy thing. He does this even when I'm not in the room.
I really need something before Christmas. We are going to be leaving the cats home alone for 3 days while we go visit my family. I don't want to have to leave Paizly locked up in her room, that's just not fair. Normally I'd take Paizly with us. But my sister will be there with her puppy and after seeing Paizly's reaction to Taggart I don't want to put her through that (especially in a different house).

Suggestions please!!

[karyn674]

During the summer time a dear friend of mine went for holidays to Canada for 3 months, I volonteered on keeping her cat till she's back. During this time I went away a couple of times for two, tree days, what I did is seperating them but not in one room, I divided the space of the house, so none of them will have just a room but more then one where they can venture.

[jazzcat]

Now that we have Rocky on Prozac for his peeing issues I have to say that stuff is wonderful (knock on wood). He's a very sensitive cat and would get upset if the other cats got too close or touched him. He would also stalk and attack Scout but now on the prozac he is one laid back guy. In fact, he's more playful like he used to be as a kitten.

I don't know if medication is something you want to consider or if it's even something Taz can have after his problems but if all else fails you might want to look into it. Of course you have to medicate him daily so you'd need to consider that if leaving them alone.

Have you tried Feliway? I use it and I think it helps but I can't say for sure. When my supply runs out this time I'm going to stop and see what happens.

[Taz_Zoee]

Karyn674 that is a great idea, except I would have to figure out a way to divide the house. I have two baby gates but Paizly can climb them even when they are stacked one on the other. Bruce might have a temporary suggestion for a divider. I'll talk to him about that.

Jazzcat I would consider drugs if I tried them out first to make sure they worked then I would only do it when we leave them home alone for several days. I wonder if there is a shot he could get to last a few days? I'm going to contact my vet and see what they suggest. Otherwise, I did get a kind offer of someone to come to my house daily or even take Paizly for a few days. So I'm going to talk to Bruce and see what he thinks is the best solution.

Any other ideas? Keep them coming.

And thank you ladies (even the emailed idea from kitten645) for the suggestions.

ETA: I called the vet and the girl suggested feliway. I'm nervous about the plug-ins after reading the other thread started by catlady711. But I think I'm going to try Catty1's way and get a stretchy collar and try that. Although (I just thought of this) I won't be home to reapply it each day. Darn! Is there anything I could put in his food? I have an automatic feeder that I will fill up before we go. Maybe I will have to do the plug-ins after all.

[jazzcat]

I've been using Feliway plug-ins for several years with no problems. I did have the one that felt hot to the touch a couple of months ago that I mentioned in the other thread but I believe that plug-in may have been my first one that was several years old. I think you would be fine with a new one. Even if it helps I still wouldn't feel safe leaving them together with no one to check on them. Feliway only helps so much.

[karyn674]

Well when I said I devided the space of the house I opened all the doors exept the deviding one. Then again the layout of my house made it possible. Lulu had the kitchen, stairs and wash room. Kira had the two bedrooms and hall.

Maybe you can even use cardboard and fix it with masking tape to add on on your baby gates!

[Freedom]

ETA: I called the vet and the girl suggested feliway. I'm nervous about the plug-ins after reading the other thread started by catlady711. But I think I'm going to try Catty1's way and get a stretchy collar and try that.

I do Catty1's way, for Vita for her peeing. I spray her cloth* on her collar every 3 or 4 days. If you start NOW, you should be fine by Christmas, leaving for a few days. You will know it is working, and there will be enough built up on the collar to last.

I didn't even bother with the plug ins. Locally 2 friends tried them and found it barely covered one bedroom, with the door closed. As I have the cats out and about in 9 rooms plus the cellar . . . . plug ins just weren't going to suit my needs. I needed something which is everyplace Vita is.

*I took an old T shirt of mine which I was going to toss. I cut a strip about 6 inches wide, starting up from the bottom. I cut it in half at the side seams, so I had 2 pieces, I could make 2 covers. Then I sewed each one up, then threaded her collar through one. It isn't fancy, or even pretty, but it works!

On the Feliway bottle, it specifically says DO NOT SPRAY ON THE CAT. So I make sure to only put it on the cloth cover. I'm not sure what would happen, and I don't want to find out!

[Taz_Zoee]

Well when I said I devided the space of the house I opened all the doors exept the deviding one. Then again the layout of my house made it possible. Lulu had the kitchen, stairs and wash room. Kira had the two bedrooms and hall.

Maybe you can even use cardboard and fix it with masking tape to add on on your baby gates!

Actually we have old closet doors that we use at Halloween that Bruce might set up to block off the hallway. So Taz would have the kitchen, living room, dining room and studio. And Paizly could have the hall, her bedroom, our bedroom and both bathrooms. We are still deciding on what to do.

Would Taz tolerate a super stretchy collar? One that slides right off if it happens to get caught on something?

My vet highly approved of my "Feliway collar". Get one really stretchy collar. Put one squirt of Feliway into it. That way Taz gets the full 4 hr exposure.

He could be stressed out, and something natural like Feliway would be easy on his system.

My last purchase of Feliway was half the price or less! Apparently the patent has come off, so now they have to price competitively!

I had already thought of your way Candace. And I meant to stop by the pet store on my way home, but forgot. I'll stop by tomorrow.

I do Catty1's way, for Vita for her peeing. I spray her cloth* on her collar every 3 or 4 days. If you start NOW, you should be fine by Christmas, leaving for a few days. You will know it is working, and there will be enough built up on the collar to last.

I didn't even bother with the plug ins. Locally 2 friends tried them and found it barely covered one bedroom, with the door closed. As I have the cats out and about in 9 rooms plus the cellar . . . . plug ins just weren't going to suit my needs. I needed something which is everyplace Vita is.

*I took an old T shirt of mine which I was going to toss. I cut a strip about 6 inches wide, starting up from the bottom. I cut it in half at the side seams, so I had 2 pieces, I could make 2 covers. Then I sewed each one up, then threaded her collar through one. It isn't fancy, or even pretty, but it works!

On the Feliway bottle, it specifically says DO NOT SPRAY ON THE CAT. So I make sure to only put it on the cloth cover. I'm not sure what would happen, and I don't want to find out!

This is good to know it will last more than one day. I was thinking I'd need to have someone come in and apply more. But this sounds like a great idea.

However, we might have to go the blocking off the hall route. Because Bruce would rather not have Paizly out in the studio unsupervised because there are lots of wires and cables that he doesn't want her messing with. I think I'm still going to do the Feliway on the collar regardless. He just needs to CHILL OUT!!

Thank you everyone for your suggestions and ideas. I will let you know how the Feliway collar goes.

[Taz_Zoee]

I stopped today on the way home from Taggarts training and got some Feliway and a collar for Taz. It is on him now. We shall see if this works.
I think if this does work I might try the plug-ins too.

[jennielynn1970]

If you need any of the plug in recepticles, the plug in part, let me know. I have a stash of them from when I used them before. I had gotten them off of eBay. They are the most expensive part, so just want to offer those to you. I can get them out to you on Thursday or Friday of this week.

[mamaducky]

I don't want to sound like the Voice of Doom, but this situation sounds VERY much like what we were going through at our house over the past year.

About a year ago when we got our newest family member, Meg, our two resident boys Zorro & Einstein got along reasonably well with her. However, as the months went on, things became increasingly strained with Meg and Zorro -- hissing, growling, etc.

I did all the "socialization" stuff I could find, such as playing with them and giving them treats in one another's company (along with about a million other things that I'm not bothering to mention here). I also put Feliway plug-ins in strategic locations throughout the house (and on a stretchy collar for Zorro, who was the main aggressor) -- but to no avail. It just got worse and worse until this summer when Zorro was actually attacking Meg -- and there were actual vet visits required by both of them for their bite wounds. We were willing to try medicating Zorro, but he refused to take the pills and would find ways to spit them out when we thought we'd gotten them into him.

My ultimate solution -- not the greatest, but the best I could come up with -- is that I keep them separated at all times. One of them is upstairs with limited access to the rest of the house on a given day, and the other is downstairs with somewhat more room to roam -- and every day I switch them out so that they alternate locations. (Einstein gets "joint custody", and visits back and forth whenever he wants -- if he "begs" at the closed door, we let him go to the other side of it.)

I wish you the very best of luck and very sincerely hope that things between Taz and Paizly do not deteriorate in this same way. However, I will VERY strongly urge you not to leave them unsupervised together; Paizly might not like being stuck in a room for a few days, but it would be preferable to having the two of them get into a physical confrontation.

All the best,
Diana

[krazyaboutkatz]

Cindy, I'm so sorry to hear that you're having problems. Taz sounds a lot like my Storm. Just today Storm attacked Starr and later on Starr pooped in my hallway which was probably due to stress. Even though Storm's on 3 calming herbal pills a day now, they don't seem to be working like they used to. I also use 3 feliway plugins and they help but not enough.

I just e-mailed my vets and my main vet said that we could try giving Storm prozac to see if this will help him. I want it in pill form because he loves pill pockets so he'd just think that he was getting a treat. My vet did say that if he and Starr hate each other that it might not work. I just think that Storm is very jealous of Starr because I have to give him some special treatment because of his IBD.

I hope that you'll be able to find a solution. Good luck.

[Taz_Zoee]

Jennie, I guess if you aren't using them I could try them out. I'll PM you my address.

Mamaducky, I am sorry about your situation with Meg and Zorro. I also hope our situation does not escalate to this. Like I said, he's gotten worse since surgery. If it does get worse I have an alternate plan of action. Not one I want to do, but I will do if I have to. Our house is not set up to be able to keep them separated without keeping one of them locked in a room. Which Paizly is in her room every night, so Taz has free run of the house to himself.

KAK, I'm sorry to hear about Storm and Starr. I hope the medication will work for you.

I can't help but begin to feel horribly guilty about bringing Paizly into our house. However, I will not give up on this without a fight. BTW - my alternate plan would be for Paizly to stay with my parents. She actually does love it there. She loves playing on the stairs and running all over the house. But this is a last resort. I am hoping the Feliway works. Fingers crossed!!

[jennielynn1970]

I used to buy my supplies, in bulk, from discount pet drugs. They give great prices for bulk items (3, 6, 9, 12 of an item -- and on feliway it really makes a good buy)

Check them out.... $12.99 for a single refill, the 3pack comes out to $12.50 a piece, the 6 pack is 77.99 . It's a good deal compared to at PetSmart. And if you order over 100.00 you get free shipping. It's not that hard to do if you buy in bulk to begin with.

Check it out Cyn!

[Taz_Zoee]

Got your PM. Wow, I don't need 7 of them! LOL I wouldn't even have enough sockets to plug them into. I think 3 would be good.

Thank you so much Jennie!!