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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / December 2003Rescue Remedy or something for agitated cat?
My 1 1/2 year old cat is very hyper and into everything all the time. He seems very frustrated with life in general. I had hoped he would start to settle down but hasn't. He is extremely destructive. Would rescue remedy or somehting like that help Kasey? Can I get it at Petco or PetsMart? Thanks! > My 1 1/2 year old cat is very hyper and into everything all the time. He seems > very frustrated with life in general. I had hoped he would start to settle down > but hasn't. He is extremely destructive. Would rescue remedy or somehting like > that help Kasey? Can I get it at Petco or PetsMart? Thanks! Perhaps you'd do better by him if you found out the root of the problem rather than just treating the symptom. If he's hyper and into everything, he may lack enough stimulation in his environment. Is he an only kitty? Does he have a cat tree and cat toys to play with? Do you have any fish, birds, or small mammals for him to enjoy watching? How about a fake aquarium like they have for kids? How often do you play interactively with him? Is he still on kitten food? Does he have access to a window with a view of birds, squirrels, etc.? Does he go outside? (Supervised if you don't live in a rural area) Do you leave the TV on something cool for him like Animal Planet when you aren't home? Cats are unique creatures. Some of them are laid back, some are more rowdy. My almost-4 year old needs more interaction and stimulation than my younger cats and gets into trouble when she wants attention. Drugs are not the solution - playing with her and bringing her out for walks and giving her things to do are. If she gets into something, I redirect her with a play session. This solves 99.9% of her behavior problems. The other 1% is taken care of with a timeout for truly obnoxious behavior toward my other cats. Her favorite toy, despite having plenty of expensive toys, is an empty Pepsi carton (24-pack) with half the top ripped off. Go figure.  Signature-- ~kaeli~ Never mess up an apology with an excuse. http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace He is one of 4 cats and came here at 6 weeks with his littermate who is very mellow. He has several cat trees and toys galore. I play with him a lot with those stick toys and he loves to jump and bat them. I live on a canyon so he has lots of critters to watch out the window. I have the cat video that they are supposed to like to watch - but he doesn't. Once in a while I will let him out back when I am there to supervise. I have had a lot of cats in my lifetime and I have never ever had one like Kasey. When he has his mind on something you cannot redirect it. Believe me, I have tried everything. Sometimes his head and eyes kind of bob like a bird's. I am also wondering if there might be some kind of brain hookup problem. He is not a normal cat. But the biggest issue is how unhappy he seems all the time and frustrated. That is why I thought something to relax him and mellow him out some would possibly help him. > He is one of 4 cats and came here at 6 weeks with his littermate who is very > mellow. He has several cat trees and toys galore. I play with him a lot with [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > unhappy he seems all the time and frustrated. That is why I thought something > to relax him and mellow him out some would possibly help him. ADD kitty? :) Well, sounds like his environment is rich and stimulating, so I'm pretty much at a loss. I'll leave this to those who know more about the medical side of things... My first thought on reading the above was to agree that it sounds like a neurological problem, but IANAV... Good luck! Signature-- ~kaeli~ The more ridiculous a belief system, the higher probability of its success. http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace >From: kailey11@aol.com (Kailey11) >He is one of 4 cats and came here at 6 weeks with his littermate who is very >mellow. He has several cat trees and toys galore. I play with him a lot with [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >unhappy he seems all the time and frustrated. That is why I thought something >to relax him and mellow him out some would possibly help him. I guess I replied too quickly. Ok, how about training him to a harness and leash and then you could take him out for regular exercise outdoors? I would not recommend letting him out not on a leash unless you have a safe cat enclosure. I lost a kitty to a coyote in a canyon once. Lauren ________ See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm >He is one of 4 cats and came here at 6 weeks with his littermate who is very >mellow. He has several cat trees and toys galore. I play with him a lot with [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >unhappy he seems all the time and frustrated. That is why I thought something >to relax him and mellow him out some would possibly help him. I assume he's neutered? The agitation and frustration you're describing sounds very much like that of a full tom. Is he exhibiting any sexual behavior such as mounting? Is he spraying? Sexual behavior usually disappears after neutering but in animals that have experienced sexual activity before neutering some sexual behavior may persist. This is not necessarily an indication of incomplete surgical removal of the sexual organs, but it might be something to check with your vet. Otherwise I can't think of anything that might cause his agitation. I wouldn't recommend Rescue Remedy. Besides being useless, it contains alcohol which can be lethal to a cat. Here are some links to read about RR. Use of Herbal Remedies to Control PetBehavior S. Schwartz School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, Massachusetts, USA http://www.ivis.org/advances/Behavior_Houpt/schwartz/chapter_frm.asp?LA=1 Rescue Remedy®. This substance is marketed as a "natural reliever of everyday stress...proven to be as helpful with animals as it is with people". This claim is unfounded by published data. Mystical Medical Alternativism http://www.csicop.org/si/9509/alternativism.html Bach flower therapy (Bach flower essence method, Bach flower essence system): Quasi-homeopathic system of pseudodiagnosis and pseudotherapy. Flower power: ALL IN THE MIND ? http://www.healthwatch-uk.org/nlett40.html#bach "Flower remedies are commonly divided into "type remedies" which correspond to certain personality types and "mood remedies" which correspond to certain emotional states. They are made by placing freshly picked flowers in a bowl of spring water. The bowl is then left in the sun for several hours. This process is believed to "energise" the water. Subsequently the flower essence is preserved by adding 50% brandy." BarB Kasey was neutered at 6 weeks before they would let me adopt him. He is in excellent physical condition per my vet. I did get some Rescue Remedy yesterday and put a drop behind his ear and another drop today - nothing internally or where he could lick it. I saw almost an immediate change in his behavior - a totally different cat who climbed into my lap on his own to be petted for the first time. I don't want to do that all the time as I don't want to change who he truly is but even he seems to be enjoying being more mellow. Of course he did manage to claw up a roll of toilet paper - but that is normal cat behavior! circa 18 Dec 2003 01:05:23 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Kailey11 (kailey11@aol.com) said, > Kasey was neutered at 6 weeks before they would let me adopt him. He is in > excellent physical condition per my vet. I did get some Rescue Remedy yesterday [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > he truly is but even he seems to be enjoying being more mellow. Of course he > did manage to claw up a roll of toilet paper - but that is normal cat behavior! He**, I'd probably *bathe* the little guy in it! ;-) You may also want to try Feliway. Laura SignatureTime flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. -Groucho Marx > He is one of 4 cats and came here at 6 weeks with his littermate who is very > mellow. He has several cat trees and toys galore. I play with him a lot with [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > unhappy he seems all the time and frustrated. That is why I thought something > to relax him and mellow him out some would possibly help him. Sounds like he has a great home and lots to do. This might be obvious, but have you called your vet and asked his/her opinion? Maybe there's something medically that's bothering him. Rene >From: kailey11@aol.com (Kailey11) >My 1 1/2 year old cat is very hyper and into everything all the time. He >seems [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >like >that help Kasey? Can I get it at Petco or PetsMart? Thanks! It sounds like your cat is a young energetic normal cat. What I think he needs much more than rescue remedy is some attention and play, and possibly even a playmate. Does he have a nice tall cat tree? Do you play with him with interactive toys like those fishing pole toys? Lastly, have you considered adopting a playmate for him? Lauren ________ See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm You can try feliaway, gotten from your vet in spray or dispenser form (dispenser is great). I suspect, though, that your guy is probably going to be pretty hyper most of his life. I assume you have checked with your vet about possible medical cause (not sure what you mean by "frustrated with life in general") or about possible behavior modification. And then of course, there is my usual recommendation, of considering a friend for him, perhaps an older kitten with a lot of spunk who won't become his favorite punching bag. Sharon Talbert Friends of Campus Cats > My 1 1/2 year old cat is very hyper and into everything all the time. He seems > very frustrated with life in general. I had hoped he would start to settle down > but hasn't. He is extremely destructive. Would rescue remedy or somehting like > that help Kasey? Can I get it at Petco or PetsMart? Thanks! Having just read your follow-up posting, better describing the cat and his behavior, I more strongly recommend a visit to the vet, to at least rule out conditions such as cerebellar hypoplasia, which can cause the ataxia you describe. We have a CH cat at home (Tipsy) who is the life of the household. She is severely disabled (unable to take a single normal step), but she gets herself around the house, uses the litterpan, eats/drinks, sleeps with me every night and demands her lap time. She is also somewhat of a household terror, fussing and waving her formidable claws if anyone gets into her space (though I have a number of photos of her snuggling small kittens). When I found Tipsy at 4-1/2 weeks, I didn't think she had long to live but saw no reason to rush her. She is 8-1/2 years old now and still going strong. And yes, Tipsy gets frustrated easily and can obsess more than the average cat, both traits seeming to be common with CH cats. She is also a joy and a character. Campus Cats would be poorer without Tipsy. Check with your vet. Check with a second vet, if the first one doesn't find anything. If it is CH, get back to me at my Campus Cats address and I can direct you to a newsgroup of good folks with disabled pets (especially CH cats). Many vets recommend immediate euthanasia of CH kittens, but many such kittens grow up into splendid if spazzy cats and can lead a happy and healthy life. Sharon Talbert Friends of Campus Cats sharon@campuscats.org |
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