 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion GroupsGeneral TopicsCat AnecdotesHealth and BehaviorRescue CatKB.com Contact UsLink To UsSearch & Site Map |
Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / July 2004And all hell finally broke loose.....
Michael let Cassie cat outside yesterday evening. I was in Indianapolis and not much help in this situation. Cassie normally goes about her business and comes back in later without incident. This time however she got into a major fight with the father of Sammy's babies who lives across the street. There was much screaming and fur pulling, etc. My wife and son finally got Cassie inside. As Cassie approached the door, Sammy came to see what was going on. In the fight and ensuing release of various scents, Sammy fixed on Cassie as the threat. Since Sammy's babies are in the house and almost 5 weeks old, Sammy went into full defense mode and tore into Cassie as well. I'm told the whole thing was quite loud and lasted for several minutes. I got home at 3 am. Cassie was in Michael's room behind closed doors. Somewhere in the course of all this one of her claws on a hind foot was ripped out. It was just hanging by a shred of the muscle that retracts the claw. I removed it without incident and cleaned the wound. This morning things went okay for about an hour. Sammy made a sudden run at the windowsill where Cassie was perched and the fight was on again. I had to pin Sammy down with a broom to get them separated. For now Sammy is confined in our bedroom with her babies and Cassie is hiding out in the basement. Cassie will calm down and come out soon. Sammy has all that she needs to care for her babies and she had best get her sh.t together - her confinement lasts as long as her attitude. This is really a shame since the cats have gotten along really well since the birth of the babies. Sammy seems to have had no particular concerns about Cassie, only once in a while watching from a short distance while Cassie inspected a wandering kitten then moved off. Cassie mostly has been only slightly curious about the kittens but indifferent to them in general. The approach of a kitten usually is met with a brief tolerance of their snooping about, then Cassie will at worst deliver a small hiss before moving away. The sad part of this is that the babies were starting to explore and are curious about what else lies beyond the room that has been their world since birth. I guess for right now some things are best left unknown....... You cannot blame her for her territorial agression, especially with kittens in range. It is totally instinctual. I would leave them completely separated for the duration. Then, when the kittens have been homed, you will have to do a re-introduction. I would also advise you to invest in some Feliway diffusers. I would also not be letting the cats outside again for some time if ever, but that is me. I would definitely have Cassie's toe looked at by a vet. Again just me, but that is not a small injury. Do not "punish" Sammy for being a cat with maternal instincts. Yes, keep her separated, but she was only responding instinctually to the tom and once that was denied misplaced her agression on Cassie. Karen > Michael let Cassie cat outside yesterday evening. I was in Indianapolis and > not much help in this situation. Cassie normally goes about her business and [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > curious about what else lies beyond the room that has been their world since > birth. I guess for right now some things are best left unknown....... > You cannot blame her for her territorial agression, especially with kittens > in range. It is totally instinctual. I would leave them completely separated [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Karen Sammy isn't being punished, my bad if I gave that impression. I fully understand Sammy's aggression with kittens present. I will not however tolerate a misplaced aggression towards me. She may be in the Twilight Zone, But I do by God control the vertical and the horizontal. I'll not risk having my son caught in feline crossfire so isolation of the combatants is job one. Yup - a horribly misplaced aggression. Sammy's placement in the bedroom is a safety measure. She will have a much easier time maintaining control over the kittens and feeling secure in that room. For now, that is probably the single most important step in restoring harmony around here. Cassie meanwhile is suffering wounded feelings more than anything. She's such a dainty, sweet, harmless old fluff and this whole matter is bewildering to her. Classic case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. > > You cannot blame her for her territorial agression, especially with > kittens [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > bewildering to her. Classic case of being in the wrong place at the wrong > time. Well, Sammy, by God, doesn't know the difference (sorry, couldn't help echoing your sentiment). All she knows is "threat" "threat". I think in similar situations, we humans respond the same. Lots of accidental shootings probably occur due to the same instinct. It isn't her fault she responded that way. We humans have a bit more mental capacity, wouldn't you say? You mentioned nothing about her attacking the boy to begin with and still she is a cat with cat level reasoning. I still highly recommend Feliway diffusers both for Sammie's room and wherever Cassie spends the majority of her time as well. Hope things get better. >You mentioned nothing about her attacking the boy to begin with and still she is > a cat with cat level reasoning. Still wouldn't be a large stretch to see the possibility of him getting nicked in any further hostilities. He loves both cats and would try an ill advised attempt at peace making. This whole deal needs to cool down for a few days before we alter anything. > Cassie meanwhile is suffering wounded feelings more than anything. I'm really sorry this happened. Do you really think her claw will be okay without a vet looking at it? It sounds terrible. > > Cassie meanwhile is suffering wounded feelings more than anything. > > I'm really sorry this happened. Do you really think her claw will be okay > without a vet looking at it? It sounds terrible. The vet looked at it this afternoon. He says the claw will most likely regrow normally. As for function - extend/retract - wait and see. He says if the claw is non functional and causes a problem, it can be removed similar to a declaw procedure but limited to the toe involved. Cassie is walking on it normally now, no infection and she seems oblivious to it. > The vet looked at it this afternoon. He says the claw will most likely regrow normally. As for function - extend/retract - wait and see. He says if the claw is non functional and causes a problem, it can be removed similar to a declaw procedure but limited to the toe involved. Cassie is walking on it normally now, no infection and she seems oblivious to it. Good to hear. I knew you were too good a cat dad to pass up the vet date. Keep us posted on this as I have never seen this problem discussed here before. BTW, did you get the new job? > Good to hear. I knew you were too good a cat dad to pass up the vet date. > Keep us posted on this as I have never seen this problem discussed here > before. BTW, did you get the new job? The job is forthcoming at some point. The position that drew my attention was for a transport driver's position. The team has what they call an 'on deck' driver. That is someone who has been pre-screened and is ready to step into the next opening on short notice. This team had just hired a new driver so the ad that I responded to was for someone to fill the 'on deck' slot. It appears that I am that person. Yay! I have the job but there isn't a job if that makes any sense. In the course of the interview, my previous background in metallurgy and metalworking trades was discussed. This team is manufacturing race car parts in their own shop for in house use and for sale to other teams. After the end of the season in October, they plan to boost production as their engineers can bring more items online for production. I've been tentatively offered a position in their machine shop operation for that time frame unless a driving slot were to open up first. Apparently I made some sort of splash as the HR manager called one of the team managers on his cell phone while they were enroute to a race in Kansas City to bounce some of my feedback and ideas off of him. The racing deal pays decent enough with a starting rate at around $40k a year. The big benefit is fully paid employee medical with family coverage paid at 89%. The package is full med, dental, eyecare, prescription through a top shelf provider. That alone is almost as much of a consideration as salary. For interim employment I had a second interview with a supervisor at a manufacturing company who made me an offer subject to HR approval. They are starting me at 2 steps below top rate in a 10 pay step classification, so apparently were impressed with my background. The HR manager is not in the rest of this week so he says I can expect to hear something next Monday about appointments for pre employment physical, etc. > > Good to hear. I knew you were too good a cat dad to pass up the vet date. > > Keep us posted on this as I have never seen this problem discussed here [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > rest of this week so he says I can expect to hear something next Monday > about appointments for pre employment physical, etc. Hey good luck on the shop position. Doesn't sound like a bad opportunity. How are kitties doing now further from the conflagration episode? > How are kitties doing now further from the conflagration episode? The two adult kitties are starting to act like adults again. The babies have made large strides in interest and ability. I woke up this morning feeling something bumping against my back Carefully reaching around I found that one of the babies had climbed up on the bed and was trying to rouse me. They usually come out from wherever they are for a mass gathering at my feet, between them, on top, etc. Looking over the side of the bed, there were 3 more little faces looking up at me. Once they started scaling the bed skirt it was time for me to get moving. Over the past 2 weeks my son has built a barricade of toys - cars, trucks, even shoes that was about a foot high to keep the exploring babies from coming into his room at night. Closing the door doesn't suit him so the barricade has been up. This morning I watched one of the kittens walk up to then over the barricade with no problem. They are awake quite a bit of the time now. Eyes are starting to lighten up getting ready to turn green. > > How are kitties doing now further from the conflagration episode? > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > then over the barricade with no problem. They are awake quite a bit of the > time now. Eyes are starting to lighten up getting ready to turn green. Might try going to a fold up card table if you have one. That worked for us at this stage of development for about another week. After that, it's pretty much impossible to corral them without a full blown door. >> > How are kitties doing now further from the conflagration episode? >> [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] >at this stage of development for about another week. After that, it's pretty >much impossible to corral them without a full blown door. yeah, once they can walk (rather, run around) it's like trying to contain ants. it's impossible and they will be everywhwere. that means having to walk slowly, looking around you all the time. -L >> Good to hear. I knew you were too good a cat dad to pass up the vet date. >> Keep us posted on this as I have never seen this problem discussed here [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] >rest of this week so he says I can expect to hear something next Monday >about appointments for pre employment physical, etc. We shall purr regularly for you and hope it happenms soon. MLB > The job is forthcoming at some point. Super. It sounds like there are choice there, too, and room to move up. Best of luck. Cat people must be rewarded! (And when I am Queen they all will be.) ;) BTW - Cassie and Sammy are quickly working back to normal. They had a brief sit and stare match from about 6 feet apart for a while this morning. Since then they have freely passed each other several times without incident. Morning feeding saw both of them arrive at the same time and conduct themselves normally. Fingers crossed that the peace holds up. > BTW - Cassie and Sammy are quickly working back to normal. They had a brief > sit and stare match from about 6 feet apart for a while this morning. Since > then they have freely passed each other several times without incident. > Morning feeding saw both of them arrive at the same time and conduct > themselves normally. Fingers crossed that the peace holds up. Hey that is great. Quick recovery time for as big as the outbreak sounded. > Hey that is great. Quick recovery time for as big as the outbreak sounded. The initial spat lasted about ten minutes from what I'm told and went through every room in the house. I'm still finding clumps of fur... > BTW - Cassie and Sammy are quickly working back to normal. [snip] Great. And I bet your son learned some valuable lessons about why Daddy doesn't let the cats outside unsupervised. > > BTW - Cassie and Sammy are quickly working back to normal. [snip] > > Great. And I bet your son learned some valuable lessons about why Daddy > doesn't let the cats outside unsupervised. I should hope he's learning SOMETHING by this time. Geez, he let the stray in that knocked Sammy up and now he gives in to Cassie yowling to go out when I'm not home and she ended up with a ripped out claw and a turf war in her own home. So, has your family learned to not let the cats outdoors now? > So, has your family learned to not let the cats outdoors now? I do not permit it when I am at home. If Cassie comes out on the porch when I'm home, she never leaves the porch. When my son let her out despite being told not to, this happened. Do you have any other cheap shot questions you'd like to ask? I've rescued many pregnant females, and know other rescuers. This is totally instinct, as Karen said. My last rescue jumped on me one day with all teeth and all claws extended--latched onto my calf. She now (after neutering) sleeps next to my face every night. The previous rescue attacked one of my other cats tooth & nail when he got into the kitten room. He is now her "boyfriend" (now that she's neutered). She seeks him out and snuggles & plays with him. Hormones, just hormones. Take a deep breath, keep them separated, and get the kitty neutered ASAP. It will make all the difference. > Michael let Cassie cat outside yesterday evening. I was in Indianapolis and > not much help in this situation. Cassie normally goes about her business and [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > curious about what else lies beyond the room that has been their world since > birth. I guess for right now some things are best left unknown....... |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.