[Seitcorta]

Hello,

I have a female Tabby about 11 years old. She has had about 12 litters in her life before I was able to get her fixed. I found good homes for all of her kittens, lovely little fur balls they were too. I could not get her fixed because everytime she would have a litter, raise it, I would try to get her in to be fixed only to find out she was knocked up again. This went on for about three years before I finally got lucly.

The thing is, when she was knocked up, she was a very loving cat. When she was not knocked up, she is a solitary cat with a bad disposition. She became my cat by accident. I was house sitting and the people had her there, and she would growl and hiss at everyone. I teased her one day and got a claw acrossed the face for my trouble. I went to work and was teased about my razor cut. Later in the winter, she was looking for a place to have a litter. The house was empty say for her, one of her first male offspring (Princers) that I decided to keep for my self, and I. I found her a box and put in a pair of old levi's for her. I then sat her in the box and she gave me a look, a look of "thanks." The next day I had three new kittens and a new life long friend.

Over the years, she has always been nice to me, but she has not been nice to other people. She wants them to pet her, but when they do, she'll bite, hiss, and claw them. She hates other cats, including her own off spring after she would wean them. (That is why I only kept one. She seemed to tolerate him.)

Now as she has gotten older, she growls and hisses a lot at me. I think something is wrong with her eyesight because she will growl and hiss at ordinary objects. I do have two other male cats, not Princers, he passed on a few years back, and she does not like them at all.

Is it normal for a cat to be so, mean to people and other animals? I mean I lover her a lot, and we get along ok, unless I have to put her outside and then she not so nice.

I think she also might have arthritis if cats can get that because when she cleans herself, she yulps a bit from time to time like it hurts.

I care deeply for her, but the vet can not find anything wrong aside from old age. Any suggestions?


Thanks

 

[kitkat]

Cats can get arthritis, at least thats what I hear. I don't know why she would be so mean sometimes but not all cats are cuddly and nice, some are real grouch balls and I guess your kitty is little grouchier when she doesn't have any babies to wean, which she has had quite a many to do in her lifetime. Sorry, couldn't help more but since she's already this old and her personality is somewhat typical for her, it may just stay this way for her, maybe not.

 

[Seitcorta]

She can be incredably affection when she wants. Mostly when I am sitting in my EZ chair. She will want to be in my lap and be loved one. I do worry about her health though. Momma, I have really never given her a name that could fit, is just very set in her ways. I am lucky I guess to have such a good friend pet wise.

 

[Lilly]

My female cat Minnie is quite unfreindly towards most people. I belive it is because she is very nervous by nature. Also when she was pregnant she was much freindlier.
Is your cat fixed now? If so has it helped with her disposition? I had oped when Minnie got fixed she would be a freindlier cat.

 

[red_kittycat]

It's funny. Motherhood can work either way. Some become aggressive, but in my experience, most become very lovey. All those nurturing hormones come into play. After they wean their kittens, they return to their old selves. That's unfortunate in your case!

I have a comment about her hissing at inanimate objects. Have you talked to your vet at all? Recently, the number of Cognitive Dysfunction (about equivalent to Alzheimer's) cases in cats have been on the rise. Part of that is due to the fact that cats are living longer than ever, and geriatric cats are most likely to be affected. Another part is that people are better able to identify the problem. Used to be that people just thought their cat had grown moody, but it now turns out there is a true medical condition.

The most common complaints in cases of CD are over vocalization, unprovoked aggression (as in your case), confusion/disorientation (also in your case), and failure to use the litter box.

Unfortunately, there is no treatment yet for CD in cats. Vets are using Reminyl, a drug used in human Alzheimer patients, in dogs, and they're finding some success. It's still experimental and hasn't been labeled for use in animals, but many dog owners dealing with CD are willing to give it a shot. No news, yet, if cats may be helped by it.

 

[Seitcorta]

I have talked to one vet and she was not very helpful saying that it is her nature to be the way she is. I had not considered the age mental issues. Ooh crap, I just pinched her tail between a box and the back of my chair.


Man that hurts! I love this cat so much to do something like that scares the **** out of me. She is ok, but startled. I don't think she will put her tail back down in front of the box for some time. (she likes to sit behind me when I am on the PC so I put of a few boxes with a pillow on top against the wall behind my chair so she can watch me.

I don't know if code is active on this forum or not, buy here is a link to a picture I took of her. Click here

 

[kitkat]

She is very pretty!

 

[Jeanie]

A cat who had 12 pregnancies in 11 years is lucky to be alive. I'd be crabby too. It's a shame you didn't isolate her when she was nursing the first litter-when she finally belonged to you. Many of us have had an accidental litter. It happens. But my guess is that many of your cat's kittens have ended up in shelters or are being used for medical research.

I'm very sorry to be this blunt, but we have young, inexperienced members who don't realize what can happen when we don't spay or neuter our pets by six months, or, if we miss the first heat, isolate them so well for the next two weeks and take them to a vet immediately. Many members don't realize that a nursing mother can get pregnant. Perhaps you were young yourself and didn't realize what you were doing.

Pregnant females (queens) are almost always very affectionate, regardless of their usual temperament. I had a cat who hated me for all of her 11 years. She preferred my sons and really didn't want anything to do with me or anyone else she didn't like. It happens. That was her nature. Many cats like only one particular person.

Your cat is older than her chronological age because of the strain the pregnancies have put on her, so she probably has the aches and pains of an older cat. She's not young as it is. I hope some vet can help her. Has she been x-rayed for arthritis? She might be in the beginning stages of a problem that the vet hasn't found yet. I hate to think of her being in pain. That's so sad. Please keep us informed.

 

[Seitcorta]

Jeanie I can't agree more. Believe me if I could have isolated her in that environment I would have. But since I was the only one living there, and the nature of my job would have me a way unexpectedly for a week at a time it was hard enough to get someone to feed them when I would be called away without notice.

She was lucky, most of her litters were no more than three kittens. I kept two of them over the years, the rest were given away and I paid for them all to be spayed and neutered when they came of age. I also paid for all vet bills and shots at that time as well in addition to giving all of the and adoptive families Petco gift certificates for food for the first month.

They all went to excellent homes. The two that I kept, one golden tabby with brilliant Green eyes named Meredith, and one male tabby named Princers. Meredith had one litter, and all were golden with green eyes. I sold them. Yes I know it was a bad thing to do, but **** they were so rare to have them have such brilliant eye color. Meredith became very friendly with the women that was watching my cats when I was away for an extend time, and she went with her upon my return. Princers regrettably contracted some kind of rare disorder that cut off the circulation to his hind quarter and I did what the vet recommended. That broke my heart. Since then, I have adopted two other male cats and they quite the pair. One is an all black male, breed unknown, who enjoys sleuthing around outside, while the other is a fat orange cat who loves to lay around all day.

Momma was only happy when she was taking care of her young, and I was hoping that having other cats around would cheer her up. It has in a way, but I think she enjoys hissing at them.. Showing who's boss and all.



She is a very pampered cat. I will take your advise and have the vet X-Ray her for arthritis. I think she did recommend this, but would have to sudate her in order to accomplish it.

 

[Jeanie]

I'd like to commend you for the way you handled the litters. Most people whose cats have litters repeatedly would not be that responsible! Rather than to think badly of you for selling the kittens with golden eyes, I wish you had charged for all of them. That's almost a sure way to keep the people away who want to sell them for research or snake food.

It's a shame you had to be away so much. Well, now she has a couple of subjects to reign over! I agree that she's probably in her glory. She's Alpha kitty, for sure! Let us know how she progresses. (Breeders usually don't allow their queens to breed beyond 4 or 5 years- for the sake of their health. I'm sure, having read your reply, that you know my intent was not criticism for its own sake!)

 

[Seitcorta]

I was very careful about who adopted the cats. All but one were married couples with kids. The one that was not, took care of "Colt " very well up until he was stricken with the same thing that inflicted Princers.

I remember this one kitten she had, it was grey, with subtle gold ends on some of his faceal fur that just set him apart from the other two. When the lady from work saw him, and he was such a loving little fellow, she was instantly in love. I wish I had taken a picture of him, I called him Giddion, she named him something else, for my photo album.