[Caradavin]

Hi. I'm a cat owner who just took in a best friends cat for a year. Both my cat and his cat are female and only about 3 months apart in age. And they are both from a one-cat only background. I'm sure some of you know how hard this is. It's only day one and already its exhausting me. I called the vets and they tell me it could take up to one month! wow. Well, I will wait it out - but is there any assurance this will ever work out??
I want to get my cat (Loki) a companion once I move to my new house (yeah, we'll all three be moving soon - won't that be a hoot), so I figured that this would be a good experience to prepare her.

On top of that, I just made one of the hardest decisions in my life. I'm going to get Loki declawed. The other cat (Kia) is declawed, so Loki will be safe. I didn't want to get her declawed because I see it as inhumane. I truly do. But, as I've gotten older I have learned that sometimes things have to be done for the better of all involved. In this case, she is 2 years, 2 months old and is (and has been) very destructive. She has ruined three WALLS with her claws. I have a sisal post climbing tree, a carpet scratching post, a sisal doorknob scratcher, and a roll-around carpet scratcher. And I have three badly off walls that my landlord is going be very unhappy about when I move out. She also destroyed my old rocking chair and my wicker chair. I used No-Scratch spray, vinegar, and bitter. And I have terrible scars where she likes to just bite and claw me out of the blue when I am least expecting it. But I feel just so awful about it.

Heh, nice to meet you all.

 

[DizzyJon]

It certainly can take a long time to get some gets used to each other. You really should introduce them as slow as possible for the best results. For instance, you can set up the newcomer in a private room for a couple of weeks and Loki will know she is in the house by the sent. You can also do the towel exchange where you give each of them a towel that they can lay on and get their sent on. Then after a couple of days switch the towels. After the two weeks is up you can try giving them a nice meal so that they can see each other and once they are done eating the newcomer goes back to his private room. Eventually you can try supervised visits. Expect that they may hiss and just hide from each other, but with time they will more then likely come around.
There are alot of other desensitization excercises that you can do, but the private room, towel exchange, and special meals with in site of each other are good ones to try first.
Have you ever tried Feliway for the scratching? It is a great product that you spray on the area that the cat is scratching on. I have had much success with the product and putting catnip or catnip spray on the scratching posts to draw their attention to it.
Good Luck!

 

[Jeanie]

Hello and welcome, Caradavin. DizzyJon has given you some great advice. Please consider the possiblity of phantom pain that will leave your kitty in pain the rest of her life. Please don't take offense, because I know you don't want that. There are so many problems --such as not using the litter box because the scratching is so painful, biting the owner, and personality changes. It really is a terrible thing for a cat to go through. Did you know that the vet amputates the claw at the knuckle? Please research the matter thoroughly before you make the decision. Try the Feliway and check the links on google.com. I wish you the best.

 

[Caradavin]

I will definitely do that jeannie, thanks.

Umm, this cat (Kia) is a sweet playful cat - I've known her for over a year already. I think she just unhappy. Today she let me pet her a couple of times and even rubbed against my legs - but she was also hissing and growling at the same time (which is really odd to witness).

The vet office told me declawing would be like chopping off the tips of our fingers. And I looked at my hands and just imagined how awful that would be. That could explain why Kia (who is already declawed) is so aggressive at showing her fangs, maybe? She also seems to have extremely long canine teeth - compared to Loki anyway. Kia's fangs are almost snakelike. :shock:

 

[DizzyJon]

I used to be a vet tech and assisted on a countless number of declaws. Especially in younger cats it can go very smoothly. Some vets even do lazer declaws which are supposed to be less tramatic to the cat. They dissect at the first knuckle (P3) and it is cutting the cartiladge and ligaments that holds the knuckles together. I have seen many cats recover after surgery and I'd say it's about 50/50 as far as some cats seeming not to even notice they had surgery and then some who recover slower and seem to be more uncomfortable. You vet will certainly give you pain pills to give her for several days.

 

[Jeanie]

DizzyJon, I wasn't speak of pain that is occurs immediately after surgery. All surgery leaves pain for a while. Phantom pain doesn't go away. I know many vets perform the procedure on a regular basis, but according to many other sources, there is often a change in behavior, which often includes biting and refusal to use the litter box.

This quote is from the Animal Protection Institute:

Many cats also suffer from complications after declawing surgery. A 1994 study by the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine found that of 163 cats who endured declaw surgery, 50% had one or more complications immediately after surgery. Of the 121 cats whose progress was followed after surgery, 20% had continued complications, such as infection, bone protrusion into the pad of the paw, and prolonged intermittent lameness and abnormal stance (standing posture).

Declawing is illegal in the United Kingdom and many other countries. So why do American vets continue to perform such a barbaric procedure? Dr. Harrison feels that vets in the U.S. continue to perform this surgery because it is not in the vet's "financial best interests to discourage declawing." Dr. Harrison states that "declawing is easy money" for veterinarians and it takes less time to perform the surgery than to discuss alternatives to the procedure with clients

 

[Rayona]

Well, I thought I posted already, but the computer ate it!

Have you tried Soft Paws for Loki? They are little caps that glue on to the claws and cover the nail, lasting about a month. I wonder of they might help break a scratching habit. They will certainly keep your walls safe! And ask your vet for tips on trimming her claws. I have always used a regular human nail clipper, but the special ones the vet use keep the nials so short she might no be able to do any damage. Good luck!

 

[DizzyJon]

Jeanie, Thanks for the stats! I am aware of the phantom pain. I always like hearing about studies being done that can help people make better informed decisions.

 

[Jeanie]

Rayona, That happens to me too, and I don't know whether I really submitted it or forgot!

Dizzy Jon, No problem. We all want the same thing, what's best for the animals!

 

[Caradavin]

*cry* waaaa

This is so hard. It is so hard. I cannot believe I've survived as long as I have. The good thing is that both cats were left out last night and all day while I was at work. I came home to find no fur everywhere or dead cats. That was good.

They just stay in different rooms. Kia stays in the room I am in (my bed/study/living room), while my cat Loki stays in the kitchen and her little room by the bathroom. Kia rarely comes out - she lets me pet her, but she hisses at me still at the oddest moments. And she doesn't like Loki. Loki seems indifferent towards her, while Kia seems threatened by her. I'm sure this is all normal, but this is the first time I've ever been through introducing a new cat into the house. And, Kia hides 90% of the time. She won't come when I call, of course. And I thought somehow she'd disappeared on me when I arrived home from work (30 minutes ago) and found she was hiding in the LINER of my bottom mattress! She came out for a few minutes, but as soon as one of my dumba** neighbor's dumba** retarded friends noisily entered my neighbor's apartment she immediately went into hiding. Will this ever stop?!!

Do you think when I move into a bigger place in a month that things will be better? It will be a house that only we will live in, no stupid neighbors a wall away. What really gets me is that my brother came over (he has a key) while I was at work yesterday - and he went to the bathroom while Kia was still isolated there. She immediately came to him, purring, meowing, rubbing against his legs. She hisses and growls at me more than anything. My cat, Loki, doesn't like my brother much, so I was surprised that Kia did. I'm just typing, really, I'm so upset by this. I don't know why, maybe because I don't get to spend as much time around my baby, Loki, now because she stays in the kitchen and she's not very playful right now because of the new cat. I miss her, I miss her sleeping with me, I miss her playing, I miss alot. It's almost like she is punishing me. And of course, Kia just either hides from me or ignores me. I feel like an outcast in my own home.

 

[Jeanie]

If you haven't tried Feliway yet, please do. It might be just the solution you're looking for.

 

[Caradavin]

Okay, Jeannie. Don't worry.

I'm not about to just have that done without exploring all alternatives. I really do feel most are depleted. I hope this Feliway works, because I bought a bottle of No-Scratch once for about 15 dollars, and I used it profusely to no avail. It seemed to make her scratch more, if that makes any sense.

 

[Jeanie]

I hope you have very good results. It has a calming effect on cats. Please let us know.

 

[Caradavin]

Well, I bought the Feliway yesterday.
It is intriguing to say the least. I attempted trimming her nails (which look like they're not even too long), but Loki heavily resisted. I read to massage her paws. So I did that last night, and will tonight. I hope eventually I can get her calmed down enough to put them on her. Both cats' boundaries are getting a tad looser. When I am around Loki seems to stay to the kitchen. It's when I'm sleeping, gone, or in the shower when she treads past the line. Kia just runs and hides, hisses, so far she shows no progress in letting Loki introduce herself. She lets me and all visitors pet her,but she's quite temperamental. The good thing is no one has gotten hurt, yet :lol:

In our next episode of "Cat House Blues," Loki and Kia will be meeting a new member of the household - a male kitten, just weaned. And they will be moving to a bigger place in a month. So, I figure, it could be worse. :roll:

 

[Jeanie]

Caradavin, life is interesting with 2 cats, so it can only be more interesting with 3. I'm sorry if our suggestions didn't work. I have heard many behaviorists recommend these things, but we're just cat owners and admirers, who have found these things to be helpful. I do hope you soon have success. We'll be anxiously awaiting the next episode!

 

[Caradavin]

Well, the male kitten has arrived! He is so adorable - he is a long-haired tabby tan and white. As soon as I saw him in the truck, he saw me. He was in my landlord's truck on the floor, and he came right to me flipping his tail around. He nuzzled me and accepted me immediately. He is now eating, already - he won't touch water (I guess cause he's just been weaned??). He hasn't used the litter yet, but I figure he will by tomorrow. He is so loving and adorable! Both my female 2 year olds hate him - they walk to the carrier I put him in to rest and just sit there hissing at him if I don't shoo them away. I'm guessing this is normal, so I'm off to read up on it. I've raised a kitten before, just not with other kittens :wink: Either I'm a glutton for punishment, really lonely, or just have a lot of love in my heart... :lol: