Dear Fisher,
I’m a 10 year old tabby. I was a feral kitten before I was rescued and I have a hard time dealing with change. I live with a loving female human and a cat named Scarlett. Six weeks ago my human started putting stuff in boxes. Last week I was put in the cage and moved. We were put into a room with big fluffy pillows, food, water, litter box, toys and recently worn T-shirts that smelled like our human. When all the moving people were gone, our human opened the door to let us out. I’ve ventured out a few times but when I see Scarlett it’s like I don’t know who she is and I hiss and growl. Yesterday we got in quite the fight.
I had displaced aggression disorder many years ago and had to take pills and be in a separate part of the apartment for several months, I don’t want to have to do that again. What should my human do to help me?
Desi ‘perately’ Seeking Soothing
Dear Desi,
Wow! Your human made wonderful moving plans for you and Scarlett. It seems she thought of everything to ensure your comfort and peace of mind. I love the smelly t-shirt idea and if nothing else works, that one is usually a winner. But, as luck would have it, your “other” personality has come out in large order. Once the tiger is unleashed, it takes some time to get it back in the box. That is not by any means to infer you are a cornflake.
Your reference to starting out life in a feral cat environment as well as you bout of displacement aggression indicates that you are having some flashbacks. Stress and fear have now come into play and you will do well to catch up with the present and concentrate on the good life you enjoyed in your recent past. It is true, however, that those first eight weeks of kitten life form intricate personality traits that sometimes hide away and come out when major changes take place. Aggression and avoidance (hiding) are traits established when you were first presented to the world and you are calling them back to help you deal with the stress of a new home.
Some ideas for your human include:
• Talk in a soft, higher pitched voice than normal. “Stroking” you with her voice is very soothing and healing.
• Gentle grooming and massage, along with interactive play a couple of times a day can go far to alleviate stress
• Holding you closely while touring around the new house will help you get more comfortable with the new environment, and if you behave, presentation of some yummy treats will reinforce your decision
• If you continue to blame Scarlett for your predicament, your human might want to visit Cats International for tips on introducing (or re-introducing) cats to each other.
Your human has indeed been a loving caretaker and you will soon realize she has no plans to change.
Your friend,
Fisher
