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Introducing Zuri!
- Thread starter Laura W
- Start date
Laura W
Savannah Super Cat
Zuri has been home about 6 wks now. 4 wks in quarantine, and 2 wks out. Everything has been going as expected, but not we are having a problem.
A couple days ago while I was at work and Danny was home, Nala and Zuri got into it. Danny isn't sure who started what and only witnessed Nala chasing Zuri, Nala yowling and fluffed up behind Zuri. Danny hollered at Nala to stop and she continued chasing him through the house and into Zuri's room knocking the baby gate out of the door.
Since then, Zuri has been unapproachable and slapping out with his paw and hissing at us both. Tonight, Monte, whom Zuri has always liked walked by Zuri and he reached out and smacked him on the head scratching the top of Monte's head open. I am putting him back in his room with the entire door enclosed with the gate and wire gate on top so he can still see out but not engage with the other animals and settle down. I think I will leave him there until morning.
I'm not sure if the problem is Nala or Zuri. The last couple of days he has gone after the other cats since this indecent with Nala. I have played with all 4 cats together in the front room in the evenings and just redirected when he gets that look in his eye and his posturing starts. No bickering during the night for several night and only a brief instance early this morning.
I believe Nala is the instigator and this is all stemming from their disagreement a couple days ago. Maybe she needs to be isolated? She gets nervous and very antsy when locked up. Nala has always had an issue with the other cats is why I am inclined to think she is the problem.
Input???????
A couple days ago while I was at work and Danny was home, Nala and Zuri got into it. Danny isn't sure who started what and only witnessed Nala chasing Zuri, Nala yowling and fluffed up behind Zuri. Danny hollered at Nala to stop and she continued chasing him through the house and into Zuri's room knocking the baby gate out of the door.
Since then, Zuri has been unapproachable and slapping out with his paw and hissing at us both. Tonight, Monte, whom Zuri has always liked walked by Zuri and he reached out and smacked him on the head scratching the top of Monte's head open. I am putting him back in his room with the entire door enclosed with the gate and wire gate on top so he can still see out but not engage with the other animals and settle down. I think I will leave him there until morning.
I'm not sure if the problem is Nala or Zuri. The last couple of days he has gone after the other cats since this indecent with Nala. I have played with all 4 cats together in the front room in the evenings and just redirected when he gets that look in his eye and his posturing starts. No bickering during the night for several night and only a brief instance early this morning.
I believe Nala is the instigator and this is all stemming from their disagreement a couple days ago. Maybe she needs to be isolated? She gets nervous and very antsy when locked up. Nala has always had an issue with the other cats is why I am inclined to think she is the problem.
Input???????
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Prozac for Nala. She may need it long term since she seems to have an issue with the other cats. Sounds as though she would have been happier in a 1 or 2 cat home. I doubt, from what you've said about her, that isolation is the answer and it may escalate the problem.
Laura W
Savannah Super Cat
I am afraid isolating her will escalate it also. She has been with us a year and when she was in quarantine, you couldn't walk by her without her smacking you. Once she was out in the house, the aggression towards us stopped immediately.
Kristin
Animal Communicator
I've had great luck using a mix of lemon balm, passionflower and oatstraw for anxiety/stress. It is completely non toxic, and can help take the edge off...
What about adding a place for her to go? An outdoor enclosure maybe? Or taking her for walks outside to get her tired out with fresh air and mental stimulation?
What about adding a place for her to go? An outdoor enclosure maybe? Or taking her for walks outside to get her tired out with fresh air and mental stimulation?
Laura W
Savannah Super Cat
We built an outdoor catio prior to him joining our home. That was part of the agreement with SV Rescue.
Laura W
Savannah Super Cat
Update:
The Comfort plugin came a week ago and Zuri stopped marking the formal dining room within a day with no reoccurances! Yeah!!!! Seems calmer in general. Put a calming collar on Nala tonight so we will see how that works out.
The confrontations between them all are slowing down. He is back to where he was prior to the incident with Nala. Comes out to play and all 4 will take turns playing without any grumpiness for the most part. I have managed to get them to play in the same area and just take turns who gets Da Bird when. Seems to be working as he will play in the great room now also and not freak out and run back to the dining room when he notices he was out of it. Seems more confident and not guarding his room as much.
Zuri is enjoying raw now and knows the routine. He has to go to his place in his room before I will set the bowl down and he has to have appropriate body language. He's a bit aggressive about the raw, but he's getting better. Just glad he is eating it!
Danny took picture today before I got home and put collar on Nala. He said they were up on the 10' table together with quite a bit of hissing, no fighting and Zuri slowly creeping towards Nala but no fighting. More slow progress, but progress!
The Comfort plugin came a week ago and Zuri stopped marking the formal dining room within a day with no reoccurances! Yeah!!!! Seems calmer in general. Put a calming collar on Nala tonight so we will see how that works out.
The confrontations between them all are slowing down. He is back to where he was prior to the incident with Nala. Comes out to play and all 4 will take turns playing without any grumpiness for the most part. I have managed to get them to play in the same area and just take turns who gets Da Bird when. Seems to be working as he will play in the great room now also and not freak out and run back to the dining room when he notices he was out of it. Seems more confident and not guarding his room as much.
Zuri is enjoying raw now and knows the routine. He has to go to his place in his room before I will set the bowl down and he has to have appropriate body language. He's a bit aggressive about the raw, but he's getting better. Just glad he is eating it!
Danny took picture today before I got home and put collar on Nala. He said they were up on the 10' table together with quite a bit of hissing, no fighting and Zuri slowly creeping towards Nala but no fighting. More slow progress, but progress!
Laura W
Savannah Super Cat
Well, is back to being locked in his room with access to the catio. He doesn't seem to mind. He spends most of his time outside now that it has cooled down and will even sleeps out there, if it's not too cold, rather than in his room. Baby gate and screen over the opening so he can't get into the rest of the house.
He has started urinating on the bed in the girls cat room and is back to spraying the house and pooing on the litter mat in the girls cat room
He's intermittent with his litter box and prefers to do his business on the astro turf in the catio despite his box being clean.
The girls are not picking on him anymore, and they can be in the catio together without any hissing and growling, he and Nala will actually have dinner in the same proximity.
He has started urinating on the bed in the girls cat room and is back to spraying the house and pooing on the litter mat in the girls cat room
He's intermittent with his litter box and prefers to do his business on the astro turf in the catio despite his box being clean. The girls are not picking on him anymore, and they can be in the catio together without any hissing and growling, he and Nala will actually have dinner in the same proximity.