Yesterday I finally let Aimee and Allie out full time; they had been allowed out while I was there for a few weeks before this and were just fine.
Aimee was down from the strawmow tonight and quite honestly being a terror. I had let them out in the strawmow as all of them up there are pretty layed back - also they are either not smart enough to get down or just don't care!
Anytime any of the other cats came close to her she would swat them, a few of them had scratch marks on their noses. When I was trying to feed everyone she would grab every single piece of food and not let any one else get any. She just ate it all resulting in me having to feed the downstairs cats canned as it is pretty much impossible for a cat to carry it off. But as soon as she was done she starting bullying the ones eating the canned to steal it from them...
Then I went into the strawmow and she decided to follow me up there. She did the same thing up there until I started throwing the food in all directions so everyone else could at least get their fair share and she couldn't grab it all. However as soon as everyone else was finished she climbed on a strawbale and clawed anyone who tried to come by her. Later she started bullying Clover (she has three legs) as well as Jack and Jill (they are both partially blind). She didn't pick on many of the others although Clover, Jack, and Jill are the "disabled" ones. They all started to hide from her. Clover already has had a really hard time trying to fit in, she has finally started to be her real self and don't want her to get scared.
I ended up putting Aimee back the cage for overnight so hopefully everyone can get some peace. I just felt horrible sticking her in there, as soon as she was in she took up her sad pose, front legs on some of the top bars and meowing. Also, she is very hyperactive and I'm worried that if she is stuck in there and I do let her back out tomorrow she will just have more energy and be worse to everyone.
Also, her and Allie are very attached to eachother. Allie however is very laid back and has already found her place in the crowd, she is the kind of cat that just goes with the flow. It is hard to seperate the two - they are most likely sisters and have not had a good life until my cousin brought them too me.
Do I just let Aimee out again and have her try find her place in the crowd? I'm worried she is going to hurt someone...
Is there any way to actually punish her? I don't want her to become scared of me after I finally got her trust. She's smart - she would more than likely just go back to her bad behavior once I left. Plus I really don't want to do this (punish her).
Would it be best to stick her in the cage for feeding time and let her back out after she and everyone else has been able to eat in peace?
Aimee my culprit. A very hard cat to say "No" too.
So a summery of what she has been doing:
-Steals all the food and will hurt any cat who tries to get it
-Bullies the cats that aren't as capable of defending themselves
-She gets along just fine with everyone until she so chooses to try scratch them making everyone scared of her
Aimee was down from the strawmow tonight and quite honestly being a terror. I had let them out in the strawmow as all of them up there are pretty layed back - also they are either not smart enough to get down or just don't care!
Anytime any of the other cats came close to her she would swat them, a few of them had scratch marks on their noses. When I was trying to feed everyone she would grab every single piece of food and not let any one else get any. She just ate it all resulting in me having to feed the downstairs cats canned as it is pretty much impossible for a cat to carry it off. But as soon as she was done she starting bullying the ones eating the canned to steal it from them...
Then I went into the strawmow and she decided to follow me up there. She did the same thing up there until I started throwing the food in all directions so everyone else could at least get their fair share and she couldn't grab it all. However as soon as everyone else was finished she climbed on a strawbale and clawed anyone who tried to come by her. Later she started bullying Clover (she has three legs) as well as Jack and Jill (they are both partially blind). She didn't pick on many of the others although Clover, Jack, and Jill are the "disabled" ones. They all started to hide from her. Clover already has had a really hard time trying to fit in, she has finally started to be her real self and don't want her to get scared.
I ended up putting Aimee back the cage for overnight so hopefully everyone can get some peace. I just felt horrible sticking her in there, as soon as she was in she took up her sad pose, front legs on some of the top bars and meowing. Also, she is very hyperactive and I'm worried that if she is stuck in there and I do let her back out tomorrow she will just have more energy and be worse to everyone.
Also, her and Allie are very attached to eachother. Allie however is very laid back and has already found her place in the crowd, she is the kind of cat that just goes with the flow. It is hard to seperate the two - they are most likely sisters and have not had a good life until my cousin brought them too me.
Do I just let Aimee out again and have her try find her place in the crowd? I'm worried she is going to hurt someone...
Is there any way to actually punish her? I don't want her to become scared of me after I finally got her trust. She's smart - she would more than likely just go back to her bad behavior once I left. Plus I really don't want to do this (punish her).
Would it be best to stick her in the cage for feeding time and let her back out after she and everyone else has been able to eat in peace?
Aimee my culprit. A very hard cat to say "No" too.
So a summery of what she has been doing:
-Steals all the food and will hurt any cat who tries to get it
-Bullies the cats that aren't as capable of defending themselves
-She gets along just fine with everyone until she so chooses to try scratch them making everyone scared of her
