Kitten Trouble

Hello all  ~  I have done everything my pet behaviorist suggested and nothing is working so thought I would come here to explain the behaviors and these are recent. 

Both kittens are almost 6 months of age, one is neutered and we are waiting for the female to be spayed in October due to her genetic deformity.

Due to the hyperactivity in the evening, as I know cats are nocturnal, I have had to remove alot of furniture and wall items to my bedroom for protection, thereby leaving only the one loveseat recliner and TV there.  It's a big area and they have lots of room to run around in .  Then in the dining room it's all about them there too. I set up two twin mattresses against the wall balanced by a large table for them to climb up on. There is a medium cat tree there for them as well to play around on. The mattresses reaches almost up to the top of the ceiling.  On the table are their food dishes and large water fountain.  I have four litter boxes throughout the house, two in the dining room, one in the living room and one in my bedroom.

During the evening hours, while sitting there watching TV in the living room, they turn into maniacs and race around, they think I am part of the furniture and I have been raced over, clocked on the head many times to where I saw stars, climbed up the front of my clothing to climb over my head and leap off of my head to the floor where they start the whole process all over again.  Last night I sat down in the middle of the night with the little girl to give her some attention and she jumped straight up into my face and almost broke my nose.  She constantly is aiming at my face and not sure why. It's a sudden attack? from her where I am sitting in the living room recliner and she races up the side of the recliner and jumps at my face. I see her coming out of the corner of my eye, but she's soo quick I can't duck in enough time. Last week, she surprised and stunned me when she hit me going at a fast speed at the side of my head that I screamed and brought neighbors to my door to make sure I was okay.  I was engrossed in a movie and took my eye off of her and got clobbered.  I now spend evenings in my bedroom.

The male, who is neutered is now becoming very property destructive, he's pulling up and digging into the carpet all over the place, randomly.  I am now using Feliway spray on the areas he is digging into and so far today he is avoiding those areas, but I can't saturate the entire carpet with this.  I have asthma and Feliway is tough on my breathing so I can't use the diffuser.  I keep the floors vacuumed now every other day.

I have to sleep alone as both of them are too wild at night to trust not being injured by them racing over the top of me at night when I am sleeping while playing chase. The little female jumped at my throat as I was sleeping and I had a very stiff neck for several weeks, again going for my face.  I try to restrict their area away from the bathroom and my bedroom unless I am there.  They have been urinating on my mattress and shredding my sheets, so I have to keep a hawk eye on them while in my bedroom The male is getting over a urinary tract infection, I had both of them tested for an infection and only the male had one. I have moved all sensitive furniture and my other recliner into my bedroom where I now spend the evenings mostly watching TV from my computer monitor, not able to enjoy TV time with them in the evening.  I have tried to have them both play with cat toys together in the living room to foster a sense of group play but they minutes later turn into roughhousing with each other.  It's very difficult to redirect their attention.  The male is very aggressive toward the little female in their play. She's soo much smaller and more frail then he is. I have also noticed marking inside of the litterbox and haven't figured out which one is doing that.

I am at home everyday all day long, so they follow me from room to room and they get alot of attention and play time from me. But I notice when I spend time with the little female the male will get jealous and rush over to bite her.  I have alot of toys that keeps them busy but when the two of them engage in play and get too rambunctious, that's when I am afraid of an injury and seek shelter in the bedroom. I live in a one bedroom apartment and it's small, about 800 sq. feet so I don't have alot of space here.

Most of this behavior only started a month ago and I can't for the life of me figure out what started all this.

Any input would be appreciated. 

Debbie

Update ~  Some things I forgot to mention.  Tonight while preparing my dinner, my 5 month old male kitten stalks me while in the kitchen.  He has done this since I first got him.  He crouches with dilated eyes and slowly approaches me.  At first I thought this was cute as that was all he did, but as he grew and is now almost 8 pounds when he stalks me while I am eating or preparing food, he lurches at the food either on my plate or while I am putting it in my mouth and it feels like a missile was just launched at me with the force he goes after my food.  I'm very tired of being protective over the food I prepare to feed myself.  If I put him and his litter mate in the bedroom to allow myself time to eat, he hears the kitchen noises and goes bonkers at the door and won't let up until I am thru eating and it's very unpleasant to listen to him banging on the door. As a consequence to me, he digs in the carpet.

When I feed him, he is very protective over his food and will rapidly gulp down his food and hiss at his other litter mate.  I now feed them separately.  However, as soon as he's swallowed a few bites he will race to my bedroom and pound on the door and yowl to be let in and my female will stop eating. 

Tonight, again, while I was sitting down watching TV and enjoying my meal I caught out of the corner of my eye my male kitten slowly and very quietly approaching me, as I looked at him, his eyes were all dilated but it was too late, he lunged at my food, fortunately I didn't have the fork in my mouth or near my mouth, as a consequence my plate of food was knocked off my lap onto the floor. After cleaning up the spilled food on the carpet, I caught him digging into the carpet chewing on the carpet, so had to lay down a chair where the spill occurred until I can get a stronger carpet cleaner.  He's fed very well, I just don't get his intense interference with my food. I have never dropped food on the floor for him, I know better not to do that.  

I'm hoping to find a way to manage both of their behaviors.  Thank you for listening again.

Debbie

I  have decided to rehome my two kittens since I don't know what else to do.  I have consulted with a pet behaviorist and I am out of options now .  The kitten with the deformity will have to go to a special pet rescue group that keeps special needs kittens. Will have her fixed first.  Then the other kitten will go back to the rescue group I got him from. I hate to split them up but I have no other choices.

Such a shame.

Thank you for your responses, LOL.

Debbie

Please know I am heart sick over rehoming them, but I have tried everything I know and it keeps getting worse.  Now I found damage to the walls surrounding two doors. I will owe soo much to my landlord now. 

I'm just overwhelmed now.

Debbie

I'll be closing out my account now since no one is responding.

Debbie, what did the pet behaviourist suggest?

And could we have a timeline... when you got each cat and how that relates to when this all started?

I'm sorry no-one has seen this to answer.. sometimes that just happens, as people are busy and just miss things.  I'm asking people to come and see if they can help.

Hi Debbie,

I'm sorry you haven't had any responses to your thread. As you replied to your own thread a few times it looked like someone was giving you advice, threads only show up as "Unanswered" if there is just one post on them.

It's usual for young cats to be very energetic. However, your two sound as if they're a lot more active than most. I have a few questions I'd like to ask you;

Are they strictly indoor-only cats?

Do you have any windows they can see out of? 

When was the male kitten neutered?

What kind of toys do you have for them to play with besides the cat tree and mattresses?

Do you feed them at set times every day or do you free feed?

Do they eat at the same time as you?

Apologies once again for the lack of response to your thread. 

Wow, your kittens sound super active - a far cry from your concerns when you first noticed your little girl's issues!  I am so sorry I didn't see your post (I now spend less time in behaviour as have other areas of the site to keep an eye on).  

I think it is pretty unusual for cats to jump directly at people's heads as I found little information about it when I was looking for help - rest assured you are not alone in experiencing this as I lived with it until Mouse was over a year old at which point he discovered he could get away with it more if he pounced from behind so I couldn't see him.  The first time it happened I was in shock although had to laugh, but when he kept repeating it it was scary even though he was never aggressive in his actions and never hurt me.  That said,the scariest thing was his biting at my face and neck when I went to bed and I'd be lying if I didn't say I had second thoughts about keeping Mouse when he was doing that, it was very frightening.  I spent a full 2 weeks going to bed with tucked in sheets and a cotton cover that was just thick enough to protect my hands and face from his teeth that I lay under to ignore his persistent attempts to get me up to play, and sleep fitfully worrying he would attack me in my sleep (which he never did).  Once that was done he settled amazingly in to curling up quietly on the end of my bed after a routine 1/2 hour vigorous running play session.  I really do feel for you as the behaviour you are experiencing with your pair definitely sounds more hyperactive and challenging than the average pair of kittens, and harder to train 2 in the bedtime routine than 1.

Do you sense that either of them is attacking aggressively and intending to hurt you, or is it more that you end up being in the middle of their play and almost treated like a 3rd cat the way they will run and jump around you?  With Mouse it felt most like he was using me the way he used his fur mom - as a big play mate in the absence of another, and I suspect if he had had another cat around my little apartment would have been just like yours.  I was lucky in having seen him play with his mom and could see the similarities in his posturing and behaviours with what he was doing and that helped me to understand and also to modify it.

It sounds like your adolescent terrors have always been hyper active but that things have escalated since your boy was neutered.  I think from some of your other posts that he has been having some food intolerance issues too.  I also see that your vet / behaviourist did not think it has had anything to do with his neutering but I do still wonder if this hasn't triggered a shift in their relationship and aggravated some of the behaviours.  The boy sounds very much like he want to be alpha cat, and this would be difficult with your little girl still being an entire cat, esp if she is starting to go in to estrous.  With her being a lot smaller than her litter mate and not as strong he may be using this to try and hold on to his position.  The other thing going on are the issues with food and if your boy is feeling unwell and in any pain this could also contribute to his aggression and general behaviour.

Like @Mani has said, it would be useful to know what your behaviourist has suggested and how you tried to implement any suggestions, along with the other information @Norachan  has asked.  

You have put so much in to caring for this pair so far and I can only imagine how heart breaking it would be for you to try and re-home them.  I do believe there must be some way to work through their adolescent behaviours and what ever else is resulting in the level of energy and territorial behaviours you are experiencing and get to a point where you can reclaim your home and enjoy time with calm and loving cats.  When  Mouse was a hyper hyper youngster I never thought he would be a snugly lap cat, but for all his continued bouncing and using my body as a climbing frame he has stopped his biting, and loves nothing more than to crawl on to my chest and arms for long mutual grooming sessions.  It took me a year to get the biting in check and then another year for his energy to reduce.  I would love nothing more than to hear you reach this calm and enjoyable stage with your pair too.   

Ah the joy of kittens. You'll miss it when they grow up 

Have a look at this site. I've started giving it two a couple of my cats after a girl at work told me about it, and l have to admit after a couple of days they seemed a lot calmer

http://www.beaphar.co.uk/ProductDetail/ProdID/164/CatID/8

It's in the UK, but Amazon sell it as well

I still give them their wet food at night, because once they have that they wash themselves and fall asleep

Thank you Susan, Mani, MServant ,Noirachan for coming to my rescue and responding as I though everyone that was reading thought I was a little crazy to post all this weirdness with my kittens. I emphasize weirdness as I have never encountered these behaviors to this degree before. Let me attempt to answer your question....

1.  the male kitten is almost 6 months and was neutered on 6/6/2014. I had thought his testosterone would start to dissipate by now

2.  my vet doesn't believe she's been going in and out of heat, but I notice the changes in her.

3. they both are strictly indoors

4. they have a viewing station overlooking a pond and pet walk way for dogs

5. I cut out shapes from cardboard boxes from food that was delivered in and they run in and out of that and jump in all the boxes  I had this material tube but the male starting eating the material so took it away from him, I also have the lazer toys (the lazer toy I can turn on and walk away and they play for hours chase this on the walls), lots of soft mouse toys and numerous other floor toys for them to swat around.  The female has her favorite mouse toys which she brings to me to toss and she brings back. They swat at the ball that goes round and round in a container and usually I sit down with them and play with that with them.  They have the feathers on a string that they chase along with other wands they carry around the apartment with. 

6. I leave the crunchies down for free feeding but feed them the moist food twice a day. 

7. Yes, they eat at the same time as me, I do that to distract them so I can eat in the livingroom but end up having to go into my bedroom and close the door to eat now.

8. I adopted them both mid April.  The male was neutered June 6th and most of this frantic behavior has been over the past 3 weeks.  Nothing has changed in my life as I am home all day long every day. 

My vet and I are concluding now the food intolerances may not be really intolerances or allergies as more that he is gulping down his food when he eats and inhales air.  My vet suggested I put golf balls in his plate with his food to slow him down and see if that doesn't help.  But he has definitely become food brave and thought that was a phrase only for dogs.  He does stalk me when I eat and lunges at my food now.  So, I eat behind closed doors in my bedroom now.

Have not heard back from the behaviorist, she also wants $$$ to come to evaluate me. I saw her 20 years ago when she came to help me with some behavioral issues with cats I had then and I am trying to apply her teachings back then but nothing is working.  But I did send her a lengthy analysis of what's going on, maybe she will give me a financial break since I have been to her before.

If I want to watch TV out in the living room, I have to wear my riding hard hat (I know that sounds strange, LOL, haha) and sit there with a metal pot and metal spoon to bang capture their attention when things start ramping up.  MServant thank you for helping identify I am not alone in this behavior with running over the top of me, esp my head and sleeping issues.  I agree that the male is the alpha. I was watching him today and he won't let the little girl use some of the litter boxes that he has claimed as his.  He will climb all over certain boxes and cry and then jump in and chase her out and immediately scratch and urinate over her urine in there.  The female tried to sit in my lap today but when the male appeared she saw him and scooted off of my lap and he ended up chasing and biting her. When she gets into my lap she looks around for him and won't stay very long.  If he jumps up, even if she is not there and he sniffs that she was there, he will seek her out and go after her. 

I think I am going to wait and see what my vet has to say when I take her in for her spay when she gets x-rayed.  With this information I will know about her health status as she will also get a full blood workup too.  If she can be spayed and makes it thru the spay then may reconsider and keep her and see if her being spayed doesn't help things a bit. 

I really can't work with either one independently due to the dominance issues and so they are almost running wild around in here.  I don't think this is aggression towards me, I just get in their way.

Much appreciation for reaching out to me   My rescue group has agreed to take back one of the kittens and since I have bonded with this, this is tearing me apart... which one to give up.

Rosiemac has a current thread with some similar kinds of dominance issues which is why she is trying the product she has given you a link for.  It could be worth while trying that for your two as it may at least help with some of the dominance issues and litter experiences which must be really hard for both you and little girl to cope with.  

What you are experiencing is quite extreme but you are not alone in experiencing it and it does not sound crazy or weird.  It just sounds like cats.  

I suspect what you are experiencing is a combination of 'getting in their way' and your boy making some rather boisterous demands for attention.  Also because they are so hyper it is challenging slowing them down enough for them to get messages from you about what the boundaries are in your home - like the no jumping in your face or steeling food.  It may sound crazy but the setting the boundaries is easier than not being in the way when they chase around.  When they are hyper my own thought is it is best not to make loud noises like the banging as it can frighten them and the stress can make them more agitated but if it is the only thing you can find that has helped I can understand why you are doing this.

They certainly sound like they're giving you the runaround with all that play.  I remember it all too well from Mouse's first 2 years.  I swear he only ever stopped to sleep which was thankfully when I was in bed at night.  It's unusual I think for 2 kittens to need as much input so I am thinking your pair have really high energy levels.  It does subside after the first year or two although by the sound of it you need some peace faster than that.  A lot of it could just be the high level of stress that's around for you all right now though which is why I wonder if Rosiemac's suggestion is worth a go.  

Having to hide away to eat is miserable; I had to be careful with one of my female cats when she was younger as she had a liking for certain foods like cornflakes and I couldn't get the spoon to my mouth without her paw getting to if first but it wasn't as wild and persistent as your little guy.  Have you tried feeding them  their wet food first (which I think you probably have) and then throwing kibble for him / them to chase while you eat?  The chase with food can be a good diversion.  I used to have to do that fairly constantly with Mouse until he was 2 - not for me to eat as he has zero interest in human foods, but for me to do anything like read, write a note, or be on my lap top.  He would be jumping at my head and biting my arm if I didn't.  Throwing kibble worked a treat  (only ever used his normal kibble not treats tho').   Using kibble to end a laser game is a positive strategy for your cats to understand when the game is over too.  The laser can be confusing and stressful for some cats as they don't understand why they are left with nothing at the end, no catch so to speak.

It may seem crazy but the other thing that you could think about is clicker training because your boy is so food driven.   There are a few threads here on TCS where it has worked well for some pretty hyper cats, and often where they are intelligent and bored which may well apply to your guy.   I did try with Mouse but left it too late and he'd just dive in to where he knew I had the food but there are some great little videos on how to start it.  I'll see if I can find any of them and share the link.

Hello MServant ~ I just checked into Rosiemac's link about Beaphar Calming Spot On for Cats.  I also know that Jackson Galaxy promotes his own calming products, but I like the idea of Valerian root in Beaphar Calming Spot On and it's very affordable.  It will be something I will invest in right away and give it a try and will let you know. 

I have stopped beating to the band, LOL the pots and spoon as it really did nothing when things ramped up and they ignored it, oh well, but I agree I didn't want to scare them, only to capture their attention. 

When things ramp up and the speed they go at, it is really dangerous to be around them and for them as well, I'm afraid they will hurt themselves. Both have gone head first into walls and cabinets already as they can't stop in time. I have tried to video them but all you see is streaks they are running that fast. I removed everything that I consider of any value from the living room area, with the exception of my TV for now. 

I also like your idea of treats.  I just bought a bad of adult cat dry food and will use that as treats, as they are still on kitten kibble for now. 

It's all soo unpredictable and I never know what is going to happen.  I had a very persistent delivery person banging on my front door this morning. We were having a calm morning, all sitting together on my recliner and bamb the knocking was loud and scared everyone, so they raced over the top of me and flew into the vacuum cleaner which banged into the metal cabinet which totally freaked them and back at me they came, raced over the top of me and seemed to loose their bearings as usually they run to my bedroom, so back over the recliner they raced *by that time I was up at the door to stop the delivery person from banging on it as he was very persist and loud. Living here is like having hourly electric shock treatments (no never had any before but if this is what it feels like, then this is close, clearly I would not do well in any combat mission in the military).  By the time I got to the front door, my legs felt like jelly as I had to suddenly bolt out of the recliner, it startled me that much followed by dizziness which is part of my disability.  I also have a balance disorder (not to drag anything personal about me into this) so I can't get up and get out of their way in a heartbeat, it takes time for me to stand up, accumulate my bearings and then get myself to move.  If I move to fast or go over in one direction to far, I fall all the way over, so that's my issue to bring into the mix. Then to add about my female kittens deformity.  She is like a mouse in that she can flatten herself out and become almost flat with her rib cages.  She can get into places that the male would never be able to.  I found her sleeping in the litter box, she had eaten a tiny little hole in a new unopened box, climbed in and when I discovered she was in there, she was sound asleep.  So, when she starts racing around, her little legs come unhinged somehow, like a mouse will do and she scrambles which gives her great speed power (it's hard to explain, you have to see it in action to understand). When I hear her scrambling on the parkay floor, I know what's next. I would never believe she had this deformity as she has strong climbing, sprinting and jumping abilities and she's fast.

I have done clicker training in the past and know how to do this and was considering this but it's a little confusing with two eager mouths at a time.   They need time to grow up but have never experienced this high of a level of activity before in any cat(s) I had.  I really need a much bigger space to work with them as my home is really too small and if I had a basement that would be ideal.

So, will try the treats esp after the lazer toy stops, will try the treats when I eat to redirect their energies away from my mouth to prevent future accidents.  I won't eat with anything but a spoon for now which makes eating very interesting, LOL.  The mistake came with my male kitten when he knocked a slice of beef from my mouth, ran away with it and before I got to him, he swallowed it and demanded more, so now he's on to me about human food. 

Debbie  

I hope you find some success like the person Rosiemac knows.  Speeding young cats have serious weight behing them and they rarely have stopping skills to match their speed.  They also tend not to think before they leap.  I know it's easier said than done but if you can present as calm and firm when they are going crazy racing around the place or leaping at you it really helps in the efforts to get them to understand you want them to stop and to de-escalate things.

All 3 of the cats I have had (2 tabby girls previously then Mouse) have all raced about like crazy and until at least a year anything remotely breakable, sharp edges or corners, or pointed and potentially harmful if run in to or landed on has had to be cleared away. I even had to take anything breakable off the walls and hanging in my windows as he would bounce up at them.  It is rather like toddler proofing your home but at all heights and including tiny crevasses.   I left a dinner candle out stupidly when I got Mouse and he even managed to jump up and land on that!  Unlit dinner candles are hard, and sharp...  They have all pasted themself in to walls and furniture, fallen off high spots, knocked over lamps, chewed electric cables so have had to unplug almost everyting in my home when not in use, and got stuck in small spaces - thankfully only boxes and not somewhere I couldn't get them out of.  Mouse does his absolute best to get under the washing machine as a rodent mouse came out from there once and it wouldn't surprise me if I came in from work one day and he has his head stuck in the gap between the sink base unit and the base of the machine. He splays his hips out too so he can try to get under things.   My apartment is all sanded floors or vinyl and hard to stop on so skidding in to walls is common place, as are head rolls.  Jumping on to furniture and skidding off the other end was also common when he was your guys age.  I had carpet when my tabby girls were younger and one of them bolted away from the vaccuum and got a claw stuck in the carpet as she turned to get out the door - left the claw behind and had a bandaged paw for over a week.  I tend to think skidding in to a wall is safer than getting claws caught.  What probably puts an edge on to the behaviour you are seeing now is the dominance stuff that has come in to play.

That your little girl can get in to safe places could be used to positive ends for her as if your other cat can not get in to some boxes or similar small spaces she could have food or litter placed there, preferably with a couple of different entrances to prevent your boy laying in wait and always attacking her on the way out.  Worth a go.   An apartment may be small like we both have but you can maximise the space with cat trees like you already have, high shelves, and hiding places like boxes so each can eventually find their own space and territory.  It is difficult though as cats do have a habit of completely taking over your home.  The main hazard in my apartment is the numerous cat toys and boxes that clutter the floor. 

I notice you use a recliner chair.  I always worry about the design of these things.  There's another thread running at the moment you might be interested in.  With your little guys being so active and fast it
is something you want to be very careful about.  I don't know if your chair is manual or powered mechanism but they all present with the same issue of entrapment. 

 http://www.thecatsite.com/t/284341/cat-proofing-recliner-chairs/0_100#post_3621204

Thanks MServant,... went and read the article about the recliner issues.  I have one large loveseat recliner and one single recliner. The single recliner I don't open up as I can never keep it open, so I use it primarily to rock in and put my foot on a glider stool that also moves with me at the same time.  The loveseat recliner in the living room is the real danger as when I am sitting on it, I can feel them playing up inside of it.  So,what I do is to keep one side of the love chair opened up and the other side closed.  I get on and usually shift over to the open side so I can put my feet up and when I get off I slide over to the other side that is already closed.  At the end of the day, I make sure both kittens are visible before I close it up.  I worry about them getting stuck in the mechanical structure underneath too, but feel confident these precautions will keep them safe.  I did sit down on the male while he was sitting in my secretarial chair as his coloring is dark and my chair is black and this was at night, so now the chair houses a white towel there so I can clearly see them sitting there.  It's a work in progress.

Spent most of the afternoon with my little girl in my lap and she was soo loving.  I don't get much of an opportunity to be with her as the male kitten usually comes out and spoils everything, but we had some down cuddling time together for 2 hours.  Then after I fed her tonight, she brought me her little pink mouse, I do believe as a thank you.  She just left it on the floor in the kitchen and walked away, so thinking that was her token thank you for dinner *smiles* very touching moment.

I wish I had a tiny little place for her to hide in, will have to ponder over that idea this evening. 

Debbie

Debbie, l literally laughed out loud at this line  .........  If I want to watch TV out in the living room, I have to wear my riding hard hat

When Jack has the night time crazies, he runs across the sofas like he's on the wall of death. He usually growls when he runs as well    Jack just did it on Tuesday night when l was on the phone and he's 7 now, but honestly, they do slow down as they get older, so enjoy it while their little.

Out of all my three, Jack has been the most mischievous, but that's one of the things l love about him    He soon pushes his nose in my hand as well lf I'm petting one of the girls heads, so he's a jealous little boy 

Take some videos/pictures as well if you can, because their memories to look back on   

@LuvMyCat6204  The way you are taking care with your recliners sounds really sensible, I think you are doing everything you can and sliding over to the other closed seat on the sofa is a great idea.

   I've sat on and trodden on Mouse more times than I care to mention - that is a serious hazard with gray / blue kitties I've decided.  Mouse is completely silent when he wants to be and can be right at my feet and I have no idea.  He is also the perfect shadow colour so if light is dim it is easy to miss him on the floor, chair or bed.  Poor boy is used to getting squashed but he does move quickly and soon gives out a squeek if he doesn't get away in time.

What a sweetie your little girl is, that pink mouse gift sounds really cute.      Hopefully you will manage to sneak many more snuggle moments with her without any repercussions from that beastie boy of yours.

@Rosiemac  I know what you mean with Jack, it's Mouse's mishievous nature than wins my heart hands down, much as it is also exhausting.

Update on my little female.  She went in for her spay and the x-rays showed she has a mild case of pectus excavatum.  She made it thru her spay okay, but the vet advised that she would be at risk due to her congenital deformity of having a direct hit on her heart as her heart is exposed with no protection of the rib cage.  With the male being as aggressive as he is around her and after talking to my vet and a pet behaviorist, I decided to rehome her to a safer environment.  I have been in a grief state for the last two days over letting her go.  It was not an easy decision.  Fortunately this rescue group I have been working with was kind enough to take her back.

So far, my male has calmed down quite a bit now that he is no longer challenged.

Debbie

Goodness!   Thank you for updating us.  It must have been a terrible decision to make, and I am amazed how active she has been given what the vet says about her heart being so vulnerable.  I guess it is lucky she was safe up until now.  Your home must feel so different and no wonder you are grieving for her.  It is so hard to put our little fur family members first some times so well done you for managing to make this decision for her.

Good luck with your young boy staying a little calmer, and I hope you are now able to enjoy his antics as he races about playing, and no doubt looking for you to join in with his games.  Slightly easier to get him to concentrate and learn your boundaries when he is calmer.

Hope to hear how he is doing over coming weeks and months. 

Thank you MServant.  The last two days have been ... well, words cannot adequately explain the feelings and range of emotions.  People who do not bond deeply with their pets just don't get it. She will be missed very much as she contributed to our threesome in such a special way.

Debbie

Wow...I've just caught up with your thread.  I'm so sorry you had to rehome her.  I can see how much you cared for both of them and your love for her shows in choosing her well being over your own feelings.  

I hope things continue to settle with your male kitty.