I've posted a few times on re-introducing my cats due to redirected aggression. I won't go into the gory details again, but we are once again, going through the process because Dory, the skittish redirector of aggression had another episode last month.
I had a couple of "hmmm, whatabout this..." thoughts lately. The first is the possibility of retraining the reaction to a frightening event. Dory and Josie, for years, reacted to something scary by running and hiding under the bed. Last year, Dory, for the first time, saw a cat outside our apartment. She freaked out and attacked Josie. Now, when Dory gets scared, she attacks Josie. It seems I can't really take away all her fears (and Josie's too) unless I dope her up. She is on a light dosage of prozac, but she still reacts and is skittish. Is there a way to remodel her to run under the bed instead of attacking her sister?
The second is role reversal. Josie was the alpha of the two cats. But after repeated attacks by Dory, Josie is spooked by her sister. I am in the process of re-introducing them again. Doors are opened and they are together under supervision. Unlike the previous process, Josie is overtly scared of Dory now. Josie is fine if both cats are chilling and napping in their secured spots (box, cube, open carrier/stroller), but if she is in an open space with Dory, she turns into a scaredy cat. They'll be fine for awhile and then Josie will cry a bit, gets into a fight/flight mode, starts crawling away...And it's not necessarily as if Dory has done anything (not that I can see). But with Josie's distress, it seems to raise Dory's hackles. I intervene before anything actually happens. It breaks my heart to see Josie like this since she's always been the alpha semi-bully girl. Josie is also on prozac and I wonder if the drug is making her too meek? Is there anyway to return Josie to her confident self? Or is there any point? Maybe after 6 years, it's Dory's turn to carry the stick?
I fear the one solution is to markedly increase Dory's prozac. To me, it's a last desperate solution. Aside from the severe constipation she suffers from prozac, I don't want to zombie out Dory.
I'm not sure there are answers to my questions, but I would be interested in any thoughts and ideas you may have.
I had a couple of "hmmm, whatabout this..." thoughts lately. The first is the possibility of retraining the reaction to a frightening event. Dory and Josie, for years, reacted to something scary by running and hiding under the bed. Last year, Dory, for the first time, saw a cat outside our apartment. She freaked out and attacked Josie. Now, when Dory gets scared, she attacks Josie. It seems I can't really take away all her fears (and Josie's too) unless I dope her up. She is on a light dosage of prozac, but she still reacts and is skittish. Is there a way to remodel her to run under the bed instead of attacking her sister?
The second is role reversal. Josie was the alpha of the two cats. But after repeated attacks by Dory, Josie is spooked by her sister. I am in the process of re-introducing them again. Doors are opened and they are together under supervision. Unlike the previous process, Josie is overtly scared of Dory now. Josie is fine if both cats are chilling and napping in their secured spots (box, cube, open carrier/stroller), but if she is in an open space with Dory, she turns into a scaredy cat. They'll be fine for awhile and then Josie will cry a bit, gets into a fight/flight mode, starts crawling away...And it's not necessarily as if Dory has done anything (not that I can see). But with Josie's distress, it seems to raise Dory's hackles. I intervene before anything actually happens. It breaks my heart to see Josie like this since she's always been the alpha semi-bully girl. Josie is also on prozac and I wonder if the drug is making her too meek? Is there anyway to return Josie to her confident self? Or is there any point? Maybe after 6 years, it's Dory's turn to carry the stick?
I fear the one solution is to markedly increase Dory's prozac. To me, it's a last desperate solution. Aside from the severe constipation she suffers from prozac, I don't want to zombie out Dory.
I'm not sure there are answers to my questions, but I would be interested in any thoughts and ideas you may have.
I'll definitely look into the book. I also reached out to a friend to follow up on a vet behaviorist. I'm a little circumspect because there's not much in terms of vetting the expertise but I volunteer with a couple of rescues. I'll tap into those groups to see if they have trusted sources.
