I have had a hyperactive kitten for about three weeks now and brought a bigger Persian kitten yesterday. They did not get along my old kitten started to hiss and tried to pick a fight with the new one, I did not let them make any contact. When I woke up this morning I kept calling my old kitten to no avail, she usually greets me in the morning herself and demands food. When I found her she looked terrified and was limping. She refuses to eat ever since and keeps hiding in dark corners. I called a few people ( cat owners), they suggested that she was faking it. I don't know what to do now, Help please!
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lameness for unknown reason
- Thread starter rawky
- Start Date
I feel very sorry for the cats belonging to these cat owners you consulted because cats do not fake injuries. They don't have the higher cognitive functioning that would allow them to even conceive of such a scheme! These people are anthropomorphizing when they look at a cat and think "he's faking it for attention". Cats do not think like people do.
Sorry for the rant, but it really burns my toast when people jump to conclusions about their pets rather than consult, say, a vet or an animal behaviorist. Or the Catsite
I've been there done that, having two boys who used to go at each other with intent to kill (thank goodness for prozac!) and when one limped away from a fight, I chose to wait a day and see how things progressed. The limp gradually improved over several hours and was gone the next day, so I knew it was a minor sprain. If you adopt the wait-and-see approach, keep a close eye on him and if the limp worsens or doesn't improve significantly in 24 hours, I would say he needs to see a vet. You don't want to mess around with a potentially broken leg. Terrible things can result from a cat fight, or when a cat is fleeing from another cat. Never underestimate the destructive power of two cats with a vendetta against each other.
To that end, keep them separated for now. It would be best to confine limping kitty to a space where he can't jump onto things or race around. If you have a dog crate, that would work perfectly. Just be sure there's at least a couple of feet between a small litter pan at one end and food/water at the other.
You will need to reintroduce them. Cats are extremely territorial and won't automatically accept another into their territory without gradual, positive interactions. Sometimes the newcomer takes the offensive because they have a dominant personality and will try to claim the territory as their own. They see the established cat as a threat, not a potential buddy, at this point. Introductions are *everything*. If you want them to get along, and maybe even become good friends, you have to ease them into things. Here's some homework
:
http://www.thecatsite.com/a/introducing-cats-to-cats
http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/pams-think-like-a-cat-reintroduction-method/
http://jacksongalaxy.com/2010/10/01/cat-to-cat-introductions/
It requires some patience and effort on your part, but when you're enjoying your peaceful, harmonious household, you'll be glad you took the time to introduce them properly. Best wishes and keep us updated!
Sorry for the rant, but it really burns my toast when people jump to conclusions about their pets rather than consult, say, a vet or an animal behaviorist. Or the Catsite
I've been there done that, having two boys who used to go at each other with intent to kill (thank goodness for prozac!) and when one limped away from a fight, I chose to wait a day and see how things progressed. The limp gradually improved over several hours and was gone the next day, so I knew it was a minor sprain. If you adopt the wait-and-see approach, keep a close eye on him and if the limp worsens or doesn't improve significantly in 24 hours, I would say he needs to see a vet. You don't want to mess around with a potentially broken leg. Terrible things can result from a cat fight, or when a cat is fleeing from another cat. Never underestimate the destructive power of two cats with a vendetta against each other.
To that end, keep them separated for now. It would be best to confine limping kitty to a space where he can't jump onto things or race around. If you have a dog crate, that would work perfectly. Just be sure there's at least a couple of feet between a small litter pan at one end and food/water at the other.
You will need to reintroduce them. Cats are extremely territorial and won't automatically accept another into their territory without gradual, positive interactions. Sometimes the newcomer takes the offensive because they have a dominant personality and will try to claim the territory as their own. They see the established cat as a threat, not a potential buddy, at this point. Introductions are *everything*. If you want them to get along, and maybe even become good friends, you have to ease them into things. Here's some homework
http://www.thecatsite.com/a/introducing-cats-to-cats
http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/pams-think-like-a-cat-reintroduction-method/
http://jacksongalaxy.com/2010/10/01/cat-to-cat-introductions/
It requires some patience and effort on your part, but when you're enjoying your peaceful, harmonious household, you'll be glad you took the time to introduce them properly. Best wishes and keep us updated!
