Not Sure What to Do Next!

I posted last week about the sudden personality change in my 8 yr. old male Maine Coon mix cat Franz last Sat nite, after I came home smelling like DOG. He remains standoffish and sometimes scared of me. I continue with the vanilla extract, but it does not seem to work. Here's whats happening now. I return from work, he is Mr. Lovey Dovey, likes to be held, tummy rubbed, etc. As soon as that is over. about 10 minutes or so, I put him down, he seems relaxed. I do some stuff around house, get undressed etc., and then it's as if he doesn't know me! Becomes fearful, sometimes a half-hearted hiss and retreats to the bedroom chaise. If I go in there for something, he watches me like a hawk or sometimes goes under the bed. Dinnertime..as soon as the microwave beeps, he's out of the bedroom for eats. He then retreats to bedroom for the rest of the night. Sometimes he will let me pet and talk to him while he's on the chaise, sometimes not. I have ordered some Feliway spray (PetGuys) 14.99...(Yipee) and am purchasing some Bach's Rescue Remedy tomorrow. I know you can put the Rescue Remedy in water, however he doesn't drink much, can it be put in food? And how many drops do you use and how often. I was warned he was a timid cat, when I got him from his foster situation a little over a month ago. He could not attend adoption events due to his timidity. However, until last week he was adjusting well, very loving, a cuddle-bum. What am I doing incorrectly? He eats fine, pees/poops fine, no litterbox issues. Somebody help, I hate to see him in distress!

Willow is like that with me sometimes........She goes in spurts She will be little miss Love bug and then a few days or mins later she will hide under my bed from me. She wasn't like that as a kitten as a kitten she LOVED being in the room where anyone and everyone was at. Then all the sudden she only comes out when one certain friend of ours comes over and that is because they are best buddies lol other then that she's in the bed room under the bed. it just might be who he is. But I don't know for sure.

I do some stuff around house, get undressed etc., and then it's as if he doesn't know me

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Think about what you put on once you changed clothes. Could one of the items still have the smell of DOG?? Like maybe your sneakers/shoes?? Or have been placed on top of/near the dog-smelling clothes??

Oh I wish! I just put on my ratty T shirts...infact he loves to lay on them if I don't put them away. I always go barefoot, so it can't be a change of shoes. ThanKs for the ideas though. Does anyone know how to use the RESCUE REMEDY in food and how often, and how much to give in food and water????????? PLEASE HELP, I'M PICKING IT UP TONIGHT!

Could it be that he recognizes the smell of your work clothing, but after you remove them, the other clothing just doesn't smell "right" to him? In other words, not necessarily some smell on the home clothing, but some smells which are missing which had made you acceptable before.

I've seen cats get acquainted with a specific appearance of a person also.

Do you wear a uniform, or very similar attire to work?

There's something going on here, be patient with him, he'll come back around.

Spotz

Hi...No uniform...those days are over for this nurse I mostly wear jeans, stuff I wear all the time. Anyone familiar with how much rescue remedy to use in food and water

The Rescue Remedy is 4 drops in a "glass of water." I've tried numerous calming drops, to no avail, but perhaps you'll have better luck. All have directions on them. I believe you can put it in the food also. Good luck

Was Franz checked by the vet lately to make sure there is nothing wrong with him ?

Thank You BaileySidney for the directions. I also picked up a bottle of "Pet Calm" from PetCo. If worse comes to worse I'll take a swig of it myself! Tried it tonight...guess it's wait and see time.

Thank you Hedi..Yes, he has received a clean bill of health, just before I adopted him.

Well Franz has now started on his Rescue Remedy and Pet Calm regime. So far so good. Rescue Remedy in water, Pet Calm (which has Kava Kava) in his food. Has not as yet scurried to the bedroom for cover, calmly goes there just to sit on HIS sunny chaise. Staying out with me more in the livingroom, and best of all does not run when I approach him. Lets me pet him endlessly, belly rubs etc., and purr, purr, purr. Hope I'm not too enthusiastic too early.

The lamb may lay down with the lion, but the lamb won't get much sleep-Woody Allen

Regarding the Rescue Remedy, I put 3 or 4 drops in about a tablespoon of canned food. They eat it right up.

Do you put on hand lotion (or something else that is scented)when you get home? Perhaps that is what is frightening him.

I'm glad to hear that it is going so well. I would keep him on the Kava Kava and Rescue Remedy for about a week, and then start weaning him off so that at the end of week two he is not longer having any of the herbs. My bet is that he will be absolutely fine after a week of being with the after-work you and not being frightened.

I'm going to merge this with your previous thread so that it is easier to follow Franz's story.

Thanks Lotsocats...I rarely wear anything scented. At the homeless shelter I work at, there are a lot of asthmatics, especially the kids, so I avoid that. At home I use Eucerin Creme (unsented) for my very dry skin, but half the time forget to use it (some nurse huh!) He is doing better with the Rescue Remedy and Pet Calm, we just had a long grooming session (sex as far as he's concerned) and he loved it. He's still a bit leary so I'm trying to respect his boundries. Keeping my paws crossed!

Sometimes cats like or don't like the scents of certain laundry detergents. If you switch brands, they'll let you know what they think of the new stuff. My cat likes the stuff I use and will bury his face in any clean clothes he finds, but he's not interested in the dirty clothes because they've lost the laundry scent and probably have picked up ones he doesn't like.

Originally Posted by scowl

Sometimes cats like or don't like the scents of certain laundry detergents. If you switch brands, they'll let you know what they think of the new stuff. My cat likes the stuff I use and will bury his face in any clean clothes he finds, but he's not interested in the dirty clothes because they've lost the laundry scent and probably have picked up ones he doesn't like.

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[/color]That's funny Franz loves old laundry! Tonight I came home to 2 "missing" socks in the living room. He must have found them under the bed. Hey at least he has a job title now "Finder of Lost Socks Man." I send my laundry out, so I can only assume they use the same type of detergent and softener all the time. You better call Proctor and Gamble about your cat...he could get paid to test out detergents. Thanks Scowl. So far the Pet Calm and Rescue remedy are working. He is still skittish at times, but not nearly as bad. That's his personality I guess. But no matter, he's my boy!