I've started this message several times, and then stopped and erased what I wrote. I know it's an old problem; I know advice has already been given a hundred times before. I just happen to think I have a new ... twist ... on the issue. The thing is, it takes a LOT of explaining ...
I have two cats. I adore them both. They're wonderfully affectionate, expressive, delightful critters. That being said, one of them is making me crazy. Both my cats are about two years of age (they were strays adopted from the Humane Society, so it's hard to be certain), both are neutered, both are very healthy and generally pretty easy-going.
Spike is mildly brain-damaged. For one thing, he's a permanent kitten, to the point where other cats (we used to live with a couple who also had two cats) will treat him as a kitten, ignoring food-stealing and other examples of kitten-ish behaviour. For another, he is completely incapable of recognising the difference between positive and negative attention; a squirt from a water bottle is as acceptable to him as being given pets or a treat, so long as you're paying attention to him. Another thing is, he seems to have trouble remembering things. Oh, he knows when it's time to be fed, or where the litterbox is, or who his humans are, but if he and I spend the afternoon in the same room together and he leaves the room, he'll forget where he left me and wander the apartment crying because he doesn't know where I am. In Spike's world, water isn't always wet, fire isn't always hot, and "hey! I've never seen that table before! I should jump up on it!" (the table's always been there, he just got scolded for being on it, and then five seconds later he's doing it again). Other cats will look at you as if to say "Yeah, I know I'm not supposed to be up here, but what are you gonna do about?" because they KNOW they're misbehaving; Spike REALLY doesn't remember that he's not allowed to do ... whatever it is he's doing.
So ... yeah. We've discussed Spike's behaviour with the vet (we go to a clinic that is just for cats and has extremely good veterinary care), and she agrees with us, that he is brain-damaged. We don't know how it happened (birth defect? accident? illness?) and, frankly, it just means we love him a little bit more, because he really DOES need us. He's hopeless.
Spike goes through phases where he suddenly desperately needs attention at three o'clock in the morning. Or he's starving at four. Or he has to attack me under the comforter at five. For the record, I don't like ANYONE in the wee hours of the morning. I like sleep. I NEED sleep.
We've tried ... well, everything, I think. We have a Feliway diffuser, which cost rather a lot for the little it appears to do. (After having read so many rave reviews of it, I'm a bit disappointed, but I keep hoping ...) We play with Spike before bedtime in the hopes of wearing him out. We ignore him when he claws at the door (or our feet). We keep to an extremely regular schedule, and try to keep him on it. He is in all other ways happy and well-adjusted. He receives frequent vet care; we know this behaviour is not the result of illness or injury, and that he's not trying to tell us anything's wrong. He's just ... lonely. I admit I'm a bit reluctant to put him on drugs to deal with this; I don't want to sedate my cat (which has been suggested to me). I'm not sure how to explain this, but I want him to still be MY cat, and not be chemically altered, if that makes any sense?
I'm not sure exactly what I'm looking for here. Sometimes we'll try something and it will appear to work, and then suddenly it stops working. Sometimes we'll try something that has no effect for days, and then it suddenly STARTS working, only to stop again. Spike is healthy and happy, and he and Oz get along wonderfully (and Oz exhibits NONE of these problems). I just want to be able to sleep the whole night through without my cat yowling in my ear, demanding attention, or clawing me through my comforter.
Sorry, this is a LOOOONG post, but I'm at work and I'm afraid I'm rambling a bit.
Cheerio,
Mirinae
I have two cats. I adore them both. They're wonderfully affectionate, expressive, delightful critters. That being said, one of them is making me crazy. Both my cats are about two years of age (they were strays adopted from the Humane Society, so it's hard to be certain), both are neutered, both are very healthy and generally pretty easy-going.
Spike is mildly brain-damaged. For one thing, he's a permanent kitten, to the point where other cats (we used to live with a couple who also had two cats) will treat him as a kitten, ignoring food-stealing and other examples of kitten-ish behaviour. For another, he is completely incapable of recognising the difference between positive and negative attention; a squirt from a water bottle is as acceptable to him as being given pets or a treat, so long as you're paying attention to him. Another thing is, he seems to have trouble remembering things. Oh, he knows when it's time to be fed, or where the litterbox is, or who his humans are, but if he and I spend the afternoon in the same room together and he leaves the room, he'll forget where he left me and wander the apartment crying because he doesn't know where I am. In Spike's world, water isn't always wet, fire isn't always hot, and "hey! I've never seen that table before! I should jump up on it!" (the table's always been there, he just got scolded for being on it, and then five seconds later he's doing it again). Other cats will look at you as if to say "Yeah, I know I'm not supposed to be up here, but what are you gonna do about?" because they KNOW they're misbehaving; Spike REALLY doesn't remember that he's not allowed to do ... whatever it is he's doing.
So ... yeah. We've discussed Spike's behaviour with the vet (we go to a clinic that is just for cats and has extremely good veterinary care), and she agrees with us, that he is brain-damaged. We don't know how it happened (birth defect? accident? illness?) and, frankly, it just means we love him a little bit more, because he really DOES need us. He's hopeless.
Spike goes through phases where he suddenly desperately needs attention at three o'clock in the morning. Or he's starving at four. Or he has to attack me under the comforter at five. For the record, I don't like ANYONE in the wee hours of the morning. I like sleep. I NEED sleep.
We've tried ... well, everything, I think. We have a Feliway diffuser, which cost rather a lot for the little it appears to do. (After having read so many rave reviews of it, I'm a bit disappointed, but I keep hoping ...) We play with Spike before bedtime in the hopes of wearing him out. We ignore him when he claws at the door (or our feet). We keep to an extremely regular schedule, and try to keep him on it. He is in all other ways happy and well-adjusted. He receives frequent vet care; we know this behaviour is not the result of illness or injury, and that he's not trying to tell us anything's wrong. He's just ... lonely. I admit I'm a bit reluctant to put him on drugs to deal with this; I don't want to sedate my cat (which has been suggested to me). I'm not sure how to explain this, but I want him to still be MY cat, and not be chemically altered, if that makes any sense?
I'm not sure exactly what I'm looking for here. Sometimes we'll try something and it will appear to work, and then suddenly it stops working. Sometimes we'll try something that has no effect for days, and then it suddenly STARTS working, only to stop again. Spike is healthy and happy, and he and Oz get along wonderfully (and Oz exhibits NONE of these problems). I just want to be able to sleep the whole night through without my cat yowling in my ear, demanding attention, or clawing me through my comforter.
Sorry, this is a LOOOONG post, but I'm at work and I'm afraid I'm rambling a bit.
Cheerio,
Mirinae