Cat has stopped being affectionate. Will she love me again?

[maryann118]

I adopted my adult cat in early June and we bonded immediately. Olive was cuddly, affectionate and my constant pal. I never had a cat this loving. But on Oct. 23, she was given four shots at the vet for a minor skin condition and they nearly killed her. It took weeks for her to recover, and just as things seemed to be getting back to normal, a vet tech stopped by my apartment, and ever since then, Olive has become skittish and has withdrawn all affection from me.

I'm aware she probably smelled the vet on the tech and that freaked her out, but I can't get over the personality change. She hides now, which she never did before, and she's overall just a different cat. I've brought in the diffusers and flower remedies and calming food supplements, and while they might work briefly, nothing has stuck.

I guess my question is... Has anyone else experienced anything like this? Will this problem get worse, or better? Will my Olive ever love me again, or is this apartment too scary for her now? Does she need to be rehomed? That would break my heart, but I don't want her to live in a place where she's scared or not happy. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. --Mary Ann

 

[Columbine]

What an awful situation. I'm so glad Olive is fit and well again. She does still love you - its just that she's been though a traumatic experience, and it'll take her time to get over it.

It sounds like you're doing all the right things. Give her time. She will relax and trust you again

You might find that hand feeding helps - especially if you use extra yummy food or treats. Sometimes lavender or vanilla can help cats relax too, so that could be worth a try. Felifriend in addition to Feliway could also help, so that might be worth investigating.

Hang in there [article="32735"][/article][article="30316"][/article][article="32758"][/article]

 

[maryann118]

Thank you Columbine! I've never heard of Felifriend, so I'll check it out. I never considered hand feeding either.

Wouldn't you know, she just developed another sore, this time a hot spot on her neck. I'll have to check the forums for this now! I'm constantly putting out fires with this little monkey. I hope we can both just relax one day soon.

Again, thank you!