HELP! I got married last June to a wonderful man, Andy, who likes cats. Unfortunately my cat, Katana, doesn't like men.
Background: About 4 1/2 years ago I finally convinced my (now ex) fiance, Joey, to let me get a cat. He agreed under the conditions that she be solid black and he got to name her; I told him I had to ok the name. I was working in a vet's office at the time, and we had three homless kittens, one of which was solid black. I took her home at the end of the week. He started running through character names from Mortal Combat, and I figured when he got to Princess Katana that was about as good as it was going to get.
Anyway, Joey was less than kind to her. He abused mentally and emotionally, and he abused her physically when I wasn't there. He would tell me about it later; I think he did it partially just to infuriate me and hurt me. It worked. His abuse made her very distrustful of just about everybody other than me, especially men.
Recently: About 1 1/2 ago I moved back in with my mother for medical reasons. She has 2 cats, and Katana was always fighting with one or the other. She knocked Phoenix, who is twice her size, off my mother's deck twice, and was willing to go over the side too on one of those accounts. I can understand and live with her fierce territorialism; I just have to keep a close eye on her now that I live in a neighborhood where other people let their cats run around outside. The problem is that she attacks my husband and our roommates without provocation, and I don't know how to make her stop.
Andy has tried being nice to her, and we've had him be the only one to feed her for a while. She doesn't seem to care. Squirting her is pointless. I found out quite a while back that she doesn't mind being squirted a little bit. Once she found out that I was spraying her with the same stuff she drinks, she quit caring. I tried adding a little vinegar, but that only worked for a couple of days. The only liquid I've found that she really hates is beer, and nobody wants me spritzing beer around the house.
Andy's trying to be good about the situation. He knows she means a lot to me. She's been an integral part of life ever since I brought her home, and although my mother has told me she's willing to take Katana back into her home, Andy knows that would break my heart so he's trying his best not to hate and kill my cat.
HELP!
Background: About 4 1/2 years ago I finally convinced my (now ex) fiance, Joey, to let me get a cat. He agreed under the conditions that she be solid black and he got to name her; I told him I had to ok the name. I was working in a vet's office at the time, and we had three homless kittens, one of which was solid black. I took her home at the end of the week. He started running through character names from Mortal Combat, and I figured when he got to Princess Katana that was about as good as it was going to get.
Anyway, Joey was less than kind to her. He abused mentally and emotionally, and he abused her physically when I wasn't there. He would tell me about it later; I think he did it partially just to infuriate me and hurt me. It worked. His abuse made her very distrustful of just about everybody other than me, especially men.
Recently: About 1 1/2 ago I moved back in with my mother for medical reasons. She has 2 cats, and Katana was always fighting with one or the other. She knocked Phoenix, who is twice her size, off my mother's deck twice, and was willing to go over the side too on one of those accounts. I can understand and live with her fierce territorialism; I just have to keep a close eye on her now that I live in a neighborhood where other people let their cats run around outside. The problem is that she attacks my husband and our roommates without provocation, and I don't know how to make her stop.
Andy has tried being nice to her, and we've had him be the only one to feed her for a while. She doesn't seem to care. Squirting her is pointless. I found out quite a while back that she doesn't mind being squirted a little bit. Once she found out that I was spraying her with the same stuff she drinks, she quit caring. I tried adding a little vinegar, but that only worked for a couple of days. The only liquid I've found that she really hates is beer, and nobody wants me spritzing beer around the house.
Andy's trying to be good about the situation. He knows she means a lot to me. She's been an integral part of life ever since I brought her home, and although my mother has told me she's willing to take Katana back into her home, Andy knows that would break my heart so he's trying his best not to hate and kill my cat.
HELP!
