Ok, we had a bit of an incident yesterday, that didn't seem like much, but I think has led to some frantic meowing in my kitty.
This is going to be long, but I want to be sure to explain the context and everything well so I can get some good suggestions on what might have happened and what to do about it.
My boyfriend and I REALLY want to get a dog. Partially in preparation for this we agreed to help a friend out that needs someone to care for his dog for a couple of weeks in May. To prepare for that eventuality we decided to do a bit of a "meet and greet" to get the kitties used to the dog. The puppy is about a year old, friendly and REALLY well behaved. He has met other cats and doesn't chase, he just wimpers like he wants to play but won't do anything unless given the go-ahead. We kept him strictly in the living room and on a leash.
We closed the room with the cat flap (which is mounted in the window), didn't want the cats to just run out and disappear, but we left the other doors open to allow for hiding and safe-spots. They also have a carpeted shelf way up by the ceiling, where they were when we brought the dog in. The older guy, Ollie just hung out on the shelf, and observed, didn't like the dog, but didn't freak, stayed calm. The other cat, Hemi (who I always thought would be the best with a dog, since she is really curious and friendly) puffed up HUGE. After a couple of minutes she jumped down off of the shelf and ran for the room with the cat flap. NOPE! She went into the bathroom. I sat at the door to make her feel safer (and just in case the dog went for her). The dog came nearby, 2 feet away, but not too close. Hemi came closer....near the door, looked at the dog, went up on her rear legs hissed loud and pulled out claws the first time ever in anger or fear that I have ever seen.
We let the dog out for a bit to let the cats hang out in peace and alone. When I opened the door to go back in to check on them she ran out and climbed up to the rafters of the house and into the roof! They have both gone there once or twice before, but not often. We let her chill for a bit until the dog was gone, then it took an hour to get her out! At this point we decided we are NOT letting her out until she gets calm again. We blocked the cat flap off with some boxes.
We had guests for dinner, 3 adults and a 4 month old baby. Blocked off the cat flap with boxes and let the cats hide. Hemi hid mostly except when she knocked over the entire stack of boxes trying to get at the cat flap, or to try to run out the door. Which is bizarre, because there are dogs on the property and you would think she would feel less safe out there!
Since the guests left she has been meowing constantly (like she does if she is in the car...confused and uneasy), wandering through the house and acting like she wants to be picked up, but she won't be held for more than a second and she wanders off meowing constantly (all night!). She even tries to jump on my lap when I go to the bathroom. I've looked her over for any injuries she might have gotten in her mad scrambles, but there is nothing, I've felt her belly and everything, nothing seems to be hurt, she didn't do anything particularly hurtful anyway.
To make matters worse the other cat is all of a sudden acting far more dominant....if Hemi walks anywhere in his vicinity he hisses at her and sometimes swats. Aside from being really worried for her, the constant meowing is driving me nuts! I wish there was a store here that carried Feliway, but there isn't and of course getting it shipped will take too long to help with this (though I'll probably order some anyway).
Any suggestions on what to do to soothe my kitty? It seems obvious to me that she absolutely cannot be allowed out until she gets over this (but she is still desperately trying to get out). We have blocked off the area where she climbed up into the roof. The dog wasn't allowed in other rooms, so they shouldn't smell at all of dog, but she doesn't seem to make herself comfy there either. On top of it I can't afford to take her to the vet just to have them most likely say she is fine, and I don't think I should put her through the trauma of a car-ride at the moment either since she seems so freaked out already. I've come to the conclusion that babysitting the dog isn't possible, but does this mean we'll never be able to get a dog!? What can I do to socialize her better to people as well as dogs? I want her to be comfortable as possible, but I don't want to have to refuse to let people into the house, or not be able to get another pet. I'm so scared for her.
This is going to be long, but I want to be sure to explain the context and everything well so I can get some good suggestions on what might have happened and what to do about it.
My boyfriend and I REALLY want to get a dog. Partially in preparation for this we agreed to help a friend out that needs someone to care for his dog for a couple of weeks in May. To prepare for that eventuality we decided to do a bit of a "meet and greet" to get the kitties used to the dog. The puppy is about a year old, friendly and REALLY well behaved. He has met other cats and doesn't chase, he just wimpers like he wants to play but won't do anything unless given the go-ahead. We kept him strictly in the living room and on a leash.
We closed the room with the cat flap (which is mounted in the window), didn't want the cats to just run out and disappear, but we left the other doors open to allow for hiding and safe-spots. They also have a carpeted shelf way up by the ceiling, where they were when we brought the dog in. The older guy, Ollie just hung out on the shelf, and observed, didn't like the dog, but didn't freak, stayed calm. The other cat, Hemi (who I always thought would be the best with a dog, since she is really curious and friendly) puffed up HUGE. After a couple of minutes she jumped down off of the shelf and ran for the room with the cat flap. NOPE! She went into the bathroom. I sat at the door to make her feel safer (and just in case the dog went for her). The dog came nearby, 2 feet away, but not too close. Hemi came closer....near the door, looked at the dog, went up on her rear legs hissed loud and pulled out claws the first time ever in anger or fear that I have ever seen.
We let the dog out for a bit to let the cats hang out in peace and alone. When I opened the door to go back in to check on them she ran out and climbed up to the rafters of the house and into the roof! They have both gone there once or twice before, but not often. We let her chill for a bit until the dog was gone, then it took an hour to get her out! At this point we decided we are NOT letting her out until she gets calm again. We blocked the cat flap off with some boxes.
We had guests for dinner, 3 adults and a 4 month old baby. Blocked off the cat flap with boxes and let the cats hide. Hemi hid mostly except when she knocked over the entire stack of boxes trying to get at the cat flap, or to try to run out the door. Which is bizarre, because there are dogs on the property and you would think she would feel less safe out there!
Since the guests left she has been meowing constantly (like she does if she is in the car...confused and uneasy), wandering through the house and acting like she wants to be picked up, but she won't be held for more than a second and she wanders off meowing constantly (all night!). She even tries to jump on my lap when I go to the bathroom. I've looked her over for any injuries she might have gotten in her mad scrambles, but there is nothing, I've felt her belly and everything, nothing seems to be hurt, she didn't do anything particularly hurtful anyway.
To make matters worse the other cat is all of a sudden acting far more dominant....if Hemi walks anywhere in his vicinity he hisses at her and sometimes swats. Aside from being really worried for her, the constant meowing is driving me nuts! I wish there was a store here that carried Feliway, but there isn't and of course getting it shipped will take too long to help with this (though I'll probably order some anyway).
Any suggestions on what to do to soothe my kitty? It seems obvious to me that she absolutely cannot be allowed out until she gets over this (but she is still desperately trying to get out). We have blocked off the area where she climbed up into the roof. The dog wasn't allowed in other rooms, so they shouldn't smell at all of dog, but she doesn't seem to make herself comfy there either. On top of it I can't afford to take her to the vet just to have them most likely say she is fine, and I don't think I should put her through the trauma of a car-ride at the moment either since she seems so freaked out already. I've come to the conclusion that babysitting the dog isn't possible, but does this mean we'll never be able to get a dog!? What can I do to socialize her better to people as well as dogs? I want her to be comfortable as possible, but I don't want to have to refuse to let people into the house, or not be able to get another pet. I'm so scared for her.
