Over time Frosty and Obi began having trouble with each other. Obi, the oldest and self-proclaimed King of the downstairs kitties, clearly was fearful of the rather large, strong, and sometimes aggressive Frosty Paws. Instead of screaming and running away (like Banu did) Obi exhibits fear aggression - not good when your opponent is twice your size. Last spring we put them both on 'calming' medications and tried some behavior modification and these definitely helped, but nothing is foolproof.
Recently we had everyone home for an early Thanksgiving. There was a lot of noise and people coming and going. Obi behaved very badly, but he was stressed out and I don't blame him. After everyone went back home it seemed like the kitties calmed back down but one evening Saeed and I both heard a cat fight in the living room. We ran from our respective areas of the house to see that Obi got the worst of it -- no serious injury but he got roughed up. Enough is enough.
Frosty now lives most of his life in the computer room. If I'm in the kitchen and Obi is asleep in the little bed on the table (Frosty doesn't jump up there) I let Frosty out of the computer room to cruise the big wide world of his former downstairs area. When we're home we also open the sun room; he loves the sun room. Frosty actually seems pretty happy and we wonder if he's happier now that he doesn't have to deal with tense Obi. Obi also appears so much happier. We are amazed at how much more relaxed he behaves.
So we are sort of like a cell undergoing mitosis - we keep dividing our house into new separately functioning units. Some may question our sanity. Why would we do this to ourselves? Why? Because we are reaping the consequences of our earlier decision to have many cats. We assumed they would all and always get along. We were wrong, but that's not the cats' fault, so we are accepting our responsibility as loving cat companions and doing the best we can to keep everybody as safe and happy as possible.
One day our house will be free and open again. Sound good? No. It will mean that the little furry creatures we love so much who have totally screwed up our freedom, are gone. Not good at all. Our mitosis house with the multiplying iron curtains is a house of love.
Of the original upstairs girls only Banu...
... and Lupe remain. I miss Teddie and Layli. :- (
Frosty, the thug, happily hanging out in the sun room.
Chappu screaming at me to let her into Frosty's room. She goes back and forth about 40 times a day and often stays in there with him all night. Isn't that interesting? She loves the thug.
A very happy Obi.
Tippy (or should I say Tippless) also goes into Frosty's room sometimes but she doesn't stay long.
Not that this picture has anything to do with the Kitty Update, but here you see Chappu staring down Saeed's piece of bread. She loves carbs and will take that toast right out of your hand if you're not careful! That couch was Calvin's favorite place to sleep. I miss him too.
3 comments:
I am happy that you have a good attitude. Your kitties have good lives. Love these pics of Chappu and Lupe. They look and act so much like Delila! How lucious they are. Great that Obi is happier. :)
I think that was a very good choice to keep Frosty and Obi separated. I forgot there were only 2 upstairs girls now. :(
I wonder if one day you will be able to open things back up when you are down to 4 or 5 kitties. Sad to think about losing another one.
What dose of Fluoxetine is Obi on? Are you going to try to wean him down a little, now that he's happier? He might still need some, since he's got other fear aggressive issues, but Frosty was definitely his biggest. He was looking a bit unthrifty when I was last home. Glad he's on the upswing. He was my first son.
-Shirin
I am alternating a full 5 mg tablet of fluoxetine with half that approximately every other day. Obi's mental state without Frosty is definitely better. I'm still medicating Frosty because I think he's nicer and feels better on his transdermal clomipramine too. Have you had the opportunity to offer transdermal medications to any of your patients? I highly recommend it.
Thanks for all your help, Dr. Modaresi. I haven't forgotten that it was you who told us to separate them in the first place. It was not something we wanted to do and kept it as a last resort. Well, we resorted.
Post a Comment