Aggressive Cat help!

Re: Aggressive Cat help!

Dagmar Steele — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 09:11:28 GMT

[quote user="Kirsten Simpson"]

Any magical ideas what to do next? I feel that bloods and then behaviourist will give the best result but its hard when the owner seems to want the problem fixed, but isn't willing to do anything to fix it?

[/quote]

No win situation. The problem seems to be straightforward as you said (although sometimes hooves are zebras instead of horses...) but if she is not willing to do dx or tx there is no way to cure it. I am my own boss so this is exactly what I'd been telling her. And then hopefully I wouldn't waste too much thought on it any more. Most likely the boyfriend is the problem, I had many cases like this where the cat's judgement turned out to be spot on!

Re: Aggressive Cat help!

Miriam Lodewyks — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 22:12:27 GMT

I have an interest in behaviour, but find that most clients just use me as a sounding board to vent their frustration. Very few actually want to hear what steps the should/could take to improve their situation. Even if there was a reasonably easy way to fix this (I agree that food is often very effective) it's unlikely the cat's owner will listen or put it into practice. Stop stressing about it, you've given the advice, it's been ignored, it's not your problem.

Re: Aggressive Cat help!

Niall Taylor — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 22:11:51 GMT

[quote user="Robin Grimmer"]

Why the red star for Nialls post?

[/quote]

Re: Aggressive Cat help!

Michael Woodhouse — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 22:00:38 GMT

Tell her to chose between the boyfriend and the cat. Rehome one of them!

Re: Aggressive Cat help!

Robin Grimmer — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 20:21:23 GMT

That's better

Re: Aggressive Cat help!

Robin Grimmer — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 16:12:42 GMT

Why the red star for Nialls post?

Re: Aggressive Cat help!

Rob Davis — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 14:37:41 GMT

http://www.cloggiecentral.com/2011/05/monday-madness-free-to-good-home/

Re: Aggressive Cat help!

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 14:35:02 GMT

You'll be hearing that the boyfriend is abusing her soon! Quit worrying about it, it is not your problem, some of this may help:

Re: Aggressive Cat help!

Kirsten Simpson — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 14:29:08 GMT

It did seem sore at the thoracolumbar junction when it first came in (at this point it refused to go back into the kitchen where it used to love going in there) so I suspected had hurt itself/been hurt and trial Metacam, no change, no obvious back pain on next check although I suppose I couldn't rule it out completely (was my first though, arthritis etc).

Cheers peeps, pretty much telling me what I already suspect!

Re: Aggressive Cat help!

Niall Taylor — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 13:51:46 GMT

This

Niall

Re: Aggressive Cat help!

Anne Seawright — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 12:38:31 GMT

A behaviour that is very contextual (ie aggression to only 1 person since that person moved in to its house) with no other behavioural or clinical signs would be incredibly unlikely to be due to medical problems. It is much more likely to be due to the relationship between the cat and the boyfriend and this needs to be explored fully by a behaviourist. Not much you can do if the owners refuse to follow up on any of your suggestions! Cases like this are very frustrating. Owners complain lots and seem very concerned but then refuse to do anything!

Re: Aggressive Cat help!

Malcolm Ness — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 11:32:46 GMT

[quote user="Kirsten Simpson"]the cat just doesn't like him being in his house[/quote]

cats are often very good judges of character...............

[quote user="Kirsten Simpson"]if it has a brain tumour its the only choice (although she balked when I said how much it would be for a referral + MRI scan, cat is not insured[/quote]

meningiomas are the most common brain tumours in older cats. We use CT to confirm the dx and localise the lesion to allow planning of surgery which is, much more often than not, successful insofar as the cat recovers quickly to enjoy a reasonably long (given that they are often old at the time of surgery) and apparently normal life. Typical cost 2500-3000 including tax all in. Obviously not risk-free but most cats go home a day or two after surgery.

[quote user="Kirsten Simpson"] but isn't willing to do anything to fix it?[/quote]

perhaps she knows in her heart of hearts that the boyfriend, an not the cat, is the real problem.

Re: Aggressive Cat help!

Bob Russell — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 11:28:22 GMT

Pain/ Arthritis/Pancreatitis?

Cats have limited ways to demonstrate pain - unexpected aggression can be one of them!

Bloods, weight loss seem a logical starting point as long as you can convince the owners

Re: Aggressive Cat help!

Mark Hedberg — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 10:49:22 GMT

Get other half to feed the cat for a few weeks. :) It's not a magic cure but sometimes it's interesting to see how much love the food source can get?