XP cat advice, toddler scared

ickle_monkey

I am making an appointment with the very today and will also ask them for advice too. I'm just wondering if anyone else has any experience of how to handle this.  I have 2 cats, one is no problem the other is high anxiety. She has had health problems in the past that has made her behavior around strangers and children worse. She avoids LO at all costs and only comes out when he is not around. If he does come across her, she growls and her ears drop and he is terrified of her. She has not attacked him, but I feel awful seeing my child so scared.  I rescued both cats and I believe that a cat is for life, but now I'm pregnant with 2 I'm getting so worried about her behavior. She is a total softie with my husband and I, and the thought of her being in a shelter kills me : . I just don't think she is adoptable. I love her so much and I just don't know what to do. 

jess60

I don't have any personal experience with this but I know there are products you can get that can help calm stressed out cats.  Feliway is one brand I've heard of.  They have a thing you plug in to the wall.  There are also topical ointments, I think, that you rub on their ears.  I'm sure your vet will give you some other options as well.

GL!

pepomntpat

I'd talk to your vet.

But, Feliway can help. So can Prozac. It's pretty cheap and you can get it in a cream that goes in the ear. One of my cats is on it. 

Making sure she has her own safe place-preferably a high place like a cat tree, so she has somewhere to go when anxious.

Good luck! 

numeria11

pepomntpat:

I'd talk to your vet.

But, Feliway can help. So can Prozac. It's pretty cheap and you can get it in a cream that goes in the ear. One of my cats is on it. 

Making sure she has her own safe place-preferably a high place like a cat tree, so she has somewhere to go when anxious.

Good luck! 

All of this.  I have a cat the boarders on anxitey issues as well.  The first few months after DD was born he had a pretty hard time with it.  If it had gone on much longer I was planning to get some Feliway to try since it had been recommended for him before when he lost two of his buddies to kidney failure a few years ago and started to freak out.  Talk to your vet before you give up all hope.

CoffeeBeen

I don't have a lot of advice for you, just reassurance.  We had a problem cat as well. She was really amazing with just us, but after DS was born she developed an anxiety issue and started peeing everywhere.  We tried everything (including the vet, Feliway, and valium), nothing worked.

After 2 years of no success I put an ad up on craigslist (fully disclosed her issues) thinking "if no one responds, we'll just keep her."  But within a week she moved into an apartment with two adults - no kids, no other pets. They send me emails about how happy they are together.

For the last 6 months I was really frustrated because there was literally nothing else to try.  So, try everything first, but if you get to that point remember that there are options and that she might be happier elsewhere.

grr_aargh

Give her a separate space to escape to, keep them apart, and start putting kitty calm in her water. 

 

I'm not sure what else to suggest. 

ickle_monkey

Thank you all for your helpful responses, its very reassuring. I just don't want to give up on her, she's my first baby! I have tried feliaway with no noticeable results. I'm going to work hard with my vet to come to some liveable solution!