Stardust the little poser.
Stardust and Phoenix and the Open Mouth of Outrage: coming soon to a theater near you! (I think it’s a thriller.)
“I hate it when she makes me squeal!”
More outrage – but it actually looks like she’s giggling.
::thlurrrp::
::thlurrrp:: again.
Pretty boy in the sun.
Nap time.
I guess it’s a Hubble kinda day.
There goes Telstar, climbing that tree again.
Aurora the observer.
“Come at me, bro!”
Have I mentioned that that bed is super popular around here?
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Video! Phoenix, keeping Telstar clean. Far too sweet, those two.
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Jake is feelin’ loonified.
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Previously
2016: No entry.
2015: Ambercup – from 3 weeks to 3 months.
2014: No entry.
2013: “Melfi, smell this paw. Doesn’t it smell funny?”
2012: I love that Magoo, just love him to death.
2011: Spanky (and Elwood!) Wednesday.
2010: Blog vacation.
2009: “I would have expected a much higher-pitched scream,” I said to Fred, and then I laughed until I cried.
2008: Marion, the torbie of hissiness.
2007: No entry.
2006: No entry.
2005: No, we aren’t adopting him ( <—–LIE)
Ok troops, I need some advice. I had 5 cats and am now down to three (old age and evil cancer 🙁 ). My, now, eldest is a loveable cat but a brat. If you are evenly pushy/confident, you are BFFs with him. My youngest (1 yr old) will pounce him etc and they just wrestle. She has slid into the role of my kitty I lost to cancer. She is fearless. However, my now middle child is semi-feral with a flight instinct and does not hold her ground. So, the eldest (only boy) is like a brother who chases his sister around the house with a bug enjoying making her scream. If my semi-feral holds her ground, he is not enticed. However, if she runs and screams like he is killing her (which she does), it fuels the fire and he chases her even more. I can easily pick him up out of the fray and I put him in time out (till he isn’t focused on her). He is 12 lbs and she is barely 8 lbs. So, he is intimidating to her. If she ever stands her ground and puts out the paw of doom, he leaves her be. But if she runs and has a meltdown…game on! You would think, by the sound of it all, that there would be bloodshed and fur flying. That is not the case. She is just completely upset, wants him off of her, and to go away. He is thrilled by the reaction and it becomes a feast.
Any suggestions as to what I can do to make him disinterested in her, and/or boost her confidence. He has always preyed upon mild kitties. That was the whole reason I got his original BFF. I picked the most confident kitten I could find, and she kept him in check, and he left my eldest alone. The current youngest helps…but she does not fill the role of “Ambassador to Kitty Kindness” that my previous did. My eldest NEVER behaved that way to my semi-feral before her death. HELP!
Is he distractable – ie can you throw a toy or get him to play to distract him or wear him out? Honestly, I have a semi-feral too and I tell people he doesn’t speak “housecat” and does the same thing to one of my girls – and she won’t stand up to him either. There are some sprays and essential oils out there that supposedly help but I have heard mixed results.
Random Felines says what I would have – distract/redirect him if you can.
And I’ve heard mixed reviews about Jackson Galaxy’s Spirit Essences – specifically Bully Remedy (I think that’s what it’s called – I can’t connect to his site at the moment). It might be worth a try.
I’ll post this in tomorrow’s post and we’ll see if there are any other suggestions out there!
Merry and Pippin live up to their namesakes and cause the most trouble in our house; including chasing after the other set of brothers who are 12 years older than them. Pogo is the one they pick on the most, seems to be the same reason as your young lady, he’s the smallest and the most timid of the two and will go into freeze/defense mode just walking into a room and seeing one of them. Which of course puts them immediately into prey pouncing mode. Or when he goes to the bathroom Merry seems to want to chase him as soon as he comes out of it. I guess I’m lucky that he doesn’t actually harass him while he’s using it. Although it hasn’t stopped Pogo from running up onto the bed and peeing on my pillow while I’m using it. All because he knows he’s safe there. UGH! I’ve actually taken him to the box and stood watch just to make sure he’s left alone. Luckily I don’t have to do it every time he has to go. Heh But it has helped. We started using the Feliway back in May and that has seemed to help as well. There was a period of about a month that we had run out and it ramped up again. But within a week of putting in a new plug it slowed down. I also will give Merry and Pippin extra love and attention, when they’re not being naughty boys of course, and that also has seemed to help. Even if it’s just coincidence I’ll take it. LOL
Maybe extra toys that encourage stalking and pouncing will help. Doing the rubbing of a towel to transfer scents too?
I definitely distract him…which also includes picking him up and walking away with him. He is just fine with that. My semi-feral has been more clingy with me as she knows I am the “safe zone”. I admit, I don’t mind her curling up in my lap. She really is super precious.
His behavior isn’t always like that, it goes in cycles. Today, he walked by her and she growled at him (good girl…no running!) The funny thing is he looked at her like she was crazy and she was the one with the problem! I tried the essence in the past and they didn’t do anything.
Thank you for everyone’s input!
I’m totally behind the times here so I doubt anyone is going to see this but I highly HIGHLY recommend the book cat vs cat for learning how cats interact and how to help them keep the peace.
It has been a while since I have read it, I should probably do that again.
I can’t get over how cute the second kitty picture is!IT’s amaaazinnng!
Is it me, or does Stardust (at least in the picture where he is telling us all how he hates it when Phoenix makes him squeal) look a lot like baby Corbie?
Jake is so lovable, it’s too bad he’s on the fence when it comes to kittens. Uncle Jake would make for such a good babysitter.
I think Jackson Galaxy would suggest an out for the kitty that does not want to “play”. Make sure it has and “escape route” such as shelving or cabinets to climb to hang out on and chill until the kitten is tired out. Also, maybe get another kitten for that one to play with. Or you play with it more and wear it out.
She has an out and I put him in time-out. He just cries at the door….pitiful. He has another kitten (1 yr old, he is 8). The kitten wrestles with him allllll the time. They have tons of toys (knee deep) and I do the wands and laser light. Like Jackson Galaxy says, “If you act like bait, you get treated like bait.” He doesn’t/didn’t mess with the other two as they hold their own. But if my semi-feral runs, it is like a dog chasing a squirrel.
For the pouncer, maybe Zylkene?? It comes in a capsule that you sprinkle on their food. My vet prescribed it when my big old boy was spraying inappropriately due to stress in the house. It helped. I give it to him a few days before I leave on vacation and the sitter continues it while I am away.