Uptight Ragdoll....

[crazycatlady1958]

My Ragdoll girl Summer is a very nervous cat and doesn't get on with any of my other cats.

I've had her for nearly 3 years now and she is is SLOWLY, slowly improving (especially since I've been able to give her outdoor time in a harness and long leash in my garden). She's doing really well, but I'd like to see if I can't get her to relax even more and start mixing with the other cats - she's only now just started to sniff around a couple of them without hissing and hitting the roof.

My new vet has suggested a hormone injection which might benefit her called MPA-50. Has anyone had any experience with this injection?.......or heard of anything else which might help her?

[raggiedoll]

no experience with the injection but i know quite a few cats are hyperthyroid and it makes them so angry and moody many have it for years before it begin diagnosed, but some are just moody lol i had a cat Bella for 18 years and she was always like that the only thing that worked with her was being really tough, i would make her deal with the other cats be in the same room have dinner in the same room etc BUT it all depends on the cat some you can move slow with. It is funny though Ragdolls are normally really relaxed and love other cats so maybe its either stubborn behaviour or something medical

[crazycatlady1958]

Thanks for your post Raggiedoll (luv your name!). No-one has ever mentioned thyroid before so that is worth looking into. I'm due to take one of my others to the vet soon for an eye check, so I might take Summer along to get looked at too, and maybe thyroid function tests if the vet thinks it's a good idea, and also ask about that injection.

She gets stressed out so easily I've not had her to the vet in case I cause a setback in the improvements that have occurred in her behaviour, but I guess it's getting to the point that I can't put it off any more.

(PS: The vet does home visits for vaccinations, so she's not missed out on any treatments).

[jennyc]

The only thing I can suggest is feliway and there are some tablets zyklene(?)

I'm looking for someone who can help you.

[crazycatlady1958]

Thanks, I'm in Australia so help would have to be on line.

Actually, I'm taking Summer to the vet on Monday for the injection - nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say - the vet says it can't hurt, and who knows, it may help.

Feliway was the first thing I tried and it did absolutely nothing.

Zylkene, or however you spell that word, isn't available in Australia as far as I can tell, unless it has a different name here which doesn't come up when you do a search for the UK name.

I'll try to remember to ask the vet, as I've heard good things about it.

[jennyc]

We are looking for online help.

It worked with my cat who got VERY stressed so might be worth a go?

[raggiedoll]

its funny my cats dont even react to feliway like its not even there but the thyroid is one possibility i also know of a ragdoll that got adopted he had so many issues especially rage it has taken his owner a while but he is very sweet now. What is your raggies background

[crazycatlady1958]

My Ragdoll Summer originally belonged to my boss. Started out "normal" apparently (came from a breeder who had lots of cats and dogs and Summer was raised among a crowd).

My boss has three small "yappy" dogs, and apparently one of them was hassling Summer.......they tried to "fix" things and persevered for a long time, but eventually decided that Summer's behaviour was getting worse all the time and she was very unhappy, so asked me if I would give her a new home.

We were all hoping that the behaviour would improve in a cat only household, but she had developed a fear of other cats too.

I tried Clomicalm and also Vetalogica Feline Tranquil Formula, and Feliway, and none of them made any difference at all. The former two also caused Summer to have difficulty with urination and defecation.

We had a breakthrough when I discovered that she adores being out doors, so now she's spending most of the day in a harness and lead either in my courtyard or in my front garden.

I can't let her roam - although I doubt she'd go far - as I have an insane cat-hating neighbour who I believe poses a danger to my cats.

She still is fearful of the other cats, but is now VERY VERY slowly allowing the odd approach without an all out hissing match.

Unfortunately, she still gets extremely agitated if I have to bring her indoors when she's not ready, or can't put her out because of the weather.

I am actually going to have my vet give her an MPA-50 injection later on this morning and will advise if this has any effect. Please feel free though to add any of your own thoughts, as of course there's no guarantee this is going to help. I've actually almost gotten to the point of accepting what progress has been made as the best I'm going to be able to do for her, but thought I'd give the injection a shot first.

[raggiedoll]

very strange i do think the developing years were affected here and your raggiee does sound quite stubborn like so many cats lol

is it just you and your kitty?
there are many things we could look at like what is Summer eating

[crazycatlady1958]

Thanks for your concern. Work has been very busy lately and I haven't had much time online otherwise.

MPA-50 is off the market here now as a veterinary drug. It has been replaced for the moment by the "human" version, Depo Provera. Summer had a cat-sized dose of Depo a week ago yesterday, and I can detect a definite improvement in her behaviour and she seems less stressed out.

The vet has also prescribed Valium for use when she is particularly stressed. I used it during a bad storm last week and she was definitely less stressed with using it.

I don't think she's every going to be a "normal" cat, whatever that is but she's calming down, letting the others approach her without an all out hissing match, and she's also HEAPS more affectionate with me which is lovely, and has started purring a great deal more in this last week.

Her diet consists of fresh bickies available all day (refreshed twice a day) and usually one wet meal, which is generally an 85 - 100g serving of a really good quality tuna or tuna/fish mix in juice/fish "sauce".

The biscuits are a mixture of a "cheaper" brand (Friskies) with Hills or Prescription diet t/d or hairball.

All my cats get the same mixture - with there being six of them I can't afford to feed them exclusively on the vet products.

Sorry again for being out of touch.

[raggiedoll]

lol dont be silly i was just checking in on you. Well she is making progress some cats will never be that at ease on of mine is terrified of everything and didnt like the kittens to begin with cause they are manic he will never want to curl with them bbut he doesnt hiss at them. I think it is bit by bit with cats like these small little steps just so they have a more happy life

[raggiedoll]

oh and i would LOVE to see a pic of her

[crazycatlady1958]

Hi again,

As you might notice, I still haven't been successful in transferring my avatar from Photobucket - Somehow the cat's name "Lily" now is visible where the avatar should be, but the picture hasn't appeared.


So.......I don't know what my chances are of getting actual photos from Photobucket which will be visible, but I will try when I have some time - perhaps at the end of the week I might have some time off work. I have trouble getting my photos from Photobucket anywhere, but when I manage to get them loaded onto my own server I do tend to have more success.

I'm not making excuses, so don't give up on me - I'm just absolutely hopeless at learning anything new on the computer - but nearly always get there eventually - usually when there's yet another new technology to boggle my mind.

[raggiedoll]

lol we wont give up on you ;D

I know photobucket sometimes seems to ignore its programming i find pictures are easier i just click on the img code and paste it the avatar could be a size issue

[crazycatlady1958]

It's been nearly 2 weeks since Summer had her MPA-50 injection. After about 3 days I starting detecting subtle changes in her behavior, and this week she's improved heaps. Since she's been getting her outdoor time, she's been quite affectionate towards me, but now just about every time I go outside she seems excited to see me and rolls over for a tummy rub, purring like a Harley Davidson. This is absolutely amazing, as I've only heard Summer purr maybe a half dozen times in the 3 years she's been with me. She is still wary of the other cats, but has started letting Ruby approach her, and is not so nervous about walking about in a room where the others are.

This week she's also started exploring our home for the first time. Believe it or not the only reason she knows where anything is, is because I've carried her around the house. Left to her own devices she's just kept to herself in the laundry or up on the stove where she can keep an eye on everything.

She was also given a small supply of Valium for extra stressful times - I gave her one last week during a thunder storm and it helped her quite a bit, she stayed much calmer than usual.

I don't think there's a miracle drug or treatment for Summer, but I think I've finally found a couple of things that in the long term will help to make her as calm and happy as she can possibly be.