Tyree update

[mikekn]

We've been in a sort of holding pattern for a few weeks, with no real progress. We pen up the girls for a few hours most every day and give him the run of the house, but he never seems to relax during those times. He still jumps at the gate when one of them walks by and spends a lot of his outside time just sitting in front of their room. The only time he does relax is when I spend time with him in his room with the door shut. I've not found a treat that he likes enough to use for clicker training (the original ones were making him sick). I still click before brushing him, but that's not enough for him to really "get it".

On Monday morning I've scheduled a visit from a behavior specialist that our vet recommended. This is an in home visit, so that the vet can get a good feel for what is going on with the various interactions and environment. The end result of the visit should be a plan of things to do and not do to help change the behavior. Here's hoping.

Oh, and it turns out this vet has a website: www.petpsych.com

Comments

[baavgai.livejournal.com]

We've had our Bengal bastard, Parker, for nearly a year now. He's still trying to disembowel his fellow feline housemate. The only time he really rests is to sleep. Simply being still is but a prelude to the next pounce.

While friendly and personable, Parker also seems somewhat socially retarded. Most cats have a well defined sense of space and place. They'll happily walk on your magazine or park themselves on your chest, but they usually don't walk across your face and stick their paws in you eye. At least, not on purpose.

Parker will make you his door mat without apparently noticing. He seems quite oblivious to the social niceties exhibited by most domestic hairballs I've known. Regular cats at least seem aware when they're messing with their humans.

Good luck with the professional help. Let us know if they have any helpful insights.

[mikekn]

Thanks, will let folks know what we learn.

If Tyree behaved the way Parker did when I visited, I'd be fine with it. Here we've been unable to have Tyree in the same room as another cat without him full out charging them intent on harm. No stalking, no pouncing, no playing, just full on fights.

[mare-in-flames.livejournal.com]

Good luck, and I'm really glad you found a specialist to bring in. I wish I could help more, but I'm not there enough to do any actual training (assuming I could) and I'm not as familiar with this problem as I am with some others. So I've been feeling kind of ineffective and worried about Tyree. Please let us know how it goes.

Also, there are plain freezedried beef/chicken/liver/shrimp treats you can get, they are sold as "natural" treats and I've had best luck with them when the cat is barfing on regular cookies. Have you seen those?

[mikekn]

No worries there - thank you for your help getting started.

He had no interest in the freezedried fish treats we have - didn't try any other flavors. I'd been trying dry food treats, but no intrest there either.

[sansobel.livejournal.com]

I wish you best best best of luck!!!!