Jackson answers your questions via video.
“Why does my cat… How can I stop my cat from… Can you help my cat…?”
Jackson talks about why he can’t in good conscience offer specific advice to people ‘on the street’ who ask for his cat behaviorist help.
More importantly, he talks about the general approach he uses, empowering you to be your own cat behaviorist. Find out about Cat Journalism, and the importance of your story vs. the story.
We regret that Jackson does not answer questions posted in the comments. This is due to his demanding schedule and the high volume of requests he receives. But most importantly, since he has not met your cat, it would be contrary to his approach for him to give specific personalized advice for your specific situation. That being said, general questions and issues are addressed throughout this blog, in his book CAT DADDY and of course, the show My Cat From Hell.
The advice is great… I had a cat who peed on 3 matresses and after 8 months, I was totally unable to figure out what caused the behavior. I do understnad the journalism piece, but the little problem is that we owners are not as trained as you, Jackson. You’ve seen so many kitties you see them once and pick up the problem much faster than we can. I hired a behaviorist who did not offer any other solution than how to clean up the spots and cover them so the cat would not go in again… but never cared to understand the cat or the reasons behind the behavior.
Jackson, we need more people with your knowledge. There are none out there and the few there are are too scattered to help that many cats.
For regular owners like me, who work and are not in the house to catch the kitty behaving badly, it’s a bit hard to journal what you do not see…. bottom line: we need more lessons, we need more people like you, we need more help… so we can help our cats
Jackson, we need more people like you. But there are not many. I did hire a behaviorist for my
Laurie, I would highly suggest to invest in a kitty cam or nanny cam. Once you get it, you won’t believe what your cat does and when and wish you bought one sooner! It will help you become you’re own behaviorist. Just remember, patience, consistency and TLC will solve your problem!
Christine
Cats are not born trouble makers, they are trained that way, sometimes inadvertently, by their owners. I retrained myself , and my 3 cats followed. No more digestive or litter problems; no more acting out. Becoming the dominant head of the Pride, letting them figure out their own. Now they wait for me to put their food down instead of getting under foot. What humans do so goes their cats.
Lauri,
Did you figure out why this was happening? I have a cat that also pees on the beds. She pees on the guest room beds and I assume it is because she is jealous…so I have to keep all the doors closed. That sucks because I can’t enjoy the entire house and I have to ask guests to close there doors. recently, she went on MY bed! I think she was mad because I left her in the bedroom all day. She just went on my jeans on the floor last night. I think this is because I accidentally shut here out of my room; she went after I opened the door. I don’t know how to stop this. Been trying everything for 5 years now. I love her so much and would never put her down. It’s horrible
Hey jackson! Loooove your show almost as much as i love my black cat hehe
This is the thing, we rescued our cat when he was 2 months old, now he is 2 years old, but the thing is he is soOoo shy and scared of new people.. He hides under our blanket when he hears someone new coming to the house.. How can i make him feel safe????
Thankkkkksss!
Loved hearing about the journal. I adopted and “unadoptable” cat scratching, biting etc. from a rescue. I just had a “connection” to her. (She has a gray heart shape on her chest, what’s not to love?) Anyway, I brought her home where I already had two cats, and journaled day what I did and how it went, and what the other two were doing as well, Watching your show helped me tremendouslly! Within 4 weeks she was socializing with us and the other two in the living area. So exciting and such a feeling of joy seeing her come around. She is now a loving purring, lap cat and runs and plays with the other two throughout the house! Thanks for the encouragement and help you give to cats everywhere, and their “people”.
Pam Tuggle
I need help feeding a kitty that came out of a bush on its last leg i believe we scared each other so i didnt see it 4 awhile then fed for 6months it would come look 4 me i could pet. A lady asked 2 foster it as i talked about it deserving home. Happy then unhappy she said it was 2 big not get along her cat in 3 days said give time rescued cat from under her bed it would not come but 2 me. Could not put out in winter had in seperate rm with litter radio safe places 2 go 2 mths no pee accidents called shelter 2 take give home no one wants help told me boy/neutered. He is big sweet plays does want affection abuse in past from owner/outside? Needs someone devoted 2 him 2 get bond/trust built scheduled x play eat roam i really need 2 talk 2 someone about him i dont want 2 put him outside(.) I already have 2 rescue kittys in a 500sq ft apt. If i did not be mine if it worked out with other cat have not tried that yet because i dont want any one hurt…person said looks bengal and online i saw he does….has a predatory vibe def diff my 2 yet so very sweet/loving but i have 2 b VERY careful not able 2 b around kids 4 sure…NO aggressive play or movements 4 sure or will bite so i just dont know what 2 do so im here…HELP…Read Jacksons book dont have cable tv so her i am Ive been calling him BUDDYBOY he looks like Tony the Tiger in facepaws but black grey bengal body.
I love this and I’m going to use it to investigate why Peabo is growling at the other cats
Laurie, this is why Jackson has Spirit Essences available on his Web site. Review all of them, pick out a few that seem to fit your situation, and then call the Spirit Essences phone number to discuss with the woman that answers the phone. Do you homework first and then when you use the essences, you will see some results. You have to do the homework, you have to do the work, or your baby for whom you are responsible will not improve, will suffer, and it is all due to your lack of help.
Jackson,
Your information about journalism is AWESOME!!!! I haved learned so MUCH from your show, and after seeing all the episodes, I can see how you also use this technique. THANKS for sharing it with us!!! It’s so PURR-fect to see a loyal cat lover!
i need to the best way to have my cat thats outside a lot to be a total house cat
It means so much to me to see my painting in the background of this video.
Jackson,
Lifting a glass of catnip to you! When you were in Portland and some one asked…”My cat does…” and your answer was that you haven’t spent time with their cat so couldn’t answer the question…I wanted to stand up and cheer!!! How many times have I read or heard someone ask that of a horse trainer and get an answer…yet, I know that it was a disservice to both the horse and it’s owner. There are just too many obvious (or not so obvious) things that one can miss, especially when one is close to the issue. It is great that people are looking for answers. Thanks for suggesting the Journal.
P.S. Sweet Pickles is still working his magic on my brother. Eternally grateful from all three of us!
my calico cat is a isabel has been a whack job from day one. shes afraid of everything . i have a cat proof cat so that my other cat cant get in, i tried feliway plug in and some homeopathic drops to go in food dosent work. she refuses to use litter box even though i have used special kitty litter to attract to the box i try to keep it clean . she is a rescue cat she was rescued from abandon house. she is three years old she hides for the most part under a coach. she dose come if the gate is up otherwise my other cat an orange male tabby willnchase her . even if was walking around she would be freaked out ihave never been mean to hear i give her nothing but love help
HI christy,
NO its not a calico problem… I have 3 calico cats. My oldest calico is 5 years old (my sons cat) we lost her during a move, and we got her back after 2 years due a chip in her. anyways she is very loving and playful when she alone is my sons room–meaning no other animails. she feaks out with the 2 male cats enter (tabby). we had to put her on xanax for anixety. and by speaking to pet stores and online research Ive found this collar called SENTRY GOOD BEHAVIOR PHEROMONE CALMING CAT COLLAR. I found it online at petstore.com it is the cheapest for $8.99. it is so expensive in pet stores around $30.00 i went to 3 local shop and did find for $13.99 at petsupermarket. will still trying it out. I soooo hope it fixes your problem.
hi stanford blacker,
Maybe it is calicos!!!! i was just telling christy from a post, no its not calico. because i have 3 and only 1 is nuts.or maybe (split-personality) i dont know. we also are looking for help. took to the vet she put her on xanax for anixety. she is 5 had since 8 weeks old then we lost her for over 2 years she has been back now for a year and a half. she is so scared of the other animals especialy the 2 male cats and male rat terrior the 2 other female calicos no problem. the nutso cat is my sons she stays in my sons room with litter box and food she is trained for the litter box (box is in there due to her not leaving to the liter box area) but if other cats are in there she wont leave the bed and freak out by pooping and peeing on the bed. we put her on xanax for anixety didnt work (just high) and drops was the 1st thing i tried also didnt work and SENTY GOOD BEHAVIOR PHEROMONE COLLAR. is what im RECOMMENDING but it is very expensive at pet stores $30++$$ if want to try cheapeat Ive found was 8.99 @ petstore.com or pertsupermarket for $13.99. hope this helps you.
I have a 10 year old female calico. She is spoiled beyond belief. Love love that cat. She has been spraying constantly, either while standing in her litter boxes, which are cleaned daily, to now soaking my diningroom. She has been tested on multiple occassasions to rule out uti infection etc. She has also started “talking” to us more than usual and is rather sassy!! We cannot eat in our dining room due to the odor. I’m at the end of my tether and would greatly appreciate any suggestions or ideas. It’s getting out of control. Please help!!
Duffy, an orange male about 5 years old, was one of numerous baby kitties brought home by a girl down the street. Kept outside the house as her brother had allergies, he roamed around. Fortunately he was neutered and eventually I began feeding him and giving him attention. Staying outside was rough as a large neighborhood stray tom would continuously attack him. Sitting on my lap on the porch, Duffy would constantly be turning his head left and right on the lookout for the stray who could appear out of nowhere . I took him to the vet for what I thought was a burn on the side of his body which turned out to be severe allergies…later bloody ears–and I gave him a steroid drop on food which cleared up his reaction to something (s).. When I moved to another city I took him with me and thought moving away from a high humidity coastal area with mold would help. Wrong.
Duffy stayed at the vet for over a year for housing reasons. He loved it and the vet worked with his behavior and allergies. She loved him and he got to roam all over the office. Now he is home and I have to continue dealing with his allergies. He is only fed Science Diet D/D (duck), and takes 0.2 ml of compounded DOXY/CLOM/CYP 44/ 3/4 MG /ML SUS at night on food along with a capsule of proviable-DC. A very expensive cat indeed.
I must keep him separated from my other cat (and she is happy about that) as he will eat her food which apparently his system can not handle. He stays in all the time now. Without medicine he is a terror; with correct dosage he is loveable. I wish I could find a shot or a pill or potion or something affordable to help him. And help me afford him. I really need help on this problem.
Sr Galaxy.
First of all a warm greeting from Venezuela, I am an admirer of your program on Animal Planet. I have a short hair kitten American race a year ago (not my first kitten, I have had others before sadly died over time). My kitty is very sweet, gentle, loving and very good with children, this gelding and I have been concerned to care much, but the vet told me that cats sometimes are some days but always return home, and that if spent more than a week is because it was possible that had died: (.. is my case, my beloved Orion is gone from the 3rd of October and today is October 13, I’m really sad and worried, we have searched a lot in throughout the city and we have not found .. I beg Mr Galaxy, that I make not flee anymore if found? appreciate your response beforehand knowing that does not respond to personal mail, but I’m desperate .. no more I say goodbye to add ..
Yvette Larez.
yvetterosanalarez_a@hotmail.com
Is “he” microchipped? Did you post millions of pictures of him all over the place : pet stores,vet,animal shelter and call the animal shelters around your house and maybe even the internet like petfinder.com
Are there any specific hairball remedies that you can recommend?
Tutuola, nosso gatinho de 8 meses, já castrado, tem síndrome de cachorro. Não deixa ninguém se aproximar da gente (mamãe e papai) . Tem q ficar trancado no nosso quarto qdo temos visitas, pq ataca com unhas e dentes…
Help us…
K-Y Jelly has always worked for us. Put it in their mouth when they are making the gag reflex to the hair ball. It will stop the gagging from the hair ball.
I’m hoping you can provide advice. Sometimes when I am laying in bed or on the couch my approximately two year old male cat will jump up, literally SWAT me upside my head, then jump off. It happens so fast and so hard I don’t know what hits me. Other than the obvious – wanting attention – why would he do this?
Much appreciated,
Debbie
I have 4 indoor cats i male and the 3 female male with one especially
female cat fight killing each other and won’t let up for 4 years i lock the females
in my room i hate it… help me it all started when the 2 others males died they
proctected the females…. so tarzan male is really a nice cat plays cuddles scared alot nurses still on the blanket, i love all the cats help i want them all to get along they did for about 2 years until pampers died
then the hell started… please please help love sheryl
Hello Jackson… I REALLY hope you can help me because I dont know what to do!
I have a 7 years old cat named Nicolas, he’s always been quite and caring. We used to live together at my parents house but I had to move to another city because of college. He lived in the new city with me for a while but then went back to my parents and it’s been two years since the last time I saw him. The problem is he pees on everything now, he didnt use to do that, he’s always been very clean and tidy so I guess is a rebelion because my parents leave him alone from time to time to come and visit me (15 days or less). I’m very worried about him, it’s almost impossible to live with him but I want him back and the only way my parents will allow it is If I teach him to behave properly again.
Please help me I dont wanna lose my lovely cat .
Romina Gómez
Hello Jackson, I have 3 cats-two the same age 3yrs.old & one 10yrs.old. I am an animals person big time-I Petsit, have had animals all my life-can make friends w/any animal.. Here’s my problem (I’m at a loss-have tried everything) Third cat 3yr old- I got from my daughter cause she’d poop on her girlfriends cloths on floor-Thought it was because she left her alone..Now she’s doing it in my home but on the same rug, same place (I’ve changed the rug, the litter,took top off litterbox,,put down new rug–it’s always on the same spot-No pee just poop balls. Any suggestions.. Help Please!!
I have a single female 1½ year old cat called Jasmine, she is normally very sweet and affectionate even to a 5 year old in the family. But recently she has become slightly aggressive, not to everyone just to me. Such as when I go up to her and pick her up she bites into my arm and tries to claw me, every time. I hold her with one arm under front legs and one arm under back legs in a seating position and I just don’t understand why she does it. She does tend to hide behind objects when she hears someone walking in her direction aswell. I noticed she always twitches her back alot aswell.
Would love to get back the normal sweet loving cat I adopted
.
Thanks,
Abbie
Here is my story;First to congratulate you,because we wait for this kind of program on animal planet since very long time.On the year 2007 someone give to us Maucat and Samantha (Maucat its a bigger hairy brown with white cat and Samantha all white)But Maucat fight always with her and someday she just found another home.On couple months later a student of my mom give to her Mishka(she is a wild cat)and the same problems with Maucat,he almost kill her,but she stay and Maucat was settle down,couple months later,my brother Mauricio rescue a cat out of jib office.And here is the deal,since Jim comes to home,Maucat and Mishka always fought with him,couple years later we moved;And they both was settle down;And just a few month we buy a toy and I always play with Jim but Mishka doesn’t want too.And another cat (we don’t know if he is homeless,but he is fatty but he is not castration)so since that cat comes to home,Jim goes to pee on my mom’s bedroom(which is where Mishka slept,is her territory)So we don’t know if Jim pee,because of this other cat or because is Mishka territory.hugs
Marcelo
Hi Marcelo, I work with both house cats and feral cats and may be able to help you.
If Jim and Mischka and Maucat were getting along and is now peeing on mothers bed, then the reason is most likely due to the new cat. please get the new cat neutered!!! It’s is very important for many reasons.
the unneutered (not castrated) male cat has very strong odor in urine and he is taking over the home that belongs to your other cats. There is a special way to introduce new cats to a new home. Please visit my website, middle column. I have a Page tab. Titled ” How to introduce new cats”.
Please keep us posted on your progress. Favor due avisarnos como te va con este asunto.
Gracias
Oh I forgot;Maucat haves 5 years old,Mishka 4 and Jim haves 3 years old.
Jackson, I watch your shows a lot. But I’m in a bit of a bind here. I moved in to a house with my boyfriend a few months in we adopted a Russian blue names Pluto. He’s 2 years old and the calmest and most sweetest cat ever. Few days ago I flew back to MD to get my cat of 6 years, Rikku. She’s like a human in a cats body. She’s lived with other cats before in the past and has lived with my parents when they had a dog. I found Rikku one freezing rainy night in Philly and took her in as my own. She was 8 months then. Now that I have brought her to the springs to live with us. She met Pluto the first night here and hissed at him. And has done so for the last couple of days. He has been completely calm when she does this even when she swipes at him, he just backs away. I know this takes time and calmness and patience which I have all the patience in the world. But my boyfriend on the other hand does not. Rikku only hisses and growles at Pluto when he is in her sight or when she hears him. He’s very vocal. She will also charge at him when all he has done is sit at a distance from her. Rikku is my life and I can’t bare sending her back to my parents house. Rikku is a mix of a Russian blue and a tortoise shell tabby. Please help me have Rikku be comfortable with Pluto. What can I do to have this work I’ll do anything.
Chevy,
As you may know Jackson can not answer every question as he has explained on this site but we (cat educators) are here to help. On my website, http://www.rivefrrontcats.com there is a page in how to introduce cats. It’s important they are initially separated. The key is patience, consistency and TLC. This may take days or weeks, but don’t give up. Good luck!
I have a cat that is 1 & 1/2 years old. We are having to give her away due to she chews everything. I hate having to get rid of her, but we can’t handle it anymore. She is the lovingest cat. She will lay in your lap and loves for you to pet her. But, she destroys everything in her path. We were keeping her in my hubby’s shop at night due to coyotes. But, we had to put her outside in a kennel at night due to her destructive behavior. She chewed thru his Depth finder cord on his boat, chewed the handles on his fishing poles, chewed the seats up in a boat, chewed up the armrest on a tree climbing stand, and the list goes on…. We bought that bitter apple stuff to deter her, but to no avail. Basically, we would have to soak everything down. What would cause her to do this? Luckily, my sister is taking her and she will be outside all of the time. The downfall is that she lives near a highway and I’m scared that my kitty won’t last long. Any insight would be appreciated.
Thank you for all that you do! I just adopted a kitten from my local SPCA. After watching the show and following your blog I’m taking a new approach to ownership. Having cats most of my life it’s nice to understand things more clearly now thanks to you. I only hope starting fresh will make my kitten a great cat
hi everyone im looking for some advice i know Jackson is very busy but if any of you know what i can do i appreciate input from anyone, my cat nany is the sweetest cat ever, we recently brought a new kitten to our home, its been almost 2 weeks and they are beginning to get along better, i still isolate the kitten at night to make sure theres no fighting while i sleep, but here`s the thing the little one DASH is very playful and sometimes rough and nany seems to take on the mother role, he tried to breastfeed from her and she allows it and bathes him while he fake breastfeeds, but after a while she gets tired and hisses so then he will get angry and snap at her at this point she sort of wrestles him and bites him what i get from this is that she is trying to show him whos the alpha cat around here in other words “u will not snap at me little guy!” my question is should i allow this? she doesn’t show any signs of aggression like he is its more like showing him whos boss.
ohh Jackson thought u might get a kick out of this, my cat nany does the most adorable things here are a few, she loves playing fetch ill throw the toy and she will bring it to my feet and will literally wait for me to throw it again she can do this for hours! lol she also loves playing with water she will rush to the bathroom when she hears the water running and attempt to bite and scratch the water, she waits for us at the door when we get home and wont stop meowing till we pick her up, she will do anything for treats she already knows how to sit, stand up, jump, get down and give me her paw weird thing is that she enjoys doing it, she knows my hubby wakes up at 5 am so before 5 she begins to lick him and meow to wake him up. can u believe it! lol
anyway thanks for sharing and i aprreciate any input about nany and Dash
Hi Lizzie
Sounds like you have two very special kitties. Here is my recommendation. Play with kitten first to wear him out a little. Kittens have lots of energy and older cats have little patience. I’m going through the same thing now with my 3 foster kittens and my other cats. Only then you can let Dash and Nany play. In time Dash will learn who’s boss and that is normal in pets. Thankfully as you said Nany is not aggressive. They will work it out and also as Dash gets older and neutered it will calm him down.
Good luck!
Hi there!
I happen to be a musician too, but i also translate documentaries from English to Romanian… amongst which… yes… the second series of My Cat From Hell. I also have a cat who is the most gentle in the whole world. but her daughter, my mums cat has got some issues. i will go in december to Romania with my newborn, who will be 9 months then and will know just my supergentle cat. im afraid that the encounter with the other cat wont be too nice. i didnt find anywhere in the website some advice about how to befriend a cat to a baby, but i know Jackson has some exercises (as he stated in the second episode :=)). if you could just redirect me toward some materials, would be great! thanks a million!
Jackson,
I think you’re fabulous and have saved soooooo may kitty lives. Bless you!
My black kitty is four years old, and very sweet. She does have one disturbing habit, however. She loves to chew on wires. Like tv wires, lamp wires, clock radio wires, the wires to my exercise machine (!) She seems to like fat wires, more than thin.
How can I break her of this habit? I’ve tried a spray-on “yucky” spray, but it has not deterred her, and plus, doesn’t last really long anyway~!
Looking forward~~
Kari
OMG thank you so much ! Love your show, love your advice and love your insight!
Help… Thanksgiving vacation is coming and my husband wants to bring our 1 yr. old boys with us. It takes 2 full days to drive there. Of course I’m not sure what to do. We have harnesses and leashes which they have used and we have cat tracking collars with satellite gps. They are extremely out going friendly well socialized cats but god forbid something happened. What to do????????
I have traveled all the way from the East Coast to the West Coast twice with my cats. They did great, I had them in carriers, made sure I had litter available in the car. (they would nudge the carrier and I would let them out and they did their business). I did get a harness, not a collar, but found, with my cats anyway, that they preferred to stay in the car, even when we stopped. One of them would refuse to get out and hide under the seat, rather than take a walk. At night, I planned ahead to stay at hotels that allowed pets, and they would sniff out every area of the room and just settle in for the night. One word of advice! Don’t go through a car wash with a cat in the car! lol They don’t enjoy that! lol Enjoy!
i have 10 indoor pedigree cats and felix my 3 year old ragdoll sprays and pees everywhere except the litter box
he poos in it
he has sprayed on every part of our furniture and weed on everybodys bed clothing bath mat anything left on the floor or sofa
i have 6 litters trays and an outside run accessed through a cat flap in lounge wall
nothing helps
please help the urine stinks
hi jayne!
has he been neutered yet? i had the same problem with my female cat nany after she was spayed it stopped. they spray to mark their territory and attract other cats in other words he may be looking for a hot female cat to mate and hes leaving his scent anywhere he can to achieve that.
yes he is neurted
to be on the safe side since only one of you cats is doing this i would take him to the vet to make sure he doesnt have some kind of bladder problem, my small kitten dash pees pretty much when he feels the urge to do so, sometimes he makes it to the litter box but not always and in his case is has something to do with how active he is hes very playful and like children he gets to distracted and forgets to go to the bathroom, analyze him is there something in his litter box that maybe bothering him? like scented litter, too small a litter box, kitty litter liners causing static against his fur, the location of the litterbox, and of course be sure to keep the litter clean. these are just some of the few things i know that may be preventing him to go in the litterbox but D.W is right if you have 10 cats you should have 11 litterboxes so that may be adding greatly to your problem
he has been checked out at the vets he is healthy
i dont have the room for more litter boxes he uses it for the other im finding more spray marks and in the last 2 days he has peed on 3 dressing gowns
i saw the vets behaviourrist she just wanted to see me, not the cat
she just said its stress so my husband built a run from a cat flap knocked out of lounge wall so they can come and go safe its 12 by 9 foot and 6ft high
he has been in it a few times but the other cats like it more than him
it has not stopped him peeing i thought it would
It was on Must Love Cats – have as many boxes as you have cats plus one. 10 cats = 11 boxes.
thank you sexy cat lady! that was very useful advice now they are getting along better and dash knows when to stop bothering nany they are soo adorable he even breastfeeds from her poor little thing just sucks and gets no milk and nany just lays there and cleanses him while he “breastfeeds” its the only way she can get him clean lol
anyway now im having a diferent kind of problem ive been around cats pretty much my whole life but never have i seen such a destructive cute little thing dash is like an earthquake or a tornado where he passes he leaves a wreck he climbs the xmas tree, hes already managed to destroy 4 plastic balls, hes so energetic that he literally forgets that he has to pee to busy playing to go to the litter box so he´ll be playing then out of the blue sits his butt down and pees and then continues playing, sometimes he makes it to the litter box in time, he bites on everything i know u may all think that this is normal kitten behavior but is something u have to see to understand ive been around many kittens b4 and while they are energetic they were not so hyper to the point that they are destructive seriously its like hes on speed all the time except when he sleeps, i even tried keeping him awake so he wouldn’t be so energetic but he just got really pissed off and fell asleep anyway, hes got toys to play with and a scratching post with dangling thingys and a hiding place box i built for them, he jumps insanely high and far for a small kitten, if my house is a mess now i cant imagine what it will be when he grows and really learns how to take big jumps, has this issue been covered on any of my cat from hell episodes? if not Jackson i would love to see something like this so i can learn from what u do, cause last thing i want is to have to keep him in a room while im not home, if anyone has experienced this i would love your advice
thanks!
I think the cat journalism idea is a fine one. I was very exasperated with my cats as there seemed to be a lot of bickering between Peabo and everyone else. I thought why is everyone picking on Peabo? So I approached the story from a journalistic viewpoint and observed that Peabo starts to play with the other guys but if they play back she gets loud. Peabo was starting it every time.
Now finally a catio was built! Everyone loves it except when Georgie first went in he reverted back to being growling hissing aggressive only to me Cat From Hell. Watching the show has helped me deal with him so I have tools now but yes I was scared! He’s a big guy. I think the smells outside pushed him over the edge.
Please get rid of those awful commercials for My Cat From Hell. I fear it gives cat haters justification for torturing cats. It makes cats look like demons that deserve to be tortured (in the minds of demented individuals). I have 3 cats and cannot imagine the horrors inflicted on these SWEET, GENTLE creatures. To portray them as screeching, scratching, biting, hissing little monsters just makes cat haters hate them more.
Yes, sensationalism sells but these commercials are just not accurate when it comes to the true nature of cats. There must be a better way to advertise the show.
Christine, this is Christine.
I completely agree with you. As a cat educator and marketing professional, there is a better way to promote the show.
I absolutely love the show as it gets the main point across–the problem is the owner, never the cat. However, to your point, the commercials (that promote My Cat from Hell) are misleading to the mass public that does not know anything about cats. Therefore it cements the misconceptions and further hurts the adoption of cats, the willingness to understand cats, etc. There is a better way and the directors and producers need to work with marketing professionals (not advertisers) that have a deep sense of cat education. Also, I would strongly recommend working with focus groups.
I would encourage other cat owners, cat educators, etc. join the bandwagon to get this important message to the right people. This time Jackson Galaxy needs our help! And we’re ready to help!
Wow! Well said!
Maybe everyone should quit crying, and offer to pay him for advice. This man gets paid for this mess, and you guys want free services.BTW my cat is a fat Jerk. I am sure yours is too. I was on here looking for advice on cat food, because my cat is very active but yet hes getting fatter. idk why he getting so fat.
I have three cats and the oldest one Macaroni keeps waking us up in the middle of the night. I googled what to do and it said to play with him before bed and it will tire him out. We have tried that and it hasnt worked yet. I also make sure he has food and water before bed and he still wakes us up. What do I do ??
I have a 7-month old kitten (from the rescue shelter) – got him at 9 weeks old. He had a brother but he had to be put down at 11 weeks – serious kidney/liver problem. They came from a litter of 11 cats. DiNozzo (yes, I watch NCIS) is neutered and declawed (still kneads and scratches on sisal-rope post) and we play fetch a lot. He will bring the toy to me, drop and wait for me to throw it – and repeat till he gets tired/bored. He likes to climb on everything – only a problem with breakable stuff which I have moved. The problem is that in the last month or so (since declawing) the playful biting of legs, ankles or hands has turned into out and out attack. There doesn’t seem to be a trigger – it can happen walking into the bathroom to take a shower, at night when he has been sleeping on the bed and suddenly will stare at me (while reading) and launch at me, while I am watching tv – doesn’t matter what I am doing. His pupils get huge and he goes at me. Once I have either thrown him out of my bedroom for awhile, he usually comes back in, hops up and goes to sleep (sometimes it takes a couple of times). Other times I very loudly yell NO or use the water pistol in the face. He has jumped at my face and head. Any ideas? I wonder if something was wrong with his litter to start with. I so do not want to put him down – when he isn’t being psycho kitty, he is as sweet as they come. LG
I need help! I have two cats, Jazmyne, who’s almost 7 years old and was just diagnosed with the onset of renal failure; and Violet who’s almost 3 and very healthy. I’ve had Jazz since she decided to adopt me 5 years ago and we have a beautiful relationship …she and I are kindred spirits. Two years ago I decided to adopt Violet from a local non-kill shelter and she is just the sweetest and most curious kitty I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. I love them both so very, very much! However, they don’t have the same love for each other that I have for them both. Since I brought Violet home, she and Jazz have never gotten along. I’ve tried everything that I can possibly think of and I still have no luck. Is there any advice or help that you might be able to offer. I’m concerned that with Jazz’s deteriorating health that the stress she has from the disputes between her and Violet will exacerbate her condition. Thank you!
Here’s my concern beyond any possible anxiety or fear or what-have-you that could be causing my cat to act up — you can’t change your entire life to appease your cat! I know that my cat’s “bad” behavior is just that — behavioral. I had him checked out by a vet recently to eliminate any possible medical causes. His opthamologist says, “cats hate change.” (He has FHV.) Yeah, I get that — most people hate change too. But just because your cat can react negatively to change doesn’t mean you have to avoid 1) going away on vacation, or 2) having a friend stay with you for a week, or 3) putting up Christmas decorations, or 4) rearranging the furniture, etc.! If every time I do something “different” means he’s going to poop outside his litter box or yowl in the middle of the night to show his displeasure, what is the benefit to having a cat? Because at some point, you start getting anxious yourself in anticipation of the bad behavior, and it becomes a vicious circle! So … now what?
I have a male cat 7 months old and weighs 11 pounds and I have a newer cat 6 months old and she weighs 4 pounds. Both strays. When bringing the female into the house for the first time I put the female in a large cage to give her time to meet the other kitten. From the first minute they were introduced the female arched her back and hissed and growled. The first out of cage introduction was awful. The female arched her back hissed at the male and I could not grab one of them before the male attacked the female and hurting her. I now live with one cat living in lower end of the house and the other living upstairs. It’s awful and I want so much for them to get along. I am afraid to put them together after the first attack because I am afraid he will hurt her again and she is so tiny. I have watched your show over and over and have not seen this particular situation. PLEASE help.
Jackson you and your efforts are amazing.
Please give an update on your cats. We are trying to add a second cat and it is not going well. I’ve been told to hit the resident cat with paper if he goes after the new cat but that seems so wrong, I can’t do it. I’m sure he is just trying to protect his space. Looking for answers, don’t want to take the new kitty back, we have her on a trial adoption.
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Hi Jackson:
I love your show, but I need some advice. I have 2 cats (female, spayed) 9 & 3. My 9 year old was fine up until a few days ago when she started using my bed as her litter box. She won’t leave my bedroom. I’ve tried completely changing the litter and cleaning the box. She even sleeps with me at night and I play with her and her toys. Sometimes she growls, sometimes she purrs, what am I doing wrong?? HELP!!
Liane
I just need a quest answered from anyone, really.
I have a cat that is extremely territorial, and I am not sure how to get
him to stop spraying. He’s been neutered.
I feel bad asking yet another question when I know how busy everyone is but I’m not finding answers anywhere else. So this is out to all the cat people. I have a 10yr old fixed male short hair of mixed breed. He is normally a very nice and loving cat. He doesn’t like small kids too much but just leaves them alone. No aggressive behavior. Recently he started sleeping in his litter pan frequently. There have been no family or household changes. He has several perches and safe hidey holes he used to frequent but has been ignoring. He is either climbing on us as high as he can get and trying to sleep there or sleeping in the litter pan. He has also taken to trying to get closet doors open. We have those sliding accordion doors so he can do it when he tries hard enough but we try to stop him because we don’t want him locked in there. There is no sign of pain or illness. He is eating normally. I know from the show sleeping in the litter pan is a sign of something happening. We keep it scooped once a day, but still…eww. Is it possible he just likes the space and everything is okay or should we be concerned and what can I do about this?
Thank you to anyone reading or answering.
Susan
Hello, we are from Veracruz, México… and we love ur show….!!!
We have 5 female cats and 3 male cats…. the problem is that the 3 male cats, pee EVERYWHERE -.- and its sooooooooooooooooooooooooo frustrating because we dont know why they acting like that…. beside we tell that NO, STOP, and bla bla bla… my cats doesnt stops…. we begging u to tell us what can we do or why they doing that…. thanks a lot for ur time, and we love u
I actually know this one…I think. I’m just a random fan and not as knowledgeable as Jackson. Male cats are super picky about litter pans. You almost have to have a separate litter pan for each male cat. They don’t like to share, and they won’t use it if their paws have to touch someone else’s dooky. Then you need to clean it daily. We rescue a lot of stray cats and when one of them is going all over the house giving them more litter pans has fixed it. When you catch them at it grab them by the scruff of the neck (make sure you support the feet too) and put them in the litter pan. Male cats are really weird about things like this and it will take some time to get the point across.
Hope someone on this thread has some advice: I cannot get my cat to play – or it takes 15-20 minutes of me pulling his feather toy – really working at it and then he may decide to get active. He is, of course, most active & will play right away at like 2 a.m. I got him from the shelter in October, they said he was a stray & he does not self play – only interactive. He’s 2 years old and he’s about 1-2 lbs overweight-which have been working on. He only likes to ambush things-probably from living outside. Once I get him going he will run and jump to catch his feather toy – but problem is sometimes I have a hard time sticking with it to get him to play (he needs the exercise). I tried the treat ball thing – no go. He is a very laid back cat – never ran under the bed or seems scared about anything. I’m pulling his feather he might decide to slap out a paw on it – and yawn. He does not like catnap – will turn his nose up and walk away from anything with catnip on it. Help-how can I get my kitty to play.
Hello, I have two brothers now almost 2 years old. I adopted at 3 months and in the beginning I couldn’t find a toy to keep Ambassador Sam’s, Buddy for short, interest for more than 20 seconds. And yes both my boys don’t like catnip, I have never seen or heard of that before. So I still have yet to find the perfect toy but I made it a point to have play time at the same time every day. I just kept trying, sometimes after about a half hour I would give up but I did it everyday. It took a while before he started responding more actively, but he did and now he does. Some days I’d swear he was doing it just for me. Of course I am only telling you my experience, I keep our schedule and these days he’s ready to play. Sometimes I have to space out the time like ten minutes here and then wait and try again. Oh and he seems to like toys that have a sound, not a shriek but a rattle or music. Hope that helps – take care
I have two sisters who are six months old now. They are so busy playing with each other they aren’t interested in toys very much and they remind me of Dr Seuss’s thing one and thing two. One toy they do like is a gizmo that looks like a little plastic spring. About 3″ x 1″ this thing really travels when they bat at it so they really get a workout chasing it. Then they pick it up and carry it around as it is was a mouse they caught. Very cute. I think cats have to be a certain age to “appreciate” catnip. Good luck!
im an idiot………my friends and i got together and just watched our six toed white cat , that i wrote to you about last night.
well.today is really another day ! i never thought about just watching him for clues about why he does horrible things. he not even 6 mo.’s old yet and he hugh !….we fiqured out that he’s bored. so…he wants to be in charge and is confused due to his age. now i need to fix all the stuff i’ve done wrong on trying to live with him. it’s not his fault. he’s young and bored. now…to try and see what he likes and will he forgive me??? any ideas …anyone ?thanks dude.
I am not sure where to post this but need some help. I have a lovely 11 year old adoptee cat. I have had her for over a year. She had a very hard life before she came to me including being surrendered twice including once where they said just to put her down. She is a lovely old cat with a wonderful purr and personality. As soon as I got her she started to howel if I left the room or was not with her when she woke up. It has been over a year and she will howel at night so loud that my neighbours can hear it. I have tried the pharamone difusers but they didn’t help at all. I live in a house with people and animals upstairs and below me so there is always some level of noise going on so she isn’t alone. I can’t have her sleep in my bed as I am a very light sleeper and her getting up in the middle of the night wakes me up. The added problem is that she has mild epilepsy and is prone to seizures if under stress. I have talked to my vet about getting another cat but was told that could cause more seizures due to the stress. Any suggestions?
I just love to hear about people who adapt older cats. They’ve usually paid their dues and deserve a loving home. My older cat was adopted when he as eleven, he’s 22 now. He used to meow nonstop at times. I found that if I allow him in the room with me at night he’ll settle down and sleep all night. He just needs the security of knowing I’m there. If you absolutely can’t do that you might try letting her have an old sweatshirt with your scent on it maybe wrapped around a hot water bottle to reassure her that you’re still there and she hasn’t been abandoned again. Good luck and chirps and “head butts” from my cat to yours!
Hi to all. We have 6 cats. The one in question is my 10 year old sons– 5 years old cat. I adopted her 5 years ago. I had to declaw her due her being to rough.(only 1 without claws) at this time we only had 1 other cat. then shortly after that we lost her. we had a chip in her. so she was found over 2 years later. we were overjoyed to get that call. we went down to the shelter to pick her up. so happy. she seemed fine. took her to a new home with 5 other cats. and 2 small dogs. she only stays in my sons room. will not leave the room she is scared to death of the other animals. she will only love on the female dog when she goes on my sons bed. any other cats come in she freaks out- if on the bed poops and pees. we took her to the vet and the vet put the cat on alprazolam (xanax) for anxiety. its not working. sure shes mellowed out (high). but its not helping. we have so many toys and 2 tree houses. we want out of the room and happy with rest of our family. we took her to the family room. she just darts back to the bedroom. we had to put a litter box and food in his room. what else can we do? please someone help. finding another home is not an option
My 2 year old female cat who loves my fiance at one point then goes and put wholes in his arm. it’s getting to the point that I am afraid I will have to get rid of her. He has never done anything wrong to my cat willow he loves her like it’s his baby loves to pet her, but she only allows it for a few minutes then turns on him and draws blood every time. please help me to save my baby and my relationship.
Oils
If1eel boyfriend has done something cats Spence if you care for them so get rid of him
Here’s my problem . . I took in a stray several months ago who is housebroken so must have been abandoned. She is a calico and I’ve heard they are really temperamental but this gal has the personality of a charging rhino and she seems to really hate men. Turned out she was pregnant when I took her in and she would literally lunge at any guy who got too close to her and her kittens but us girls could even pick them up for awhile and she’d be fine with that. Go figure. Three months ago she was spayed (altered?) and I thought she’d become more docile by now but she’s still not there. Most people won’t approach her d/t her “rep” anyway but she now has singled out my ginger cat to where if he sees her he will run for cover. I’ve never seen him move so fast! Is she still “protecting” her kittens? Does she need more time to adjust? Is this a calico cat issue? If anyone knows what’s up with her I’d really like your input. Thanks, christy.
sure wish the cat man would answer our questions. or get somw one to do it for him. we NEED some help out here. he has a video”cat mojo” it’s helpful , but not on certain issues. just wanted to know about yours also…wish he would answer.
HI All,
I have a 13 yr old, male, very healthy Maine Coon. Loves attention, being brushed and is very friendly with people. However, the last couple of years he has been tormenting me in the middle of the night. He will jump up on my dresser, meow and play with things until I wake up. I have to lay a towel down on it at night to cover anything he can swat at. Mind you I make sure the water filter is full and his food bowl is full at night. If he isn’t jumping up on the dresser, it’s my night stand and again walking across my head to do so while meowing and swatting at things on the stand to knock them off. It’s one thing if it’s me, but it literally caused issues my last relationship. My ex was fine with him and even took allergy pills (HORRIBLE allergies) but in the middle of the night, BOOM, there he was jumping up on him and waking him up and pawing at things all night to wake me up as well. Almost like a jealous child who didn’t want to share me. I am at my wits end from my sleep being disturbed EVERY night as well as the idea I don’t want to have a boyfriend stay the night due to the psycho cat. Almost ready to adopt him out…If anyone has any ideas, please share.
Gee, my Maine Coon is only 5 years old and he does the same thing. You know, cats are nocturnal, so usual for them to be active at night. Do you give him a good hard play before bed time to try to wear him out? At 13 he may not be enthusiastic about this – but probably could be enticed. My cat will wrap himself around my head at night if he wants food (unfortunately, mine doesn’t really eat much dry food), or attention. Usually, I have him a little bit of petting and set him down and he’s fine. When he’s very active playing he seems to “see things” on the walls even & meows at apparently nothing. As you have already discovered, you could arrange it so he couldn’t jump up on your dresser or night stand, or moving things off of it, so he has nothing to knock off. Evidently, you don’t have a bedroom door to close?? If you have had him all of his 13 years, adopting him now that he’s in his old age and not likely to bond as well with others seems a bit harsh. It may be he’s just getting old and has some neurological issues going on – have you tried taking him to vet for evaluation?
I’m not a cat expert, just a fan who has learned a lot and I rehab strays a lot. Maine Coons need a lot of play. He may be so active at night because he wants more attention from you during the day…especially evening. Cats aren’t really nocturnal, they are awake most at sunrise and sunset. You need to set a bed time routine. Play a lot, get a harness and take him for a kitty walk, and maybe make some perches for him by the bed. I’ve seen Jackson make a special kitty bed by the big bed in a similar situation with a touch of catnip and comfy stuff. If the kitty is your primary room mate he may actually be jealous of your boyfriends. I think when you have one you want to be spending the night fairly often or even move in, he needs to offer a lot of play and kitty walks in the evening too. Kitty needs to feel loved and like this new guy is going to be okay sharing mom’s bed. In any case worth a shot, just make sure you keep going with it for a few weeks before you decide this isn’t working.
man-o-man can i relate !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. im only 2 months into this new behavior, sooooo my advise may not be the most relayable yet.
we put ”buggers” in his QWN cat corner house. it was worth every bit the cost. it’s sorta like a furnished condo for a cat, but a large cage. we got it at ‘merdocks’ along with a calming collar. wow…he loves his ”cat racked out ” cage it’s tall and lots of space in it. we put a bed in a tree stump with toys and a small liter box at the bottom. he’s sooooo cool now. he goes in there by himself and we dont even close the door anymore. he knows it’s just for him. <3 the collar is the best NATURAL invention since kibbles !! try it only when you want him calm…not for regular use. all natural so no harm will come from it. our cat gets so sweet when he wears it that he looks like cheech and chong !! lol…you can contact me also. good luck !!
Hi Jackson
I love your show, you are such an awesome person and the way you pick up the problem so fast is amazing.
I just added a 2nd cat to my home a 11 month old tortishell, but my 6 year old cat is not liking it one bit. There hasn’t been any cat attacks but there has been a lot of hissing and growling on the 6 year olds part.
I live in small apartment just my room,my room mates room and the main kitchen/living area and bathroom. Any advise on how to help them get along.Thanks.
Hi Christa – I just read your post – and was wondering what progress if any, has been made? We are in a very similar situation right now and it’s devastating to us. Please give us some hope – and I pray your cats have become friends.
Hi Jackson,
When I came home yesterday I noticed that my cat is scared of something but I don’t know what it is. She is 3 years old and we had her since she was a baby. She is walking low with her tail done, her eyes are dilated and she just seems paranoid. She is eating and still using the litter box. Please tell me what is wrong with her. I don;t know what to do. We tried comforting her and she is still freaked out.
Hope to hear from you very soon.
Thank you,
Michelle
Hi everyone and hi Jackson! I have a concern about my cat and I figured you would be the best person to talk to about it.
We adopted our cat in September 2012. Our cat is 2 1/2 yrs old, she is a Russian Blue and has all the personality characteristics of that breed, and when she was a kitten the owner says the end of her tail was broken. She has a lil nub at the end of it but it doesn’t hurt her. Anyway, for the most part she is adorable and sweet and very attention-seeking. She follows me everywhere and sometimes vocal. On occasion tho, she will just snap and start hissing at us for no reason or if there is any kind of sudden movement. This morning became the straw that broke the camel’s back. My boyfriend was not making any sudden movements, did not do anything out of the ordinary, and he was just sitting on the couch and our cat was sitting behind his head. He didn’t know she was there and it startled him so he jumped up, and she started hissing and growling like never before, and even almost started to advance toward him!
Everybody, I know we probably need to talk to a vet, and other than that I’m not sure what else to do. I don’t want to lose her, but it’s gotten to the point his daughter is afraid of this cat. Do u know what we can do? We really don’t know what else happened when she was a kitten, and how she was treated. Just looking for answers.
Thank you!
@Skye- please don’t be so judgemental. I posted here for help. I love my cat more than anything, but has been a difficult process in general. Yes, I have a door. He paws at it incessantly if I close it. Yes, I’ve been to the vet with him. That’s how I know he’s incredibly healthy at his age. @ Susan- I’ve been considering the perch because I saw Jackson do this a couple of times and had success. I’ve taken the kid of of his extra large litter box as well and some of the behavior is already changing for the better. He actually likes to play so I appreciate the feedback on play before bedtime. He may even walk on a leash as well. Again, I appreciate the help and any other POSITIVE feedback is welcome!!!
I have always had cats. I love them. My sister and brother had 18 cats at one time. My sister passed away in January 2012 and my brother in October 2012. At the time there were only 5 cats left. I live in another state, but I brought them all home with me. I turned my garage into a “cat room” (carpet, a/c, heated, drywalled, but you can still tell it’s a garage). We put my brother’s queen sized bed in there and they have plenty of room and get along very well (three neutered males and one female). The other female was always getting beat up by her brother (one in the garage) so I added her to the household, where Snuggles is queen of the bedroom and is not letting Hershey into her world. Snuggles and Dixie are all right together and they both have good litter habits. Hershey has not be allowed to use their litter box, so I got her one of her own. Well, Snuggles decided to use it too. So Hershey poops on the carpet in various places in the bedroom now. But I haven’t found any urine from her on the carpet, so I think she really wants to use the boxes and does that when she can. She doesn’t bury her poop, and so I find some sometimes in the box, uncovered and apparently it has been when Snuggles hasn’t been looking. How can I get Snuggles to accept Hershey and get Hershey to poop in the box? We are about to “re-home” her, we can’t take the poop on the carpet business.
Good evening Jackson from Al Ain in the UAE. How i wish you could come and visit us. We have three beautiful cats. Phoebe is the eldest 7 Years, Boetie is 5 years and the baby Rabbit is 3 years. Phoebe and Boetie are Arabian mau’s and Rabbit is a Manx. Phoebe and Rabbit are girls. Phoebe is very scared, does not really make a lot of contact – strictly on her terms. Boetie is a softy, mama’s boy and gets along with everybody and also believe everybody loves him. Rabbit is a cuty but can turn into a tasmanian devil when she sees Phoebe. It usually turns into pee, hair and a some broken stuff. Rabbit literally looks where is Phoebe and then chases her. They can be together in the same room if Phoebe is on top of the air conditioner and Rabbit on the floor. I have just now started to give them food on either side of the door. Previously Rabbit would eat in her room and Phoebe and Boetie would eat together. Boetie also gets very nervous with strangers. He also gets anxious when i leave and then he will pee against the door, or if he wants to gou outside and i do not want to open the door.
Oh dear that makes it sound like a disfunctional househould and i do believe that we can change some things to be able to make all our babies happy. They are so special and we love them dearly.
I do hope that i can find some solution to make it a peacefull household
Oh forgot to say – i love the show!!
Marian
We are 16 days into trying to introduce a second cat into our home. The resident cat, is a rescued male tabby we have had now for about 5 years. He came from a shelter and lived with many other cats. The new cat, is a two year old calico named Mya. We have her in a safe room separated with a 2 baby gates. They seem to be ok as long as they are on their own side of the gate. As soon as we try to put them in the open space – our tabby chases her and corners her – and fur flies. It’s devastating to us – we want to keep her, but it truly seems that our tabby will not allow her in the rest of the house. Neither one have any litter issues or eating issues. Please, please – if you read this, help us. I did buy feliway spray but haven’t noticed any impact. We really want to make this work.
We are having similar issues but not as bad. Our resident cat is a 5 year old female. Her sister died in Feb. We rescued a young male. He is leaping on her and she is hissing and running away. they eat together and use the same litter box. She doesn’t always run but most of the time. They have groomed eachother and then it turns into the biting and hissing. I’m ok with waiting, it’s been over 2 months, but my BF is very upset. I’m hoping for some advice, myself.
Hang in there!
Hi Joyce,
Is the young male cat neutered yet, if not, get that done right away. It’s good they can eat together. You can try to play with them at the same time in the same space so they feel comfortable together in the same space – and they will be more tired and not jump each other.
Our situation was a trial adoption that did not work out. Our resident cat absolutely would not accept the trial. I will hope that your situation works out better. Good Luck to you.
I need help. I have a cat that I saved from getting killed by a pack of dogs. She is in a loving home now, but She will not allow me to bathe her. She goes crazy. She has even been banned from the groomers. I have no other alternative at this point but to have her sedated at the vets office and have her bathed. Help!
i have a male cat since he was 7 weeks old he is now almost 5 years old and is like 28 pounds he is tempermental mostly growling at people that enter the apartment not all just some but in the past week he has come at me twice the first time he got my leg pretty good it freaked me out he has never acted like that before towards me im not sure what the problem is and i dont know how to handle it i love my cat very much i just can have him acting this way and scaring people any ideas?
Hello. My BF and I just rescued a cat from city kitties in Philadelphia. He is a young male. We brought him into our home because our cat Dusty died this past February. My BF felt her sister, Spot, our other cat, needed a companion right away. Spot is certainly missing Dusty. However, she is 5 and calm. Chip, our new kitty, is young. My BF feels Chip is bullying Spot. But, I see it as play. Although, Spot is hissing a lot and running away, she doesn’t hide and mostly follows Chip around. My BF is mourning the terrible loss of Dusty, so I believe he may be reading things into Spot’s behavior that are his feeling not hers. I am desperate to keep Chip and hopefully have the two cats become better friends. They have groomed each other and then, Chip will bite spot and the hissing starts. Can anyone give us advice, please.
I disliked cats. My husband tricked me by asking me if I wanted a dog. When the dog arrived he said he was not going to live without a cat and brought it home. I hate her on the counter (he puts her there as well as her jumping on it), I don’t like her fur on me my cloths nor furniture ( he loves it). I hate the smell of cat poop on the house ( he might clean the litter box out twice a month). There is litter all over the house. he doesnt feed it or groom it. on the rare occasion that he is home he may play with it for 5 minutes,maybe once a week. He says he will never live without one. I dont want her never did, and have allergies.He is constantly trying to get rid of the dog. I’m sick of it and want both animals out of the house. Ready to file for divorce after 8 months of marriage!
We have a female Calico ish cat who is about 6 yrs. old. 1 yr. ago she had 3kittens 2 females and1 male who was the runt of them all, we gave the 2 females to my Son and his family and we kept the little boy (who by the way is now bigger than his mom). Princess had a hard time getting Boots to stop nursing so she finally started growling at him and smacking him with her paws. eventually he stopped and they were great together. Then one day out of the blue after she went into heat & then out of it she started to attack Boots. Princess wanted nothing to do with him. We got them fixed in hopes that would work and it did for a couple of months, then it started again with her going after him. They do chase each other and play sometimes but not often enough. We are at our wits end & do not know what else to do. It’s not to the point where she hurts him. Any advice would be nice. They are both very Loving cats & love to be in your arms or on your lap, we would never dream of giving either one of them up.
Hi Jackson & cat lovers,
Love the show, being a cat person and now having my boyfriend on the cat wagon, we find ourselves watching your show constantly to learn more about our babies.
We’ve always had indoor cats but this past fall a kitten ended up on our door step. She must have known it was the local cat house. Our indoor cat, Dakota, took to her immediately and he grooms her constantly with such love and attention. We named her Sophie and she has certainly become my little girl.
However, due to her nature of being born outside now that it is spring, she cries to go out. I was really worried at first, but she scoots out the door so quickly we have finally let her roam during the day and she sleeps in at night on my pillow, she is very attached to me.
So here is our problem, she is a very advanced little hunter. We are amazed at her speed and skill, she is like a cheetah.
I know this is typical behavior for a cat to hunt and bring gifts, but we have never had an outdoor cat before. She is now bringing us gifts daily and our vet chuckles and says she must love us a lot. At first, she started out with lizards, then chipmunks
moles, baby birds and now baby rabbits.
As of this evening, we now have an injured baby rabbit that we rescued from Sophie and can’t find any vet who will treat a wild rabbit and have been told it will probably die. We have put a loud bell on Sophie’s collar to at least give the animals some kind of warning, but she is now catching about two small animals a day and leaving them sometimes alive on our door step which is upsetting my daughter greatly and making her not like Sophie.
Jackson, our only solution is to keep Sophie indoors all the time, but I view this as cruel when she watches out the windows begging to go out and play.
I try to show Sophie how proud we are of her for being such a good hunter and providing us with food, but being the animal lovers that we are, my family is not taking to her hunting very kindly. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi, I have a 17 year old female cat that has been pooping on a rug or the carpet, not near the litter box, for about a year now. I do have 2 other cats but they all get along fine and she is the sister to one of the other 2. She does have hypothyroidism and is treated for it with a cream. I have had her checked out by a vet and that’s when we found out about the hypothyroidism. Her levels are normal now and have been for several months now but she continues to poop everywhere but the litter box. She does urinate in the litter box though, this is only a poop issue and the poop is normal most of the time. I have shampooed carpets, thrown out rugs, bought new ones, soaked with Lysol, you name it. Any advice on how to correct this issue?
Hi Kristie,
Yikes! A few of thoughts. You can reach out to the folks at Jackson’s online store to see if they have any insights. You can contact the Int’l Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (http://iaabc.org). Or…you could also answer the current casting call for My Cat From Hell here. Good Luck!