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Cats with PTSD, other odd behaviours

ElwinB1 Jul 24, 2007 12:17 AM

I have two rescues, a 2yro DSH NM Buzz and a 1yro DSH SF Porsche. Both of them get along with each other very well. Sleeping, grooming, playing together.

Buzz was an alley rescue along with 2 brothers. They lived in one large room in a house until Buzz came to live with me. Porsche was found in a grocery store parking lot at about 5 wks.

Both of them will jump at the slightest sound or movement. They act like my hubby, Michael, who had been diagnosed with Post traumatic Stress Syndrome. Porsche will run the other way when you enter a room until you call her back.

Buzz is my cat and stays with me when I am home, sitting on the back of my chair, sleeping with me. Porsche is my husband's and stays near him at the computer and sleeps with him. (I snore loudly, hence separate rooms)

Buzz has adopted a stuffed pig that was one of my late ferret Saffy's favorite toys. He moves it around the house although I have never seen it in his mouth. One time when I was sick for several days he brought it into the bed and laid it by my head.

Buzz also insists on drinking from my cup of water. He will walk over me to get to the glass on my end table. Thinking he liked the cold water I added ice to their bowl but he prefers my glass.

Buzz is very affectionate with me and purrs, caresses my neck and head with his tail while sitting behind me, curls up in the crook of my knees at night, or sleeps plopped onto my arm.(He has control issues) He and Mike have an uneasy relationship: they ignore each other pretty much. Buzz does not like to be held or picked up, never has.

He is only vocal if I am oversleeping (better than an alarm clock) or if you try to hold him. He hisses occasionally. Since he is a house cat he only gets to into the garage at night after we are home or out on the patio while I have a cigarette. He hisses when I make him come back in.

He and Porsche are both big grass eaters.

I realize this is kind of long but I would appreciate any comments.

Cheers

Replies (1)

PHKitkat Jul 30, 2007 06:54 PM

Hi There,

I don't think there is anything unusual in the ways your cats are behaving. They both had rough starts in life and are nervous because of their feral beginnings. Some ferals never become as friendly and tame as others, even if they are adopted when they are still babies. I have one that I adopted at the age of 8 weeks, who is now 3 years old, and still very scared. He is still hand-shy and if someone comes to the door I don't see him for hours. He is terrified of rain and any unusual noises outside.

It's important in cats to accept them the way they are. I'd be the first one to admit that many of the things they do are strange to us, but they think and feel differently than we do. Nothing that you have mentioned is strange for cats.

Take care,
PHKitkat

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