Cat losing fur...any cat people out there?

[GoingNorth]

If Lala has a bond with Pat, his behavior would be especially likely to stress her out, as would the tension in the house generated by his behavior and the rest of the family's reactions to it.

Has Icicle always felt this way towards Pat, or is this a newer development?

If newer, it may relate to a behavioral change or mental change that you and Bill didn't pick up on, perhaps because it was gradual or slipped under the radar.

Cats is weird, and unlike dogs, they don't "get over" abuse. They may process it and get over the constant fear, but they don't forget.

Thomas has PTSD. He apparently was beaten by a drunk. He allows me one drink, and now stays in the room and will interact with-me while I'm having that drink.

Took a long time to get to that point, as initially the smell of alcoholic beverages scared the crap out of him, and he wouldn't let me near him if he smelled them on me.

Luckily I drink very rarely, as Thomas still doesn't like it. The headshyness that left him after I finally convinced him that i was neither going to beat him or stomp him, comes back if he smells alcohol.

He'll never get over that.

If Lala is attuned to Pat's moods, she's going through a very rough time right now, and that right there would explain the barbering.

 

[GoingNorth]

OK, the Plug in oil diffusers that contain pheremones that calm cats are called Comfort Zone and are made by Feliway.

They also make a spray that you can use on cat beds and such to make them feel cozier to the cat.

Make sure you get the Comfort Zone for CATS, or you might wind up with a very mellow dog.

 

[Nomad]

I'm very upset. About 4-5 weeks ago I found our cat, C., lying on the patio in one lounge chair with a $%#@ racoon lying in the lounge chair next to her. She is not right in the head. I'm sorry if that offends folks. She was found in my front yard in very bad shape. We don't know what the heck happened, but it was something terrible. Honestly, she is a bit goofy. (I can explain another time...still love her though!!!)

I screamed and the raccoon ran like a lunatic and ran right through the screen enclosure and made a hole. (I'm not exactly in love with wild animals up close and personal like that). The cat looked at me like I was crazy. Sometimes I wonder if she thought it was another cat.

We were feeding her outside a lot and often leaving her food outside. Also, we were late trimming our wild tall/bushy bushes in the back. A few days later, I had the bushes drastically cut back. I'm getting rid of any hiding places for a raccoon. AND, we no longer keep food out. She comes up to the door, we feed her, take the food back at night and give her a snack in the morning the same way. We do leave water out all the time though.

I was going to have the raccoon trapped and taken far far away, but they wanted $175 for it. The guy told me if I trimmed my bushes and stopped leaving food outside, there was a 50/50 chance the creature would LEAVE on his own. I do not have any fruit trees and my neighbors do, so why stay at my house?

We saw him one other time shortly afterward, but haven't seen him again. It's been several weeks.

I will very likely get the lawn sprayed for fleas. I probably will bring her back to the vet. I found some "hot spot" spray for cats and have been gently and modestly spraying her on her spots with-o fur at night. Her actual skin looks fine.

QUESTIONS:
The vet told me then and I'm sure she will repeat it...she does NOT bathe cats. I think she should make an exception. Thoughts?

Do you think that $#%@ raccoon has left? How in the world will I know?

Do you think that $#@ raccoon had fleas or mites and gave them to my cat?

UGH! I'm leaning toward sending the trappers out...because I don't want my kitty to end up sick. I knew that raccooon was trouble!

 

[Nomad]

PS what I'm trying to say is do you think the Raccoon made my kitty lose her fur?

 

[GoingNorth]

If they've been competing for food, and/or he's been threatening her, yes. Barbering is caused by stress. I find it unlikely that she's caught anything from him as parasites are pretty species specific.

You do need to make sure the little girl is vaccinated against rabies as raccoons are one of the most common vectors in the US.

I'd get the raccoon removed if only because if they get into an altercation, a raccoon can very easily tear a cat to shreds, and won't hesitate to do so.

 

[Nomad]

They haven't competed for food. Our cat would give anybody who wanted it, her food. They seem to have been pals.

However, I do wonder now that we are not leaving food outside and she is being fed near the house and then I remove the bowl...if the raccoon is still outside, if he will become more desperate for food and become aggressive.

I brought her inside tonight to sleep. She looks content

 

[AnnieO]

GN, Lala originally was cared for by Pat. Once we took away his Xbox access, he lost interest... So maybe 2 months. Enough for a bond, but most of her life, not so much. Still, that makes a LOT of sense!

Icicle liked Pat just fine, as much as anyone else, for several years. Then Rose arrived... Well, even before she arrived Icicle was all over me, then upon arrival she has been Rose's cat. She hasn't been interested in Pat at all for well over 4 years, and runs from him (and has, for years). A "friend" of Bill's (the business partner from Hades) mildly tortured her, around 2008-9 (thought it was fun to scare her and put clothes pins on her tail), so now the only male she actually likes is Bill.