Guest sheila Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 Jane and Mandy seemed OK at first but after a cpl wks Mandy began to hole up in the basement. She wouldn't even come up to eat, but would stand at the bottom of the steps and yowl. I finally began feeding her down there. Last night I brought Mandy up and shut the door so I could observe what was going on. She hung out in the corner of the kitchen crying and mewling while Jane stood in the door looking at her curiously. Then Jane slowly walked up to her with her head down and her tail wagging and sniffed Mandy (I was sitting right by Mandys side). Then Jane opened her mouth and started to put it around the scruff of Mandys neck, except it wasn't like a lunge or an attempt to bite her she was very gentle.It was like she was trying to pick her up like a puppy! Of course we can't have this. I'm not sure what (if anything) I can do to change this dynamic. Mandy is spook who spent 90% of her time hiding before Jane was here. I can see how Mandys whining and crying could make a retired broodies instincts kick in, but this could lead to disaster. Of course Mandy could continue to live in the basement I suppose, but that makes me feel bad for her. Mandy was my DD's cat that she left behind when she went to college and promised to take when she was ready. Since then she has adopted two other cats and has made it clear that she is never taking Mandy. I can't say I totally blame her, Mandy has never been 'quite right' in her head anyway and she's not much fun. She's the cat that lives here that I feed and vaccinate, but she's not really a pet. I still hate to think that she has to spend the rest of her life living in the basement alone. Before Jane was here she used to at least come hang out in the same room in the evenings. I don't think rehoming Mandy is an option because she is 12 yrs old and cats are a dime a dozen around here. Nobody is going to want a 12 yr old spooky/unfriendly cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OwnedBySummer Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 (edited) I had a cat like that before Summer came in May 2010. I could never get Summer to stop trying to eat her... so I rehomed the cat. She was 9 and went to a home with another older kitty. And surprise! -- she did great. Another cat was what she needed. Perhaps you could look into that? Edit: I don't mean to GET another cat. I mean to see if someone with an old cat will take her on. Edited January 21, 2011 by OwnedBySummer Quote Lisa B. My beautiful Summer - to her forever home May 1, 2010 Summer Certified therapy dog team with St. John Ambulance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sheila Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 the chances of finding another home for Mandy in this area are 0. The shelters are overflowing as it is with warm and friendly adoptable 'pet quality' cats and kittens. Believe me I've tried finding a home for her and nobody wants her. Putting her into a shelter situation where she would languish in a cage.... I can't do that. She hates other cats, dislikes most dogs and ppl. She's better off being a cat that lives in my basement. I would like to find a way that she could come upstairs and feel OK about it. I really don't think Jane wants to hurt her, but Mandy just doesn't see it that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robinw Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 If she continues to do it, try putting Jane on a leash attached to your waist so you can correct her and praise her when she doesn't do it. Just like I had to do with Loca, only it was to stop her from trying to eat my cat. It worked! Quote Xavi the galgo and Peter the cat. Missing Iker the galgo ?-Feb.9/19, Treasure (USS Treasure) April 12/01-May 6/13, Phoenix (Hallo Top Son) Dec.14/99-June 4/11 and Loca (Reko Swahili) Oct.9/95 - June 1/09, Allen the boss cat, died late November, 2021, age 19. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mychip1 Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 My Irwin - the cat - was lost when my Jack died - even though Jack used to chase him a bit. I got JJ and Dustin, but it turns out JJ's prey drive is still very strong - so Irwin retreated to the basement. I have a small back pantry at the top of the basement steps. I got a baby gate and put it up - and left Irwin's food there. I stayed with JJ to be sure that he didn't plow into it - but slowly Irwin came out on his own. Now he will move around the house if JJ's sleeping, etc. JJ will let him come up to him now, but I still don't trust that he won't grab him (given how he plays with his toys). I also have a baby gate to the upstairs....so when I'm not home, the dogs have first floor run (which is where the bedrooms are - it's a bungalow so the upstairs is the family room ,etc.) and the cat can go between the basement and the second floor. It took a few months, though.... Good Luck. Quote Robin, EZ (Tribal Track), JJ (What a Story), Dustin (E's Full House) and our beautiful Jack (Mana Black Jack) and Lily (Chip's Little Miss Lily) both at the BridgeThe WFUBCC honors our beautiful friends at the bridge. Godspeed sweet angels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sheila Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 OK......This song popped into my head today when I thought about the situation with Jane and Mandy. Mandy absolutely adored my Kiowa (she and he are my avatar pic). Jane just wants to love on her and she's not having any of it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srtuQU20QXA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest june Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Can you block off one room where Mandy can be upstairs with everyone and Jane can't get to her? Maybe baby gate off a room while you are home and Mandy could be safe in the basement while you are gone. That would give Mandy some time around her people and still keep her safe. Then you could also spend some time each day with Jane on a leash teaching her to leave Mandy alone. Just a thought. june Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sheila Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 well I'm not so concerned about teaching Jane to behave, it's Mandy that needs learning. I came home yesterday and figured I had the evening and all day today to work on that. I spent 20 minutes chasing Mandy around the basement because she was having none of this 'going upstairs' thing. Mandy finally ran up the stairs and launched herself out the dog door and I haven't seen her since. I should have thought to block the dog door before I flushed her out. I'm sure Mandy is holed up somewhere hiding and will be back eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sheila Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 (edited) I figured out where Mandy had holed up by Monday morning. She was hiding under a neighbors shed and would not come out for anything. If I put food out for her she would come out to eat it, but bolt again if I tried to pick her up. On Wed I had a friend come over to help. If I succeeded in catching Mandy I still had to carry her (fighting and hissing) through 2 gates and in the door of the house where I would be greeted by 2 greyhounds and Mandy has claws. My friend was going to run interference by making sure that gates were opened and closed behind me and then contain the dogs in the house. It was a bust. This what I did and it's going to sound mean, but it worked. After Thursday morning I stopped taking food to the shed. This morning I closed up the dog door and all other doors inside the house and blocked access to the basement and went out with food while leaving all the gates open. I went to the shed but stayed about 6 foot out and called Mandy until she peeked out and then I poured the food out and stayed there. It took about 15 min or so but she finally creeped out and began to eat. I stroked her a cpl time and then I scooped her up. She was peed off and scared. I brought her into the house and had to use my foot to push dogs back (I didn't kick them, I just pushed them) and put her in my BR and shut the door. I then went back and closed the gates and open the dog door and sent the dogs out and closed the dog door behind them. Then I brought Mandy back into the main area of the house so she could settle down a bit and eat and she was very agreeable to that. Then I let the dogs back in and we began a morning and afternoon of 'getting to know you' training. Jane is mildly curious about Mandy but doesn't really focus on her much unless Mandy moves about. Mandy tends to scuttle about and then Jane gets excited, which makes Mandy scuttle faster, which.....well you know. I'm having good luck with correcting Jane. I've never had to correct Jane for anything more than once, but Mandy *sigh*. This is going to be a long weekend. Right now Mandy is on the couch next to Billy and Jane is roaching next to me in the puter room. My plan is to keep them all sort of closed in together while I am here to watch, muzzle Jane when I am not, and on Monday put Mandy in the puter room with her food/water/litter box so I can let the dogs have access to the dog door again. We'll see how it goes from there. Edited January 29, 2011 by sheila Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remolacha Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 It sounds like a good plan. I have a cat that scuttles I try to tell her, if you didn't run like that, they (the dogs) wouldn't pay any attention to you, but she doesn't believe me. I have a baby gate in the door to the cat room, mounted about 8" above the floor, so the cats can come and go, but the dogs can't get into that room. Would something like that work for Mandy? Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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