Carole is available for bi-coastal house calls, speaking engagements anywhere, phone consults nationally and internationally. She also sees patients by appointment at Westside Veterinary Center in Manhattan. Her latest book is The Complete Guide To Understanding And Caring For Your Cat. Her recently released CD of spoken cat advice and soothing music is Caring For Your Cat, The Wilbourn Way.
Come back to Carole's home page monthly for cat news and Carole's most recent replies to behavior inquiries from worried cat guardians. To have this home page emailed to you after the story update, click here. You will receive this exact page by email, and it will link you to the other pages in her site, and to the rest of the IDA web site.
THE WILBOURN WAY (AKA Cats on the Couch)
December 2011
TO ALL OF YOU
IDA and I want to thank you for wanting to make a difference in the lives of your cats. We hope that we have helped you to do so. Let me also extend the very best of New Year greetings to all guardians, your cats, and all of our other four-legged friends.
THE MESSAGE IS IN THE SUBTEXT
WHAT'S IN MY STOCKING?
My Orion is admiring of his handcrafted stocking, but it's mixed with thoughts of what's in there for me. Shall I find out now?
KITTEN BOMBARDIERS AT FEEDING TIME
"Carole, what do I do about our two new kittens who bombard their food? We have to keep it on the counter so our dogs don't dig in. Before I've even filled their bowls, splat,they're in the midst," said Margo, one of the staff at Westside Veterinary Center, where I am in residence. "These kittens are totally out of control." I told Margo to stash the dogs away when it's feeding time, and feed the kittens on the floor, but to put their food bowls in a large pan so the food is contained and doesn't decorate the floor. "Kittens will be kittens," I said. "Maybe we all need a Reiki treatment," said Margo, as she smiled and answered the next phone call.
ELVIS APPRECIATES REIKI (Relaxation technique and stress reduction)
I recently did a Reiki treatment for Elvis, 25 pounds of muscle, and his guardian, who sat beside him. As I placed my hands on Elvis’ head, he let out a growl and tensed his body.
But, as you can see, he soon let go and relaxed. After a couple of placements, I gave his guardian a modified chair treatment, so Elvis, vicariously, felt the benefit. This procedure is very effective, because a cat is very sensitive to body language and the sensations of others. So Elvis and his guardian enjoyed and experienced Reiki together.
MR. HARLEY GETS A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS (Litter box problems)
Take a look at Mr. Harley. His former guardians abandoned him because of litter box problems and a recalcitrant dog.. Mr. Harley is now living happily and comfortably in a new home with a guardian who adores him. When he first arrived, he continued to have incidents where he avoided the litter box. I explained to his guardian that he needed to be in a small space with all of his creature comforts when she couldn’t hang out with him. This designated space would be his security or safe space, which would keep Mr. Harley from having anxiety attacks that manifested in litter box problems. When he was anxious, he avoided his box to communicate his angst. Now that he felt safe and protected, he had no reason or desire to avoid his box. There should come a time when his coping mechanisms will accelerate so he wouldn't need to be sequestered. But this takes time. Fortunately, his new guardian has the patience and love to give Mr. Harley all the time he needs to heal.
KITTY IS GROOMING AWAY (Alopecia, psychogenic dermatitis)
Hi Carole,
I do hope you can help me. My boyfriend and I separated in August. He took our one-year-old spayed cat, Kitty, because I was unable to keep her. Kitty must be unhappy because she started to lick and bite at her fur. She has all of these bald spots. The vet prescribed medication, but there’s no improvement. His present roommate has a small dog. Do you think that’s part of the problem? I know my boyfriend loves Kitty, but he must be making her uncomfortable. What would you advise?
Thanks,
Alexina
Hi Guardian Alexina,
I do think that your boyfriend, unwittingly, is part of Kitty's alopecia or psychogenic dermatitis. She has undergone total culture shock, which started with separation anxiety.
A new home without you, and a dog as a living companion, is quite an adjustment for Kitty. My feeling is that your boyfriend is giving the dog too much attention, and Kitty feels betrayed and anxious. Her over-grooming behavior is a symptom of this angst and ongoing stress. The following treatment plan will remedy this condition:
- Add an omega fatty acid supplement to Kitty's food and/or provide a food that's rich in this supplement. He can contact the vet for recommendations.
- Your boyfriend should not interact with the dog at any time. If he must, he should mention Kitty's name so she feels included. An example, I'm feeding the dog so she doesn't eat your food.
- Brush and massage Kitty daily.
Alexina, right now Kitty's boundaries are blurred. Your boyfriend will have to be consistent in his attention to her and avoidance of the dog so her recovery doesn't languish.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN THE WHITE HOUSE
(Orion, a former rescue, will represent cats and offer nuggets of wisdom regarding Bo, the rescued First Dog—a Portuguese Water Dog.)
THE FIRST DOG'S THIRD
December marks Bo's third December holiday time in the White House with his family. It also marks the start of the First Lady's significant foray into jumping jacks. Michelle Obama (and 400 students) broke the world record for the most people doing jumpng jacks in a 24-hour period. This marks a healthy way to exercise with others and to prevent and fight child obesity.
Orion wants to recommend that Bo sponsor such an act that will benefit all of our four-legged friends. Now's the time. Go Bo!
THE ELEPHANTS NEED YOUR HELP
You can help prevent the sale of elephant ivory. Please visit http://www.idausa.org
You can now follow Carole on Twitter.
QUESTIONS TO CAROLE
Please consult with your veterinarian first to make certain that your animal companion's problem is not due to any medical condition.
If you have a question for Carole, you can email her at thecattherapist@idausa.org. We're sorry that Carole won't be able to answer all questions, but the answers to many questions can be found in her IDA archives.
Oscar the Cat Predicts Death
Oscar is the feline resident at a nursing home in Providence, Rhode Island who seems to have predicted the deaths of 25 of the residents. In case after case, when he has curled up next to someone, it usually means they have less than four hours of life left. I was interviewed about Oscar by NBC-TV. Read all about Oscar on their site. To watch my video, click here.
CLICK ON TO YOU TUBE TO VIEW A FREE CONSULTATION