Carole is available for bi-coastal house calls, international phone consults and her current book is THE TOTAL CAT (Quill). She also sees appointments at Westside Veterinary Center in Manhattan. Subscribe to Carole's free newsletter on her website by clicking onto www.thecattherapist.com/wilbourn_way.htm
Tuesday October 10, 2006
My column will appear online the second week of every month.
If you have a question guardians, please send an email to Carole. Scroll down to see my column. I can't answer every email I receive, so please check the archives. Your answer may be already there.
Hallow'een Greetings
Hallow'een is a terrific occasion to send a donation to your favorite charity. You can make it a tribute to your cat!
Very Wet Sheets
Hi, Carole Wilbourn,
We have four cats all of whom were strays
that turned up at our home. We recently had a fifth show up. So being the suckers that we are, we took her
in and had her spayed and immunized.
A few months have passed and three of the cats have accepted Penny. But, alas, the fourth cat hounds
her. She follows her everywhere. Penny is a nervous wreck!
The past two nights we woke up to find very wet sheets. At first I accused my poor husband of wetting
the bed. But I very quickly realized what happened. It was Penny!
We are at wits end and are on the verge of trying to find Penny a new home. We can put up with
the hissing and the occasional wrestling match, but not the bed wetting. Do you have any suggestions?
What is causing her to wet our bed?
Thank you, Liz
Dear Liz:
Penny's bed action is an anxiety attack. Her loss of courage, and increased anxiety is
manifested in a release of "urine". It may be provoked by anxiety or fear from the other cats at the time of the
incident or a delayed reaction to residual angst. The slightest unexpected action can unnerve her. Her
bladder is her stress target.
• Have the vet do a urinalysis to rule out a medical problem. Her incidents are a symptom of
anxiety but sometimes can also be medically related.
• Penny needs to feel safe and secure so it would be best to give her a private area with her creature
comforts. You could put expandable puppy gates on the doorway so the cats can view but not touch each other.
After a few days, you can encourage them to play with you from their respective sides of the gates. Within
a few weeks, if there's progress, you can remove the gates for short periods.
• Whenever you interact with Penny, include the other cats verbally, e.g., "I'm feeding Penny so she
doesn't eat your food. Let me brush her so you don't have to do it." The more you include them, particularly,
the cat who is victimizing Penny, the less threatened
they'll feel and act.
If you could find her a home with a mellow, cat-loving cat or one which she would be the ONLY cat,
that would be terrific. See what happens.
T.C. Is Unhappy With My Boyfriend
Dear Carole
Wilbourn:
My cat T.C. is fifteen but despite his health problems is a bundle of play. His companion cat,
Topaz, passed on three years ago. He adored her but I don't want to adopt another cat.
I recently became involved with a man I am very fond of and T.C. has become very ornery when my
boyfriend is here. My studio apartment adds to the predicament and my boyfriend isn't a great cat lover
and I live in a studio apartment. How can I keep peace?
Lisa
Dear Lisa,
Looks like you are the point of a triangle. I wish a second cat was an option because a
playful kitten or adolescent would certainly keep T.C. occupied and happy.
• To make T.C. feel special when your boyfriend is over, set up a corner of the room with T.C.'s play
things and interact with him in this corner so when your boyfriend is over, T.C. will seek it out. You
can also hang out for a bit in his corner when your boy friend visits to reinforce his connection with the
corner. Refer to it as T.C.'s Corner.
• Give T.C. some catnip in his corner when your boyfriend visits. This will form another pleasant
association.
• Perhaps you could spend time with your boyfriend at his place instead of yours. Arrange for someone to
visit T.C. on such occasions.
Let's hope your boyfriend becomes a T.C. fan and there's no more triangle.
Our Cat Is In Pain
Dear Carole
Wilbourn:
Yesterday our 13 yr. old cat was in the yard when the neighbor's cat came over and started
a fight. Since then, she has not eaten and acts like her mouth hurts really bad. She has
tried to eat and drink but can't because of the pain. I can't get her to let me pick her up and
take her to the vet. She would most surely bite me. What should I do, She needs
something to ease the pain. I think maybe she broke a tooth off or got bit in the tongue. If I
can't load her up in her carrier then I can't take her to the vet. Any suggestions?
Amy
Dear Amy,
So very sorry about your cat's discomfort. Yes, she desperately needs some medical
attention. You can avoid any potential injury from your cat by swooping her up with a giant bath or beach towel. Have the
carrier within reach so you can place her inside easily.
You may have to keep her indoors or in an enclosure outdoors so she's safe from intruders. The
Kittywalk enclosure may be the solution. Log on to www.kittywalk.com.
TESTIMONIALS
Thank you for sending along your testimonials. It lets other guardians know that their cat questions can be solved and lets me know that my column is helping cats to leave the couch.
Carole's Speaking Appearances
Bloomfield Public Library
There will be a guest cat.
Saturday, October 14th at 1pm
90 Broad St.
Bloomfield, NJ 07003
(973)566-6200
http://www.bplnj.org/
Fabulous Felines
Don't miss out. You owe it to your cat/s. Scan photos to thecattherapist@idausa.org
Click on to Fabulous Felines and you'll see why this is a Feline Must!
Testimonials
Cat guardians, There is a new addition to CATS ON THE COUCH. Click on to TESTIMONIALS and read all about Winston and his rescue.
If you have a question guardians, please send an email to Carole. Scroll down to see my column. I can't answer every email I receive, so please check the archives. Your answer may be already there.
Stroll With Your Cats
There's a perfect and fun way to safely enjoy the outdoors with your cats. Click on to thecattherapist.com and then to Kittywalk
Cat Talk
CAT TALK is now available. Find out what your cat is TRYING TO TELL YOU. So guardians, click on to the Cat Store.
Carole's Newsletter - "The Wilbourn Way"
The Wilbourn Way Newsletter is Carole's free email newsletter, which brings you Carole's personal view on cat culture monthly..
Molly Of Myers Keswick Is Rescued
"Oh come on Molly you can do it," said cat therapist Carole Wilbourn.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Cat therapist Carole Wilbourn used the sounds of whales on tape and catnip to try and lure Molly out Wednesday. CBS
Feral Cats
Saturday, September 9, in San Francisco, the third annual National Feral Cat Summit will take place. You don't want to miss the only conference in the U.S. devoted exclusively to feral cats. Click on to neighborhoodcats.org for details.
Feral Cats
Each day we strive to give our cats the very best care. Helping feral cats is a valuable and wonderful way to extend social response to Neighborhood Cats can be your source of assistance.
You may even be the guardian of a feral cat—so you're aware of the beauty they possess. My late cat, Ziggy-Star-Dust was a feral kitten and the cure for my anxious, reformed attack cat, Sunny-Blue. After Sunny passed-on, Star-Dust took on many of his Sunny's traits—particularly, Sunny's Siamese cry. He was nine years old at the time but lived until seventeen. He taught me so many things, including patience and loyalty.
There is a chapter on feral cats in my book, THE TOTAL CAT, click on to my site, thecattherapist.com, for more info. You can also refer to the archives for my column, click on to Archives at top of page. There are articles from 11/04, 1/05, 11/15/05.
Let us all be socially responsible for feral cats on behalf of our own cats.
Remember, please add a picture of your cat along with your cat questions.
» CAROLE'S NEWSLETTER--THE WILBOURN WAY"
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