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)
January 2012

YOU'RE INVITED TO OUR NEXT LIBRARY APPEARANCE

I adore my cat but...

My cat, Orion, and I invite you to join us as we present The Wilbourn Way to coach you away from any possible "buts."

We hope to see you there!

Here are the details:

Saturday, February 11th
2:00-3:00 p.m. EST
Kips Bay Library
446 Third Avenue (Orion will be the Solo Cat!)
New York City
212-683-2520
kipsbay@nypl.org

THE MESSAGE IS IN THE SUBTEXT

HANGING OUT IN THE LOOP

My Orion is now zoned out in one of his many catnaps. Nevertheless, he's positioned himself in the midst of my concentration, so I can give him some occasional, gentle strokes and whispered praise. Orion chooses to remain in the loop in his own fashion. You may notice how your cat wanders off when total solitude is necessary but will nap nearby to stay "in touch." Call it multi-task or plain old cat-like stuff.

MADE MY DAY

2012 has kicked off in a very cat-friendly way. Let me tell you about some of the cat happenings that "have made my day." I'll start with the e-mail I received about Lamar:

LAMAR, A KITTY AT LAST

Bob and I have a new kitty. His name is Lamar. It's been forever since I had a cat=at least 20 years. Bob has never had a cat or a dog and always said he didn't want us to have one. As I write this, Lamar's asleep on Bob's lap.

Lamar was found wandering through the streets near the salon where I work. After several close calls with heavy traffic, the owners of the salon rescued him one more time and brought him inside. They asked several clients if they would like to take him home. When I arrived yesterday, he came right over and jumped on to my lap. I was totally smitten. I had to have him. Bob named him, and we took him to the vet this morning. The vet told us Lamar's about seven months, in good health, and already neutered. We are so lucky to have been adopted by this cool cat. What a way to start 2012.

OLIVER'S PROGRESS REPORT (Post-traumatic stress disorder)

"Oliver is totally taken with the three kittens that we decided to foster. When you came to our house for his therapy session, you told us how Oliver's three cat companions were perfect therapy for his delinquent behavior. They enabled him to work off some of his high energy in cat play. So we decided to foster some very cat-oriented, playful kittens and hoped that they would add to Oliver’s therapy. It’s a win-win. He’s slowed down with his indiscriminate growling and non-stop racing. At feeding time he’s even less obsessed to try to devour all of his companions' food. Oliver has started to turn the corner," said Nan. "He and his companions are all fascinated with the musical CD you instructed us to play as their security object. Oliver, especially, appears to slow down whenever it starts to play, and Pheobe, his mentor, flicks her ears."

What a promising report. Oliver is an adolescent neutered male. He was the only found survivor of a large litter of kittens. His newly adopted guardians were enchanted with him but distraught by his over-the-top behavior. For the first few months he appeared to be a very playful and determined kitten with his three cat companions. So far so good, but as time when on, he never meowed but growled instead. At feeding time he would set out to devour all of the food. His guardians realized that his immoderate demeanor could lead to very aggressive and abusive behavior. Prevention was their goal. Their veterinarian, at Forest Hills Cat Hospital, recommended that they should contact me so we could all work together to nip liver’s ost-traumatic stress disorder in the bud. I would say he’s off to a very good start. If Oliver needs more support, we will add an anti-anxiety drug to reinforce his behavioral program and the distant Reiki treatments that I'm conducting. We want to provide Oliver and his family with all the support he needs to integrate new coping mechanisms, so residual and current stress doesn't cause him to overreact out of fear.

NOW FOR BLAKELY – AN AMAZING RESCUE

She was found by the side of the road with a blood-covered abdomen and a severe infection. A police officer took her to the vet—for what could have been last rites. But no! The vet felt she might be saved. With a regimen of intravenous fluids, medication, and intensive nursing, she rallied and made a complete recovery. What a lucky Maine orphan, now spayed and reveling in her new home. She was named Blakely as a tribute to the vet who saved her life.

NASTY CAT (Aggressive behavior)

Hi Carole,

I found a kitten and adopted him. He is very healthy but unapproachable. This kitten hisses and scratches anyone who comes near him except me. When my son's friends or guests come over, I have to put him in the bedroom because I am afraid he will hurt someone. The vet contributes my kitten's behavior to his personality. What can I do to alter this behavior?

Thanks,
Kim

Hi Guardian Kim,

Congratulations from all of us at IDA. It was so kind of you to rescue this homeless kitten, who could be a wonderful addition to your family. It's no fun living with a "nasty" kitten, but there's a reason for his unpleasant behavior. His aggression is triggered by fear. He's comfortable and giving with you because he trusts you. You're his savior, but he feels threatened by any one else.

There is a way that you can build his confidence and trust towards others. Start with your son. Have him feed the kitten, and he can sit beside you while you hold or interact with him. Once this has become a routine, and the kitten doesn't feel threatened by your son, he can play with the kitten or at the very least give him a few strokes. He should stop before the kitten becomes fearful and defensive.

Kim, proceed slowly. Repetition and patience will help your kitten to gain trust. He had a hard life before you found him and I have no doubt that he is still traumatized.

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.)

BO'S SAFETY MANUAL

Orion wants Bo to be the spokespup for some safety tips for guardians’ care of their animal companions. Some of the topics could include fun home environments, first aid, and safe and comfy road and other travel. Go Bo!

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.

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