Bloody picos.
So about 2 weeks ago, I was threatening Yuki's life because the little bugger was chewing holes in my clothes. Not just holes - concentric circles, ranging in size, in the back of my black hoodie jacket, my grey short-sleeved hoody jacket, and my black-with-green-trim hoody jacket (I have a thing for hoody jackets, can ya tell?). He also ate two rolls of toilet paper, a book, a DVD case, and was making decent inroads into one of the blankets I have on the sofa. The bathroom shower curtain is a lot cause. I was losing my sanity and screaming at him, even though realistically, i know he had no idea why 'mommy' was so angry.
I posted to spo_prevention and asked if they'd heard of this, and aside from being given some very good advice, I was told to google picos. I did. I subsequently made an appointment at the vet, and had him properly tested and diagnosed.
He does indeed have a form of Picos, which is the eating of non-edible objects. This is brought on by stress (which could be caused by anything from having strangers over [i.e a card game perhaps?] to changing his food, to changes in the freaking WEATHER).
Because my vet is awesome, he recommended behavioural training, and anti-anxiety meds. He is no longer fed in a single bowl - rather, his food is portioned out in many small bowls and 'hidden' all over the house. It keeps them too busy searching for food to cause wanton destruction to my belongings. The anti-anxiety meds have calmed him right down too. He's no longer meowing plaintively, scratching at doors and restlessly stalking around. He plays, he cuddles, but he's calm. I like him again. This is an improvement, because while I love him dearly, I was starting to hate him at the same time, and I don't want that.
Sammy has a mild form of picos. He doesn't chew - he sucks. Like a baby with a bottle. My home is full of little damp spots and wet marks from him sucking on every scrap of fabric he can find. I can handle wet - it was the actual physical destruction that was driving me batty. He gets to hunt for his food as well, but he's not on anti-anxiety meds until he starts causing actual destruction. I'm hoping the behavioural training the vet and I talked about will work with him.
Everyone in the house is also on Rescue Remedy. The boys like to drink out of Ruthie's water dish, but the vet said it wouldn't hurt her at all, and so RR gets added to her bowl each time I fill it up. It's supposed to be another, natural, calming agent.
I've been telling everyone I have an almost-Prozac cat. Prozac is the last resort if the above steps don't work, but the vet wants me to work with the boys for a month to see if it helps. I really respect my vet. :D
Anyone else have a little demon in their home that lives to destroy? :D
I posted to spo_prevention and asked if they'd heard of this, and aside from being given some very good advice, I was told to google picos. I did. I subsequently made an appointment at the vet, and had him properly tested and diagnosed.
He does indeed have a form of Picos, which is the eating of non-edible objects. This is brought on by stress (which could be caused by anything from having strangers over [i.e a card game perhaps?] to changing his food, to changes in the freaking WEATHER).
Because my vet is awesome, he recommended behavioural training, and anti-anxiety meds. He is no longer fed in a single bowl - rather, his food is portioned out in many small bowls and 'hidden' all over the house. It keeps them too busy searching for food to cause wanton destruction to my belongings. The anti-anxiety meds have calmed him right down too. He's no longer meowing plaintively, scratching at doors and restlessly stalking around. He plays, he cuddles, but he's calm. I like him again. This is an improvement, because while I love him dearly, I was starting to hate him at the same time, and I don't want that.
Sammy has a mild form of picos. He doesn't chew - he sucks. Like a baby with a bottle. My home is full of little damp spots and wet marks from him sucking on every scrap of fabric he can find. I can handle wet - it was the actual physical destruction that was driving me batty. He gets to hunt for his food as well, but he's not on anti-anxiety meds until he starts causing actual destruction. I'm hoping the behavioural training the vet and I talked about will work with him.
Everyone in the house is also on Rescue Remedy. The boys like to drink out of Ruthie's water dish, but the vet said it wouldn't hurt her at all, and so RR gets added to her bowl each time I fill it up. It's supposed to be another, natural, calming agent.
I've been telling everyone I have an almost-Prozac cat. Prozac is the last resort if the above steps don't work, but the vet wants me to work with the boys for a month to see if it helps. I really respect my vet. :D
Anyone else have a little demon in their home that lives to destroy? :D