Training log: Cat desensitising. Start date October 2nd

[Shamas mom]

day 16
Midnight came out to the dining room again

Shamas still wants to chase him back to the room. I leashed him and treated him each time he looked over, but if he saw midnight he lunged. This is going to be a challenge. He's got it into his head that the younger cats belong in the bedroom and are encroaching on his territory when they leave the room. I'm still stuck at the stage of trying to keep Shamas from seeing that midnight has left the room.

Midnight always liked his head out first to see if the dog is around. That's when I get the leash and treats, and keep Shamas in the living room

 

[Shamas mom]

Day 17
No training today. I was using my day off to clean the house. Shamas Charged the already stresed out cats, because Helen was hissing at me for moving her bed. I'm not surprised he charged her, after she hissed at me. He was probably defending me. He was otherwise good with the cats earlier in the day. they spent the rest of the day in the basement and didn't come up til bedtime. Matt found himself a new box, nice and big that the Canister filter came in...he moved in and wouldn't come out so no one's seen him in nearly 2 days LOL! He pops his head out to yell for supper, and goes back to sleep purring. Not risking losing his box to a younger, more agile cat

 

[Shamas mom]

day 18

persistance is paying off~Helen is no longer hissing every time I open the door. And Shamas is walking right past half the time.

he still triggers and lunges every time Helen hisses, but we rearranged the room to offer better cover and its helping to reduce her hissing. Midnight spends a lot of time on the futon in the roo. And comes out a couple times a day....so my plan is not quite step by step

right now we're at mostly closed doors, with supervised open door sessions. It's not quite a crate introduction, but with Shamas expressing barrier frustration around the cats, I want him to learn to just look and walk away before I crate him in proximity

 

[Leanne]

We are at a empass with it!

Kitten walks passed... no reaction.
Kitten lays down.... no reaction
Kitten leaps on his flipping head and attacking his tail.. chase time!!!

My issue is more the bloody cat. She will just not show any wariness. If she’s in the room she will steal his toys, whack him on the tail etc. Then he will chase her. I’m not convinced that’s not why she does it tbh!

If she would just show a teeny bit of natural fear it would be so much easier!

 

[Shamas mom]

That's a large part of our problems~ if Helen would stop picking fights with Shamas, I could get further but she hates him. I'm considering setting up another safe room for her, in my son's room. He has a loft bed and Shamas isn't allowed in there either. I just need a new door installed with a puppy door(because of Matt's size)


it almost sounds like your kitten is initiating play~chase sessions similar to the ones midnight used to initiate with Matt as a kitten He started by jumping on Matt's head/haunches and tearing off through the house. Then they'd "fight" and he'd cry out because he was pinned. No sooner did Matt walk off than he was jumped on again

 

[Shamas mom]

Hmm. I lost track of where we are. Day 21?
Helen still instigates Shamas. I'm considering using a calming additive for her, as she hisses every time I open the door.

Shamas is getting pretty good about not going in the room....except when Helen starts with him. Generally he will stand and wag his tail. He has learned that this behavior nets treats and praise.

Today Matt was in his box in his room, and was yelling at me to feed him. Shamas got really excited and wanted to charge in to be friendly but remembered two steps in. He looked at me and cried. I gave him praise and ham for his restraint.

 

[Jacqui-S]

Good boy Shamas.

 

[Shamas mom]

Midnight is now initiating closed door contact, coming right up to the door when I shut us in for the night. He also talks through the door and Shamas is calm

This morning he sat in the dining room to see what we'd do. He knows Shamas doesn't let him out of the room....but he's also learned that I lead Shamas out by his collar in morning

So he got gutsy and sat watching while had Shamas sit in the next room, stepping in the way when he growled, and praising when he was calm(or even just sitting and whining at me)

He did good, considering midnight sat there for nearly a minute watching.

 

[Shamas mom]

Amazing progress today!

Shamas behaved very well, all saggy tail and loose grins. Midnight was in his room watching but showed no fear.

First I alternated which one I petted, and midnight actually purred in the presence of the dog. Then, as Shamas crept closer, I was petting them simultaneously, at the full reach of my arms.....5feet?

Had to call it when Shamas spotted a water bottle in the room and tried to sneak in closer to get it. Midnight growled at him, and he breathed heavier, but still wagging and not too tense. Good time to close the door and let midnight calm down

Helen stayed out of sight but I'm certain she's fully aware of these interactions

 

[Shamas mom]

Things have been a bit rough the last couple of days, but I have figured out why: Shamas tore a toe nail. Today we're doing the vet run, and getting him fixed up

 

[Shamas mom]

Stepping back to closed door interactions

Shamas is rushing the door, growling when Midnight pokes his head out to see if it's "all clear"

Started after Midnight's failed attempt to scare him away from the top of the stairs. Midnight was downstairs and wanted up. His solution was to puff up and growl at Shamas. Shamas in turn dropped to a play bow, wagged furiously, and growled back......then ran for a ball

He now rushes Midnight every time he mews

 

[Shamas mom]

It's been awhile since I posted here. That's because we really haven't made progress.

We're holding fast at thispoint:

When we come out in the morning, Midnight and Helen are usually out in the kitchen/diningroom. I collar Shamas before opening the door, and aim him directly to the back door- which gives Helen time to retreat back to her safe room. Midnight usually parks himself in the diningroom, poised to see whether the dog will behave today. He keeps a safe distance, but is unwilling to live in a single room any longer. I put their food in their room whilst shamas is out, so he can't object to someone besides him being fed.
The cats get fed first- it ties Shamas behavior to the food bowl a bit too, because if he doesn't rumble about them getting food, he can have a sprinkle of cat kibble on his food.

Shamas is about 60% able to refrain from chasing Midnight on sight now. when he does, he's usually whining...almost like he's trying not to, but can't help it? I've seen him go anywhere from 2 steps to 20, whining, then turn and come back to me.

 

[Shamas mom]

Poor Shamas..the teen brought home a gerbil, and Shamas was alloweed to see it. He was SO good, standing on his hind legs with his front paws on my arm...sniffing away.

So in dog logic, he went on his absolute BEST behavior, laying quietly in the doorway of the cats room, then sitting, then laying.....got lots of pets and quiet talk....but no treats, I've noticed that he winds up with treats. He couldn't understand why after so much hard work Midnight wouldn't come see him, and finally jumped at him

That's why, silly

 

[Jacqui-S]

Aww....poor boy.

 

[Shamas mom]

Update

Helen has been moved to P's room. She was bullying Midnight (redirected agggression), and the stress caused him to develop a rash, which needed treatment. After 2 days of Helen out of the room, Midnight is calming down towards the dog. I always thought Helen was the main issue. This confirms it. Helen's gear is all moved to the other room. I sent her with the cat tower, new litter box, food and water bowls. SHe has access to a loft bed, but stays on the tower near the door most of the time--she's learned that if she's close to the door she gets attention every time someone walks by. Much more attention than she got hiding out in the "cat room". I keep a baby gate permanently in the door, and a set of curtains closed in the doorway, so if she wants a pet, she moves the curtains over and peeks out.

This morning, Shamas came into the room a few steps to see AM. Midnight lay behind her, watching quietly, and didn't make any complaint until Shamas got within 4 feet of him. Then he gave a little growl...but that's understandable, because he's currently on a leash,harness attached to a dog crate so that he can be caught for medication. We had decided that he would need to be confined in order to treat him, but locking the feral born cat in a crate full-time felt cruel. So we put him in the crate at night, and leash him in the day. He has an antibiotic spray applied twice daily and drops in his water and the patch is clearing up nicely. Fresh skin has replaced the scab, and he doesn't protest treatment anymore. It only took 4 days of this for the wounds to clear up, which wee are impressed with. We honestly expected it to take longer without the ability to E-collar due to the wound being low on his neck.

I feel like without Helen's aggrivating influence, Midnight might learn to accept Shamas in a month or two. An important event in this development was yesterday. Helen had come back in the cat room and she attacked Midnight as I went to treat him...he pulled away and broke free of the (safety release) harness...and ran into the livingroom to hide under a chair. He was there for hours, and Shamas didn't bother him at all. He laid on the chair, in front of the chair, and jumped in the window..but left Midight alone in his spot beneath it.

 

[Shamas mom]

There's improvement on the cat front

They've figured out that Shamas isn't interested in actually CATCHING them. Now they travel from the rooms to the basement fairly regularly. Midnight has come out as far as the living room door as couple of times before Shamas chased him out of his territory.

We've had quite a few cases now where Shamas has been in the basement at the same time as the cats, and as long as they are higher than him, he leaves them alone. This seems to also apply to the main floor. Helen has been on the cat tower, and Shamas has looked at her but walked away when told.