| Name: | Dai Mui & Yi Mui |
| Breed: | Domestic Shorthairs |
| Gender: | Both females |
| Age: | Both 8 years old |
| Issue: | Overgrooming and fighting |
Case Details:
Dai Mui (DM) and Yi Mui (YM) were adopted together and had always displayed overgrooming from a young age, though this worsened a year after they moved house in 2019.
The second time they moved, their owners noticed that play fights turned into real fights, with DM striking YM whenever they crossed paths.
Lily’s Notes:
Structure – Our pets benefit from a daily routine and an equal distribution of resources within the home. To ease further disputes I suggested that the owners increase the number of food bowl stations, water stations and litter boxes and recommended possible locations for these key resources.
Consent test for interaction – It is important to respect your pet’s boundaries so a consent test by taking a short pause from petting to see how the cat reacts is important. Does the cat move away to signal they have had enough or do they lean in for more?
Mental stimulation – through the use of puzzle feeders or activity feeding and appropriate play sessions, so a few activities were recommended for DM and YM.
Pheromone therapy and medication – As grooming is a self-soothing behaviour, the issue of overgrooming can be a result of anxiety so a Feliway diffuser was recommended with a prescription of anti-anxiety medication for both cats.
No punishment or yelling – Instead of punishment, I suggested distracting DM with funny sounds before he “attacked” YM.
Result
After a few weeks, DM and YM’s owners reported that both cats had made some progress.
DM displays less aggression, and is calmer and more relaxed, and willing to play with toys. She still grooms herself but less excessively, and owners are able to stop her from grooming by distracting her with toys or stroking her. YM on the other hand, required a buster collar most of the time to begin with, but is now able to be out of her buster collar as her owners can stop her from grooming by asking with a gentle voice.
Lily will continue to work with the owners and monitor the progress of both cats, and work towards weaning both cats off their medication when the situation becomes stable.
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