Case 6 – Gigi & Coco

Case Details:

Gigi and Coco are siblings and came to live with their current owners at 3 months old.

Initially they got on really well (displaying lots of allogrooming, allorubbing and play fighting behaviours) until Gigi was spayed in October 2024. CoCo was not physically fit at the time and was spayed in January 2025.

Owner found CoCo became grumpy since last November and would display recurrent aggression towards Gigi. After a month, their conflict escalated, and Gigi started to fight back and would chew on cloth and soft materials at home.

Their owner would scold Gigi for inapproprate chewing, which would scare her and she would run away. The chewing issue worsened, and Gigi would chew things in the middle of the night whilst her owners were in bed.

Lily’s Notes:

Gigi is an anxious cat and has developed this chewing habit, known as “Pica”. This behaviour may appear when cats are stressed, as the gnawing or sucking on objects releases endorphins and serves as comfort.

Treatment Plan

Health check

• Get both cats examined by a vet to rule out possible health issues.

Management of the Environment

• Remove Gigi’s “target items” such as plastic bags, clothes, bedding, etc.
• Cover “target furniture” (i.e. sofa and massage chair) with fabric or materials that Gigi is not interested in.
• Make use of a cage to provide a safety corner for Gigi. This can be used whenever Coco initiates rough-and-tumble play and the cats need to be separated or if owners need to step away.
  This allows the cats to be separated, while still in view of one another. Open the cage to allow Gigi to come out when she wants, when Coco has calmed down.

Stress Reduction and Creating Sense of Security

• Stick to daily routine and set regular play sessions with each individual cat.
• Supervise interactions between Gigi and Coco – if interference is needed (i.e. when play becomes too rough), do so by distracting the cats with toys.
• Feeding time – feed the two cats in separate locations where they cannot see one another.
• Respectful interactions with both cats, such as:
  • No interrupting the cats while they are resting/sleeping.
  • Conduct consent tests by offering your hand and letting the cat choose whether to make contact or not.
• No punishment for any unwanted behaviours!

Environmental Enrichment

• Boost the cats’ stimulation by:
  • Adding vertical space like a cat tree or bed next to the window.
  • Rotating cat toys, tunnel and boxes to keep toys “fresh”
• Introduce puzzle feeders to encourage foraging with hidden food – giving both Gigi and Coco the opportunity to express their natural behaviours—hunting as cats are hunters by nature.

Anti-anxiety Medication

• Both cats have started anti-anxiety medication since January 2025.

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