Sammy the Bully… What to do with an aggressive cat?

Recently my husband and I were giving Penelope our Torti a bath and after her towel drying session, (which might I add is the only part she seems to tolerate) we opened the door for her to make her great escape… when she was ambushed by Sammy “the bully”. He is the newest member of our kitty family and seems to like to shake things up a bit. This little squabble, escalated to a complete melee and all we could see were two balls of hair spinning and lots of screaming which makes for a rather formidable barrier, but being the hero he is, my husband stepped in and made an attempt to intervene and was able to break up the ball of furry masses.

Nevertheless, my husband was not pleased about this incident, as it has been the first of many to occur… as Sammy seems to be quite the despot. My husbands next words to me were… you need to handle this or I will…so my answer to all life’s problems are found online…so off I went to do a quick Google search and here is what I found… Bach Flower Remedies, which were developed by Dr. Edward Bach, an English Physician, in the early 1900′s. Bach Flower Remedies are a natural system of medicine that focuses on the emotional instead of the physical. Utilizing various plant and flowers, Bach created remedies aimed at a particular mental or emotional state to aid in unlocking the body’s natural healing power. These remedies were originally developed for humans, but also work beautifully on animals!

Bach Flower Remedies can be used on cats with great success and I can vouch for their effectiveness! These remedies can be very effective for the transition of new cats into the home, to discourage cats who are bullies, to help with grieving cats, assist in recovery from injury or illness, and to cope with the stress of a vet visit. That’s only a small sampling of what Bach Flower Remedies can offer to owners of cats experiencing aggression, stress or anxiety.

One thing that I like most about using flower essence is that they’re non-toxic and won’t harm my cats, besides the fact that they are extremely effective. Even if you administer an essence they really don’t need it will simply have no effect . For example, in the case where you have two cats, an aggressive cat and a non-aggressive cat and give them both an essence for aggression,  it will simply have no effect on the non-aggressive cat. But, your aggressive cat will begin to become amiable and more tolerant of his other house-mates!

The following chart lists some of the most common flower essences used with cats and their purpose.

• Aspen = helps cats who experience fear of the unknown and constant anxiety.
• Beech = cats who have an intolerance of other animals or people, or changes in their routine.
• Centaury = cats who are meek and are picked on by other cats.
• Chicory = this flower essence is for manipulative, possessive, or clingy cats or cats with separation anxiety.
• Crab Apple = cats who are constantly over-grooming and have compulsive behavior.
• Elm = this flower essence is for cats that are easily overwhelmed, obsessive-compulsive behavior, or for territorial stress.
• Holly = helps cats who have experienced lost status or attention, jealousy, abandonment, or for abused cats.
• Impatiens = cats who are impatient, nervous, and irritable.
• Larch = this flower essence is for cats who feel intimidated by other cats, and cats who spray.
• Mimulus = this is for cats who have certain fears (like a trip to the vet) and also for timid cats and those that fear other animals or people.
• Pine = for cats feeling guilt even though they have done nothing wrong, or have feelings of rejection, abuse or fear.
• Rescue Remedy = a blend of five flower essences resulting in an essence all its own. For cats who have experienced trauma, an emergency or any stressful event. Drops or spray is recommended only. Do not use the cream or pastilles with animals because they are too strong.
• Star of Bethlehem = this essesene is for cats who have a need for comfort or have experienced some type of physical or emotional trauma/shock.
• Vine = for a dominating cat who is intent on control, who bullies and is aggressive towards other cats.
• Walnut = for cats who are going to experience a change… in a new environment, switching from outdoors to indoors only, or with meeting new animals.
• Water Violet = cats who are reclusive, loners, or for a cat that is grieving.

Another great advantage of flower essences is that it can be used in combination to treat a multi-faceted issue. When a problem develops, you can use several Bach Flower essences at the same time. For example, when Sammy started tormenting Penelope, we used Centaury to help Penelope who was being harrassed and then used Vine for Sammy’s aggressive behavior.

Bach Flower Essences can be purchased at most health food stores, and of course, over the internet. I order my flower essences from http://feelbach.com/ they seem to have the best prices on the internet. I also discovered a very interesting article on their website about Courtney Cuddler – who may soon be featured in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s oldest living cat.

Bach Flower Remedies taste terrible! So remember to always dilute them in water before using any flower essence with your cats. Diluting the essence does not in any way dilute its effectiveness.

You may be asking yourself “Which Bach Flower remedy does my cat need?” Animals, especially cats, are surprisingly easy to “read” emotionally. All it takes is observation and a bit of insight and you’ll find the right flower essence for your cat’s specific needs.