Hello,

At the end of last year, I adopted an 8-year-old male Bengal who had been abandoned when his owners moved house. They apparently had two cats but when they moved out they only took one cat and left the other behind. This makes me think that maybe they had got my cat as a companion for their other cat, but they didn't get on.

My cat was neutered and micro-chipped when I found him but no-one had reported him lost or stolen, so I was able to officially adopt him. I kept him indoors for a couple of months while he had all his vaccinations; meanwhile, I had the garden cat-proofed and he started going out in mid-February.

I work from home so I can give him plenty of attention and in the two months he was cooped up indoors we developed a very strong bond. However, he is quite clingy and if I am not out in the garden with him, he will stay indoors and wait patiently until I can spend some time with him. The rest of the time - when he is not sleeping - he will pace restlessly and often meow for attention.

He is very playful but he gets easily bored and there are very few toys he likes - possibly because he is an older cat - so it's difficult to rotate them because there aren't a lot of toys to start with! His favourite is an adaptation of the Flying Frenzy; I kept the wand and replaced the cord with a length of nylon (better because it's invisible) to which I attached a mouse, which I trail on the floor or in the grass. He also likes a wand with a boa feather-like attachment, which again I trail on the floor or in the grass. He then has a couple of catnip filled toys that he bats or chews on, particularly at night when I am asleep. He also has two large (5ft 8) cat trees indoors, one upstairs and one downstairs.

I planted lots of cat-friendly plants and bushes in the garden and I bought a 6ft custom-made play tower that he likes but that he doesn't use as often as I had hoped. I also put in a bird feeder (high enough so that the birds are not at risk) to entertain him. The problem is that he often walks along the perimeter of the garden meowing and he bites chunks out of the plants and spits them out. He does the same with the small daisies that grow spontaneously in the grass. I am sure he does it just for something to do, as unless birds or the odd butterfly come into the garden, there isn't much to keep his interest. I think part of the problem is that he used to be able to roam, which is unfortunately not an option because we live quite close to a main road and it would be dangerous.

I believe he was neutered late in life because he obviously has "battle scars" from fights with other cats and he still has urges, which I think compounds the problem.

He seems content most of the time when I am with him and he is very affectionate - he purrs a lot and gives me lots of "kisses", particularly first thing in the morning!
I just don't know what else to do to relieve his boredom when I am not available.

Has anybody else experienced a similar problem? I love him very much and I would give anything to know that he is 100% happy and settled with us.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Welcome to the forum. First things first ... a neutered cat is still territorial and will fight other cats. My Raiden was neutered at 11 weeks. He's 8 years old now and will still try to get after cats who come into our yard. He has a lot of battle scars from his time as an outdoor cat with his previous owner. I can relate.

Since your kitty and my Raiden are the same age ... let me say this .....

It's wonderful you have an enclosure for your kitty. This keeps him safe and protected. Bengals bond very closely with their owner, as you've discovered. They want to be WITH their humans almost all of the time. Bengals are also very vocal and will walk around crying for no apparent reason at all.

I buy Raiden new toys all the time and he's very disinterested in them. A total waste of money. He will not interact with toys on his own. He wants me to be there playing with him. He prefers the other end of the wand swishing around on the carpet rather than chasing the toy on the other end. This behavior is probably a result from the previous owner not spending time playing with him -- it's probably the same in your case. You've got to go with what the cat is willing to play with and Raiden does love to chase the wand when it's under a towel or small blanket and I'm moving it around under there. A very inexpensive form of entertainment. LOL

I'm happy your baby has bonded so well with you. Don't be overly concerned that his behavior or boredom! So many people here want to get a second kitty. I know Raiden would not accept another cat in the household and I don't think he's bored. He has his cat enclosure that he can access 24/7 and he enjoys being out there (thankfully, without me). And if I'm not home ... he usually just sleeps!

You're very fortunate you work from home. For almost 2 years, Raiden was left alone all day while I worked. Now that I've retired, I'm here 99% of the time. Raiden naps throughout the day and I spend some time playing with him. We go for daily walks -- perhaps you need to see if you can train yours to walk on a harness and leash. It was extremely hard to force Raiden to become an indoor cat and the walks absolutely help him. He'll settle down once we come back inside.

We tend to overthink when it comes to our cats. Yours sounds like a perfectly normal bengal. Bless you for taking him in and giving him a wonderful home.

Hello there, it sounds as if you have gone to great lengths to make your kittie happy. Oscar, like Sherry's Raiden is not hugely interested in playing but as with Raiden he will go mad with anything under a rug. I use the wand end under the rug and also in a cat tunnel which Oscar loves. Another thing he loves is cardboard boxes. He will chew them to bits and spit out the bits as he does it. He also likes the hardbaked cardboard scratch pads to chew. I think some bengals do calm down as they get older and maybe like slightly less energetic play that the real youngsters. It sounds as if you and your kitty have really bonded which is lovely. Oscar can be quite clingy too and will follow me around. If he does not know where I am he will howl until I talk to him! Have you tried him with water to see if he would play with things in a washing up bowl or something? Also great is catnip on a kong kickaroo!

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Melissa

UK
Oscar - Rescue (Rascal!!!) Bengal

Hello, Sherry and Melissa,

Thank you so much for responding so quickly and for your very helpful advice! Also, for your kind comments about me giving Leo a home. :-) (I am sorry for the delay in answering but this is the first opportunity I have had all week).

I feel very reassured by some of the things you said. I knew that Bengals are very vocal but I thought there must be a reason for Leo’s constant meowing and I wrongly interpreted it as a sign of restlessness/boredom, or a cry for attention. It’s reassuring to know that Bengals will often cry for no apparent reason!

I have also come to the conclusion that his habit of tearing chunks off the leaves on the bushes in the garden and spitting them out is actually a form of entertainment for him rather than an expression of boredom. Maybe he likes the crunchiness and the satisfactory noise the leaves make when they snap!

For a while, especially in the early days, we also toyed with the idea of getting him a companion. Leo is not in the slightest bit aggressive towards other cats, which seems strange given his battle scars from past fights with other cats. When he was still confined indoors during the winter months, he hissed a couple of times when he saw other cats walk past our window, but since he started going out into the garden he has seen our neighbours’ two cats on an almost daily basis and he will always invariably greet them with a chirrup and a sniff, but he won’t hiss or growl. Sometimes, he will tentatively touch them with his paw, then he will quickly walk away, often meowing. This would make me think that he feels threatened by them but if the other cats then disappear through a hedge, he will go after them and call out for them as if he was missing their company. Maybe I am misinterpreting his behaviour? In any case, we have become convinced that having another cat in the house would not be a good idea; for a start, I think that Leo might resent having to share his cuddles! But, really, it’s too much of a gamble and it’s just not worth taking the risk in case things don’t work out – it would be terribly unfair, both on Leo and especially on the other cat.

Unfortunately, a leash is not an option because Leo doesn’t take kindly to any interference with his persona! Even putting a collar on him was an ordeal and I am glad that there is no need for one now that he can roam in our protected garden. Despite being very affectionate, he is very skittish and very suspicious; even applying an anti-flea spot-on treatment is tricky unless he is sleeping soundly – but then I risk applying in the wrong place as he always curls up whenever I touch him, even if he is half-asleep! Despite being so affectionate and generous with his “kisses”, Leo doesn’t like to be picked up, although he does like to curl up against me and a couple of times he sat and slept on my lap. He never tires of cuddles; he is such an affectionate cat and I do realise I am very lucky as some cats take months to come out of their shell and some never do, or at least they don’t like as much interaction with their humans.

As for water, Leo unfortunately doesn’t seem to be particularly attracted to it. I haven’t tried playing with things in a washing bowl but I will give it a go. I have been meaning to try catnip bubbles and I will try the kong kickeroo – thank you, what a great idea; Leo loves kicking with his hind legs! :-) He also likes to pounce on squishy mice that I move under a sheet or blanket, and a wand moved in the same way has had moderate success. The problem is that he seems to have a low boredom threshold and that he tires of things quickly. Maybe it’s because he is an older cat and it takes more effort to hold his attention, whereas a kitten will pounce on anything that moves!

I know that all cats have different personalities, regardless of breed, and that they are shaped by their past experiences. I unfortunately don’t know anything about Leo’s history; his latest owners lived in London but when my vet called the micro-chip registration company to let them know that he had been found, she was told that when he had been micro-chipped as a kitten he didn’t live anywhere near London. I am wondering whether he had a traumatic experience being transported there because he is terrified of the carrier and he will always invariably hurt his nose by scrubbing it raw in an attempt to get out. :-( I was able to find a great soft carrier but Leo still found a way to scrape his nose, against the zip! I have tried Feliway, both as a spray and with a diffuser, and Kalm-Aid gel, but they don’t seem to make a great deal of difference when it comes to travelling. I have tried “practising” with the carrier, using treats and playing in and around it, but unfortunately when the time comes it’s still a drama… :-( I know that a lot of cats don’t like getting into a carrier; maybe being confined in such a small space makes them feel claustrophobic. Do you have any suggestions as to how I could make this less stressful for him?

We will have to put Leo into a cattery for a couple of weeks in the summer and I am dreading it… He has been there before and he seemed to thrive on the attention – this particular cattery is very well run and has a very good reputation – but I am really not looking forward to it. When he was there previously, he had only been with us for six weeks; now he’s been here for eight months and he has got used to his routine. On the other hand, it’s out of the question having someone come and feed him here for ten minutes twice a day because I think he would feel very lonely. I also worry that he might become a bit sluggish, not having a lot of room to move around. The only problem I had when he stayed at the cattery previously is that he didn’t seem to be using his litter tray properly when he came home, although the people at the cattery assured me that it hadn’t been a problem while he was staying with them – apparently, it’s one of the things they keep a close eye on as it’s the first sign that all is not well with a cat…

I also worry because Leo doesn’t seem to drink at all… In all the time he has been with us, I have only seen him drink a handful of times. He gets his moisture from wet food that we supplement with some special kibble for his teeth. We bought him a pet drinking fountain, but he doesn’t seem interested in it. I tried putting some tuna-flavoured water in his bowl, but to no avail…

As always, any suggestions you might have will be greatly appreciated!

P.S. How do I change the details in my user profile? My cat is showing as a Bengal kitten instead of a senior! He will be 9 at the end of the summer...

Hi there, the user profile relates to your number of posts. You start off as a kitten and grow from there! It confused me at first too! It sounds as if Leo is just fine. As long as he does play sometimes then I don't think you need to worry. Definitely try the kong kikaroo and the cardboard boxes if he likes to chew and spit stuff. Poor Leo with the cat carrier - it sounds very distressing for you and him. There is a product called nutracalm that is ONLY available at vets (loads of copies online) It is totally natural and mimics the calming effect of mothers milk on a kitten. Maybe you could try this when he has to go to the vets. I used it on my kitty for a very short time when he was a feisty, scary rescue arrival. Also the drinking issue - I never see Oscar drink very regularly but he has two tins of wet food a day and I believe they get a lot of moisture from wet food. As long as his water is fresh and readily available and he pees regularly and has no trouble pooing then probably not a problem. I also think you a correct in not introducing another cat. He does sound a friendly boy but when another cat is living with you permanently it could be another story.

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Melissa

UK
Oscar - Rescue (Rascal!!!) Bengal

Sounds like you are doing fine to me, and he is probably just chatty. Hendrix doesn't stop talking although Jagger is only shouty when he wants something. Hendrix is also a very needy cat and will howl when he comes in and wants to know where you are and insists on cuddles most mornings. Neither are what I would consider lap cats though, they tend to curl up next to our legs on the footstool mainly or Hendrix likes to drape himself over your shoulder. They do like to be with their humans more than the average cat I think. As you said he is a senior now, so probably that is the reason he isn't so playful but he sounds like he's settled in really well with you.

If he's eating wet food, you will probably find he's getting adequate moisture from his food. You could try running a tap for him, mine are fascinated by taps and just have to investigate and will sometimes drink from it.

I leave one of our cat carriers out all the time, and Hendrix in particular will use it as a bed - normally in the winter as its by a radiator but with it being out all the time, it isn't something they are suspicious of. Could you adapt your carrier at all by sewing some sort of pad on it where the zipper is so you can tuck it away and stop him rubbing his nose on it??

Re the spot-on treatments, I also have a complete nightmare with these. Jagger is our main problem child on this one and we have had to scruff him in the past. I also try for when he's asleep as even though he soon wakes up and shoots off, it is at least done!

Don't worry too much, you are still getting to know each other. This site is a godsend though, I've learnt so much on here and any problems I've had, I've always received loads of really helpful advice.

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Clare
Hendrix and Jagger, Brown Marble Boys (born 18 August 2013)
Hampshire, UK

Bengal kitten is your status on the forum, meaning you just started writing posts. The more you write, you will see your status change.

Thank you so much to all of you for your insight and invaluable advice!

In answer to your suggestions, I have tried Zylkene (as well as Kalm-Aid gel) in the past. It also mimics a cat’s mother’s milk and it comes in capsules that you can just break open and mix in with your cat’s food. I gave it to Leo for a week after I found him to help him settle in before transporting him from London to the countryside, and it probably helped to a certain degree, but once he was inside his carrier he went mental regardless! I had practised enticing him into the carrier with treats for the whole week beforehand and I had sprayed Feliway inside the carrier before the journey as instructed, but to no avail. His howls were bloodcurdling and it was incredibly distressing watching him draw blood as he pressed against the metal grate of the plastic carrier with his little nose again and again, biting and clawing into it in a desperate attempt to get out… :-( I was really concerned that he would lose some teeth in the process but unfortunately there was nothing we could do; even if we had stopped the car, we couldn’t have taken him out of the carrier and it wouldn’t have changed anything, it would have only prolonged his agony. It took almost three weeks for his nose to heal and the best part of three months for the fur around his mouth to grow back… :-( I am sure this had happened before, as his nose was already clearly scarred when I found him. By the time we finally arrived at our destination late in the evening, he was completely exhausted and dehydrated; after exploring his new surroundings, he wolfed down a pouch of wet food in minutes, he drained half of his water bowl (one of the very few times I have actually seen him drink!) and he fell into a deep sleep until morning.

I subsequently bought a very soft carrier and stitched strips of soft cloth from a cat blanket around the zips, but he will still rub his nose against them in an attempt to escape – although thankfully, because of the softer material, his nose will not be anywhere near as bad as it was after that dreadful journey; it will only look a bit red. Also, the cattery is only 20 minutes’ drive from our house; the journey to the countryside took two-and-a-half hours on the motorway… :-( I do keep the carrier on the floor in the room where Leo sleeps – although he doesn’t actually sleep in it – but it doesn’t make any difference when the time comes to use it. I wish I could make him relax a bit more, but he is such an intelligent and perceptive cat that he always invariably picks up on my anxiety and he will be on high alert, waiting for something to happen! I just hope that time goes quickly when I have to take him to the cattery in mid-July. I almost feel like cancelling my holiday! Pity I can’t take him with me… Because I work from home, I am with him all the time and I will miss him terribly… :-(

With regard to his toys, I did buy some catnip bubbles and a Kong Kickeroo, but neither had the effect I had hoped for. :-( I will persevere with the Kickeroo, though; maybe I should give it to Leo when he is having one of his “mad” phases! Ironically, he has seemed a lot calmer over this past week and he has been spending more time out in the garden, even on his own. The garden looks really pretty now that the Hebes are in bloom, and the camellias we planted around the bird bath are like a mini-forest that he likes to hide in. :-) Unfortunately, there have been a couple of casualties… He was able to catch a mourning dove and despite my intervention, she was too badly injured to be saved. :-( We also found a small dead starling at the bottom of the garden and I have a feeling that our little rascal had something to do with his demise… :-( I feel bad about it but I don’t want to remove the bird feeder. I have ordered an additional tray to collect seeds that spills from the feeding tray, so that birds won’t be tempted to forage for food on the ground. Honestly, looking after Leo is a full-time job!

We even had a problem with carpenter bees that had taken up residence in his wooden climber in the garden and I was stung by one when I was watering the plants one afternoon. :-( I then sprayed the climber with almond oil mixed with a few drops of grapefruit essential oil, as well as a concoction I had made by boiling the rinds of lemons and limes (something I had read about online), and that seemed to do the trick. Life certainly is anything but boring for us at the moment!

As for Leo’s drinking, I feel marginally reassured that he is taking all the necessary moisture he needs from his wet food, as he is weeing regularly and has no trouble pooing. The camellias in the corner of the garden he has elected as his outside toilet are none too happy for it (!), so we will try to create a toilet area using a timber frame filled with children’s play sand, and plant a few more Hebes around it for privacy. There is no guarantee that he will take to it, but it’s worth a try… Does anybody have a better suggestion?

On the subject of weeing, how should I go about collecting a urine sample? Leo had to have a procedure under general anaesthetic in mid-February to remove five teeth - his mouth was in a pitiful state when I found him :-( - and although all of his pre-op tests were OK, I was advised to have regular six-monthly urine check-ups as some of the values in his wee were slightly raised, although the vet did say that this was likely due to the fact that he was feeling stressed at the time. I did buy some hydrophobic sand online but Leo didn’t like the texture – he promptly stepped out of his litter tray and “went” outside! Also, because he now “goes” mostly outside, it’s more difficult for me to keep an eye on his weeing… The vet said that I could always take him in again when the time comes and he will eventually “go” in their sterile sand, but that won’t solve the problem of Leo being stressed again as and when that happens… Because he is very skittish and wary of strangers, I have always arranged for the vet to do home visits. That relieves at least some of the stress and as far as I am concerned it’s worth every penny, so I hate the thought of having to bundle Leo into his carrier and take him to the vet’s just to get a urine sample. Does anybody have any suggestions?

Finally, thank you for clarifying my status on the forum. The Bengal Kitten label had me very confused!

I totally agree with Tabitha; this site truly is a godsend and I am so happy I found it! :-) I just wish I had more time to read through all the posts - although I work from home, I work very long hours and between taking care of Leo and the house, I never seem to have a minute to myself…

Gosh, you have gone to great lengths to help Leo! I know that Zylkene is not a fast acting medicine and takes about two weeks plus to get into the blood stream and be effective. The Nutracalm acts immediately so I really would try that instead of the Zylkene for vet visits. Do you think it is the size of the carrier that is freaking him out? Maybe try a larger one? (could you borrow a small dog crate from someone and see if it's better? Goodness, these Bengals will bankrupt us with all the spending!!! The sand toilet area sounds inspired.......hope he likes it! Also, are you rubbing a good quality catnip on the kickaroo? Leo is so lucky to have you as him mum!!!

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Melissa

UK
Oscar - Rescue (Rascal!!!) Bengal

A couple of other things -- even neutered cats will fight. Cats are highly territorial. Raiden was neutered at 11 weeks and fought constantly when he was a free roaming cat and he still wants to go after cats we see on our walks.

My Raiden does not drink much water at all. He pees just fine and is not dehydrated. He is fed wet food with a high water content. I have seen him drink at times, but the bowl is never empty and he would rather put his paw in it and splash his food.

Raiden fights his carrier as well. Thankfully, our vet is 2 miles down the road! But the howls are earth shattering and he tries to get out the entire trip. Then when we get in the examining room, he has no desire to come out and face the vet. LOL But most cats are extremely stressed out by being in a confined area.

I know it's difficult when you have to board your kitty! Hopefully, yours has nice kitty condos so the kitty won't be too bored. My vet also has a cat tree that looks like a real tree in a special room and if I pay $3 more a day, they will put a vet tech in there with Raiden to play with him for 30 minutes. I missed him terribly the week we were gone and kept calling the vet to check on him. We'd only had him three months when this took place. Brought him home and he was fine -- just like nothing happened!

I would not actually give up on getting him to accept a harness. Most cats aren't happy -- just like the collar thing. It's a foreign object around their body. It's something they have to get used to. But, if you feel the enclosed garden is best for him and he doesn't need walking, then that's awesome!

Most bengal rookies have a lot to learn because a bengal is not like any other breed of kitty. You will be thoroughly amused by yours. I'm just glad you have realized that your bengal is not really bored at all. Mine will walk around the house just crying! He looks lonely, but he gets so much attention that I don't manage to get much accomplished during the day.

Oh and in answer to the urine sample issue - my vet gives me kind of crystal non absorbant litter and I just drain it off when he goes. Also as I found out yesterday with Oscar - Leo might just go in a tray with no litter at all and again you could just pour it out. I am a beauty therapist and I work from home. My salon is strictly a cat free zone for obvious reasons. Yesterday I was doing some cleaning in my room and I turned round to see Oscar had sneaked in and was peeing in my foot spa!!!!! OMG I did not know whether to laugh or cry! I could not blame him as my foot spa is a rectangle tray that was on the floor at the time and was obviously a totally appropriate place to pee! He did not mind the lack of litter at all. Give it a go with Leo!!!! Now the question is........do I sterilise and keep quiet or buy a new foot spa?!!! Hope none of my clients read this forum

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Melissa

UK
Oscar - Rescue (Rascal!!!) Bengal

Wow, thank you so much for your quick replies! :-)

I will definitely ask my vet about the NutriCalm. I am surprised she didn’t suggest it, as she didn’t seem to set great store by the Zylkene and as for the Kalm-Aid gel, she said it might or might not work but that it might be worth giving it a try.

I don’t think the size of the carrier is an issue. Leo is a VERY long cat (about half a meter / 1ft 8in long!), as I imagine most male Bengal cats must be. The carrier would be suitable for a small dog; it’s longer than Leo and quite tall, but because it’s soft it would actually fit under an airplane seat – not that I am even thinking of ever flying Leo anywhere! LOL It’s a Sturdibag (an American brand, I believe – Sherry, you may be familiar with it) and it’s one of the best investments I ever made for Leo. As its name says, it’s sturdy but very soft and light. I think the main issue is that Leo hates being confined in a small space and not being in control of the situation – maybe he had a traumatic experience in the past or maybe, as Sherry says, cats just get very stressed by being in a confined area…

I haven’t rubbed catnip into the Kickeroo – I thought it already contained catnip? Thank you for suggesting it, though. I bought some premium-grade Canadian catnip some time ago that I use to fill Leo’s soft toys and that he really seems to like, so I will definitely give it a go!

As for collecting a wee sample, I did try leaving an empty tray for Leo in the usual spot, with and without kitchen towel at the bottom, but he wouldn’t use it. I also tried covering his litter with some cling film tucked into the sides, but to no avail… :-( The hydrophobic sand had some great reviews and sounded like the answer to my prayers (I think it’s the same thing as as your crystal, non-absorbant litter, Melissa) but Leo unfortunately didn’t take to it… The main problem is that now he hardly ever “goes” inside since he started going out into the garden, unless it’s raining… I will see if I can persevere with the hydrophobic sand, maybe by keeping Leo indoors for a day or so, although that’s easier said than done as Sherry found out! Our vet is also just a couple of miles down the road, but I would hate to put Leo in a carrier and take him in just for a wee sample… How funny that Oscar should go in your foot spa, though, Melissa! Honestly, cats are such funny creatures… I promise I won’t tell if you don’t! ;-)

As for the cattery, I have to say it’s one of the nicest I have ever come across. It’s described as a 5-star hotel for cats and the cats do get a lot of attention and play time (30 minutes a day). :-) There are a couple of catteries closer to where we live but they are not in the same league; one also has kennels and the noise is deafening around feeding time – I think Leo would get very stressed there. “Our” cattery only costs a couple of pounds a day more but it’s definitely worth it. My only concern is that because Leo won’t have as much room to explore and walk around, he might become a bit sluggish, but hopefully my fears will prove to be unfounded.

I have pretty much given up on the idea of a harness. We are very fortunate in that we have a fairly large garden (around 100 sqm / 1,000 sq ft) and I would be worried about dogs if we ever went outside. I also wouldn’t like to attract attention, as Leo is a pedigree cat after all. Having cat-proof fencing installed wasn’t cheap but the peace of mind it has given me is priceless.

But, Sherry, you have hit the nail on the spot; although I always had cats when I was growing up, I had no idea what I was getting into when I adopted Leo! I sometimes struggle to get things done because he demands so much attention; yet, the minute you start doing something for yourself, he just sits there looking bored! He is such a little rascal… As the vet says, he has got me wrapped around his little finger! LOL

I can in all honesty say that I have done everything I possibly could to make Leo happy and settled. It makes me so sad to think that nobody wanted him; a cat who was obviously no longer a kitten, very skittish but with a heart of gold, with dental issues that would have only got worse in time… I lie in bed with Leo snoozing by my side at night, listening to the rain lashing against the window, and it warms my heart to know that he will never want for anything again – except maybe a little more freedom than what he has! – or have to sleep behind rubbish bins, trying to find shelter from the cold and the rain, and hiding from foxes at night (as the two girls who had been feeding him on the street told me… Neither could take him in as one already had a cat who didn’t like other cats and the other one had a dog).

People must think I am very wealthy, judging by the amount of money I have spent on him. I am not, but I don’t begrudge the few sacrifices I have had to make along the way. It is true that a cat will repay you tenfold for the love you give him. Leo has made my life complete and I am the happiest I have been in a very long time. I do think we rescued each other…

I have just checked for the medicine. It's Nutracalm from a company called nutravet.co.uk There are so many copies and variations of the name online so be very careful. It comes in a kind of brown paper colour flat box with dark green writing on it. It's a blister pack of capsules. My vets said it was much better than zylkene and they had great results with stressed dogs and cats. It is only available at vets and not online or from any shops. If you cannot source any then I have some left that I would be more than happy to post to you. As it works immediately then it may help Leo with the awful cat carrier experience. x

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Melissa

UK
Oscar - Rescue (Rascal!!!) Bengal

Thank you so much, Melissa! That's so kind of you!

I will speak to the vet and let you know how I get on.

I would do anything to make the cat carrier experience less traumatic for Leo... x

It sounds like you and Leo are perfect for each other! My Oscar is nearly 7 and a rescue. He was left to fend for himself and had uncaring owners. Luckily he was handed in to Cats protection before he could become a proper stray so I have his pedigree and some of his history. He had lots of issues but he is fine now. It does break your heart to think they were unwanted and uncared for. Oscar has bonded very strongly with me and behaves like Leo does with the following and having to know exactly where I am at all times! It actually frightens me how much I love Oscar and the thought that one day I will lose him scares me to death. It would be lovely if you could post a picture of Leo so we could all admire him!

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Melissa

UK
Oscar - Rescue (Rascal!!!) Bengal