This has been a bizarre and difficult week! It all started this past weekend. One evening Emma and I were at home and out of no where Zoe starts hollering, growling, and being defensive at Emma. Emma was just sitting on the couch watching Mickey Mouse! I picked her up and explained that Zoe was just scared of something. After a while I was able to get a hold of Zoe and put her outside. A day or two later Zoe did the very same thing to David, who again was just sitting on the couch minding his own business. It terrified and upset David so much he went and shut himself in his room! Zoe’s behavior was more intense this time, and I had to shut her in one of the bedrooms until she calmed enough for me to get a hold of her. That whole day she acted strange and that evening she kept having this type of behavior. We put her in the garage until the kids went to bed, and then we let her back inside. Andrew and I were sitting on the couch watching television when all of a sudden she does it again to me! Once again we could not calm her down, and had to shut her in our bedroom. It took a good forty-five minutes for Zoe to calm down enough for us to get a hold of her. By this time Andrew and I are both distraught, and can not imagine what is wrong with our usually very sweet and tolerant cat! At the recommendation of a good friend, we took Zoe to the veterinarian the next day.

The veterinarian kept Zoe for a couple days and ran some tests. Unfortunately they could not find anything physically wrong with her. I say unfortunately because if they found something wrong that would at least explain the behavior and then we could address the issue. Instead it means Zoe has some kind of psychological disorder, perhaps? We are still left with a lot of questions…. The veterinarian gave us three options: 1) We could try her on some medication that may or may not work. It’s was very expensive by the way. 2)We could try keeping her outside and see if she can acclimate to living outdoors. 3) Have her put down.  The doctor told us they don’t usually recommend the third option, but when a family is in our situation with a potentially dangerous animal they will. Zoe apparently exhibited some very bad behavior even at the vet’s office.

Zoe is only about three years old. We have had her for about two and half years. She has become part of the family, and we all love her! Even though her behavior has scared the kids they still love her and want to pet her. The whole time Zoe was at the vet’s office, Emma would say, “Zoe at doctor’s office”. Andrew and I have been very torn about what to do! We don’t trust her anymore to be inside around the kids because we don’t know what or when she will be triggered to become crazy.  We couldn’t bring ourselves to have her put down. We are trying to see if she will adjust to living outside, and in our garage. After several months we may try to let her back inside and see what happens, but I just don’t know yet. Please say a prayer that Zoe will acclimate to living outdoors! Right now she is going from window to door during the day meowing because she wants inside! We are just upset about this, and don’t know what else to do!

Zoe is typically a very sweet and loving cat!

Despite our troubles with Zoe this week we have tried keep in the spirit of the season. We bought our Christmas tree and decorated it! David was so excited about getting the tree, and loves to decorate! Emma wanted to help too, and they both actually did a very good job of hanging ornaments! I of course had to readjust a few here and there. 😉 My favorite part of decorating our tree every year is our ornaments. Pretty much every ornament has been given to us by friends and family, and they have a special meaning to us. It is great to unwrap the ornaments every year and remember who and what the ornament represents!

Hope and Peace,

PK