In the shelter environment, this manifested in two ways: 2-3 episodes a day of growling and tail chasing, and compulsive over-grooming.
The growling and tail chasing stopped when she entered foster care, literally overnight. The first night she hissed at her tail, but nothing obvious we've seen or heard since then.
The over-grooming is getting better too!
To treat her FHS symptoms, she's on twice-daily medication. It's a pill that gets crushed up and dissolved into water, then squirted into her mouth with a syringe.
And my goodness, she is a champ. She makes a face and would certainly choose not to take it if she could, but she doesn't fight me and doesn't hold a grudge.
Scruffing and squirting is a tried and true method, and maybe it's the professional or proper way to do it, but I prefer not to scruff unless I have to. My technique is more full-contact, but it seems to work.
We've tried giving her treats or canned food as a reward after getting her meds, but she's just not interested. Sometimes she's happy to be brushed, but she usually needs a moment first.
Ginger Kitty is fostered in Cambridge, MA through the Gifford Cat Shelter in Brighton. Please contact them if you are interested in her!
