I recently had a ceiling fan and light kit installed in my dining

I recently had a ceiling fan and light kit installed in my dining room...now my cat, won't go anywhere near that room. He spends most all of his time in his sleeping area under my bed, and won't even come out to greet me when I return home at night. He used to meet me at the door and start "talking" (short meows) while I followed him inside. I've had to move his food bowls into the bedroom because he won't go near the kitchen as it is next to the dining room where he can see the fan, even when it is not spinning (I haven't turned it on since it was installed. It's been over a week and he is not vocal at all, doesn't rub against me like he used to and whenever he is near an entrance to the dining room, he lowers his head, but his eyes look up, towards the unit, then he turns and usually crawls under the bed/ I've carried him a couple of times into the dining room and held him gently to the floor....He doesn't violently fight this, but as soon as I let go of him, he scampers off to beneath the bed and will stay there all day and night, only coming out to eat and drink from the food/water bowls...now in my bedroom . He has only used the littter box once during this time, to urinate ( I check daily) but he's not gone anywhere else. He is holding it in. What can I do?

Customer (name blocked for privacy)

Hi,

I just noticed your location--we're neighbors; I'm in Plantation! : )

This reaction doesn't sound very extraordinary, as cats are creatures of habit and very often will react to a new 'appliance' (thing?) in the house and be wary of it.

What I'm thinking is...during the installation of the fan, there might have been a lot of noise, and also new(?) people putting it up for you, and this totally freaked him out. I would assume the spinning of the fan (noise, breeze?) would be the culprit, but you say you haven't turned it on at all, so he shouldn't be afraid of the noise/motion of it. But, wasn't it turned on right after installation, to make sure it worked properly, etc.? He may have witnessed this, and it frightened him.

If he feels secure under your bed, I wouldn't push it right now....if his food/water are in your bedroom where he feels safe, I'd leave them there for the timebeing, too. Where is the litterbox? Is it not also in your bedroom? When you say he urinated only once in the litterbox since this happened and it was installed over a week ago, that's very bad for his health and he must be going SOMEWHERE--male cats are notorious for being able to hold their urine for a pretty long time, but not this long! If he's not going when his bladder is full, he could be causing a urinary infection. If he's eating and drinking, he has to be urinating and defecating...if you're sure he's not, he needs to see the vet immediately.

You could try a product called Feliway to help cut down on his stress level and fight the fear he has developed for the fan and surrounding areas (kitchen/diningroom). Feliway is a synthetic feline facial pheremone which is made to calm stressed/anxious cats, curb urine marking and stop inappropriate elimination. It comes in a pump spray for smaller areas, and an electric plug-in diffuser (like a plug-in air freshener) for entire rooms. The diffuser has no discernible scent to humans. If you plug in a diffuser in the diningroom and use the spray in the kitchen near his bowls, or first, near where he is under the bed, to calm him, this might help. You can read more information about Feliway here:

www.felineway.com

www.catfaeries.com

It's available in most Petsmart/Petco stores, online and some vets carry it. As you can see, at the Catfaeries site, they also have 'flower essences'. These are homeopathic products which are used for various ailments, etc. One that's used for pets and humans for calming purposes is called 'Rescue Remedy'. You can find these at Health or Natural Food stores--Dr. Bach's Flower Essences is another brand. I know that Whole Foods Market carries it. Follow the directions re: dosage on the product and/or at the site online.

These two products are a more 'natural' way to proceed. If this problem continues and your cat is really being physically as well as emotionally affected by it, your vet might feel a prescription anti-anxiety medication is necessary.

You know, it just occurred to me that the new fan might have a 'smell' to it, also; you know how new appliances sometimes have a certain smell? Maybe if you sprayed some Feliway on the blades of the fan and then turned it on (while he's in your room under the bed, with the door closed, of course), that might help.

Well, I really feel for you, AND your boy, and I know this is a problem you certainly didn't anticipate when you decided to install an overhead fan to help keep you cooler! : )

I know it's going to take a lot of patience and love to help him overcome this fear, but eventually, with time and the help of some of the products I mentioned, hopefully it will be sooner, rather than later!

I think you should just keep talking to him gently and giving him lots of affection and reassurance where he feels most secure (your room) and he'll come around. But, don't forget, if he's not eliminating on a daily basis, a vet visit is definitely in order!

Please keep me updated on how things are progressing? Thanks!

Cher : )

Edited by Cerecita on August 2 2006 at 8:24 PM

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1 Other Expert Agrees with this!

truly a scaredy cat is "booters"

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