Community Chat

[mewsmomtoo]

On 6/15/2014 goldenretriever said:

My first impression...it's all about the owners. This may sound weird, but I see darkness in both of them. Something just isn't right. I'm glad Lux is out of that environment. I wouldn't trust either one of them in any way.

Lux may or may not have that syndrome (I'm not convinced, & I don't think anyone else was, either.) Jackson HAD to say certain things, but I could tell he wanted Lux out of that home. He knew something wasn't right.

I'd be curious to see if the bad reactions with Lux go away completely once he knows he's safe & loved with his new guardians. The attack during his first stay with them may have been triggered by a previous episode with the other owners. I'll bet Lux becomes a GREAT cat, & he'll be forever grateful to his new guardians.

Thank you to Jackson & everyone involved for giving Lux a new chance at life.

I think you are right Golden Retriever, I think JG knew these owners were not right for Lux at this point especially, but had to go through the 2-week "homework" phase in order to get to the point where he could re-home him and since they had cameras in the home, he could see for himself what was happening in the home rather than totally relying on the 911 call episode and his interview with the owners.

I also think you could be right about the attack on the foster parents being triggered from something in his previous home. As I continued to think about this last night, I wondered if Lux had/has PTSD. JG had a case a couple of years ago that involved PTSD/displaced fright and anger for a cat who got terribly frightened by something that happened in its backyard while it was playing with his 4-5 year old boy owner and after that he and the boy couldn't play together without the cat hissing and scratching. He discovered this by having the boy reenact the day things changed - the mom didn't even know this had happened. He was able to help them and mend the relationship between the boy and cat. He even visited them an year or more later and things are going great for them.

[mewsmomtoo]

On 6/15/2014 Marp2 said:

Mewsmom,

If I remember correctly the original owner said Lux had always been unpredictable. I suspect that the baby and the parent's fears greatly contributed to increased episodes.

One question that wasn't addressed at the end of the show is what Jackson would have done if the original owner did not agree to rehome Lux.

Knowing the potential for disaster, particularly to the toddler, I would feel obligated to notify social services as a very last resort. Heaven knows what would have happened to Lux if social services got involved.

Bless the couple that agreed to keep him.

Thanks Marp2 I couldn't remember if he had always been unpredictable even when his owner is single. Hyperesthesia usually comes on when a cat is older (I think more commonly between ages 3-6 years, but I'm not sure). But yes, as their fear increased, his anxiety increased and it was just a downward spiral in terms of their relationship.

I too wonder what he would have done if they hadn't agreed to give up Lux. That's why I would have loved to hear that whole conversation. I agree that he might have had to notify CPS as a last resort. There is no doubt that Lux was especially dangerous to baby Jesse.

I'm just so grateful for Jackson and Animal Planet and for the parents realizing they had to re-home Lux, no matter how they got to that place. I hope things work out for poor Lux - I would like to have known how old he was. I got the feeling he was between 6-10 years old. Well, I guess we can do nothing but wait and see.

[spot555]

His original owner said he'd always been unpredictable. As far as I'm concerned, she appears to be a nut-case, so it's no wonder that cat acted the way he did. I wouldn't trust her, or her husband any further than I could throw them. They are VERY weird, & the cat didn't like or trust them.

[aubnwa01]

I think the original owner's behavior only escalated the situation. If I was a a frightened cat & someone was yelling & screaming & chasing me & kicking at me & then coming at me with oven mitts & backing me into a corner, I'd lash out, too. I hope Lux's new guardians have a long & happy life with him. He's better off in that quieter environment, with no small children or crazy adults, anyway!

[MoJoV]

On 6/15/2014 ennui1 said:

On 6/14/2014 MoJoV said:

I just watched the episode. It's hard to believe a domestic cat could trigger such fear in people.

Cats are scary. Some people fear dogs, do you fault them, too?

I don't fault any one for their fears. Fear is not a choice. Locking themselves in a bedroom and calling the police did seem extreme,though,especially since there were two adults along with the baby. OK,now?

[jaxs mom]

I'm so glad that poor Lux has a new home. The husband admits he kicked the cat and honestly I don't believe it was the first time either. I was yelling at the TV to please get this poor cat rehomed the whole time.

[Moonlady]

On 6/14/2014 ennui1 said:

On 6/14/2014 Moonlady said:

LOL, okay, I'll quote my own two responses from the other thread:

I'm a regular viewer of <em>My Cat From [The Opposite of Heaven]</em>, so I'll certainly be tuning in. However, from everything I read about the case in March, these owners were abusive towards the cat and weren't even invested in keeping him.

As I've often said, it's usually the "<em>owners</em>" from the opposite of heaven, and it appears that this is sadly the case with Lux.

The show isn't called "my owners from Heck."

It should be.

AS for the episode, I thought Jackson Galaxy did a great job, and he tried to do the best thing for the owners and the cat.

I'm glad the cat's out of that environment, and into a loving home.

[mewsmomtoo]

Of course I had to delve into this syndrome a bit and there were several articles I read but THIS one really struck me. I think you'll find it of interest. It seems to fit many of the Lux's manifestations.

http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/vet-practice-news

Marp2 posted the bolded paragraph and URL above in a thread about Lux on the Viewpoints board. It is an excellent article so I thought I would post over here in case anyone missed it over there.

[Rooney1]

On 6/15/2014 ennui1 said:

On 6/14/2014 MoJoV said:

I just watched the episode. It's hard to believe a domestic cat could trigger such fear in people.

Cats are scary. Some people fear dogs, do you fault them, too?

No! Fear is fear, however - their are productive and healthy ways to deal with fear(s). IMO, cats get a bad rap a lot of times due to ignorance of the part of the person who is "fearful," just like happens with dogs.

Both cats and dogs (all animals really) respond to their environment. And, like human beings - some are more flighty than others, or have mental issues. Don't forget - animals are dependent on us humans to have their needs met.