Oh, yes, we have noticed problems with our cat (a Cornish Rex born of very good parents about eleven years ago, so it can't be hereditary or from his early kitten days before he left the litter, I think, but there have been very few brain studies on cats). As a family we have kept this under wraps, least it embarrass us to no end. So, so to speak, we have kept this trait of his "in the closet."
We feel that our Mr. Rex acts like a dog some of the time, he comes when called and does other things that we feel are not cat-like. We have always speculated that he is a dog in a cats body. Now, before we had him fixed, when he was younger, even though he is a small cat he would get into fights with much bigger cats. In retrospect (I was not educated in gender ways then as I, too, was in the closet at that time) we now believe that he may have been overcompensating for his species dysphoria so that we or his cat friends would not consider him suspect.
He is a Cornish Rex, as I mentioned, so he has no outer layer of fur, only an undercoat which gets thick in the winter, or what passes for winter in Phoenix, and thinner, to the point where you can see his pink skin in many places in the summer months. We have decided that if he somehow communicates to us that he wants electrolysis so that he can pass with Chihuahuas then we are drawing the line there and taking him to a shrink as electrolysis for a cat can be terribly expensive.
We keep waiting for advice from Ann Landers but that has not been the subject of any of her insightful replies. We can only hope that the Internet helps us in finding other cats with similar proclivities so that we can know that he is not the only cat with a problem like this as we know it must be horrendously debilitating and embarrassing for him. With Cat Problems In Phoenix, Sincerely, Karen
Oh, my, yes it does sound like Mr. Rex is suffering a severe bout of species dysphoria. You didn't mention if Mr. Rex has siblings...either GD (genuine dog) or CD (cat dysphoric). If Mr. Rex has a younger GD sibling, he may be responding to additional attention you are paying to the GD. On the other hand, Mr. Rex may have undergone severe trauma when you attempted partial SRS to him and as a result has developed an alter personality. In either event, it is imperative that you allow Mr. Rex the freedom he needs to express this within himself. (A CC (closet cat) will need support and encouragement if he is ever to live a happy, fulfilling, and contented lifestyle. And believe me, cat psychologists are nearly as expensive as cat electrolysis technicians.)
I would recommend you provide Mr. Rex with a healthy outlet for his alter-persona. Since he already has limited hair, one of those cute little "doggie sweaters" might be just the thing. You could take Mr. Rex to one of the local pet emporiums and allow him to peruse the canine department until he selects just the right sweater. (You might have to help in this activity because Mr. Rex has never had the freedom to actually go into the canine department at a pet emporium. And his idea of what color sweater matches his skin color might need some insight from you.)
Once you get Mr. Rex home, I might suggest that you let him wear the sweater while you take a picture of him in. If you post this next to his litter box, he will constantly be reminded of just how canine like he appears. If all else fails, and Mr. Rex is still exhibiting tendencies to want to go out in public and be seen with the rest of the "cds" (cat dysphorics) you might want to consider one of those spring tension walking leashes. At least you will be able to "keep a tight leash" on his excursions out in public. I hope this helps with Mr. Rex's condition. Remember, you must support him and make him feel that he truly does have "dog" somewhere in his persona
Sincerely, Cat Landers
confused in MN
Yes indeed, partial SRS, as I replied to Cat Problems in Phoenix, can indeed trigger feelings of male inadequacy. I would not suggest that you deny him of the glitter make-up, although sharing it with his younger sibling might be considered. What you will need to do is accept him regardless of his sexual choices. He is in severe denial and prone to extreme stress and anxiety that he is not "who he was born." There is a fierce battle raging inside his body between the "birth" gender and the "new" gender. Meanwhile he is unsure of your acceptance of his new gender, and will continue to cling to male modeling in an attempt to live up to your expectations. You need to reassure him that regardless of his younger sibling, he was still first in your heart. I would suggest you locate a "boy" oriented catnip toy. Catnip makes any male cat feel like "tom-ming around." I think this is just what the doctor ordered.
Sincerely, Cat Landers
