'My Cat From Hell' Host Will Tackle Portland's 911 Monster Cat

By Hillary Crosley Coker  |  March 20, 2014 | 4:30pm
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My Cat From Hell host Jackson Galaxy is going head-to-head with that crazy cat in Portland, as mentioned last night. Last week, the four-year-old Himalayan named Lux began attacking his family of two adults, a baby and a dog so aggressively that the terrorized clan locked themselves in a room and dialed 911. Now, like some savior from above, Galaxy and his cat nip-filled guitar case will descend upon the house that Lux destroyed and try to make a happy home. He’s even shelling out cat advice in case you have a Lux-like problem at home.

I’m so excited for this episode, I can barely contain myself. *sets DVR*

“Every parental site on the Internet blames the cat for this confrontation. Every pet site blames the family,” he said, adding that something is wrong if the cat is acting out. “We need to step away from the hysteria. There is a story behind all this. Don’t assume anything.”

Lux’s owner Lee Palmer says it all started when the baby pulled Lux’s tail and the cat scratched the kid. Palmer then kicked the cat and Lux “just went off the edge” reports AP. Apparently Lux even went after the dog, the feline was taking no prisoners.

Galaxy says that there are a multitude of reasons that cats can become 911-call-worthy and there isn’t one specific way to deal with it. Still, like the quirky expert he is, I imagine he twirled his beard and then passed down the following tips on dealing with enraged fur balls. The first being, don’t leave your child alone with your cat, especially if they’re prone to scratching and such. Duh.:

— Take it to a vet at least once a year. If a cat is acting suspiciously, the owner needs to pay attention. “Know what suspicious looks like,” Galaxy said. “If they’re not feeling well, cats will socially withdraw themselves, or they will lose weight, or they will gain weight, or they’ll be howling in the middle of the night when they never did before.
“I’ve known cats who acted out similarly to Lux because of an abscessed tooth, a brain tumor, hyperthyroidism or diabetes.”
— Make sure cats can literally climb out of a situation. Having a space up high, like a cat condo, to get away from children and other pets is crucial, Galaxy said. “Make sure the cat can make the choice to get away from the kid,” he said.
— Timeouts are good things. “We associate timeouts with punishment, but in the world of cats, timeout is not a punishment.” They can go to a designated place where they can settle down, come back to a peaceful moment or ground themselves, he said.

Galaxy says he’s skeptical that all of this drama is Lux’s fault, adding that the cat’s tail being pulled might’ve been the last straw. The fifth season of My Cat From Hell begins on April 26.

 
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