Upstairs cat/downstairs cat

We have had Gir for a few months now; actually almost a year. She has only come upstairs voluntarily one time. We think it was to ask the kids where the heck mom and dad had gone. (Husband and I had been gone for a few days). My son almost died from shock when he opened his bedroom door and there she was. "Meow?" was all she had to say to him.

Usually, some brave soul carries her upstairs by her armpits (Leg pits? What do you call those on a cat?) and places her on a shelf in the upstairs living room. She sits still as a statue, or she growls when she spies Rex, our "upstairs" cat. Poor Rex actually doesn't seem to mind Gir. She just growls, hisses and howls wildly when he enters "her" space downstairs. Anyhow, eventually, Gir will slink back downstairs. She's not as stealthy as she thinks. The dog does in fact see her as she passes by.

We've discovered that she may be a Snow Bengal, which is a cat breed. On the description of the Snow Bengal in our breed book, it says, helpfully, under "penalties" against the breed in show,

"Aggressive behavior which threatens to harm."

Well that's our girl. Gir has so far sent my husband and a vet tech, and lord knows who else to the emergency room with a severe bite wound. Where was this helpful book when we were adopting her from PAWS?

Anyhow, we try to watch TV once a day with her, the TV being downstairs in her area. She's mostly friendly, until she gets that crazy "I am consumed with the thought of chomping you" look on her cross-eyed face. Then you know it's time to move away from her, or gently push her off of your lap with a pillow.

Sheesh, the things we do for our animals.