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Thread: Aggressive Cat

  1. #1

    Aggressive Cat

    My 4 y/o male orange and white is a wonderful cat overall. He does not go outdores and has all his shots and has been nudered. Lately, when he sees another cat outside (which I cannot identify as male or female) and I scare him by accident, he flips out on me and kicks my butt- scratching me and acting like Cujo! It sounds funny, but it is to the point where my wife has left tonight with my mother to stay with her; fearing for her legs, etc! He's my best friend. What can I do??

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2002
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    It's the other cat outside that's stressing him out. Afterall, it's HIS territory, yet he's closed up inside.That's VERY stressful. And since you're the first closest thing to take out his anger on, you're it! I suggest a squirt bottle. Once he knows he gets wet everytime he does that, he'll get the idea.

    Good luck.

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  3. #3
    Thank you for your reply, however squirt bottles won't save me. I used a hose last night. He attacked me again today so I did all I could to throw him outside. He's totally mad and has been looking for me in our windows for an hour. This is the worst!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Alberta, Canada
    Posts
    22,005
    Please talk to your vet....he might need some temporary trannies, or maybe be encouraged to use another window to view the world.

    Animal behaviourists can be very helpful too - please look into that.

    Worst case - maybe rehome him to a friend who has a 2nd floor apt or something. Please keep us posted!

    Catty1
    "Do or do not. There is no try." -- Yoda

  5. #5
    Thank you. I have contacted my vet and will bring him in for an evaluation as soon as he calms down and can be put in his carrier. I'm nervous about being attacked again and it is always very challenging getting him in his carrier. Does anyone have any proven methods to entice their cats into their carriers?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Alabama
    Posts
    337

    Cat loves carrier

    My best friend and I discovered that cats respond differently to different types of carriers. I lent her my carrier to take her cat to the vet. We actually had to combine two carriers because the door on mine was broken. A few days later, she went to pick up the cat. The vet had lost the carrier! They gave us another one until ours was turned back in. The difference was almost night and day of how the cat acted in the carrier!
    My/our carrier was black with a purple door. It was plastic and easily dissassmbled. (VERY HANDY!!!) There were "air vents" on the top cut into the plastic all around the top side edge ONLY. I had once tied a small string of balls and bells to the door. My cat loved it. She loved getting in and staying in the carrier. The first time I put her in it, I did it as a "practice run". I didn't go anywhere but put her in the carrier for short periods of time. I would then pick it up and swing it gently to get her used to that feeling. I'd put her down at any signt of trouble but left her in the carrier till she calmed down. Sometimes I would find her going into the carrier voluntarily!
    I think the carrier being a dark color and very protected from outside view except for the door was a BIG bonus. The tan travel carriers with the metal tend to scare or excite them. I think it's too "light" for them in a stressful situation. The darker carrier seems to let them feel like they are "hiding" and calms them.
    My suggestion for you right now, is to work on getting the cat to accept a carrier. Let it go in and out and get used to it. Then place that carrier close to the window where it may see that cat. That way you don't have to handle the cat but let it feel "safely" exposed to the other cat. The more exposure, the more likely the cat will calm down. It really is a terriotorial thing. The cat needs to learn to "shorten" it's terriotory a bit.
    I would still take the cat to the vet to check for physical issues in the change of attitude. Maybe check into "declawing" if not already. I believe there are appropriate cases where declawing is necessary. In your case, attacking humans and NOT furniture is a good cause. Just get the front paws done.
    Good luck! I know it's scary. My cat just bit me out of the clear blue the other day! She usually just "play bites" but this time she drew blood and punctured my arm! I think she felt bad about it later, and spent the whole day with me NOT allowing me to get away from her! She'd cuddle with me anytime I tried to get off the couch!
    Scooby, Shaggy the "Dogs", Ms. Thang the "Cat" and introducing Measley Weasle "The Ferret".

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    TEXAS
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    4,971
    Our ORANGE cat, Ralph Syracuse, acts the same way wherever he sees a cat on his turf. He usually beats up one of the cats if they are in his path after seeing another cat!!! He has never attacked me or my husband. I hope your cat was safe outside and did not get into any fights!!! Good luck when you go to the vet! Please keep us posted.
    Nine is Fine!!

  8. #8
    Thank you all for replying. It means a lot. This is such a great site. I took Cobber to see the vet yesterday. After explaining everything that has taken place, our house setup, activities, etc we planned a course of action. A few things were recommended not necessarily in order of importance: spraying the house with Feliway to help calm him, giving him 10 mg daily of Amitritylin, giving him an anitbiotic for a cut he has in his mouth from a tussle while outside yesterday, playing with him more to keep him active and making sure he has enough toys (he already has more than I did as a kid), using coyote urine outside the house to help deter the other cats, not letting him out on our deck anymore and we clipped his nails to save my legs. Its all trial and error, really.

    The vet also suggested possibly introducing a kitten into the household which may help keep him active and have a buddy too.

    Does anyone else have any suggestions or comments?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    DFW, Texas
    Posts
    151
    Quote Originally Posted by DarthCobber
    spraying the house with Feliway to help calm him, giving him 10 mg daily of Amitritylin,
    Where do you get Feliway? Shadow is still very upset after yesterday, although he has stopped hissing & growling at me.

    Thanks!

  10. #10
    Feliway can be bought at pet stores. We got ours from a local place for $30.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    DFW, Texas
    Posts
    151
    Quote Originally Posted by DarthCobber
    Feliway can be bought at pet stores. We got ours from a local place for $30.
    Cool, thanks! If my cat is still stressed on Friday (payday) I'll go get the Feliway. Have you noticed any difference with your cat with it? Shadow is slowly coming around, but will only let the cat he grew up with near him. The others, especially my Siamese, he attacks.

  12. #12
    I can't really say what is causing him to behave differently, but he is. He's taking an antidepressant now, we have the Feliway spray, etc.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    DFW, Texas
    Posts
    151
    Quote Originally Posted by DarthCobber
    I can't really say what is causing him to behave differently, but he is. He's taking an antidepressant now, we have the Feliway spray, etc.
    I'll try the Feliway first and see if that helps Shadow. He is getting better, he'll come out of the bathroom now and not just attack every other cat, but he is still scared of them. I figured out, it's not anger that's causing this. Yesterday he was actually laying on the bed shaking. This is a cat that normally has no fear, so it's a little worrisome.

    I'm glad your cat is doing better!

  14. #14
    You may want to consider taking Shadow to the vet. I'm glad I did. Also, I bought a plug in diffuser for the Feliway. It lasts 4 weeks and there are refills for it. My cost was $50, but the refills should be about half of that. I may look online to see if I can find it cheaper if this is something I decide to use throughout the year.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    I think it's wonderful that you have worked very hard on helping your cat, you're a very responsible cat caregiver. I'm not sure I agree with the vet about a kitten, although it does work for some people and their cats. It can also cause a highly territorial cat, like your own, to start spraying. Your wife might go and live with her mother for good if that happened too.

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