Update on Merlin...need advice as well

I wanted to give everyone an update on Merlin. Things have been going pretty well. Merlin seems to be coming around on a regular basis...at least for dinner. He has put on a few pounds as well.

He is more trusting with me and last night I asked Mark to put his hand down to Merlin and talk to him to see if he would come close to Mark.....and Merlin did. He got a little loving from Mark and then ran the other way. This was important to me as I am leaving for two weeks and Mark will be feeding him while I'm gone.

Merlin wants to come in the house so bad. He is so funny...he will jump up on the storage bin on the deck and look into the house for me. On Saturday while everyone was outside enjoying a beautiful fall day I left the deck door open...hoping that while everyone was outside he may venture in and look around but he was too scared.....so instead, last night as I was going outside to sit with him he decided that was the right time to try getting inside.....only to come face to face with Smokey.....well Merlin flew out the door and Smokey howled and spit at the door.

Now here is my little problem with Merlin and where I need a little advise. Merlin will, at a moments notice, get really mean. He took a bite out of my arm 3 weeks ago and I have been clawed really bad a few times from him. He does this...just all of a sudden, with no warning.

Here is my dilema...I want him to know that I will not tolerate being abused by him...BUT I don't know how to let him know that his clawing and biting is a "NO NO". I don't want to loose his trust and run the chance of him not trusting me again and not coming back.....he deserves better than being out on the streets.


Can someone help me with a way to let Merlin know that biting and clawing is not acceptable....without loosing his trust? Thanks for any and all help.

Has he been neutered? If not, this can cause aggression. Here's a link that may answer some questions for you:

http://www.tulsaspca.org/articles/aggresion_cats.html

No advice, but I'm hoping he learns to trust you more. He sounds like such a sweet guy. Poor Merlin has known such a rough life. I know you have the patience he needs, so good luck and I hope someone has good ideas for you.

You are a very good and caring person. I must say that I'm not familiar with cats and am pretty scared at this point. We just brought our first cat home yesterday but over the last 9 months we had a stray that had adopted our back deck. He wanted in so bad but we don't have pets and we weren't sure we wanted one. We were about to start letting him in - I felt so sorry for him - but he started sratching me real bad for no reason. Also biting. Well the reason he scatched me was that when I put my leg out to block him from going inside he took a swipe at my leg and boy are those nails razor sharp! The blood took a minute to come up. HE wanted in. Well he don't make the rules. Anyway the last time I went to pet him (we've been petting him for 9 months) and all of a sudden he took a swipe at my hand and I still have a scar. He was unpredictable and I got real scared of cats. My hubby loves cats and he finally got me to wanting one and then I get scared - by the way this was a real BIG cat. A Siamese long hair cat - very beatiful but also about 12-14 pounds and very skinny. We had been feeding him. BUT anyway my hubby didn't like him hurting me so chased him off and we haven't seen him again. So sorry to say that I was releaved. Now we have our very own we got from the shelter. You are a very good person to put up with his biting and scatching. I just couldn't do it. Maybe when I get used to having cats it will be different. One idea we had but didn't get to try out since he was so quick and unpredictable was a water gun and squirt him. We also yelled at him - not hitt him but just yelled and he backed off but didn't run away. He didn't stop though either. He was also not fixed. Maybe if he getts a better life off the street he would be better but some cats are gentle even after being on the street. Good luck. Debbie

I'm so glad to hear you're still working on him and he's learning to trust you - slow but sure. I guess the only thing I can think of is if you can start noticing his body language. Maybe there are some subtle clues he gives out right before becoming nasty. I know some cats will lash out when they are over stimulated and maybe that's what he's doing. Or, maybe just limit your time of petting him to, say, 5 minutes, and then quit. If he comes looking for more pets, just hold off for a minute or two before giving in. And most importantly, when he lashes out, just turn your back on him and ignore him - or go inside - you don't have to discipline him, just leave. That way hopefully he'll learn he has to be nice if he wants you around.

Good luck, please keep us posted on his progress, and...well.. pictures would be nice.....;) :D