Aggressive kitten or just hormones?

**JustineNYC** · 10-20-2008, 06:43 PM

So, I took Moglie in, in June when I found him crying (alone) in my yard. He was about 4 weeks old. I did NOT intend to keep him but I had trouble finding him a home and ended up getting attached to him. In my experience, young kittens abandoned in this neighborhood end up getting killed by male cats, Ive had the experience of finding them dead a few times in my yard....so when I see little ones and no mommy, I grab them. By the way, when I "grabbed him" he was FLIPPING OUT trying to scare me off, but once I touched him and picked him up he froze. Within an hour I had him eating and all was fine. I always get that with kittens who havent been befriended by people.

The vet told me he was fine and then within 10 days his hair started to come out in patches. After a culture, I was told he had ringworm, and because he was a kitten with no immune system, it got REALLY BAD.

I immediately quarantined him from the rest of my pets. We did the cream daily, sporonox daily, sprays and shampoos once a week. He had about 15 bald circles on him at the worst point. I had to constantly help get the dead scaley skin off of him and make sure it didnt fall somewhere where it could come into contact with someone else. I never vacuumed so much in my life and what do ya know, I ended up getting it too.

The poor thing lost almost all hair on his face, I felt so bad for him. We were at the vet weekly because, he was so young that he was obviously growing fast and his dosage needed to be adjusted regularly to be effective.

Through all of this, Moglie was a doll. My vet even commented on one of his visits, how used to handling the poor thing was. They were exfoliating his lesions and he didnt say a word. He had blood taken from his neck and was a good little patient again.

We went through all of this through June, July, and August....and then finally, he cultured negative and we continued the Sporonox for another 10 days, still with weekly baths.

I cant really tell you when exactly, but its like he went from being so great with handling to a maniac.

If I pick him up to kiss him not only does he growl and hiss, but hes been known to take a swing at my face. It started originally as whining when Id pick him up.

Initially I figured he had grown into a big boy and wanted to run around with my other cats and it was just "Mommy put me down" but its gotten progressively worse.

He scratched my nose last week. The moment you put him down, he is back to playing again and a normal kitten. He HATES being picked up. Ive never had a cat I couldnt even kiss.

He is 6 months now, does anyone think this is a hormonal thing? Hes also started riding my other cats and they do not appreciate it.

Is it time to be neutered?

Here he is, all better

He IS affectionate with me only when he wants to eat, he rubs my leg and when Im asleep, he comes over, purrs and sucks on my blanket. He also follows me everywhere. So why does he act like I have the plague when I pick him up?

**phesina** · 10-20-2008, 07:07 PM

Take him to see the vet. I'd say at 6 months he's ready to be neutered, but be sure and tell the vet about the behavior changes. There might be something else going on with him physically that needs attention.

What a fantastic job you have done saving this guy and treating him for ringworm! Good, good!

**JustineNYC** · 10-20-2008, 07:19 PM

Thanks!!

I had actually brought it up to him in September. We did a CBC and Urinalysis. Both were normal. He said it was possible it was "feral" ness and he wouldnt outgrow it because afterall, he did come from outside.

I have 6 cats and they are ALL from outside. None of them are feral including one I took in at age 4.

**jazzcat** · 10-20-2008, 08:00 PM

I think neutering would probably help. He's at the age you should do it before he gets any more hormonal and starts marking.

He sure sounds like a handful but he's a cute handful.

**DJFyrewolf36** · 10-20-2008, 11:49 PM

Sounds a bit on the hormonal side to me. Ive seen males go from sweet loving kittens to complete psychos almost overnight and nuturing sure did help. It didnt completely get rid of the agressive behavior but it did reduce it quite a bit.
Good luck with you kitten! He sure is a doll

**GILL** · 10-21-2008, 07:56 AM

I'd go with harmons, with a touch of feral. Our Lucky does not like to be picked up, but I have to give him a hug in the morning and one when I get home from work. He will sit by me to watch TV, other than that do not touch. This is a kitten we got at 1 day old. Dimetri on the other hand (about the same age) loves to be held and cuddled. Roz (about 3 weeks younger) will only cuddle with my wife and only on her terms. This little girl torments Lucky most of the time. But she has to say hello when I come home.
We have already learned what they like and dis-like. The list for the CREW could go on and on. Some like the hugs and attenction, some like my wife, others are mine only, and we have others that no one can get near.
They all have different personalities and we love the differances.

**Medusa** · 10-21-2008, 08:32 AM

Originally Posted by phesina

Take him to see the vet. I'd say at 6 months he's ready to be neutered, but be sure and tell the vet about the behavior changes. There might be something else going on with him physically that needs attention.

What a fantastic job you have done saving this guy and treating him for ringworm! Good, good!

I concur. The tipoff to me is when you said that originally he'd whine when you picked him up. Something may be hurting him and may have become more painful to the point where now he's aggressive. He's old enough to be neutered, too, so I'd definitely get that done.

What an adorable little fuzz nugget he is! You've certainly given him lots of TLC and gotten him back on the right track. Good job!

**catmandu** · 10-21-2008, 09:58 AM

NOT REALLY , AS I HAVE CATS LIKE HANDSOME JOHN HANCOCK, SCRAPPY 2 THE SENSATIONAL, POUNCIERGE LA PURRECTA, AND MIQUELITO THE LITTLE ORANGE LION WHO HAVE BEEN WITH ME FOR YERAS AND I CANNOT COME CLOSE TO PICKING THEM UP.
ITS JUST THE NATURE OF SOME CATS THAT THEY DONT LIKE BEING PICKED UP AT ALL!!!

MAYBE IN TIME HE WILL CUDDLE!!

**moosmom** · 10-21-2008, 01:39 PM

The earlier you get the babies the sooner they're feralness will disappear. Keep on loving him. Give him lots of kisses and whispers. If he's a real handful, papoose him in a towel with his head exposed. This way you can love the heck outta him without having your face become shredded wheat.

Thank you for taking him in. He's just precious!!!!

Ringworm, as you know, is highly contagious. You DID isolate them from your cats, right? Just checking. Use rubber or latex gloves and wash every ANY exposure. I took in a kitten who wound up with Ringworm and it took 3 months to get rid of it. She later died at the age of 3 1/2 from Phemphigus Aerolis.

**JustineNYC** · 10-21-2008, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by moosmom

The earlier you get the babies the sooner they're feralness will disappear. Keep on loving him. Give him lots of kisses and whispers. If he's a real handful, papoose him in a towel with his head exposed. This way you can love the heck outta him without having your face become shredded wheat.

Thank you for taking him in. He's just precious!!!!

Ringworm, as you know, is highly contagious. You DID isolate them from your cats, right? Just checking. Use rubber or latex gloves and wash every ANY exposure. I took in a kitten who wound up with Ringworm and it took 3 months to get rid of it. She later died at the age of 3 1/2 from Phemphigus Aerolis.

Oh yea, he was isolated. Originally it was so I could check him for fleas, I wanted them to take blood for leukemia and aids, so he was isolated when his hair started to come out. The only one who got it and who touched him was me. I also knew he'd have roundworm which he did, and it took 3 dewormers for him to test negative. So that was another reason he was separate. They all have that when I take in strays.

Thank you everyone for the advice. Moglie is scheduled for the snip snip tomorrow at 10!