Spontanious attacker

[wolfsoul]

My cat, Sara, is usually well behaved. She is very independant, but constantly wants to be close and be pet. I often joke about her being the "evil cat" but sometimes it really seems literal.

The other day I gave her a piece of catnip, she had barely done anything with it and suddenly she attacked my hand! It bled alot and cut very deeply. Then the next day I was sitting beside her, talking on the phone (not loudly because there is a baby here, so that couldn't bother her), and suddenly out of nowhere, she grabs my foot with her claws and holds it there while she bites it! It does NOT seem like play, it seems vicous. Play was when you'd sit on the back of the couch and she's attack your head. -_-' Strangely enough.

I don't really know where this attacks come from. She will be as sweet as candy one second, and trying to tear your throat out the next.

How do I punish her for this? I really don't know. If it's a terrible attack, I just run to get it under water and don't have time to worry about her. If it's nothing, I will usually just yell "no" or take the rat out of it's cage. She hates the rats. But it doesn't really work. I think she has psychological problems. I love my kitty, but I don't like her when she scratches me. Does someone have any advice I can use to make her stop being such a little devil?

Thanks in advance,

Jordan

[Barbara]

I would say there is no such thing like a vicious cat -it is a behavioral problem but there is no intention to hurt you.

Cats don't know that your skin is much more sensitive than their own. For them it is a kind of play. And being crazy can hit them any second.

Which leads to the question: does Sara play enough? I suppose she is not a senior kitty? Maybe you can invent some games, also rough games in which she is allowed to kill boxes, old newspapers, fur mousies etc. I have no idea how close she is to the dogs. With another cat in the household she could play and share love -as well as aggression from time to time.

If she attacks you she must learn that this is not allowed. I think yelling at her very loudly and immediately is good -and also stopping the play by walking away. Squirting with the water bottle could also help -and I am sure there are some better tricks. I only have two cats who are getting more quiet now. I wish you good luck in training.

She will anyway not be able to connect things that happen five minutes later (like opening the rat's cage) to what she has done earlier.

[wolfsoul]

Thanks for the comment.

Well, I'm not sure if it is play, because when she stops, she walks quickly away and lies down facing the other way with her ears back and her tail wagging. But I read somewhere that a cat's tail wag can mean different things, so I'm not certain.

Yes, she is a senior, she is 12 years old. Sara doesn't often get to play. I should kick myself for not paying as much attention to her as my other animals. I always play with her when I give her catnip, because she gets so playful, but when it starts to wear off, she gets really mad. I don't know if that's normal or not lol. She hates dogs lol. (ooh must tell funny story though: When she sees Timber, usually she will just stand back and hiss or scratch her, but if there is enough room, she'll run, and so Timber will chase her because whenever she sees something running she thinks it's playing. Well, after a couple seconds, Sara will get mad enough that she will turn around. Timber thinks she playing, so when Sara turns, so does Timber and she runs in the oppisite direction, and Sara chases HER around the yard! It's hilarious. ) She would not get along with another cat unfortunatly. I have tried to introduce her to my granmda's kittens, but she just yowls at them and hisses. An older cat she will attack. She has lots of tortitude. Even if she did get along, I'm sure my mother would be reluctant to get another.

I will try the water bottle. I have one in my room incase the rat goes on top of something he knows he's not supposed to when he's fooling around.

Thanks!

[catlover4ever]

I agree with Barbara, stop playing with her immediately and try the water bottle. I have a senior cat Tucker, she is 17 years old and you can be petting her and all of a sudden she will claw the day lights out of your hand. I know that it's her way of saying.....I don't like that anymore, but I have never had her just attack for no apparent reason.

I also agree that there is no such thing as a vicious kitty, I think something triggers Sara to attack but unfortunately it may be nothing that you see or hear.

Good luck with Sara.

P.S. I think Sara has beautiful markings. She is so pretty.

[wolfsoul]

Originally posted by catlover4ever

P.S. I think Sara has beautiful markings. She is so pretty.

Sara is flattered. hehe

Thanks for your comment!

[Denyce]

Sara is very beautiful. She is also a Tortoiseshell. Both Torties I have had do this type of thing. Not quite with the intensity of Sara but the same sort of thing. My first was a long haired Tortie named Killer Sue. Sometimes she was Killer sometimes she was sweet Sue. And she could flip from one to the other with the speed of light.

Katiebug whom I have now is the same way. I call it conflicted. *L* One minute she is enjoying being petted and loved and the very next stroke with no warning at all she attacks with a hiss, yell and a swat. Of course she will still remain in my lap..she just is overstimulated. I yell OW real loud and sometimes even hiss at her if she is too rough.

There were times with Killer when she would get so extreme that I would wrap her in a towel and hold her like a baby while she screamed her head off till she calmed down. It didn't take very many of these sessions till she started getting the message and her attacks decreased in intensity.

Katie's have never been this bad...but there are times I have had to hold her very tightly while looking her directly in the eye and growling at her. She gets the message that meowmie is very upset and settles down. Usually at that point I get a nose lick as an apology.

I have always just considered it part of the tortie tude. I think there is something in the multi colored coats that can bring out this quick change attitudes.

Denyce

[wolfsoul]

Yes, I believe that there is something about coat colour/pattern that affects behaviour. I have noticed that tabbies are very sweet and playful, and act like dogs sometimes. And I have noticed that all the pointed cats with siamese/himalayn markings don't want to come near me. And then the torties always have the tortitude!

I remember when I was 10, and I was laying in bed trying to sleep. Without warning Sara grabs my arm with her front claws and takes her back ones and starts shredding my arm (the most painful way of scratching!!). I have a hideous scar on my arm now, right below my wrist. It was so deep and I had to write with my left hand for a week because I couldn't move my right.

She is such a sweet cat, I don't know how she can be such a devil sometimes. But then, she suffered quite alot from me when I was just a small child. Poor thing, having to walk around in baby clothes. I guess payback time comes years later.