My normally friendly cat has started being very aggressive towards me. I gave her 1 dose of Baytril antibiotic (5 days ago) and it started after that. Last night I was petting her and all of a sudden she started hissing at me and cornered me on the bed then started growling. I tried saying No to get her to stop but it made her worse. I ran out of the room and ran after me hissing and growling until my husband came out. We shut our bedroom all night (she normally sleeps with us) fir her to calm down. She is still acting wierd with me, she just stares at me with an aggressive look. I have been ignoring her. She is completely fine with my husband. I have been giving her rescue remedy and have flyway plugged in, but they may be making her worse. How can I regain her trust? I am afraid of her and maybe she is sensing it. If I try talking to her or acknowledging her when she stares at me I think she'll start hissing again.
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Aggressive Cat Help
- Thread starter Calicat13
- Start Date
I would stop the meds and call the vet.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3
Who gave her the meds and how did it go? Have you given meds to this cat in the past without problems? In other words, I'm wondering if it could be a grudge from a hard pill taking process?
However, be aware it definitely could be a med reaction because while aggression was not seen in manufacturer study of 124 cats, it has been reported by cat owners post approval. That is right in the drug information -- link at the end of this post.
From a science-y perspective, its hard to know how real post-approval reports from cat owners are. For example, I don't know if such a listing is on other meds commonly given to cats, or if it could be just because cats sometimes get really ticked about getting meds. Just for comparison, the product labelling does NOT mention aggression being reported with dogs, only with cats.
Still, even if it could be related to ordinary pill stress, it would piss me off if a vet wasn't aware that aggression has been reported in cats on the drug. After all, it took me about 2 minutes to look at the labelling. I don't know if there are other antibiotic choices for cats. You might want to look into this yourself and call the vet mentioning that aggression has been reported in cats and you want to try the other antibiotic, if appropriate, especially if your cat has had pills in the past without fuss.
Baytril - FDA prescribing information, side effects and uses
However, be aware it definitely could be a med reaction because while aggression was not seen in manufacturer study of 124 cats, it has been reported by cat owners post approval. That is right in the drug information -- link at the end of this post.
From a science-y perspective, its hard to know how real post-approval reports from cat owners are. For example, I don't know if such a listing is on other meds commonly given to cats, or if it could be just because cats sometimes get really ticked about getting meds. Just for comparison, the product labelling does NOT mention aggression being reported with dogs, only with cats.
Still, even if it could be related to ordinary pill stress, it would piss me off if a vet wasn't aware that aggression has been reported in cats on the drug. After all, it took me about 2 minutes to look at the labelling. I don't know if there are other antibiotic choices for cats. You might want to look into this yourself and call the vet mentioning that aggression has been reported in cats and you want to try the other antibiotic, if appropriate, especially if your cat has had pills in the past without fuss.
Baytril - FDA prescribing information, side effects and uses
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Hi. If it were to be a side effect from the antibiotic, it is peculiar that she shows no aggression toward your husband. And, if you hurt/scared her someone while giving her the one and only dose of Baytril, I would have thought that after 5 days she would have pretty much gotten over it. If she is not feeling well, and you are showing signs of fear in her presence, the combination might make her lash out at you and not your husband. What was she taking antibiotics for, and are you able to get another antibiotic to give her so that her illness is resolved?
The only other thing that came to my mind is if you recently (and coincidentally) changed perfumes, lotions, soaps, etc. - something specific to you and not your husband - that she might be reacting to negatively.
The only other thing that came to my mind is if you recently (and coincidentally) changed perfumes, lotions, soaps, etc. - something specific to you and not your husband - that she might be reacting to negatively.
Hmmm, yes, I misread it as a 5 day dose of the medication somehow. The medication would be long out of the system, I agree. It is also a long time for grudge from a pill taken 5 days ago. So yes, I agree, its probably the illness.
Since she's ok with your husband, try wearing some of his clothes maybe the scent will calm her around you.
Did you ever figure it out? Did your cat ever do it again?
My cat has done the same thing 3 times now. The first time a few years ago, the second time 2 weeks ago, and third time today.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #9
It must have been the antibiotic because it never happened again, but did take some time to regain her trust. I used the Feliway plugin and rescue remedy drops in her water. I also gave her space and was the one to feed her and give her treats.
