At Times My Cat Doesn't Recognize Me & Attacks Ferociously

[mr Worried]

Hello to you all cat-lovers,

My cat is a 2 and a half years old female. I hand reared her from day 2 of her life, as I found her and her 2 siblings abandoned in my garden. Take note that even as a kitten she was fearless. When they first started playing and explore the house she would boss the others around and whenever the others would be scared and hide for this or the other reason, she would stay still and look danger in the eye. I eventually found homes for her 2 siblings, while she stayed with me.

During those 3 years We have a very loving relationship.
But there are those moments...

Whenever I sneeze she gets startled and then stealth-attacks me. This is so for whenever I raise my voice while talking on the phone, yelling at friends over games or shout at the tv when my football club scores in a game. Its like that at he instant I do any of these things, she doesn't recognize me, like I am instantly transformed to an unknown intruder.
Again: She is fearless, her first reaction to danger isn't to hide and watch, but to sneak attack.

All that was controllable up to now. I became more cautious when I sneezed and generally watched out to not make sudden noises.

Lately though these sneak attacks have transformed to something else. She now enters a berserk frenzied mode, attacking me with all she has. Sometimes I am forced to wave a pillow in front of me to back her down, and even then she will not retreat but stay in leap-range, fixed on me, howling and launching furious attacks like I am her mortal enemy.

Today I woke up and the first thing I saw was her in the shadows watching me with this crazy look. I went to the bathroom and while brushing my teeth felt he smelling my leg like she was trying to verify it was me in front of her.
I guess the verification failed because she again entered mortal combat mode, and we had th worst confrontation ever. I had to throw things at her to defend my self, retreat to my room, barely manage to shut the door before her charge. I then wrapped my self in a thick blanket took a pillow for a shield and went out. I eventually managed to maneuver her into her room and close her inside.

Those instances are rare, but it seems the frequency gets higher with time. I love her, most of the time we have a loving relationship, but there are times I don't feel safe.

I don't know what to do.

 

[daisyd]

Have you tried to walk away or put her in another room and ignore her when she does this ? I say this as my kitten / adolescent is a real pain sometimes and bites now and again ! I tried all the tactics - hissing back, shouting no, throwing another toy to distract her etc however the only thing which seems to work is to say : agh agh agh firmly and ignore her

 

[mr Worried]

If I walk away she stalks and attacks me. I eventually manage to close her in her room and after abt an hour left alone she calms down. Sometimes she outmaneuvers me and I have to close my self in a room (lol?)

Is yours aggressive in the same way? I mean is your cat attacking you no matter if you yell her or try to scare her back?

 

[moorspede]

Your cat isn't doing it maliciously so please don't yell at her or try to frighten her. She's heard a loud noise and it's scared her. Some cats react aggressively to fear (just like some people do).

When people talk about using an authoritative voice, it's not a loud one, it's firm and generally lower in tone than our usual one.

I really do suggest that if she is making frenzied attacks against you, you have a veterinarian check her to see if there is a medical reason for her behaviour, ie a neurological one. Perhaps you could ask him or her to put her on medication at least for the short term.

 

[mr Worried]

If I ignore her she attacks, if I sweet talk to her she attacks, if I move away she follows and charges. Yesterday I bled all over the floor from her vicious scratches on my legs. I must keep her at bay and I usually wave pillows to push her back. I must defend my self somehow. Only way to stop this sequence is to somehow close her to her room, which is harder to do than it sounds.

As I said it isn't only when she gets scared from some sneezing or other sudden sound. Sometimes when I come back home from a walk she sniffs me and it seems she comes to the conclusion that I am an outsider - someone who she doesn't know. Then she goes aggro again.

This is something I understand. Cats recognize their own by scent and body language instead of their appearance.

The major problem is, that she deals with problems ultra aggressively. When most cats in the site of danger will hide behind the couch, she will go in attack mode. No matter how large the danger is. When she was a kitten I had to keep her away of other adult cats because she hissed and attacked them. I'm sure that if she was a feral she would die after attacking a rottweiler or some feral dog.

 

[daisyd]

If I walk away she stalks and attacks me. I eventually manage to close her in her room and after abt an hour left alone she calms down. Sometimes she outmaneuvers me and I have to close my self in a room (lol?)

Is yours aggressive in the same way? I mean is your cat attacking you no matter if you yell her or try to scare her back?

Mine is a little madam yes. She will just attack for no reason and bite - we have put this down to wanting attention . If she is scared she hides however will not get away from biting . She is getting better but there have been times she has bitten and not let go and my partner had to come as she doesn't bite him often at all! . You have to show her you are in control and the boss if not she will be the boss and control you . Agh agh agh and a loud deep voice usually stops Her now. I just stare at her as say no in a very stern voice too and I will turn around and ignore her. She will walk away as she knows been naughty !

 

[KatKnapper]

I have to say this all has the makings of a "In Real Life" nightmare. Tonight I was the end recipient of a bite to my hand, so aggressive, I think I heard the bones in my hand chime between my ears. It came from a gorgeous male stray I have been feeding daily for a week or more. I have touch this cat, petted it picked it up and carried it without any issues. All I done was run the back of my hand along its chest between his front legs, in an attempt to get a different camera pose for a pet lost & found website.

He instantly snap his canines down on my hand as if to render a killing blow to the throat of a rabbit. Now I am afraid for anyone else adult or especially a child to encounter this loving, friendly cat then discover it has a vicious unwarned bite.

Mr Worried, I don't know how you have tolerated it still (or any of you). If this were a dog, I think the response would be different. Been there...done that. I tolerated it until my 12 year old needed 14 stitches to his mouth. Again, a once loving dog that, like a frog in tap water, and the burner slowly turned up, her increasing aggression slowly crept its way into our complacent every day lives until the attack awakened us.

Personally I think you need to move beyond the forums here, and first start with your veterinarian (or one that will listen and give you results) and tell them about all this, then ask them to exam her throughly. Secondly I would start there and inquire about professional guidance or obedience training. If they can't give you answers to this immediately, try to enlist their efforts in helping you find someone who can. That is no way to live, to be terrorized and tormented in your own home. I am sorry you are having to endure this.

Your cat may want to kill you, study says

 

[daisyd]

Interesting article ! my partner has a friend who won't come in the house as he says cats are wild animals. Gracie attached my hand today (and my laptop and glasses case).

 

[Hms]

My cat is the same. My husband found him in a dumpster less than 24 hours old. Two were alive but only he made it. I raised him from day 1 of his life. He gives kisses cuddles and sleeps next to me but if I sneeze he goes into a frenzy. He launches at my face if I'm sitting or my legs if I'm standing and repeatedly hits me full claws out. I have scars all over my legs face and neck. He is totally fine every minute and loving-until the sneeze. I can barely get my arms up and he charges me again if I move. If I notice he's there when I sneeze I can sometimes talk him down. But if it's been a couple months or if he's out of site I just sneeze. I'm afraid he will get my eye or I'll need stitches. I don't know what to do.

 

[daisyd]

My cat is the same. My husband found him in a dumpster less than 24 hours old. Two were alive but only he made it. I raised him from day 1 of his life. He gives kisses cuddles and sleeps next to me but if I sneeze he goes into a frenzy. He launches at my face if I'm sitting or my legs if I'm standing and repeatedly hits me full claws out. I have scars all over my legs face and neck. He is totally fine every minute and loving-until the sneeze. I can barely get my arms up and he charges me again if I move. If I notice he's there when I sneeze I can sometimes talk him down. But if it's been a couple months or if he's out of site I just sneeze. I'm afraid he will get my eye or I'll need stitches. I don't know what to do.

Oh I forgot about this thread ! Gracie has calmed down a lot however have to show her im not scared or intimidated. I've noticed when she is angry she breathes heavily so started to do that back to her and she knows when to stop

 

[KatKnapper]

I have come to realize from watching the materials done by Jackson Galaxy (My Cat from Hell) and Pam Johnson-Bennett (Psycho Kitty) and also closely observing my kitty and a stray I'm introducing, that "there is a method in their madness." Cats are logical thinkers. What may seem to be random behavior, there is an innate logic or reasoning behind it.

The same stray kitty that viciously bit the back of my hand (required medical treatment), after I had been feeding it daily for over a week, now will lay on my pillow so close that I can feel the breath from its nostrils, and observes me as I close my eyes and fall asleep.

They are to us like aliens from space. They're thinking and reasoning is different from our own. They are adaptive creatures and able to quickly change behavioral patterns when shown that which is beneficial to them from their perspective. They can replace old habits or behaviors with new ones with the right motivation. The trick is finding the key and reinforcing it with verbal and/or treat rewards. Find what triggers that motivation or drive within them and maximize it for a win-win for them and yourself. Discover the root causes underneath their thinking.

 

[Kseniia10]

Hey just wanted to see how is your cat doing now? I have exact the same situation! Like SAME!!! But the only thing my 5 year old scared her and she become like that after. So maybe you scared her or something and she starting to behave like that. After my cat got worse I got an advice from behavioral specialist to kennel her. Sad. But she drown blood from all of us especially my son. So that has to be done. I’m wondering did something you do that helped your cat? because I can’t look at her kenneled I feel very bad for her. But I also can’t let her out because now my son scared of her and I’m sure she’ll attack him again! Hoping she would calm down soon!

 

[MoodyCat]

I'm having the EXACT same problem. Random things trigger her to extreme aggression, just like you described. Other than those instances, she is the cuddliest, sweetest fluffy thing.
Did you ever figure things out?

 

[BravesChick]

I'm also wondering if you guys ever figured out what was causing the aggression. My cat, Bailey is 12 and I've raised her since she was 6 weeks old. Up until a month ago she was the sweetest most loving kitty in the world. She got spooked one night by I think seeing a stray cat outside my first floor apartment and went berserk — spitting and hissing and attacking the window, until I was like OMG what's wrong and she immediately turned that aggression onto me with a scary amount of viciousness. During her first few attacks I let her chase me into my bedroom and then jumped out and shut her in, but I realized regardless of how long she was in there she would still be ready to attack me once I let her out. I tried ignoring her when she would get upset and that worked a few times as long as I didn't make eye contact, but now it's getting much more frequent and isn't necessarily initiated by seeing a cat out the window. I also notice that sometimes she pees during these episodes so I'm sure that's out of fear but it's like sometimes just the sight of me (especially if I'm moving cautiously) will set her into a full blown attack. I love her more than anything and it breaks my heart that she will go from laying on my chest purring one minute to biting the hell out of my arms and legs the next. I know I need to take her to the vet but I have no idea how I'd even get her in her carrier without her drawing blood.

 

[FeebysOwner]

B BravesChick - The cat that you think might have triggered this behavior in Bailey might still be in the area and you are not aware of it. Bailey's senses, even if she is older, are likely still by far keener than yours (or any humans). Is it possible that she injured herself when reacting to the stray cat and is now in some sort of pain? She has transitioned her anxiety (and/or pain) toward you and that is why she is attacking you. I know it is hard to do, but acting as normal as possible around her will be the most likely approach to reduce triggering her. Any unusual behavior coming from you, or fear, could very well help to set her off.

If there is a specific place that she saw this cat, can you block her from that area for a while? Also, check for the cat to see if it is still hanging around. And, think back to when this happened to see if there was anything else going on - most specifically, with you - that could be the cause for her newfound aggression toward you.

There are calming products you can try - Feliway room diffusers are one that many members on this site use. There is another called Bach Rescue Remedy, which are drops you rub into a cat's ear to help calm them. Not all work on all cats, so you might have to experiment a bit to find one that works for her. You can do an internet search on 'cat calming products' to look for more options. These products can also be used to help calm down a cat before vet visit too.

And, yes at her age, she should be seen by a vet and given a full senior check up - especially if she hasn't had one recently. Worse case scenario - if you have a good relationship with your vet - you might be able to get a very small dose of Gabapentin to give her before the vet visit. That is also sometimes used to help calm a cat down before seeing a vet. Just tell the vet's office what is going on and ask if they would accommodate your request.

 

[BravesChick]

The stray cat is quite possibly still in the area, and I know I brought it on myself because I (along with one of my neighbors) have been leaving food outside for it. As soon as Bailey freaked out the first time though I stopped feeding it and asked my neighbor to do the same. Unfortunately, Bailey saw the cat while sitting in my apartments large living room windows and there is no way to block her from them. I keep the blinds down but she literally has made her own "windows" in the blinds by breaking off sections of the blinds so she can sit on the back of my couch and still look out the window. I have a small lanei off of my living room which I leave the door open to when Florida's temperature allows it. I've found she is less likely to attack me if she can run out onto the lanei and hiss at the cat. I chose a first floor apartment with lots of windows when I moved to Florida from Ohio 2 years ago because in my past apartments she never had anything but concrete to look out at and now she has a beautiful view which she enjoyed until recently. Well I guess she still enjoys it most of the time, but my only option to put distance between her and wildlife would involve moving to a different apartment on the second floor — which I'd really like to avoid!

I tried Feliway diffusers over the past month but they haven't seemed to make a difference. I haven't noticed any health issues but it sounds like I should just suck it up and put her in her carrier so I can get her to the vet.

 

[FeebysOwner]

The vet visit is still a good idea, but it is likely related to the stray cat. Can you check with other neighbors around the area to see if it belongs to one of them? If no one claims it, you might want to consider contacting some rescue centers (or no-kill shelters) to see if the cat can be trapped, checked for a micro-chip, and neutered/spayed if need be and put up for adoption. Your vet might even have some contacts for that.
Edit: It is very possible this is an abandoned cat looking for a new home, and you could help it get one!!!

 

[BravesChick]

That's a great idea — I will look into it, thanks!