Brought a stray in after being dumped by a truck - will his aggression dissipate?

AMZ906

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Someone threw an uncut orange tom out of their truck by my home during the cold season. We successfully trapped him and gave him his own room to adjust and get to know him better. Overall, I have had success with him greeting me at the door, purring loudly and petting him on the back and sometimes neck. If I sit on the floor he will rub his body up my arm and lets me pet him no issues while he eats.

All that is well and good, the bad is his mood will shift on a dime and will quickly turn and try to bite you or swipes/paws at my hand with all his might. I have to wear gloves just in case because he's caught me a few times and drawn blood. These are not 'hey, quit it' swats, these are 'if I can, i will rip you up' swats.

It has been two weeks and although he has gotten comfortable and calm around me, the swatting has continued. We have two fixed females that roam freely through the house (but his room) and if fixed and given the ok we are unsure if we will be able to let him roam / might need to find him a new home if this doesn't stop.

Any thoughts, comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
 

poolcat

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Something may be triggering PTSD. He may have had to fight for his life in the past, poor kitty.

I have a former stray, still semi-feral, who swats at us occasionally but they aren't what I'd call attacks. He's outdoor only, with a couple of other cats who give him wide berth because he smacks at them, too.

I'm sorry I don't have any suggestions . . . other than possibly to feed and give him shelter outside, if the situation doesn't improve.
 

FeebysOwner

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He apparently has been mis-treated, at least to some degree. Not knowing his background, or age, two weeks is nothing. Keep working with him and stay as much as possible away from positions that could intimidate him (by staying low to the ground, etc.). He is just still unsettled and fearful - that is mostly likely what the swatting is all about. Cats will attack out of fear. I suspect he is hesitant to let his guard down, and as nice as it feels when he does, once he realizes it, he changes gears. Based on how he is positively reacting to you, I think things will get better over time. But you need to see a greater comfort level in him before proceeding with any cat introductions.

I am not saying he was definitely abused, but you might want to take a look at a related TCS article to see if there any tips in it that might help - mostly toward the latter end of the article. Also, take a look at another article about helping a cat adapt to a new home. Also, once you can proceed with introductions, I included an article link for that as well.
How To Help An Abused Cat Recover – TheCatSite Articles
How To Help A New Cat Adjust To Your Home – TheCatSite Articles
How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide – TheCatSite Articles
 

fionasmom

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You are so kind to help this cat. Orange boys are my favorite and while I can't stereotype exactly, they are known for having outgoing personalities and bonding to people. There is hope for him. The fact that he has already become your friend shows that he is workable.

Getting him fixed is the first step. After that, there are other considerations. Take into account everything that FeebysOwner FeebysOwner already said. Some cats become aggressive if they are overstimulated; it is like being friendly or being petted too much suddenly makes them lash out, so you might watch to see if that is a part of this. See if there is a stopping point or what Jackson Galaxy calls a "challenge line" as to how much he can stand.

Some people find Feliway to be useful, in any of its forms. It can be hit and miss, but those who like it swear that it helps cats to calm down. It comes in several formulations, so read the options.

He is absolutely traumatized. You have to figure that it is not like his life was wonderful with loving owners right up until he was thrown from a truck. It was probably miserable, he may have been threatened and messed with, leading up to the fateful ride. Sad thing is that he was tame enough to be put into a vehicle, probably without a carrier, and that is where it got him.
 
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AMZ906

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I realize it hasn't been that long yet, but just curious how things are going?
Hi, thank you for all the good information. It’s a relief to know this isn’t a forever behavioral trait. Things are ok, for the most part. He greets me at the door, purrs/meows at me, let’s me pet him for short periods of time but then will still either nip or claw at me. I keep gloves by the door for when I walk in and out.

I’m trying to pay close attention to his triggers as well. Just so he can forget it and I’ll stop so he doesn’t react and rewire his brain. My only real fear now is picking up and putting down his food bowls. If something moves in front of his face he attacks no matter what.

I think he is between 2-3 years old, and was actually a bit chunky, so someone definitely owned him. He absolutely hates men. My husband will go in and he won’t come out from under the bed, he only will if I’m in the room and I’m bringing him food. We will sit with him and let him while he eats and talk to him. Once he’s finished he will sit for a few moments then go back under.

Thank you again for all your help! We have an appt for him with a clinic for him to be neutered and tested. Hopefully he will start easing in by then. Just pray for us when we have to crate h
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AMZ906

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You are so kind to help this cat. Orange boys are my favorite and while I can't stereotype exactly, they are known for having outgoing personalities and bonding to people. There is hope for him. The fact that he has already become your friend shows that he is workable.

Getting him fixed is the first step. After that, there are other considerations. Take into account everything that FeebysOwner FeebysOwner already said. Some cats become aggressive if they are overstimulated; it is like being friendly or being petted too much suddenly makes them lash out, so you might watch to see if that is a part of this. See if there is a stopping point or what Jackson Galaxy calls a "challenge line" as to how much he can stand.

Some people find Feliway to be useful, in any of its forms. It can be hit and miss, but those who like it swear that it helps cats to calm down. It comes in several formulations, so read the options.

He is absolutely traumatized. You have to figure that it is not like his life was wonderful with loving owners right up until he was thrown from a truck. It was probably miserable, he may have been threatened and messed with, leading up to the fateful ride. Sad thing is that he was tame enough to be put into a vehicle, probably without a carrier, and that is where it got him.
Thank you for your response!! I have only owned one grey tabby and three black cats prior to this! Funny you mention the orange personalities, I would say the same about black cats. I have found all three of mine to be incredibly loving, but it’s my way or the high way! My tabby just wanted to eat and be left alone ha!

I bought a calming spray for him, I don’t really notice a difference yet but I will keep at it for a bit. Maybe it will saturate the room and he will completely veg out for me. I am trying to be mindful of when he lashes out and I do think in part it is over stimulation. I try to only pet him when he asks for it but then he seems to DEMAND it and gets scared. It’s somewhat better but when he does lash out I firmly say no and get up and leave for a bit. Hoping it helps correct the behavior and his mindset around us.

Someone near us definitely needs a swift kick in the ass. This is the second cat that has shown up by us. He is a bit chunky and clearly is afraid of men, hopefully we can help heal him!
 

poolcat

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Do you have a table or dresser top you can use to set his food dishes on? When he's used to that, you could start feeding him inside a cat carrier, which would make it easy when it's time to take him to the vet.

Sounds like you're doing all the right things for him. It's just heartbreaking when people have pets, then mistreat them.
 

fionasmom

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He is a beautiful boy, and very healthy looking. Of course, I realize that a lot of that is because of you. My Jamie was an orange boy rescue who was a real biter, ripper, shredder and I did keep gloves on at first around him. Any time he became overly aggressive, I walked away and it did start to dawn on him that there was a connection. This does sound like overstimulation. My previous orange boy was a cat who could be held like a baby and rocked, but he had a very clear point where it was all too much and I learned to see where that was. It could happen with brushing especially, or stroking.

Feliway, or the like, either works or doesn't work; you can add your opinion to the list once you have finished with acclimating this boy to your house. Nothing wrong with giving it a try though.

If you can get him used to the carrier by making it a place where he gets treats, it might help to get him in it when the time comes.
 

bigbadbass

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He's not "fixed" as yet....his sporadic attacking sounds hormonal induced. Went through precisely the same with (quite nasty) Bug. After neutering, took awhile, but he's finally transitioned into a great house kitty.
 
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Jcatbird

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I had to log in because I just saw your posts. Most of the cats I have rescued were abused or traumatized cats. I am wondering if some female had that cat and loved it dearly, then for some reason the male took charge of the cat but did not want it or care about it. I have a cat here that I suspect the same thing. Terrified of male humans and traumatized. It took time but now the kitty is quite well adjusted to me, a female. Still hides from males but not with the same level of fear. The nipping can be a warning that fear is still there. Things do trigger thoughts and reactions. Some nipping/scratching can be an attempt to get your attention or even hold you closer. In other words, don’t leave me. The cat I have here often latches claws into my pants leg to keep me there. No more grabbing flesh since understanding has come but it took a gentle voice and then just staying still until kitty settled again. This is so heart breaking for that kitty but establishing a secure feeling can make his whole world better. Patience and time. Please don’t rehome him because with each new trauma it becomes more difficult for them to overcome the fear or to truly feel safe again. It takes a special person to help a kitty that is scared and I am so very grateful that you found him and are giving him love. That is what he needs most. Once he has been neutered, that can lower hormones and help too. When he does go to the vet, see if a female can be the one to have the most contact with him for now. It will make it less scary for him. He is a really beautiful cat! I don’t know if the laws there protect animals but in some places, what that guy did is a crime. It should be a crime everywhere IMHO. You are a kitty hero!
 
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