Cat Loving Yet Aggressive

[grandbob]

I adopted a male (nuetered) cat just over a year ago. I did not realize that he was feral until I was actually doing the paperwork. They stated that he was very shy.
I took a chance, figured he had only been on the street his first 2-3 months. It took a short time for him to accept me. He is now 15 months old.
It is like he has 2 personalities. He always wants to be on my lap, against me in bed, etc
But yet he attacks me at random times. It is not the playful play-attack. It is biting and scratching. If I push him away he will come right back and continue. Then it's over and he is back to being friendly again.
Is this possibly from maybe generations of being feral? He is healthy but we can't figure out why he does this.

 

[FeebysOwner]

What you are describing seems like it could be one of two things or a combination of them. He may have never been taught 'manners' by his mama, so he doesn't understand how to be gentler when attempting play/human interaction. He may also be over-stimulated/excited at those times which can lead to unintentional biting/scratching.

When you think it is 'lack of manners' related, telling him no, and then either placing him in a 1–2-minute time out each and every time will eventually get the message across to him that what he is doing is not OK.

If he gets overstimulated by things like you petting him too long, or playing too long, then you will need to learn to read his body language so that you can stop before he reaches the 'attack' stage. He could also be experiencing some boredom that causes him to reach out to you for entertainment, but again he just doesn't know how to do it gently. Getting some toys that he can chase after when this happens might be another option to try. A lot of cats like what they call 'kickeroos', so I would buy him a couple of those to see if distracting him might be the answer.
Amazon.com : Kitty Kick Stix 15" Original Catnip Kicker Toy (Set of 2) (Mystery) : Pet Supplies
Why Do Cats Attack? – TheCatSite Articles

I don't think he was ever feral. It sounds more like an incomplete socialization issue instead.
A Feral Cat Or A Stray Cat? How To Tell The Difference – TheCatSite Articles

 

[grandbob]

The little bit i know about him is that he and another kitten were brought into the Humane Society in Jan 2021. Both totally hostile to humans. They had been trapped, their mom believed to be deceased. The vet said they appeared to be about 6-8 weeks old. The gave them a birthdate of Nov 28.
They were totally unacustomed to interacting with humans. I understand that they were kept away from other cats in the shelter. Neutered, vaccinated and ear clipped.
I got him at the end of March 2021. He was a terror! Took quite awhile to get him to calm down.Hissing, biting, scratching.
Fast forward to the past few months. I do understand about petting/play aggression. This is not what he is doing. He wants to sleep in my lap and snuggle in bed.
Then all of a sudden his pupils get huge and he attacks. He grabs on and bites and scratches. I can just be laying there reading and wham! he goes off. I get him off of me and he just regroups and come back even harder. Then within a minute it's all over and he acts like nothing happened.

 

[grandbob]

I fear after having had him for over a year, that I may have to rehome him as a barn cat and that is making me feel so guilty! I don't understand why he feels the need to attack, but I cannot keep having this happening.

 

[Caspers Human]

We have an outdoor cat that comes to visit on our back porch that behaves similarly to yours.

We don't know where he comes from but we are pretty sure that he doesn't have a human so we feed him when he comes by.
At first, you couldn't even look at him or else he would dive into the bushes. Now that Casper's Girl-Human has been feeding and looking after him, he'll come right up to the back door and meow for attention. We feed him and, on a couple of occasions, let him inside for a minute or two. He's even gotten used to me, the big, Man-Human, well enough that I can pet him.

The thing is that he acts like yours. One minute, he's all cute and loving. The next minute, he's all teeth and claws.
Last night, while Girl-Human was upstairs, I let him in. He acted nice for about two minutes then, all of a sudden, he got feisty.
I was like, "No, no... If you can't behave, you're going outside, again!" He hung out on the porch for a while, ate some food and rolled in some catnip that Girl-Human puts out for him. After a while, he left and went about his business.

We figure that this cat probably had a human at some point but, for one reason or another, lives outdoors. He's not neutered and he has the big jowls and body mass of a tomcat. Our intuition tells us that he's been living outdoors for a while, now.

He knows humans well enough to know that most people won't hurt him but he's been outdoors long enough to be wary. This is why we think his behavior flips the way it does. He wants to be near humans but, when he comes inside, he gets excited and gets feisty.

We plan to let him live outside for the time being. If we can catch him, we'll take him to the vet, check him for a chip, get him all his shots and have him fixed. Once we get him that far, we'll try to transition him to being an indoor cat, if we can.

I think your cat also wants to be near humans but isn't quite acclimated and just doesn't know proper behavior for an indoor cat, yet.

Is there any way that you can let him be an indoor-outdoor cat for a while? As the weather gets colder, he'll probably want to come inside more frequently. You can use that to your advantage. If he behaves the way you want him to, he gets to stay inside. If he misbehaves, he goes outside. The more he behaves, the more he stays inside. After a couple-few times of being out in the cold, he'll probably learn on short order.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Is there any way that you can let him be an indoor-outdoor cat for a while? As the weather gets colder, he'll probably want to come inside more frequently. You can use that to your advantage. If he behaves the way you want him to, he gets to stay inside. If he misbehaves, he goes outside. The more he behaves, the more he stays inside. After a couple-few times of being out in the cold, he'll probably learn on short order.

The circumstances are not even remotely the same for your cat and the OPs. You have a cat that has been on his own for, perhaps, a long while and has learned to take care of himself - and is not neutered. I would never suggest to someone to toss a cat outside that has been an indoor only cat for most, if not all, of his life. It is just not the same thing and begs for trouble.

If the OP doesn't know how to, or cannot, work with this cat, then they have 2 options: 1.) talk to a vet about some different calming product options to see if that might help settle him down and allow him to mature a bit, or 2.) re-home him to an experienced cat owner who might want to work with the cat to see if they can help him through his issues. It is most likely because he is a cat that got very little training from his mama and is easily over-stimulated/excited and doesn't know how to 'rein it in'.

 

[Cat McCannon]

I fear after having had him for over a year, that I may have to rehome him as a barn cat and that is making me feel so guilty! I don't understand why he feels the need to attack, but I cannot keep having this happening.

Belle was an abandoned stray about 6 to 9 months old, caught in a trap set to catch critters killing our landlord's chickens & rabbits. She'd been fending for herself on the ranch for at least two months and was very wild. She was wild, very wild and would lash out anytime she felt threatened. Two years later, she's a loving, well behaved cat but still has her moments when her wildness surfaces. We've learned a few things along the way.

First, your cat isn't feral. If he was, he wouldn't be able to tolerate your presence at all, let alone come sit in your lap. Give him time and he'll settle down.

Second, get your cat to the vet for a complete check up- physical and neurological- to eliminate or identify any medical issues.

Third, watch for the signs. As soon as his eyes begin to dilate or any other signs of impending aggression make themselves known, disengage from your cat. If he's in your lap, put him on the floor. Keep a cat wand toy at hand and distract him with it. Keep a piece of cardboard at hand and place it between you and your cat if he comes at you. Stand your ground and show no fear.

Fourth, play with your cat. Use a cat wand toy or some other toy that lets your cat pounce, jump claw and bite while you're safely holding the other end. Play with your cat a lot. Burn off as much of his energy as you can.

Learn how to push your hand into your cat when he attacks. If you pull your hand away, you'll be pulling against the curve of his claws at the risk of greater injury to yourself and exciting your cat further. Place a cupped palm on the top of his head, press so his chin toward his chest and just hold your hand there. If he pulls away, let him. You just want to keep his teeth away from your body, not hurt him, make it a punishment or try to show him who's boss. Angle your arm while pressing his head so it's awkward for him to get his claws into you

Scruffing is another useful tool. Be careful because it can injure his skin. Never let his full body weight hang from the scruff. Scruffing is useful when squishing a cat. It's also useful when peeling a cat off yourself or someone else. When a cat is clinging to you or another, don't pull the cat directly away from the body. That lets him dig in and hang on. Instead, push the cat into its victim and forward so his legs fold to their sides and the claws disengage. Once the legs fold back, angle the cat away, staying clear of everyone's face. If you can, place one hand on the cat's butt and push while doing this.

Learn how to squish a cat. It won't hurt them and when done properly, keeps them from using their legs and claws to attack or escape. If your cat can dig in with his claws while you're squishing him, squish him tighter. Don't let go!

Don't ever punish your cat. Don't be afraid of your cat and keep your anger on a very tight leash. Don't back down. Don't run from your cat or jump back. Don't chase your cat. If he runs off, let him go. If he tries to chase you, calmly stand your ground. Yes, you risk getting clawed standing your ground but you'll get it worse if you don't.



Stand your ground, show no fear and keep your anger in check and your cat will soon realize he can trust you. He'll get to a point where he'll abort his attacks to keep from hurting you.

 

[BoaztheAdventureCat]

The little bit i know about him is that he and another kitten were brought into the Humane Society in Jan 2021. Both totally hostile to humans. They had been trapped, their mom believed to be deceased. The vet said they appeared to be about 6-8 weeks old. The gave them a birthdate of Nov 28.
They were totally unacustomed to interacting with humans. I understand that they were kept away from other cats in the shelter. Neutered, vaccinated and ear clipped.
I got him at the end of March 2021. He was a terror! Took quite awhile to get him to calm down.Hissing, biting, scratching.
Fast forward to the past few months. I do understand about petting/play aggression. This is not what he is doing. He wants to sleep in my lap and snuggle in bed.
Then all of a sudden his pupils get huge and he attacks. He grabs on and bites and scratches. I can just be laying there reading and wham! he goes off. I get him off of me and he just regroups and come back even harder. Then within a minute it's all over and he acts like nothing happened.

How old was he when you brought him home? If he grew up without any other kittens or cats, he is at a major disadvantage because he never learned proper social etiquette that can only be learned by cats growing up with other cats.

 

[grandbob]

He was about 3-3 1/2 months when I brought him home. According to the humane society he was only on the streets for about 2 1/2 months.
I have had him for a year and a half. I do play with him often and he has lots of things to keep him busy.
95% of the time, he attacks when not much is going on. When I'm sitting in the chair or in bed. No provocation. I squirt him with water and he either runs or attacks the water bottle.
He is so sweet when he is playing or snuggling but then it's a complete turn around and he's aggressive.

 

[grandbob]

He is laying up against me in bed right now. Calm.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I squirt him with water and he either runs or attacks the water bottle.

Not saying that spraying him with water is the basis of his issue, but it certainly might attribute to not getting much of anywhere by using it as a form of discipline. Some more articles that you might want to read.
5 Reasons To Never Spray Water On Your Cat [Or otherwise punish them] – TheCatSite Articles
Cat Behavior Problems [What to do and what not to do] – TheCatSite Articles

 

[grandbob]

I don't feel I use water as discipline, more as deterrent to stop him before he attacks.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I don't feel I use water as discipline, more as deterrent to stop him before he attacks.

Pretty much the same difference in terms of how the cat sees it. Probably even worse, since you are apparently using it to stop something you think he is about to do whether he has yet to have done it.

BUT that is a good sign, as that you can see/sense something is about to happen! That lets you use some of the tools in the articles that have been provided so far to help to preclude an event without the use of water sprays. This is good!

 

[grandbob]

I try to distract him IF I see the signs that he's going to attack. I don't always see it or can act fast enough to prevent it.
He bites and scratches hard enough to draw blood. I take blood thinners so when he gets me, I end up with blood running down my arm. This is not good for either of us.

 

[Hellenww]

He's not feral, he's uneducated. Being isolated, him and his sibling had no other cats to teach them the rules of play. A shy, defensive, frightened, kitten isolated from other cats at a busy shelter probably had limited human interaction also. Workers and volunteers do their best but it's different than having a loving home. In that picture he has love in his eyes. You've already done wonders with him. I'd call him loving but not socialized.

It's normal for cats to be grooming and cuddling each other one second and wrestling/chasing the next. I think he sees you as another cat and doesn't under stand that us humans are delicate things. My usual instinct is to suggest a second cat of similar age, size, and energy. I still think that would be a good idea just not yet.

Another member always says to be over dramatic. Use a high pitched OW or hiss even if he touches you with a nail or tooth. Choose your sound and do it every time. I think putting yourself behind a door is easier than trying to put the cat in time out. A few minutes works and he'll learn when he tries to play rough, nobody wants to play with him.

Get some good sized dog or infant safe stuffed animals. When you see him getting ready to pounce toss it to him. The idea is that he will find wrestling with the toy fun and go for it instead of you in the future. Water just confuses the cat brain.

Ask your vet for a tech appt and have them trim his nails.

Several members have had success in teaching cats to bite gently. I had a kitten and a toothless adult. Kitten didn't learn to play bite gently until she met a kitten that bit her.

 

[grandbob]

Hellenww I am usually sitting/laying still when he attacks. I do trim his nails. It's not easy but I do it. He will try to bite while I'm doing it but it's nothing compared to his other attacks.
He IS very loving when he wants to be. He is always getting in my lap and sleeps so that his body is touching me.
He's like Jekyll and Hyde. Normal one moment, then attacking with teeth and claws.

 

[LIL BEAN]

This post is 10 years old but I'm having a very similar experience with an approximately 6 month old kitten we adopted almost 4 weeks ago. Jekyll and Hyde is the EXACT way we have been describing it. He can be sitting on our laps without us even touching him. And out of the blue he'll reach around and chomp on our arms and won't let go. Even with pushing into the bite. He has broken skin a few times with both of us. Nothing we have tried has worked. He has a wonderful and loving personality and then in a blink of an eye he's a terror. We don't want to give him back but we're at our wits end.