Cat randomly attacking?!

[tatiana10106]

Ok, so I've had this cat that my neighbors let me adopt. He was a fully outdoor cat and I decided to take advantage and ask them if I could have him. They said yes He's been inside for maybe 2 months now and has been doing great. He has plenty of toys, I run around with a long string with a toy at the end. So he does get plenty of exercise, I play with him for many sessions a day. But just today he's been acting unusual. He's been attacking my dog every single time she comes near my room, also attacking my sister, lunging at her and sinking his claws and teeth into her. I did let him out yesterday for 10 min and he also did see other cats outside the window which could've frustrated him. I plan on letting him out so he could be an indoor/ outdoor cat. I want him to enjoy the outdoors what should I do about the attacks?

 

[Ms. Freya]

If this is a new behaviour, I'd start with a visit to the vet. Cat's hide pain and illness really well - often the first thing we see is the sudden change in behaviour. It could be something underlying and he's just reacting to keep everyone away so they don't realize he's not feeling well.

Was he a social cat when he was outside? If he is seeing other cats, he may be reacting to them. Also, is he neutered? A non-neutered cat (especially a male) will be much more likely to be aggressive towards/around other males.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Yes, is he neutered? How old is he?

 

[tatiana10106]

He is neutered and he's 2 years old. He went to the vet a week after we had him and he has a clean bill of health. He is very social, the first time I met him I put my hands out and he ran up to me. This is a new behavior that started yesterday after having him for 2 months.