DESPERATE for help - night attacks

[Meeki17]

I am really desperate for help with my cats behaviour. Percy is a rescue we adopted at 6 weeks old. He was abandoned in a box and I think weened too young. He is now 1.5 years.
Percy lives indoors and the issue is around attacking me at night time. Percy would never attack my Male partner only myself. There feels like a hierarchy and only listens to him telling him off.
It started that he would hide under the bed and attack my feet and legs as I would get into bed. We started to feed him some biscuits before bed time and increase play at night to tire him out. It worked a little bit but then another problem started where he will wait until 5 minutes after getting into bed while trying to sleep and attack my head. Pounce out of the blue. Its terrifying and has caused significant bleeding because he pounces with claws out and attacks my face. We don't have any doors in our house but lock him up in the mornings in bathroom because The problem now also happens in the morning but more food related. It seems he is trying to wake me up. He has always had EXTREME food problems and can't control eating. When he was a kitten we had to break it into 6 meals now he manages 2 plus biscuits before bed. I dont know what to do anymore and can't handle it because it affects my sleeping.
He is a big orange tabby cat, desexed. No other issues except his eating. I think he has some anxiety issues however I work from home and he is rarely alone. It is definitely worse if my partner or and I or if I have been out that day or night. He gets pissed off.

Any help would be so appreciated!!! Thank you.

 

[nurseangel]

Hi, and welcome to TCS! I would recommend discussing this problem with your vet. As you suggested, it is possible that anxiety is causing the problem. Even though he was young when adopted him, I've read that cats can remember up to ten years. I used Feliway plug-ins when I first adopted Daisy, as she became violent at the sound of loud noises, though I can't say if this worked or not. She calmed down quite quickly and is now the sweetest cat.

Please don't give up on Percy and keep us posted on how he progresses. There has got to be a reason for this behavior that is no fault of your own, but I am at a loss for reasons. One of my MIL's cats will tap her face with a closed paw to get her up in the morning. If MIL wants to sleep a little later, Susie the Cat will continue until she gets her way. I think it is likely that someone on here who is more informed than I will give their opinion. I wish you the best in resolving this situation.

 

[LeiLana80]

Honestly, I think Kitty is bored. And since you work from home, you have become his "playmate".
It does not sound like Kitty is being aggressive (rooted in anger), it sounds like he's bored and wanting more stimulation/attention (play rooted). And sometimes cats do pick one particular human to pick on- and unfortunately you will be key in ending this behavior.

Do you and Kitty ever have positive interactions? Does he ever snuggle with you? Calm times together?

 

[Meeki17]

Thank you so much for your responses. I've spoken with my vet about it and they suggested felloway but also not been sure what's going on. He is a mostly very affectionate cat but if fustrated does lash out on me every couple of days with a fustrated attack. I also feed him where my partner doesn't. He is definitely a cat that will do things for attention and I think the night attacks are him wanting a response. Even when I have exhausted him as much as possible there has been times where he will still attack. What is the best option for anti anxiety things? Diffuser/collar?

 

[Meeki17]

I worry his fustrations are normally food related...

 

[PuffandPercy]

Another Percy! It really is a great name

I wonder; how do you react when he jumps on you? Do you feed him after? I would be trying to show him you're hurt and you don't like this; perhaps a high pitch cry like a kitten would. I'd be avoiding playing with him/feeding him, or engaging with him at all after.

Sounds like he might have attachment problems, plus food anxiety, and being separated from other cats young he might not have been socialized well. A bit out of my depth, but perhaps the advice from your vet and here will be enough to help

 

[LeiLana80]

Feliway is good to have throughout the house as an overall soother- it helped our orange tabby a few years ago and then recently my mom's orange tabby. (Weird that it's all orange tabbies in this conversation, lol).

I would definitely get a door for your bedroom and close him out at night- especially since that seems to be the danger area.
Removing the opportunity for him to attack will help everyone.

 

[maggie101]

Every night I hear a loud screech from one of my cats, Peaches. She does not want to play. Maggie is very active at night. I lock her out for a few minutes til she's calmed down. It helps that I use a food timer and she has a triangle scratching post instead of my bed and chew toys. I also have a cat tower in my bedroom

 

[Cat McCannon]

Play with him until he's exhausted then give him his last feeding about an hour before bedtime. Close off the space under the bed. Put a cat bed near your bed for him to sleep in. Don't leave food out after last meal. If you have to, play with him again!

 

[Cat McCannon]

 

[maggie101]

Wish that worked for Maggie. It made her more playful. Not all cats are alike so hopefully that idea will work for her.. Cats cannot go without food for hours so they get half their morning meal at 6 am. I get up at 9

 

[Kflowers]

When cats play with each other, and Percy is playing with you, and one is too rough the other one screams or hisses. That stops the play, a little rest and play resumes but less rough. When Percy attacks you hiss at him. You'll need to practice, particularly if you want to do it lying down. Some times it works in one hiss.

Percy doesn't realize he's hurting you. He would not want to hurt you as you are his chosen playmate, his bonded friend. The hiss will tell him he's hurting you. I did try the yelp, didn't phase my girl, worked well with the dogs, but not the cat. None of the shake the can of pennies, squirt with water (I wasn't going to do that, but I had a glass of water in my hand one day when she nailed my foot. Poured the whole thing on her, she shook her head and attacked again.)

It's an individual thing and it happens to a lot of people. You'll find a similar post I made for someone else yesterday. As with them, remember, Percy loves you. You are his chosen playmate, the best of all friends, his anchor in the world, the one he wants to share all the joy with.

Tell yourself this as you put the bandages on. This isn't abuse it's play and it can be fixed once Percy understands. But, dang it hurts until he does.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I am really desperate for help with my cats behaviour. Percy is a rescue we adopted at 6 weeks old. He was abandoned in a box and I think weened too young. He is now 1.5 years.
Percy lives indoors and the issue is around attacking me at night time. Percy would never attack my Male partner only myself. There feels like a hierarchy and only listens to him telling him off.
It started that he would hide under the bed and attack my feet and legs as I would get into bed. We started to feed him some biscuits before bed time and increase play at night to tire him out. It worked a little bit but then another problem started where he will wait until 5 minutes after getting into bed while trying to sleep and attack my head. Pounce out of the blue. Its terrifying and has caused significant bleeding because he pounces with claws out and attacks my face. We don't have any doors in our house but lock him up in the mornings in bathroom because The problem now also happens in the morning but more food related. It seems he is trying to wake me up. He has always had EXTREME food problems and can't control eating. When he was a kitten we had to break it into 6 meals now he manages 2 plus biscuits before bed. I dont know what to do anymore and can't handle it because it affects my sleeping.
He is a big orange tabby cat, desexed. No other issues except his eating. I think he has some anxiety issues however I work from home and he is rarely alone. It is definitely worse if my partner or and I or if I have been out that day or night. He gets pissed off.

Any help would be so appreciated!!! Thank you.

Hello M Meeki17 and family and welcome to TCS! Other posters' suggestions and thoughts are very good. Jackson Galaxy is a professional and very respected feline behaviorist who has solved many problems in cat loving families. I would also suggest interactive play with your cat, who is not that much older than a kitten and who probably would love some play sessions with a wand toy such as da Bird or Cat Dancer, widely available online and at cat supply stores such as Petco, before bedtime. Never play with hands or feet. Use the toy. And YES on Feliway! I've always used the spray with great success, but you may opt for the plug-in diffusers if they seem more practical in your environment. A few treats right at bedtime might help to calm and reward him, too. I always give a few Feline Greenies right before bedtime and it's a ritual we look forward to. I would suggest using a sleep mask that covers your eyes, just to be on the safe side. And another option might be a housemate for Percy. Cats have individualized personalities like we do; a lot of cats love having feline housemates to play, cuddle, and sleep with.

 

[cataholic07]

If he's food driven what I would do is play with him with a wand toy for at least 15 mins or until panting, then put his last meal of dry food in a food puzzle or ball. That will further help burn off energy and keep him entertained He's just a bored kitty. You could also look into fostering some kittens that might help him as well. But youd have to do slow proper intros to any new kitty.

 

[Jem]

You mention he's very food motivated and said this....

When he was a kitten we had to break it into 6 meals now he manages 2 plus biscuits before bed.

Have you noticed his behavior escalated as you continued to lessen his meals?
What kind of food do you feed him? Only dry? Wet/canned? Mix of both?

I would increase his meals to 3 and perhaps even 4 meals a day to see if there is a correlation. Also, prior to his meals play WITH him with an interactive toy until he's done. Be sure it's on a schedule and you stick to it. Then feed him after his play time. It helps them "act out" their natural instincts to Hunt, Catch, Eat...then he'll probably go off and groom then sleep.
I would also recommend (if you're not already) giving him some canned/wet food, it's overall better for cats due to the moisture content but they tend to also have less carbs/fillers, so they will satiate him longer than dry food. Obviously check the caloric content though to make sure he's getting enough.
Perhaps giving him a dry food meal for overnight in a puzzle feeder would help keep him busy...even if just for a while.

That's all I can think of right now.....

 

[Catwoman1985]

I don’t know what a biscuit is for a cat I’m thinking like biscuits and gravy type of biscuits I would recommend not feeding him that though if it is that feed him cat food wet/dry but my kitten who is 3 months old does this in the middle of the night it’s normal not aggressive behavior he just wants to play if you don’t do much play time with him I would advise getting your kitten another kitten and it will stop I got my 1 yr old a kitten due to her night behaviors she had so much energy I couldn’t keep up with got her a kitten and she is no longer climbing up on my head board making crazy loud noises landing on hubby head if she gets bored she plays with her kitten brother and if she can’t find him she cries loud like a mother calling her kittens and he will come running out my room which is where the kitten sleeps on my shoulder paw on my face if door is shut she will claw at the door even ram it to get to the kitten that she never gave birth to lol so i would recommend another cat

 

[tarasgirl06]

I don’t know what a biscuit is for a cat I’m thinking like biscuits and gravy type of biscuits I would recommend not feeding him that though if it is that feed him cat food wet/dry but my kitten who is 3 months old does this in the middle of the night it’s normal not aggressive behavior he just wants to play if you don’t do much play time with him I would advise getting your kitten another kitten and it will stop I got my 1 yr old a kitten due to her night behaviors she had so much energy I couldn’t keep up with got her a kitten and she is no longer climbing up on my head board making crazy loud noises landing on hubby head if she gets bored she plays with her kitten brother and if she can’t find him she cries loud like a mother calling her kittens and he will come running out my room which is where the kitten sleeps on my shoulder paw on my face if door is shut she will claw at the door even ram it to get to the kitten that she never gave birth to lol so i would recommend another cat

"Biscuits" is the European term for dry cat food, just FYI.

 

[Julia29]

Sounds like your good her time is v similar to mine! We rescued him from a shelter at 8 years old, he would over eat, cry for food and bite when frustrated/over petted. But has always been incredibly affectionate too.
We did a lot of behavioural work. I got him routines for food, he has five set feeds of measured amounts of Hills Metabolic as prescribed by our vet - 2am (in a timer) 7am, 12pm, 5pm and 10pm. I work from home too and if he bothered for food outside those times I shit him out of the room until meal time. That has worked well. He still does beg for food sometimes but I only feed him when he sits quietly so he knows now that hassling doesn’t get him anywhere!
In terms of bath I our I was told it was to do with a build up of cortisol in his body. We have him food puzzles and toys to help keep his brain busy and he has lots of toys and we made sure to play with him a lot.
however, after I went away for a week and then we had visitors to stay straight after, he gave me a particularly vicious attack in the middle of the night and that for me was the last straw. So I spoke to the vet and we have him on a prescription for Fluoxetine now. He is so much happier and much more relaxed. He is still himself, still plays and chases and is affectionate but doesn’t bite anymore and is calmer about food - although he still hassles an hour after he has eaten sometimes! He also doesn’t seem as bothered by me going away or if we have workmen in the house. He is also much better with visitors. His weight is back in the healthy range now so he also allowed a few treats!
we are moving house in two weeks and the packing does seem to be upsetting him so we will see how things go…!