Help! Aggression!

[riley1]

Hi All,
I need your help! There was a cat I was seeing around my house infrequently. Thought it was a feral and was trying to figure how to TNR it. I live in a leash law community so finding someone to do it is difficult. Last Friday she was on my porch at 11:30 am. I took out some food and she walked right up to me and then wanted to come in the house. I got her into a trap and she has been in my garage since then. I have a no kill shelter for her but was going to keep her for a couple weeks because she is very thin. She comes to me, sits on my lap, wants to be petted, etc. Tonight she was on my lap acting like a normal cat. She then grabbed my arm with her claws and was going to bite me. I pulled away and let her calm down- still on my lap. Then she started to growl and hiss at me, threatening to attack! What is wrong with this cat? I can't take her to this shelter for adoption if she attacks people for no reason. I thought maybe petting aggression but I wasn't touching her & this was way over the top! Yesterday I went out to see her and she was out of food. When I was walking back to go in the house and get some she grabbed my leg & was hissing at me. Now I am wondering if this is how she lost her home in the first place. Anyone who knows what might be causing this please respond!

 

[catsknowme]

Oh no! It sounds scary! IMO, it is likely to be feline aggression caused by separation anxiety. I have dealt with it in several cats. For one cat, I had to keep a towel handy to block him. The other cat has been okay ever since I let him live outside but that isn't an option for your living situation. The third kitty was cured by my grandson who told her that she didn't have to fight me anymore because she lived in a house now with a real family & the cat instantly understood. We gave another cat a stuffed pink flamingo toy to attack instead and she eventually taught herself to "detach" by getting off of our laps and attacking her flamingo instead. Jcatbird has probably the most experience in cat taming and quite a few others here are amazingly gifted at coming up with wonderful suggestions. Bless you for rescuing this cat - life has eroded her trust & confidence.

 

[Jcatbird]

She definitely has something triggering her. Any chance she is having any pain? Stomach issues were the cause with one cat here. Stomach pain hit and he did not understand. He would chomp anything near. Getting his diet straight along with some other health issues stopped the sudden attacks.
I have seen this in another here too. At first I named this cat Viscous because she would just fly at me and attack! I did know she had experienced some very bad and traumatic things so I kept trying with her. I changed her name to Flowers. Another cat actually was helpful in gaining her trust. Seeing me interact with another inspired trust.
Basically, it takes some detective work. First, check with a vet. Dental, digestive, claws, paws, parasites, fleas, bone, ears, skin are all possible candidates for sudden discomfort. If all that checks out as good then fear is the second thought. Triggers can be things like leg movement ( as in , she has been kicked or stepped in in her past) hand, arm or finger movements ( as in she has been treated, hit or slammed/tossed) turning your back on her ( as in being rejected or left behind) certain noises ( as in a cat being exposed to slamming doors, human fighting/fussing, loud radio like a car hitting early hitting her, gunshots, other animal sounds like predators which may have been after her or her kittens or cat family members etc.) Scents can also be triggers. Any smell associated with a bad experience. Food! Being starved by environment or by humans can leave her scared of that loss. Survival for an outside cat is traumatic. Everything around them can be, or seem to be, a threat to life. The goal with her is to establish trust and calm and to let her know, she will not be abandoned. Keep a very calm environment, a very regular routine and try to leave food ALWAYS available. A bowl of dry food for her to access as needed with lots of fresh water so she knows it won’t ever go away. There are calming products out there that may help. Fellow at diffusers help some cats. There are calming collars too. If she must be alone, music is available online that is geared to calm cats. I found that a radio helped some cats. A TV helped others. She is now in an unknown new world. It takes time for them to understand they are now safe. Give her love, care and a regular routine. Patience is needed. I always advise that a stiff piece of cardboard kept to place between you and the kitty makes a good and non threatening barrier for the times she gets worked up. Use it! Blocking her from attacking is needed but you don’t want to yell or try to make her cower. Let that cardboard stay with her all the time so that it carries her scent and is always there is needed. She’ll probably start laying on it and find it a comfort. Leave a shirt or other item that carries your scent with her too. Avoid wearing perfumes or highly scented things until she has learned she is safe there. Please do keep us updated. I am sure others will have some great tips too. Don’t give up and remain calm around her. If you set an example of calm, she will recognize that if you are calm, there is no threat in the area. Oh yes, try to always let her know you are coming by announcing yourself with a word like”Hi.” and always use a word, like “later” to let her know you are leaving. Key words can clue her in about what is going on around her. Also, standing above her can be intimidating. Being on her level is less so. It all seems complicated at first but by process of elimination and establishing a routine, you can learn about her fears and needs. Thank you for saving her. She is one of the ones who really needs your help to see that life can be good.

 

[riley1]

Thank you both! I think it may be a combination of things. I have my own cat in the house and she probably smells her all over me. I had seen her off and on for about a month so she was out there by herself for quite a while. She is terrible thin. A sucked in waist & I can feel every bone in her back. It is such a sharp reversal in behavior. She was on my lap dropping her head into my hand to be scratched & purring. I had a small, very soft brush that i was gently using on her head, throat and base of tail. Then I stopped that for awhile & was reaching to set the brush on the floor. That is when she grabbed my arm with both legs, dug her claws in and was going to bite me. Of course I got tense and worried. Spoke in a sharper voice but not yelling.
She was lying on my lap facing away from me & then after about a minute started growling. When i told her to get down she turned and I thought she was going to attack so I got up and she jumped down. Of course, she gave me the evil eye for several minutes after that. Thinking back, grabbing arms and trying to get the brush in my hand are pretty common cat actions. I over reacted because of her claws in my arm and maybe this caused her to feel the tension in my body. I was going to get her vetted and put her in a room in my house while I fatten her up. I have to get her in a carrier first. Problem is I can't keep her for months. I live in a condo with a strict one cat policy. The no kill shelter is willing to take her but they too will not wait months. I am out of their district so they are doing this as a favor because I used to work there. Otherwise I have to take her to the city pound & am afraid of how that will end if she shows aggression. I just couldn't leave her out there to starve & as I live in Wisconsin it is already getting cold. It would be so wonderful to find a microchip and an owner who is looking for her!

 

[Jcatbird]

I certainly understand. Try staying calm and fattening her up. She probably just wanted you to keep brushing and for the comforting to continue. Poor kitty. There may not be a repeat of that behavior. We both know that she is very unlikely to survive the pound so just keep working to calm her and show her that she is safe and loved. Try to get her into a routine of comfort and confidence. It can actually go much quicker than we anticipate sometimes. A microchip would be excellent. We’ll all hope for all good things from now on. If she is scenting you’re cat, you could provide scent swapping to kind of neutralize that. Brushing her with the brush and then putting her scent on your cat, then back to her for sharing the scent. That can help if she doesn’t find it upsetting. Just a thought, the brush you used on her, did it carry the scent of your cat? If so, that could have been what scared her. Sometimes it’s a simple answer and she really isn’t aggressive towards you but was being defensive.

 

[susanm9006]

When a cat is unfamiliar with your they can be on edge. They may want attention but be on guard and stressed at the same time. It doesn’t take much to set them off, it could be as little as the speed at which you were petting her , a certain movement you made or a scent on you. You want to go very very slowly with her. Let her come to you for attention. And even if she seems to enjoy it, only give her a couple pets and then quit. And be very aware of her body language so you can see if her ears go back, her tail twitches and she seems to tense up and then know it is best to leave her.

 

[riley1]

Thanks everyone! The shelter said they weren't worried about this incident and to bring her over Monday for a vet check, shots, worming etc. Then I can bring her home as a foster, put her in a bedroom and work on weight gain and calming down. I told them she will need to go to an experienced home without children when adopted, however! I don't think she will get over this fear in a few weeks with me and then be able to meet potential adopters with calmness. I am just so happy they are willing to help.