Im Desperate Now ... Help (cat Really Gone Crazy)

[chikoresc19]

Hello everyone, i'm really desperate at this time please help me as soon as possible,
i've had a siamese male cat for a year and a half now since it's birth, it was very lovely and playful, it really loves people and play with us that it can't stay in a place with out us, and then a week ago it was sleeping in a chair and my brother pulled the chair and it attacked him very brutally with it's claws and it's teeth and kept making noises of threat and insecurity, this was the first time it does this thing then he ran outside and it seemed that it cooled off, then about 2 hours later it was sleeping in my bed and i pulled this pillow that was beside it and it got really angry again and started attacking me like it did to my brother and i quickly took it to a room and locked it there, talked a local vet and he said leave him there for a week without a contact so " it knows that it did a mistake " and if it's behaviour after that time is still aggressive then bring it to me because it's a threat to our lives.

then today i opened the room for it and i let it walk in the house and it was so scared that it didn't want to eat, i petted it because it wanted to and it's behaviour was normal then i was worried that it would be such a threat and attack my family again, i put it in a cage and gave it to the vet and he kept it there.

guys i need help from you, please tell me if i'm doing the right decision here or i'm just losing my lovely cat, because i feel that i'm doing the wrong decision and giving up on it and missing the chance that it could be normal again, i really don't know what to do ...

thanks for bearing with me and please help ...

 

[talkingpeanut]

When you say you left the cat in a room for a week, did it have food and water? Did you interact with him at all?

Is he neutered? Do you have any other animals?

What is the vet planning to do with the cat?

 

[duckpond]

It sounds like the cat was asleep, it got startled and attacked? I dont think i agree with the vet about leaving the cat locked in a room for a week with no contact. Its a cat not a person it will have no idea why he was locked up. He just knows he was locked up and left alone. Im sure he is very scared.

Has the cat been neutered, this is the first step toward controlling aggressive behaviors in male cats. He could also have a physical problem that is causing the aggression. A good health check would be in order. Im not sure what the vet is planning to do with your cat. But i would ask for a good health check, have the cat neutered if he is not. And there are anti anxiety meds that can be tried if the Neutering does not fix the problem. I am a little afraid of this vet? Im not sure why he thinks the cat is a treat to your life, or what he is planning for your cat?

 

[ArtNJ]

Your vet sounds like a crackpot. There is a series of things one tries with a cat that starts biting, up to and including medication. Instead, your vet suggested solitary confinement, which as far as I'm aware no one that knows anything about animals would recommend. I don't think we can even be sure the vet properly ruled out a medical cause to the behavior change, which is basically step one.

You haven't described anything that would make me give up on a cat. Not blaming you, sounds like you got terrible advice. Please immediately check if you can get the cat back.

 

[1 bruce 1]

Agreed with A ArtNJ . This vet is a moron.
Leaving a cat in a room without ANY contact for a WEEK after an incident will only teach the cat that humans are psychotic creatures that are unpredictable and weird. Hours, days, a week after the fact they're not remembering the incident. They're not even giving it a moments passing thought and any vet that has actually done any kind of reading on behaviour would know this.
Find a REAL vet that will do an exam and blood work on this cat and won't rule out random issues like hyperesthesia or another health problem that would cause such a dramatic response.
Fire this vet. Yesterday.

 

[Furballsmom]

Please get your cat away from that vet, find another vet, get your boy neutered, try a calming product maybe but in the meantime i can't stress enough, get your cat away from that vet

 

[jen]

Well you pretty much got all the advice you need. Get your cat back asap and never speak to the vet you gave him to again. Neutering will help, bloodwork and a check up, calming collars, Feliway, being more aware of his triggers, what is the event or issue that is causing him to attack? I had a cat once that reacted BADLY to catnip where she seemed fine playing with it but then if you went to pet her she would attack really aggressively... Cats are sensitive creatures. Be patient and find a new vet.

 

[chikoresc19]

When you say you left the cat in a room for a week, did it have food and water? Did you interact with him at all?

Is he neutered? Do you have any other animals?

What is the vet planning to do with the cat?

of course, i gave it food twice a day and it had water, no i didn't interact with it, yes it is neutered and no i don't have any other animals.

 

[Margret]

Get your cat back from this vet immediately and find a good vet. duckpond isn't the only one who's scared of this vet; he knows nothing about cat behavior, and I doubt that he knows anything about cat biology.

The idea that your cat is a threat to your life is total nonsense. Yes, he lashes out when startled out of sleep; I've seen that before from cats and it isn't anything like genuine aggression, let alone some insane plan to murder you all in your sleep!

Yes, if your cat hasn't been neutered you need to have that taken care of, by a good vet, and if he's been startled out of sleep before without reacting this way he also needs a general health check because unexplained changes in behavior can be the first signs of illness. (He also needs a general health check if he's never had one before; even healthy cats should have a check-up every year or so, just like humans.)

If your cat behaves aggressively at times other than when he's startled out of sleep, and if he continues to do so a few months after he's neutered, then he may need some anti-anxiety medications, but first things first. Have him neutered and get him proper veterinary care, and try not to startle him awake.

Margret

 

[chikoresc19]

Your vet sounds like a crackpot. There is a series of things one tries with a cat that starts biting, up to and including medication. Instead, your vet suggested solitary confinement, which as far as I'm aware no one that knows anything about animals would recommend. I don't think we can even be sure the vet properly ruled out a medical cause to the behavior change, which is basically step one.

You haven't described anything that would make me give up on a cat. Not blaming you, sounds like you got terrible advice. Please immediately check if you can get the cat back.

the only reason i would've gave up on it is being a threat to the family, i'm getting the cat back ASAP now and thanks a lot for the advice.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Let us know when you have him back. Find a new vet!

What was your vet planning to do with your cat?

 

[1 bruce 1]

the only reason i would've gave up on it is being a threat to the family, i'm getting the cat back ASAP now and thanks a lot for the advice.

I'm glad you chose to find a new vet.
I am a huge fan of my vets. They work hard and do their job well and are (despite the fees charged to cover student loans, staff, the tech's training, the huge machines that diagnose diseases and the costs of running a clinic which are NOT cheap) but am a HUGE non-fan of vets that disney-fie problems or tell owners their pets are just being bratty and need isolation/discipline when the problem is obviously something else.
We had some friends with a cute little white fluffy dog that came to our training group. This dog ate food and treats like a vacuum cleaner. One day the dog stopped eating. His mid-section swelled to a basketball size their "genius" vet told them the dog was playing them for people food and told them to hold out on him, the dog did not survive this.
This infuriated me. A dog that would eat kibble, treats, paper, pocket lint----whatever you offered him---for years that one day blew up like a balloon and the same day stopped eating was not giving the owners a 'tude, the dog was sick!!!!!!
Please give us an update when you can.

 

[1 bruce 1]

of course, i gave it food twice a day and it had water, no i didn't interact with it, yes it is neutered and no i don't have any other animals.

chikoresc19 I feel for you as this is a weird, random, tough problem that might take some digging. If the aggression was out of control (as it sounds) there may be some weird underlying health problem that causes this. Sane animals don't randomly attack people who are nearby without provocation.
Don't feel afraid of vets. Call up some places or clinics, tell them the short version of what happened and ask them what a visit would entail. Remember that when you hire a vet to treat your pet, they work for you. Not the other way around. This isn't license to bully or be a bad client but if they're getting you nowhere, fire their butts and go elsewhere.
A cat that randomly bites/attacks people who are nearby with no history of doing so needs a competent vet, period. Settle for no less than that.
JMO.

 

[pegleg]

You said he goes outside, are there other or new cats in the area? This could be redirected aggression if he's scared of something outside.

Could he have fallen off something as it seems to be moving him when he's asleep sets him off.

Good luck finding a new vet and get him a health check. Cats don't suddenly change personality for no reason.

 

[chikoresc19]

Let us know when you have him back. Find a new vet!

What was your vet planning to do with your cat?

He is planning to sell my cat, because my cat is Siamese, and they're like royal in my country.

 

[pegleg]

What the! That's terrible, get him back now. Your vet is trying to scam you, seriously.

Eta: What country are you in?

 

[duckpond]

He is planning to sell my cat, because my cat is Siamese, and they're like royal in my country.

Sounds like this "vet" is running a scam on you. Im sorry but thats what it sounds like to me. He scared you of the cat, saying it was a "danger" to your family but will sell it to other people? Very suspicious!

The more i thought about your guy last night the more it reminded me of my big guy, it was several years ago, and i had kind of forgotten. He is the sweetest, most gentle lovable cat ever, would never hurt anyone. But he sleeps hard. I remembered one time he was sound asleep on the couch, i walked by and just reached down to touch him. Startled him awake and he came out fighting, teeth and claws. I could tell he was a bit disorientated, he had been sleeping hard, and he didn't know who, or what i was. This is survival instinct. Many animals, and even some people have this fight or flight response if touched or startled when sleeping. I am careful not to touch my guy unless he is awake and aware. If i need to move him or something i talk softly to him, until i know he is awake and aware.

And please understand cats do not think like we do. You cannot Punish a cat, they do not know that their behavior is what is causing them to be punished. They will respond to positive reinforcements, treats or play or love in the moment when they are doing things you want, or if they are doing something bad a firm NO, and then a few moments of you walking away from them. More than that i just dont think they have the ability to understand. They just get confused, and scared, which makes any problem worse. Always be positive with a cat, never punish.

Hopefully you have your cat back now?

 

[1 bruce 1]

He is planning to sell my cat, because my cat is Siamese, and they're like royal in my country.

Holy scam batman.
Get your cat back and report this person to the authorities!!

 

[Furballsmom]

He is the sweetest, most gentle lovable cat ever, would never hurt anyone. But he sleeps hard. I remembered one time he was sound asleep on the couch, i walked by and just reached down to touch him. Startled him awake and he came out fighting, teeth and claws. I could tell he was a bit disorientated, he had been sleeping hard, and he didn't know who, or what i was. This is survival instinct. Many animals, and even some people have this fight or flight response if touched or startled when sleeping. I am careful not to touch my guy unless he is awake and aware. If i need to move him or something i talk softly to him, until i know he is awake and aware.

I'm not a vet but yes, this, this is what happened with your Siamese in my opinion.

And I think the reason it happened the second time is because of the first time. It hadn't been long enough time inbetween, and he was still somewhat on high alert and reacting to human emotions.

Your cat was also reacting to human emotions, and smells and sounds that it needed to check out when you let it out of the room after you'd locked it up for a week.

He will need a lot of reassurance, calmness, serenity, faith and love from your entire family when you get him back. You-all frightened him and confused him, and now need to help him to know you won't do that again.

Please tell your brother to be more respectful of the cat in the future.

 

[inkysmom]

My friend catsits for her boss who has four cats. The boss has taken in and has to re-home several different cats over the past few years for her fourth cat, so her remaining three cats have had a lot of change and adjustments. One cat she took in just wasn't getting along and there was a lot of fighting needing vet trips and stitches. The other cats started peeing in the house and some had to be separated. She eventually rehomed the newest cat as he was the aggressor.
Now has a new fourth cat and her boyfriend comes over all the time who likes dogs better and keeps roughly playing with the cats and treating them like large dogs.
With all this turmoil, her youngest cat who she's had since he was a kitten, started randomly attacking the boyfriend and now my friend when she catsits. The first time all my friend did was raise her voice to say hey stop when the car started fighting with one of the other cats because she was worried they'd hurt each other again. He turned on her and attacked her as she was walking away.
The next time my friend just went into the bedroom while he was on the bed. She didn't realize she was on the boyfriend's side of the bed which must have set off bad memories for the cat of the boyfriend roughhousing with him. The cat repeatedly attacked her until she hid in the bathroom. She literally hid in the bathroom all night. Then she left food out in the morning and texted her boss what had happened and that she was too afraid to stay there. She had deep cuts all over her arms and legs and had to go to a doctor. They got infected despite antibiotics.
The cat was taken to see some type of trainer and now is boarded overnight and my friend cat sits the other three.
But they decided be has PTSD from all the changes in cats and the boyfriend being too rough, even though the boyfriend is not malicious or delibaritely abusive.
Thyroid problems can cause aggression in dogs, I'm not sure about cats though. If the cat is only aggressive when woken up, I'd just make sure you talk to him before touching him when asleep like others have said, if it's a drastic personality change, get a good vet exam and bloodwork and urine tests. Any animal can be aggressive if they feel sick or in pain. And see a better vet! That jerk you were seeing shouldn't even have a license anymore. Selling a cat that he feels is aggressive and dangerous without testing and treating it is unethical and risking people's and the cat's lives, especially when you wanted to treat it.
If there's nothing wrong physically, there's good certified veterinary behaviorists as a next step