My cat is a jerk

[blast-off-girl]

I have this big fat cat named Boojie Baker. I love him but he's a troublemaker. He acts like an angel towards me but he terrorizes my two other cats. Holly, who is growling as I type this because Boojie is antagonizing her, can't stand him. Ringo puts up with him because he is a patient and loving cat. I feel that he is jealous because Ringo and Holly love each other and sleep together all the time and maybe he feels left out. When he tries to get in their bed, it ends badly. Boojie is a biter and will come from behind and sink his teeth into their back or neck. It really freaks me out because it seems like he will kill them. I sometimes catch poor Holly and Ringo screaming in pain because my cat thinks he is a vampire. I've thought of putting a muzzle on him but I didn't know if that is considered too drastic. I have this fear that he will break their neck when I'm out of the house. I live in a large studio so I don't have the liberty of placing them in separate rooms.

Does anyone have any ideas of how to curb Boojie's aggressive behavior? I've tried water but he is not afraid. He is like a real life Sylvester the Cat and is annoying. Plus, he's twice as big as the other cats.

Thanks

 

[otto]

Get some feliway plug ins to start. You might also get some rescue remedy to use when you aren't home or at especially stressful times, but a few Feliway plug in diffusers may just do the trick.

Also, be sure that Boojie Baker is getting enough one on one time with you every day.

 

[blast-off-girl]

I'll definitely try the Feliway, Otto. He definitely has some one-on-one time with me. He tries to sleep on my chest every night. I let him even though he weighs 18 pounds. It's like sleeping with a barbell on me. Nonetheless, I do have to kick him off when it starts to feel too heavy. He then keeps on trying to balance himself on my side. He's so persistent! Now he's laying by me

 

[carolina]

I also second Feliway - here is a link for you, it is on deal, and much cheaper than local stores

Each refill lasts about a month - since you live in a studio, one plug in will be enough...
Feliway plug in ; Feliway Refill (1) ; refill 3-pack

 

[otto]

Hey, that is a good buy! I won't get it from Amazon though, because they won't ship it to my PO Box. I don't know why, I have everything else I get at amazon shipped to my PO box with no problems, but they would not ship the feliway that way.

<shrug> their loss!

 

[c1atsite]

Originally Posted by Blast-Off-Girl

I sometimes catch poor Holly and Ringo screaming in pain because my cat thinks he is a vampire.

oh no!


reading what you wrote, IMO he's jealous of the other 2, but i'm no expert

vibes vibes vibes to you

 

[blast-off-girl]

Yes, I totally agree with you, c1atsite!! I think he tries so hard to fit in but he just alienates himself from them. Then he acts out his jealousy in the form of aggressive behaviors. Boojie is very clingy with me and I make him feel very welcome because I can sense his insecurity.

However, things are looking up for him because he found a new friend:


Here is Holly and Ringo who are tired of his antics:

 

[c1atsite]

Originally Posted by Blast-Off-Girl

Boojie is very clingy with me and I make him feel very welcome because I can sense his insecurity.

Originally Posted by Blast-Off-Girl

However, things are looking up for him because he found a new friend:

Your kitties are so cute. The pink doll for Boojie is funny. Maybe spray the doll with a spritz of catnip spray to make it "special" (or maybe not, if you think that would add tension)

My aunt & uncle had 2 girl cats for years. (CC & Camille) My cousin Bernie asked them to take in a beeeautiful stray boy cat on his property (probably abandoned) - a large cream/white Turkish Angora - They named him Preeno. So Preeno got added, but CC and especially Camille weren't crazy about him (imagine 6-year-old girls saying "no boys allowed" - that type of thing)

Although CC sometimes would take naps with Preeno (Not very often but those naps must've made Preeno's day), Camille would have none of it! She was the oldest in the house and regarded CC as her kitten. CC & Camille napped together regularly.

Preeno was the youngest and clingy toward my uncle and my cousin David and his gf. He was large in size being a boy and long-haired.

Preeno liked being in the mix (meaning lots of attention) during Thanksgiving & Christmas and the young kids of the clan liked him a lot. (they loved petting him, calling out his name, etc.) ..........Unfortunately, Thanksgiving & Christmas only come round once a year which meant he got to a point where his acting out morphed into very neurotic problem behavior. My aunt instructed my uncle to give Preeno to the shelter - they're back to a 2-cat household.

Preeno lived with my aunt & uncle for approximately 3.5 years. I wish you way more success than that (p.s. i resized your pic for you)

 

[cassielainie]

i had two cats once who didn't get along very well.. for about two weeks, i kept them in seperate rooms ajoined by a door.. which i kept closed... they couldn't fight, they couldn't hurt each other.. they pretty much had no choice but to amuse themselves by playing with each other under the door.. at the end of the two weeks, they were well on their way to becoming the best of friends..

 

[jack31]

Jack is generally the jerk of our house, to the other cats and occasionally me.

He tries very hard to show his dominance--by biting the back of the neck, which is exactly what a male does during mating.

Feliway has been a Godsend in our home. Jack is a much more mellow cat since we started using it about 4 months ago and Harley rarely gets picked on.

I know it isn't jealousy because Jack does it to the new cat as well, but if she got for Harley, Jack defends Harley. Jack wants to make sure he is number one, Harley sits at his right hand and the baby is last in line--although if you ask me, she's at the top!

Besides feliway I read a great book that has helped a lot called Cat vs cat. And they talk about using, basically distraction for the aggressor. So instead of squirting Jack with a water bottle when he is attacking or yelling, which really just escalates the event in his head and makes him more eager to pounce. I distract him with a toy. It has worked miracles. So you might try that as well.

Leslie

 

[rang_27]

I have a bully. His name is Isaac & unfortunatly for Levi he has one target. Poor Levi gets chased & pined down & smacked when ever Isaac is hungry or feeling insecure. Levi has taken to hissing at Isaac whenever he approaches. I think one of the big things is to understand where the agression comes from. With Isaac it is mostly food motivated. He doesnt get hungry he gets HANGRY & takes it out on my poor sweet Levi. Then othertimes if Isaac really wants Mom's attention & we will go after Levi. I do think agression is more common in insecure cats. My Jordan who has always been dominant rarely uses agression, but when he walks over to the other cats plates they move away & let him eat. It seems like they respect his dominance more because he is a secure kitty.

 

[hermielou]

That sounds like my Emmett!
He is about 16 pounds, and will bite the other cats - especially Miranda - on the back and neck. And water doesn't bother him either! he also tries to get into the kitchen cupboards to get attention..

I've thought about getting him a stuffed animal to play with too - that monkey is too cute!