My cat is frustrating me to a point I want to find her a new home :(

[malla]

I was given Pretty by a friend's friend, who took her in as a stray. I've had her nearly 6 months now. I can tell she was not properly socialized as she just started learning to play a few months ago. She's also slowly gotten used to being petted. Still, sometimes she growls at me anyway.

What is frustrating about her is she is not like my other cats who are cuddle-bugs. I understand she is not but she can very aggressive towards the other cats, biting them, harassing them, chasing them constantly. When the others try to play with her, she gets agitated and aggressive. Sometimes, she takes others toys away or spews and hisses if they try to play with the scratch posts. She'll actually chase them away! 

I've tried a zillion different ways to make her happy, to control her aggression. Sometimes I think she doesn't even like me.

This is also the cat obsessed with the door and getting outside. I figure part of her issue is she obviously used to be a outdoor cat. The others have been indoor cats all their lives. I don't want her to be an outside cat. 

I worry very much about giving her to anyone because I worry they may they may get fed up with her and just throw her away because she is so difficult. I worry no one else will have the tolerance or patience I have with her. I don't want to give up on her but I don't want anything to happen to her, either. I feel really bad because I feel as though I'm giving up on her. 

Maybe I haven't given her enough time to adjust, maybe this is just her personality, maybe she's meant to be a one person cat, maybe she's meant to be an outdoor cat? I don't know what to do. Some advice please?

 

[catsallaround]

Sounds like issue I had with Misty.  I fanlly started letting her out and it solved it after about a year of trying.

She was ok in begining but was pregnant too.  She got spayed when babies were very young and never experienced a heat after delivering.  She started to attack any cat even though she had the run of the house and basement.

 

[callista]

Letting her out evidently isn't an option though--it wouldn't be in my area; there's traffic and nasty people around. Even in the country there's coyotes and such.

But what about a compromise? An outdoor kitty enclosure could let her out safely. It'd have to be completely enclosed, top and sides, to keep her in and all other animals out... There's also the option of leash training, but that is always so much easier with kittens. (By "training" I mean "cat doesn't mind wearing leash", not "training the cat to heel like a dog"--the latter is inadvisable and probably impossible.)

I guess she's used to being an only cat or at least having more territory than she does now. How much vertical space have you got in your place? You know--perches, cat trees, that kind of thing. That's one way of expanding your house's kitty-territory square footage. You mention multiple scratching posts so I can only guess you're already headed that way. You don't have to buy lots of expensive cat trees if you make normal furniture cat-friendly. My cats are allowed everywhere but the counters, which gives them lots of space in a small apartment.

Don't mind her lack of cuddliness. She's uncomfortable; I guess snuggling when she feels on edge just isn't her thing. Just co-exist for the time being and try to find her ways to feel safer.

 

[malla]

I've thought of walking her outside on a leash but I figure that would make her worse. lol I have to put her in the bedroom to even out the trash out or get the mail. She races to the door every time she hears the handle turn. lol