We just brought a new cat home from the shelter. Augustus is 5 years old, found as a stray, and I believe he was neutered at the shelter before we brought him home. We went to visit him 3 times before adopting him and he was really really sweet and happy. I'll relay the whole story in case it helps with thoughts, ideas, or analysis.
We just brought him home yesterday. Took him out of the carrier in a separate room (we have other cats), pet him, and left him alone to chill. He was fine. I went in later to check on him and I couldn't find him. He was hiding behind the bed, but when he saw me he jumped at me aggressively, started yowling and making these weird smacking noises with his mouth.
He went back to hiding and I left for a bit. Came back in, he eventually came out of hiding, still doing the weird thing with his mouth. I put a hand down for him to sniff, he seemed okay so I petted him for a brief second, he seemed fine with it. Let him wander around the room, I just sat there quietly talking to him (still doing weird meows and smacking). He came back around, so I put my hand out for him to sniff again in case he wanted attention-since he was okay with it a second earlier. He sniffed, looked at a scratching post for a second, turned around and then just lunged at me like a feral cat! I screamed, and someone came to rescue me because he was between me and the door.
I thought maybe it was a bad reaction to catnip toys other cats had left in the room so my dad and I went in to get rid of everything in there. There was one last toy my dad reached for, not anywhere near the cat, and he just attacked my father from across the room.
Left the cat alone, we had managed to get the catnip out and I had plugged in a feliway thing, hoping to calm him. A while later I went back to put some food in. He was yowling and making the smacking noises, so I dropped the food and left. Told my parents that he was still upset but for some reason my father went in and was viciously attacked again.
He ended up going to urgent care this morning with a horribly infected hand. They are ready to get rid of the cat.
I want to give the cat more time to acclimate. We obviously know it can be a nice cat (from the shelter time with him). We can't bring him to the vet because we can't go in the room let alone get him in a carrier. We wouldn't even be able to bring him back to the shelter, plus I don't want to because they'd probably euthanize him.
Unless he improves, I imagine the only option is to lock up our other cats and then open all the doors to let him escape. I can't imagine he'd return as an outdoor cat though. I don't know what to do. I'm having a hard time convincing my parents (who spent all morning at the urgent care clinic) to give him some time and patience. They want to call animal control.
Is there anything to do for the cat? He is obviously very unhappy and scared of something. We can't risk going into the room and getting attacked again, so I don't know how to rehabilitate or comfort him.
Do we just leave him in there and give him food? Hope he mellows out?
We spoke to the shelter and they were shocked since he was always so nice.
I don't know what I'm asking for, but any advice would be appreciated.
We just brought him home yesterday. Took him out of the carrier in a separate room (we have other cats), pet him, and left him alone to chill. He was fine. I went in later to check on him and I couldn't find him. He was hiding behind the bed, but when he saw me he jumped at me aggressively, started yowling and making these weird smacking noises with his mouth.
He went back to hiding and I left for a bit. Came back in, he eventually came out of hiding, still doing the weird thing with his mouth. I put a hand down for him to sniff, he seemed okay so I petted him for a brief second, he seemed fine with it. Let him wander around the room, I just sat there quietly talking to him (still doing weird meows and smacking). He came back around, so I put my hand out for him to sniff again in case he wanted attention-since he was okay with it a second earlier. He sniffed, looked at a scratching post for a second, turned around and then just lunged at me like a feral cat! I screamed, and someone came to rescue me because he was between me and the door.
I thought maybe it was a bad reaction to catnip toys other cats had left in the room so my dad and I went in to get rid of everything in there. There was one last toy my dad reached for, not anywhere near the cat, and he just attacked my father from across the room.
Left the cat alone, we had managed to get the catnip out and I had plugged in a feliway thing, hoping to calm him. A while later I went back to put some food in. He was yowling and making the smacking noises, so I dropped the food and left. Told my parents that he was still upset but for some reason my father went in and was viciously attacked again.
He ended up going to urgent care this morning with a horribly infected hand. They are ready to get rid of the cat.
I want to give the cat more time to acclimate. We obviously know it can be a nice cat (from the shelter time with him). We can't bring him to the vet because we can't go in the room let alone get him in a carrier. We wouldn't even be able to bring him back to the shelter, plus I don't want to because they'd probably euthanize him.
Unless he improves, I imagine the only option is to lock up our other cats and then open all the doors to let him escape. I can't imagine he'd return as an outdoor cat though. I don't know what to do. I'm having a hard time convincing my parents (who spent all morning at the urgent care clinic) to give him some time and patience. They want to call animal control.
Is there anything to do for the cat? He is obviously very unhappy and scared of something. We can't risk going into the room and getting attacked again, so I don't know how to rehabilitate or comfort him.
Do we just leave him in there and give him food? Hope he mellows out?
We spoke to the shelter and they were shocked since he was always so nice.
I don't know what I'm asking for, but any advice would be appreciated.
