- Joined
- Sep 10, 2021
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- Purraise
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This is a long story but I'd like to give as much info as possible so hopefully someone will have an idea on what to do.
So my dad and stepmom adopted a cat from the animal shelter almost two weeks ago. The shelter told us that he did have a bit of a manual as he has been in families previously where he would lash out if he got too much attention or was pet the wrong way. Us, having experience with cats, thought this would be fine.
The first week we didn't notice much of the lashing out, he adored attention and would even playfully paw the backs of our legs if we walked away from him when he wanted attention. He did eat the plants and of course didn't like it very much if we tried to keep him away from the plants. If we gently pushed him away one time too many, he'd lash out with a swipe or a bite. Nothing that surprised us really.
However. My dad and stepmom left for a holiday last monday, 5 days ago, so I'm taking care of the cat on my own. He likes to sit on the table and, as he doesn't even try to get near our food, we are okay with it. On tuesday morning I was having breakfast at the table when he slowly kept getting closer to my food. I gently pushed him away because he shouldn't get near my food; obviously he didn't like that the 3rd time so he lashed out. I told him a stern no and walked away with my food. The table then became his territory as when I tried to clean it up, he didn't want me to get near the table. When I walked past the table, he tried to swipe at me. Later that day, I don't have any food and am just standing near the table with my phone, singing to a tune. He gets on the table and gets closer to me. He stands on the back of the chair with his front paws, making me think that he is trying to get close to me for attention. I put my hand foreward to see if he wants attention and I get another claw coming right at me. Again he does not let me get near the table and walking past it means he follows me from the table and swipes if I get close.
Next scenario is away from this table so I know his behavior doesn't have to do with the table. I'm in my room and he's meowing for attention. I turn around on my chair and let my hand down. He rubs his head against my hand and I pet his head. He bites my hand, but softly so I know it's the okay kind, and continues rubbing his head against my hand. Next thing I know he bites softly again but this time a claw follows right after. I pull my hand back and give him a stern no and then turn back around to ignore him. He, however, keeps meowing and asking for more attention.
Lastly, he will also swipe at me sometimes when I walk beside him at about the same eye-level. For example if he's on top of the stairs and I'm walking down them. At a certain point my lower arm is at the level of his paws and he will swipe.
Now I am getting to the point where I am a little scared to walk past him or give him attention. When he meows so cutely I want to give him attention because I can hear in the meow that he's missing it, but I just feel like I'll get another scratch on my arm. To my knowledge I am not giving him a reason to lash out; it's not like he wants me to stop petting him and that that's why he's lashing out because he asks for attention again immediately after. I have put up Feliway to see if that helps but so far no results. If anyone has any clue why our cat is lashing out, all help would be amazing.
So my dad and stepmom adopted a cat from the animal shelter almost two weeks ago. The shelter told us that he did have a bit of a manual as he has been in families previously where he would lash out if he got too much attention or was pet the wrong way. Us, having experience with cats, thought this would be fine.
The first week we didn't notice much of the lashing out, he adored attention and would even playfully paw the backs of our legs if we walked away from him when he wanted attention. He did eat the plants and of course didn't like it very much if we tried to keep him away from the plants. If we gently pushed him away one time too many, he'd lash out with a swipe or a bite. Nothing that surprised us really.
However. My dad and stepmom left for a holiday last monday, 5 days ago, so I'm taking care of the cat on my own. He likes to sit on the table and, as he doesn't even try to get near our food, we are okay with it. On tuesday morning I was having breakfast at the table when he slowly kept getting closer to my food. I gently pushed him away because he shouldn't get near my food; obviously he didn't like that the 3rd time so he lashed out. I told him a stern no and walked away with my food. The table then became his territory as when I tried to clean it up, he didn't want me to get near the table. When I walked past the table, he tried to swipe at me. Later that day, I don't have any food and am just standing near the table with my phone, singing to a tune. He gets on the table and gets closer to me. He stands on the back of the chair with his front paws, making me think that he is trying to get close to me for attention. I put my hand foreward to see if he wants attention and I get another claw coming right at me. Again he does not let me get near the table and walking past it means he follows me from the table and swipes if I get close.
Next scenario is away from this table so I know his behavior doesn't have to do with the table. I'm in my room and he's meowing for attention. I turn around on my chair and let my hand down. He rubs his head against my hand and I pet his head. He bites my hand, but softly so I know it's the okay kind, and continues rubbing his head against my hand. Next thing I know he bites softly again but this time a claw follows right after. I pull my hand back and give him a stern no and then turn back around to ignore him. He, however, keeps meowing and asking for more attention.
Lastly, he will also swipe at me sometimes when I walk beside him at about the same eye-level. For example if he's on top of the stairs and I'm walking down them. At a certain point my lower arm is at the level of his paws and he will swipe.
Now I am getting to the point where I am a little scared to walk past him or give him attention. When he meows so cutely I want to give him attention because I can hear in the meow that he's missing it, but I just feel like I'll get another scratch on my arm. To my knowledge I am not giving him a reason to lash out; it's not like he wants me to stop petting him and that that's why he's lashing out because he asks for attention again immediately after. I have put up Feliway to see if that helps but so far no results. If anyone has any clue why our cat is lashing out, all help would be amazing.