Out Of Options

[VBG]

I am afraid of, and therefore Do Not like our cat. Back in the spring I asked for help with our kitten Gus. His aggressive play was causing a lot of trouble. I got good advice and we did everything we could, including CBD oil. Fast forward to today and we have an 18 pound, 4 foot long killing machine. It's not cute or funny or acceptable. Gus is ruining my life. I can't take 3 steps without him lunging at my feet where he'll wrap himself around me and use his back feet to 'eviscerate' my ankle. I've stopped trying to pet him because I'm tired of going to work looking like a junkie with puncture wounds and bruises. He must sense my reservation with him and uses it to his advantage to bully and control me. He's my 4th cat and only one to behave like this. Prior to Gus I rescued 2 very broken Turkish angora brothers who were solid white and skittish AF, neither one ever made any attempt to bite. Gus bites 30 times a day. My heart is broken because I have a ghost cat; he's here, but I can't touch him. My husband adores him and would be devastated if......if I ultimately insist Gus be re-homed. I'm desperate ya'll. Are there just some cats that will NOT be tamed? Is he one of them? Why does he hate me? Up until the last 30 days I've genuinely tried to make this relationship work but I'm at the end of my patience. Were he a human child, given his size and frenzied attacks, he would be classified dangerous and abusive. An adult male would be in jail for this abuse...why should a cat get away with it? I have never thought of giving up a pet, that's never been an option before but.....I can't live like this. And shouldn't have to. Advice anyone?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Sorry to hear you are so frustrated with Gus. I don't know what all you have tried, but I am guessing you used suggestions provided in articles from this site - yes? What kinds of things did you try? And, how long did you employ the suggestions before you stopped? I hate to tell you but changing cat behavior can sometimes be a long and arduous process - like as in months and months, not days or weeks.

Does he behave this way with your husband, or just you? If it is just you, he senses your fear/animosity toward him and is responding in kind. Your husband may have to play a bigger role in helping you to change his behavior toward you.

 

[Kflowers]

First of all I'm sorry this has happened to you. I have a lot of sympathy. My bottle baby from 5 weeks to one year, she was never as big as your boy, attacked me in her play. I figured out that she bit me about 500 times. Then I remembered someone telling me to hiss at her. I did, it worked.

I mention it because it was the only thing that worked. I wasn't here in the spring so didn't follow your thread and don't know what you've done. If you've tried this, I'm sorry. I know being told to do what you've done is maddening.

During that year I wore a dress covered with a denim skirt the amount of fabric both protected my legs and confused her. I suggest you wear blue jeans and a floor length denim skirt (4 inches above the floor is best. You aren't the first person I've suggested this to today.)

Does your husband permit Gus to climb him or attack his feet and legs? I'm thinking your husband might and that he wears jeans. That would mean that Gus considers this playing and expects you to play as your husband does.

If your husband does this, the first thing you need to do is get on the same page in trying to stop the attacks. No playing with feet and legs for either of you even if your husband doesn't mind. It's like expecting a dog to know which towel is his and which can't be played with.

Jackson Galaxy did a show about a Savannah or a Bengal who kept attacking the lady whose husband owned him. The husband thought it was funny, which accidently encouraged the cat. Only when he saw videos of the attacks did the husband realize it wasn't funny. Maybe you can find that video? It was about playing with the cat more, taking him for walks on a harness, setting boundaries, and most importantly the husband accepting that there was a problem and both working together to fix it.

No, you can't continue this way, you shouldn't have to. But your husband has got to help you.

 

[VBG]

Hi. Sorry to hear you are so frustrated with Gus. I don't know what all you have tried, but I am guessing you used suggestions provided in articles from this site - yes? What kinds of things did you try? And, how long did you employ the suggestions before you stopped? I hate to tell you but changing cat behavior can sometimes be a long and arduous process - like as in months and months, not days or weeks.

Does he behave this way with your husband, or just you? If it is just you, he senses your fear/animosity toward him and is responding in kind. Your husband may have to play a bigger role in helping you to change his behavior toward you.

We've been attempting to manage his behavior since February of this year. So, 10 months.. not weeks. We returned to our vet for a thorough exam, also ensuring his neutering "took". We've tried pheromones, CBD, time out/separation, extended play, supervised outdoor time, physical restraint in the form of covering him with husbands tshirt for removal to a quiet space and every toy ever made and then some. He'll respond for a day or two then revert back to attacking. He does it to my husband too, although not to the same extent. *i have a super rad full sleeve tattoo on my left arm and protect it with my life meaning my right side takes the mauling every time * Husband works from home and is the primary caregiver, also a new twist in our feline history.

 

[Kflowers]

for now, kevlar arm sleeves might help, it depends on his claws, they might want to look at the others at Amazon, try rose gloves in the search. They are $20.

 

[Kflowers]

First of all, just so you'll know, I'm not happy about medicine without a really good reason. You have a REALLY GOOD REASON to look into medications.

have you spoken to your vet about medication? To use medicines in the face of some behaviors isn't failure. It's possible there is a chemical imbalance (not everything is testosterone) or a neurological problem. If your current vet won't consider it, try another. I remember when our dog was on an anti-anxiety medicine, Novis colicalm (I think that's how it was spelled) I read about a cat who hated the baby and bit him except when he took the anti-anxiety medicine. That was four years ago. They may have something better now.

If you do decide on anti anxiety medicine, keep enough on hand to taper kit off if need be. When my dog was taking the colicalm Novis screwed up which pills went in which bottle or something similar, and had to shut down the factory for awhile. It was damn hard on pets to suddenly be without. But nothing worked as well as that particular medicine, so you may need to try a few before you get the one that works.
Again, if you've done this, apologies.

 

[sargon]

I'm going to second Kflowers suggestion that you talk to your vet about medication. It doesn't work for all cats, but when it does, it can be life changing. After I got a prescription for my cat (kitty prozac, in her case), my cat's aggression was reduced by probably 90%. She was also much happier. I felt that last part was important to mention, because medicating a cat isn't a zero sum game where you take your cat's happiness away to have an easier life, it is generally a win-win, where you are both happier, and have a better relationship.