PLEASE Help Me! My Rescue Cat is Attacking Me Aggressively Daily, Others Suggest Euthanasia but that

[lyndserelly]

My Cat Odyssey was a rescue found in an engine trap of a guest's car at Universal Studios.  When I first received Odyssey he was malnourished, starving, and locked in a black closet, meowing incessantly, covered in fleas. I am unsure of how long he had been on the streets, or more impressively how he had survived. Despite this, and long story that goes on,  I was a little wary, thinking he may be feral, but the first week with me trying my utmost, he seemed to welcome me. He went from terrified to right next to me after hours (once being cleaned for fleas x1, having food/water, and litter box.) He was pretty scared and didn't move much when I had to go to work, but after about first few weeks he was seeming to be more comfortable. I was pretty ecstatic about this and thought that he must not be feral and I really "lucked" out, as I knew I would not want to give my cat up once I was in contact with them. I truly feel for all sentient beings ( which is why I am a nurse), I really wanted this to work and this is why I am so conflicted.

 I grew up with cats and have never experienced the torment that Odyssey delivers me on a daily basis. I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING, I have read; I work long hours but I try to play with him before hand and after hand with toys, (not with hands). He has his cat toys in all places of the house, a cat scratcher, good food, daily water changes, daily/bi-daily litter box cleaning and weekly complete cleans; everything I can think of and have heard of. Yet, I continue to get attacked on multi daily basis. Videos nor my words can begin to describe the extreme aggressiveness that I experience on a daily basis. I am scratched and bitten with scabs on my legs and arms consistently intermittently, despite trying to ward off attacks. I can be playing with him for 15-20 minutes ; stop play, seems as if he becomes upset and full force attack me.  I realize this may sound weird bit I am consistently attacked when he is upset or does not like something. I am hoping for some type of assistance as I have written before to no avail. He has his moments of being sweet/affectionate to me but he is not a very affectionate or snuggly cat overall. 

I am in turmoil deciding against failing with this cat. I can no longer take these random, blatant, aggressive attacks against me. I have read so many websites ( much contradicting, or unable to provide consistent data of how to handle this) I am at a braking point. I need help PLEASE< PLEASE. I DO NOT WANT TO GET RID OF MY CAT, but I literally can not take any more stress at this point. PLease, Please help me, I dont know what to do. I have talked with other owners, and animal behavorisists they say different things that are not working. I NEVER THOUGHT IN A MILLION YEARS, I WOULD CONTEMPLATE GETTING RID OF MY ANIMAL. I FEEL LIKE THE BIGGEST FAILURE, BUT I CAN NOT TAKE THIS ABUSE. Please if you can not assist me, help to provide me with some material so I do not have to endure this torment or get rid of my cat in a Los Angeles (high kill) shelters. Please I never thought I would be sitting here writing this. 

I have taken of video of the daily attacks I receive and others are telling me to put him down or that he might have to be put down but it breaks my heart. I would appreciate any suggestions please. I am taking him to the vet tomorrow. I have finally gotten to my breaking point and I was hoping his behavior would get better as he got older but it has not. 

Thank You Very Much.

 

[sprin]

I'm so sorry! That sounds awful. I don't have many suggestions. It seems like you're giving this cat a good home. I just wanted to say that I've been in a similar place with my cat. When I adopted Tony he would make me bleed by clawing me multiple times a day. It was painful and embarrassing to have all those claw marks. I've had cats since I was a child, and I've never had a cat who would blatently, unprovoked claw at me and grip on to me like that. So I know a little about what you're going through, and it's super hard. For Tony I can tell most of the time it's playful, because he doesn't make any noise when he does it, and he's almost gleeful about it. So I play with him a lot, and over time the combination of hissing at him when he claws me and tiring him out with positive play has really reduced the amount he claws me. But he still does it sometimes, just a more managable amount. I can see you're already playing with your cat though, so you've already got that covered. I recommend really getting him jumping up and down on surfaces and running around the house to get out a lot of energy. I drag a wand toy through all the rooms in my apartment.

Did you mean to include a video? That might help people figure out what's going on. I've read that cats can go on anti-anxiety medicine, so that might help. Plus I'm sure your vet will check for things that might be causing pain. How long have you had Odyssey? Do you know how old he is?

I know it's hard to cut an aggressive cat's nails, but that might help reduce the damage he can do. Tony's nails are hard to cut, but when they are cut he can't break skin. Maybe you could have the vet techs do it when you go tomorrow, then it'll last 2-3 weeks and give you a little peace.

 

[lyndserelly]

Hi Sprin

Thank you so very much for your kind thoughts, regards, and motivational touch. I will try to play with him more, I think that may help too. I think he is about 10 months old or so. I can try to upload the video. I did try to upload it earlier but it wasnt working. I will try again. I posted it onto youtube so that I could provide the video. I have only taken one video because I have been trying to work with this issue without involving many others but I finally couldnt take it anymore. I was trying to video him while also protecting myself so the quality is not the best but it may give a better idea of the daily attacks I receive. The attacks can start for what seems to be no reason at all at times. 

Also, thank you for sharing your personal story with me too. I appreciate you opening a door into your struggles to help me better understand that I am not alone and there may be hope yet. I am sorry to hear about Tony clawing at you but I am happy to know that he has gotten a little better. I hope that the vet will give me some better ideas tomorrow. Thanks again

 

[sprin]

That's what Tony's like! That looks so painful. There's no shame in putting your cat in a different room when he's acting like that, or going in a different room yourself.  You can try hissing instead of saying "no" and see if he understands that better. Turning around and ignoring him after you hiss/say "no" might help teach him that he doesn't get attention when he does this. Also, like I said get the vet to cut his nails so he can do less damage. I would personally say that looks like he's a poorly socialized cat playing too rough, since he doesn't look angry. It looks like he pounces, then looks at you sort of confused wondering why you aren't playing back. So, he really needs to learn that's an unacceptable way to play. Sometimes you can tell a cat's eyes are getting big and he's getting ready to pounce, so cutting that off be giving him a big cat toy to kick instead or distracting him with a wand toy might help him learn to direct that behavior toward toys. It's kind of ridiculous, but I took to wearing Ugg type boot in my house for a while at the height of Tony's badness.

I hope my story with Tony didn't discourage you. Like I said, he's such a better cat now. He's almost normal, and it's only been a year since I adopted him. So I meant it more as a, "your cat might get better with time" type of story.

Edit: Here's an article about play aggression in cats. Since your cat is only 10 months, it's possible this behavior would gradually reduce over time. But obviously it's about being able to be sane and comfortable in your home for the time he's learning to play nice.

http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/how-to-stop-play-aggression-in-cats/

 

[fuzzycat]

Hi Lyndserelly,

Wow, he is really persistent. This is not a problem I have ever dealt with before, but three thoughts, and maybe someone else with more experience can chime in. 

One is he is over stimulated. In which case as Sprin suggested, you need ignore him until he settles down.

The second is mis-directed aggression. What was he doing before he starts to attack you? For example, if he is looking out the window and sees another cat, and gets angry. He turns around and sees you and he takes it out on you. People do the same thing. 

The third is he has learned that he can get attention from you by attacking you. Negative attention can be better than no attention. I do have a cat who does this, howbeit, in a less painful way. He will start to either knock things of a dresser or table, watching me as he does it, or he will start to bat my face. Usually this is done when I am in bed. 

It looks like he want to use you as a cat tree. Do you have one for him?

What about taking him for walks?

Fuzzycat

 

[foxden]

L lyndserelly
I'm going to bump this up to see if other members have advice for you

 

[moorspede]

Since she was in such poor condition when you got her I assume she's been cleared by the vet and has been spayed. 

I totally agree with sprin, your beautiful kitty is not socialised. Cats are the best at socialising cats, have you thought about getting another one?

I think sprin had some great suggestions. Please do not feel or act scared of your cat, she will pick up on it and it will confuse her further. She is not being vicious she is playing and doesn't understand why you don't play back. 

As sprin suggested use a wand toy and play with her with it. Very few kitties can resist the da bird toy. You can also get her something plush to bite and play with. My cats used to love the wubba toys by Kong or you could even use an old pair of pantyhose wrapped in a cotton or wool cover. 

You are her cat parent, you need to discipline her, when she attempts to attack your ankles channel your inner parent and use your authoritative voice to say no, hiss at her or tap her on the nose, not hard, just to get her attention. Then walk away and be unreachable for a few minutes. You need to be consistent or it won't work. When she's playing well, and being affectionate give her treats, lots of affection and soft words.  

Oh and I think the Ugg Boots are an excellent idea 

 

Oops I forgot an important thing. Have toys your cat can chase when she's in one of these moods, ping pong balls or little coloured mice are perfect. Distract her with these. 

 

[lyndserelly]

Thank you all for your kindness and thoughtful posts for me. I appreciate all your ideas and I will try to incorporate them. In response to some, I would like to mention that I he was cleared from the vet for the feline aids, and other regularly tested diseases when I first got him. I did have him neutered when he was about 4-5 months old because I thought that it may help with his aggression.

I took him to the Vet on March 6 and the vet (who did not seem very kind, nor did he treat me with much respect, told me flat out that I should euthanize him. Which I found pretty disturbing considering he told me to basically get, "over it, " when I began to cry at his request. He only talked with me for about 4 minutes and told me we could start medicine too but he doesn't recommend that because Ill probably get my hand bit so hard I'll have to have stitches. 

The last few days, I have tried to focus on loving Odyssey and keeping him around, rather than getting frustrated at him for his attacks and biting me. He just really likes to bite for some reason and I think that Sprin and some others are right; He needs to be socialized. I think him being away from his mom and siblings at such a young age (7 weeks was when he was found by himself) contributed to him "not knowing," when to stop biting. It is disheartening to me that so many people can so easily just tell me to drop him off on the streets, or have him put down, he can be a sweet cat and the past few days with me changing my attitude and increasing my play with him, he has gotten a little better. Also, I have been trying to very carefully notice when he makes moves like he is going to bite me or try to get upset and I move away and immediately ignore him. 

He is still a baby too, only 9 months or so, I am going to keep trying with him and use all your feedback and helpful tips. Means a lot to have all your support and caring ideas to help me through this process, as I was shocked by this vets response. I really went there hoping for some clarification and was not expecting what I was told in such an abrupt way. 

Thanks Again

Peace, Purrs, and Blessings

 

[lyndserelly]

Oh and I do play with him, I have the nano botz for him, the little vibration bugs that scoot around, I play with the Da Bird Cat toy with him daily, he has a cat climber, I make him pillows out of my old socks and filled with cotton and cat nip and attach strings on them which he really likes. I also have smarty kat hot pursuit concealed cat motion toy, and lots of other ones. I have interactive treat balls for him too, he is pretty smart and I try to keep him entertained in mindful ways. He is pretty spoiled in these senses. 

 

[lily paddy]

Oh my! Im so sorry this is happening, i can say this.. it doesn't appear to me Odyssey  is being mean.. he is playing.. to me.. he doesnt have any boundaries.. I honestly think u need to socialize him, and a loud NO when u see him posturing to bite u. and then walk away. Teach him to bite if he has to on something else.. MAxx started being aggressive.. now he bites a small memory foam neck pillow. never me anymore. I get down on the floor with him and play.. lots of praise and petting when he is a good boy.. when he does bite or scratch just being playful. i stop and say NO!! then i remove him or me from the room. Trim his nails have them done if he can tolerate the car.. he needs to have a lot of positive attention and feel that you are in control. Loving yet in control.. he had no teacher.. you need to let him see and train him not to be this way.. He knows u r scared.. he feels it,.. he doesnt know what to do with himself.. he wants to play.. show him how without biting!

 

[pogo16]

Believe it or not, your cat is trying to play with you, albeit aggressively. He can't understand why you're not returning the favor. 

Try holding a wand toy at all times to distract him when he gets in these moods of pouncing on you. That way, you're protecting yourself and you're giving him an outlet for his boundless kitten energy. Also, as I have a cat just like Odyssey, please know that my cat is 2 1/2 years old and she STILL plays like that sometimes. So, my other cat gets chased and aggressively pursued for play. It's pretty normal for high energy cats. 

If Odyssey annoys you, try speaking the language of cats and hiss at him. It will stop him in his tracks. And, if you haven't done so already, neuter him!

Please don't euthanize your cat. At most, take him to a rescue shelter.

 

[duncanmac]

We had a similar problem with Duncan.  We got him at 12 weeks and he had no littermates.  He played rough - biting and pouncing but no claws.  We had to attack this on multiple fronts:

1)  Play with him until he is tired.  I run him up and down the stairs chasing toys and wands.  Best toy:  a stick that I drag along the ground, just a plain wooden dowel.  I can sometime do this until he is so tired he can't move.

2)  Always tell him no when he starts to bite, firmly and then walk away.  The same word, the same way and then abandon him.  

3)  Bed time was worst - so at first it was three strikes then out of the bedroom for the night.  This had no effect on his behaviour, but we could sleep

4)  A nighttime routine:  play-food-bed at a set time - this basically got him into a dark room tired with a full tummy, so he would sleep.  At first he only slept until 2 or 3 a.m., now at 6 months, he sleeps through most nights.

5)  The squirt bottle.  Only at night, only in the bedroom, only if he won't stop biting.  This is amazingly effective

Your cat is just bored and wants to play.  When Duncan starts biting us now, we separate from him for a few minutes and then go play with him.  I feel the separation is important because it keeps him from thinking that if he bites us we will play with him.

 

[sprin]

Woah, I'm sorry your vet was so mean and unwilling to help. It honestly sounds like he doesn't know much about cat behavior if his go-to answer was euthanasia for a young, play-aggressive cat. A vet is going to see animals with behavior issues all day long, and they need to know how to address that instead of just giving up on the pets without giving advice on correcting the behavior. Like, obviously Odyssey's behavior is very bad right now, but I would expect a vet to give you tips and help to see if the behavior could be improved. No one at my vet clinic has ever suggested that my cat should be put down, that would be a last option.

When kittens are young they rough house with other kittens, and when one kitten bites the other too hard they will get hissed at and the play will stop. So a kitten learns to inhibit their bites and scratches with it's littermates. Odyssey just never got that lesson, and now you're dealing with an older kitten who needs to learn now instead. It's a huge pain, so give yourself a lot of breaks and be patient. In addition to moving away and ignoring him when he looks bitey, I agree with people who have suggested giving him a big cat toy and seeing if he'll turn his biting/scratching on that.

 

[mysticotala]

I just got a cat last month and it does the same thing to my legs.  It can be scary, but I don't believe it is vicious in nature.  Mine usually wants attention, it is often when I'm trying to leave the room that he is kept in.  Mine is a feral cat as well, though older.  I don't think they really know how to play, so you teaching him is the only way he can learn.  You say he has run of the house, would it be possible to keep him in his own room?  This might help with the over stimulation that someone suggested.  Giving him some toys to attack and play with in there might help out some of his energy without you in the room.  People have been very helpful here.  I'm sure that you will be able to change his behavior, Odyssey is still very young!  I'm sure he loves you, so don't be disheartened.  When he attacks give him a sharp no (or hiss) and walk away.  Don't let him get attention that way.  Good luck. There is a lot of knowledge on these boards for you!  I'll definitely follow your story since mine is so similar at the moment!  Don't give up!

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/335258/deterring-unwanted-behavior-in-semi-feral

 

[Willowy]

Oh, he is a naughty one! I was going to recommend medication such as Prozac if it were real aggression, but from the video I can see that he's playing inappropriately and I don't think medication will work for that :/. That's exactly how my youngest boy tries to play with the girls, until they whomp him and get in a wrestling match or run away and hide.

I would try to have a few large stuffed toys around, and when he goes for you, shove a toy at him and encourage him to bite and kick it. It might also be a good idea, when you see him start to get overexcited (wide eyes, thrashing tail) to lure him into another room with treats and close the door for a few minutes so he can calm down.

I assume that his neuter went well, no complications? That kind of behavior is exacerbated by testosterone, so some cats like that weren't neutered properly, and the behavior stops when they do it right. If all else fails, ask the vet about giving him some progesterone (girly hormones, most commonly given in a depo-provera shot). That will sometimes calm a hormonal teenage male cat down.

But the good news is that I think his behavior will improve as he gets older! So it's mostly about protecting yourself until he matures mentally.

 

[catsunderfoot]

This is my first post, ever, but I had a very similar problem with my cat years ago, so maybe I can help.

I have a few questions for you. Does your cat seem stimulated when he is attacking you? Large pupils, bushy hair and tail, totally focused on you? Can you tell when he is stalking you or about to attack? Are you able to refocus him onto a toy when he is in that mood or not? Could you safely pick him up or not? Can you do anything to get him to leave you alone?

Watching the video, I think this may be more than a playful, energetic youngster. He appears to be intentionally stalking and attacking you. Let me know if I'm wrong.

First, I would look for a different, more sympathetic, more cat friendly vet. There are vets that are willing and able to help in these situations. (My vet also recommended euthanasia.)

As for me, years ago, I had a wonderful, sweet and loving young cat. I adopted her at 3 years of age, and she was actually a research-bred cat coming straight from a laboratory setting (talk about abnormal upbringings and poor socialization.) She was a great pet until my dog died from cancer one year later. Then, she developed this behavior where she would stalk and attack me anytime anything set her off, like I dropped something on the floor, or I scolded her for getting on the counter. It got to the point where she would come after me daily, or multiple times a day, and attack me like your cat in the video. I had to throw a thick blanket over her and close her in a room until she calmed down. I could tell when she was coming after me, so I started a simple behavioral modification technique. When she was acting normally, I started teaching her to associate a certain noise (like a ringing bell) with cuddles and treats. Then, right when she became upset, but before she attacked, I would make the noise, and very cautiously offer her cuddles and treats. In a surprising short period of time, I found that when she became upset, she would come to me for the cuddles and treats and stopped attacking me at all. I no longer needed to make the noise. All attacks stopped. All this took place over 10 years ago. This cat is now 15 years old and still with me.

I am not sure if this helps you. Your post reminded me of the months I spend living in fear of my cat and unable to make the decision to put her down because I loved her too much. Hope things get better.

 

[basscat]

He's a kitten and he's playing.
Get a squirt bottle with 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water.  When you say NO, Spray his face.  When you Spray his face, say NO.  (You have to do both together). 
In less than a week, he will know what NO means.  
It's just rough kitten play. He will grow out of that.
Wear jeans.
Pay attention to his eyes, his "look" will be different when he's getting ready to do that.  Once you figure that out, you'll be able to spot "crazy eyes" from across the room.

 

[hbunny]

I agree 100% with @Willowy  it appears to be that he doesn't know appropriate play "manners".  And I agree with @BassCat  that you need to wear jeans!  I had to for months integrating a former feral--and shoes, because he was a foot-grabber.  He is a clingy, chubby ball of goodness and pure love now, but at first he knew no boundaries when it came to playing with humans, and often bit-grabbed-clawed just when he wanted to get my attention.  He just knew no other way.  I ran around yelling OWWWW constantly, which, btw, backed him off.  It took us awhile, but he now has great indoor manners and is gentle with me.  He terrified me for a long time because I never knew when he would do it!!  His kitty roommates, not so much...but they stop him when he gets too rough with them very effectively.

I would definitely find a new vet as well!!  It could be that Prozac could help, maybe just enough to chill him out so that you can start working on social manners.  He may not need it, just socialization and manners--but you should at least have a vet that you feel good about and that will listen to you!

I have an off-the-wall suggestion---and this is a big thing that may not even be possible---and that's to get another close to his age.  It would redirect his "neediness" and provide a playmate, and one that can hold his own with the play aggression.  I had a friend who raised an abandoned kitten from 2 weeks...all by itself...and it had horrid manners.  He would launch himself at her leg like what yours is doing in the video, but he would wrap around her leg and hand on biting and kicking.  He acted puzzled that she would quit playing, and it really hurt his feelings when she decreased her interactions with him (because of her fear).  She got another cat at about 5 months old and he learned quickly...very quickly...and now both are lovey with her, and save the rough and tumble for each other.

 

[sargon]

As others have said, it's pretty clear in the video that your cat has "play aggression" issues, as opposed to genuine aggression. it's painful and annoying and frustrating, but definitely doesn't signify a cat who is beyond hope.   My own cat had some issues with it, and for a while I'd walk around with a toy or three in my pocket to throw whenever she got too rough.  It helped, as did realizing that play aggression is a cat showing affection... really badly, not them showing hostility. understanding that changed my attitude and nonverbal cues, which helped my cat be better.

Also, a toy designed for kicking like a kong kickeroo ( the smaller crinkly ones that are frogs racoons, etc are best in my experience) is great when a kitten is getting too play aggressive.

 

[Mia6]

He has been through a lot. You found him in such a dreadful state. Maybe he has PTSD. Maybe meds would help.

Find another vet. You can also try Valerian, a natural remedy for cat anxiety.

Is he neutered?

Hugs,

Mia