I'm having a major problem with one of my cats, my youngest, and I would love any help I can get. Miewjhur (female colorpoint) is roughly nine months old and I've had her since she was somewhere around six weeks (insanely early, I know). It took a while for both of my older cats - one eight (female), one seven (male) - to get used to her and now that everyone is getting along so well... she's apparently decided she hates me.
For the first three months of her life with me I brought her almost everywhere I went. I work for myself so I could take her with me in my vehicle and she became a wonderful road-kitty. When I was home I always monitored everyone's behavior, making sure my older two didn't beat her up. She followed me everywhere and cuddled with me every night as soon as she felt she could jump up on the bed. The vets have always said she was in great health after I got her through a treatment for the roundworms I unwittingly brought her home with. Flash forward to about a month ago.
I was clearing her off my bed so I could straighten blankets and get to sleep when she just seemed to lose her little furry mind. I went to pick her up and she fluffed, hissed and yelled as if all hell had broken lose and it did so very quickly. I didn't have a towel on hand so I went to take her by the scruff (she kicks like you wouldn't believe if you get her any other way) but she kept hissing and screaming. She started twisting and by the end of the melee I had her pinned under a blanket and my right forearm had a deep four inch long scratch that was bleeding heavily. My other two were yowling and pacing in the doorway. I wrapped her up and cradled her for a while but there was no calming her. I let her go and called it a night when I realized she was only getting worse.
Since then she's freaked out at least twice a week at very random times and scratching me up something fierce in the process. Tempest and Squall play with her but keep a distance, and these little episodes of hers are upsetting them to where the male is hiding and looking at me as if I've been making cat casseroles. Tonight has been the worst though and I am weighing the idea of returning her to the shelter.
I was walking along when I bent down to pet her and she freaked out once more. I hadn't surprised her but she puffed up, freaked and got low to the ground. I picked her up in yet another attempt to calm her and she just lost it. By the end of it I was peed on and even pooped on. All I've been doing is petting her, kissing the top of her head and cradling her to me to try to calm her. I put her in the office until I got cleaned up. The others are freaked out and yowling again. In trying to clean her up I got attacked again.
I love Miewjhur to pieces, like any proud parent I show off pictures of her to my friends when we go out but I just can't take this any more. My arms and hands are scarred up - seven on the left and eight in the right - and its seriously hurting my relationships with the other two cats. I've had cats my whole life but never one like this. I am at a loss. I don't want to give up but this is starting to take a toll on me. Help?
For the first three months of her life with me I brought her almost everywhere I went. I work for myself so I could take her with me in my vehicle and she became a wonderful road-kitty. When I was home I always monitored everyone's behavior, making sure my older two didn't beat her up. She followed me everywhere and cuddled with me every night as soon as she felt she could jump up on the bed. The vets have always said she was in great health after I got her through a treatment for the roundworms I unwittingly brought her home with. Flash forward to about a month ago.
I was clearing her off my bed so I could straighten blankets and get to sleep when she just seemed to lose her little furry mind. I went to pick her up and she fluffed, hissed and yelled as if all hell had broken lose and it did so very quickly. I didn't have a towel on hand so I went to take her by the scruff (she kicks like you wouldn't believe if you get her any other way) but she kept hissing and screaming. She started twisting and by the end of the melee I had her pinned under a blanket and my right forearm had a deep four inch long scratch that was bleeding heavily. My other two were yowling and pacing in the doorway. I wrapped her up and cradled her for a while but there was no calming her. I let her go and called it a night when I realized she was only getting worse.
Since then she's freaked out at least twice a week at very random times and scratching me up something fierce in the process. Tempest and Squall play with her but keep a distance, and these little episodes of hers are upsetting them to where the male is hiding and looking at me as if I've been making cat casseroles. Tonight has been the worst though and I am weighing the idea of returning her to the shelter.
I was walking along when I bent down to pet her and she freaked out once more. I hadn't surprised her but she puffed up, freaked and got low to the ground. I picked her up in yet another attempt to calm her and she just lost it. By the end of it I was peed on and even pooped on. All I've been doing is petting her, kissing the top of her head and cradling her to me to try to calm her. I put her in the office until I got cleaned up. The others are freaked out and yowling again. In trying to clean her up I got attacked again.
I love Miewjhur to pieces, like any proud parent I show off pictures of her to my friends when we go out but I just can't take this any more. My arms and hands are scarred up - seven on the left and eight in the right - and its seriously hurting my relationships with the other two cats. I've had cats my whole life but never one like this. I am at a loss. I don't want to give up but this is starting to take a toll on me. Help?