Roommates Cat

[RoommateSnack]

I moved in with my current roommate about two months ago.
She has this cat Bruce. He will not stop biting me. He just walks up to me and tells at my and if I don't run away or hide any exposed skin he scratches and bites me. He has drawn a lot of blood. Most of the time he bites me I'm sleeping. I often get woken up 5-10 times a night by him swatting and scratching me.
We have tried water bottles and time outs. I've tried being the one to give them their wet food.
He doesn't really attack others. Just me. Help.

 

[maggiedemi]

How old is he, is he still a kitten?

 

[RoommateSnack]

He's fairly old, 6 or 7 maybe

 

[kissthisangel]

Welcome to TCS I'm sorry you've found the site under such negative circumstances. First off, I'd immediately shut him out of your room at night if you can at least for now. For me, losing sleep causes resentment and feeling resentment toward a cat you're trying to bond with can set you back without even realising it yourself.

Its great that you've started preparing meals for the cat. This is the first step to bonding with a cat and can build trust. Another important thing is play. Use some long handled wand toys to play, keep the play away from your body, do this at least once a day, more if you have time. This will also help the cat to trust you and see you as the bringer of fun things. not a target.

Getting the cat used to the sound of your voice can also help to build a bond, read aloud or speak to the cat often, it might feel silly at first (I'm not going to lie it WILL feel silly) you can say, oh I'm just doing the dishes now [cat's name] do you want to help me? Shall we watch the TV [cat's name] oh look it's [show] that's your favourite programme isn't it[cat's name] etc etc. I think there are two reasons this helps, one the cat recognises you are trying to interact in a non- threatening manner and two you start to appreciate the cat being there a bit more and noticing a reaction when you speak directly to them. Actually it's three things because it's important you can relax around the cat too.

Punishing the cat will not work with this particular issue because you cannot routinely apply the same punishment every time. You're asleep and then suddenly you're awake and in pain, it's natural that you're going to be shocked and angry and confused. If at all possible this scenario would benefit from you not reacting at all so the cat realises that nothing is going to wake you up and solicit a reaction and he moves on to doing something more fulfilling with his time.

 

[RoommateSnack]

He's an older cat 6 or 7

 

[RoommateSnack]

We live in a studio so I can't shut him out of my room. He's not my cat, he's my roommates cat. And Im honestly not home often enough to play everyday.

 

[bluebirdy]

Are you acting like prey (running away etc.). Sometimes that can activate the hunting instinct in a cat to go for you.

 

[RoommateSnack]

When I don't back off him he gets angrier and bites and scratches me harder. There is no safe way to approach him or stand my ground. I honestly don't even want to be home anymore. I've dealt with difficult cats and have even been fortunate enough to eventually get along with them

 

[kissthisangel]

I can see why you don't want to be there much, the longer you spend with the cat the better you should be able to bond. Even if he's not yours, you need to build a relationship with him to earn trust if you're going to live together.

lots of luck and let us know how it goes!

 

[heathensservant]

When my adult son moved in with me my boy cat instantly hated him. Now, my son had been here thousands of times before and the boy cat just ignored him. But once his bed was here and he started sleeping here and there was a whole room that smelled like my son, the boy cat became aggressive towards him. He'd hiss and swat at him. Even lunge at my son to get him away from me. We thought maybe my boy cat was feeling threatened and that my son was trying to take his place as alpha male of this pack....who knows.

Both of my cats love those temptations cat treats. It's like kitty crack to them. So we started having my son be the only one to give them some twice a day. At first the boy cat would take off again when he saw it wasn't me, and my fat old lady cat would eat her share and his. That only lasted for a couple of days before the boy cat decided he didn't like that.
Now he stays on the opposite side of the room from my son, but he doesn't attack and doesn't run away. Unless my son is too loud, then he'll hide under the chair. Not sure if that will help, but maybe it will a little? Good luck.

 

[Columbine]

I absolutely understand your frustration and distress at this situation, but spray bottles and time outs are not the answer. Cats simply don't connect the 'punishment' with the unwanted behaviour. The spray bottle could actually be exacerbating the issue, as he's most likely to connect the spraying with you, making him even more hostile.
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Has he been like this since the first time you met him, or is it a more recent thing? If the latter, think back and try to pinpoint anything at all, however trivial, that's changed in his life since your first meeting. Also, was he a rescue cat? If so, what does your roommate know of his history? If he was abused by someone in the past, it's possible that you remind him of his abuser, so in his mind attack is the best form of defence. I saw this with my old greyhound - even years after he new he was safe, he'd growl and bark at anyone he saw with a cane/hiking pole (despite being the softest dog you'd ever meet the rest of the time). It was simply a fear memory that got triggered.
Cat Aggression Toward People
Re-directed Aggression In Cats

Moving forward, start by keeping your bedroom door closed at night, so you're safe when you're sleeping. Never make direct eye contact with Bruce - this is always seen as a threat. The only exception is to catch his eye and slow blink at him - this is sometimes called the cat 'I love you', but it also shows that you trust him and that you're not a threat. Looking at him through almost-closed eyes is a sign of trust and non-aggression too. I appreciate that trust is the last thing you feel towards him at the moment, but one of you has to start diffusing things, and Bruce just isn't able to at this stage.

Feliway diffusers might help Bruce feel more secure in his environment, and so less threatened by you. Spraying yourself all over with Feliway spray when you get home/leave your room might help too. It sounds totally bizarre, but it's worth a try - I know it's helped others here in taming feral cats and getting them used to people - especially people they're less certain of.
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To keep you feeling safer, ask your roommate to keep Bruce's claws clipped, and maybe even consider putting Softpaws style claw covers on him too. It won't stop the attacks, but it will keep you safer by drastically reducing the damage he's able to do.
How To Best Take Care Of Cat Claws

Daily interactive playtime will help Bruce burn off that excess energy in a positive way, hopefully meaning that he's less inclined to attack you. Your roommate can do this, but if you do some of it too it will help build a bond between you and Bruce, which can only be beneficial. Play can also be used to move him if he's trying to block you from moving around the house and, lets face it, a fast moving toy is far more interesting to pounce than your leg
How And Why Do Cats Play?
Playing With Your Cat: 10 Things You Need To Know

Making a point of feeding every day is great, and it will help over time. As others have said, a favourite, extra yummy treat that only comes from you may help too, especially if you give it when he's calm to reinforce the desired behaviour. Don't try and hand-feed him at this stage - just say his name to get his attention and toss him the treat. Treats could also be used as a way to move him if necessary, but play is better for this. You don't want to risk rewarding an attack after all, which could easily happen if your timing was slightly off. Remember, there are no quick fixes with changing behaviours - it's always a multitude of small, consistent changes
Solving Cat Behavior Problems: The Key Ingredient