Strange little cat with a hair trigger

[sostratos]

I have a gorgeous little orange tabby male named Tarzan. I found him on the side of the road two years ago and had to take him in since I'm a sucker for a kitten in need. He's an extremely loving little fellow, but all his life he's been very jumpy and displays some behaviors I haven't seen before.

Whenever he sits in my lap (and he only ever does it when it's his idea), he spends the whole time vigorously lashing his tail back and forth like he's furious, but if I don't stroke him he bunts against my hand so hard it's like he wants to punch right through it. I have to be careful when I do pet him, though, because at any given moment he'll let out an enraged little peep and lash out. His head bunting behavior in general is the most forceful I've ever seen from a cat as well. He will also lash out if he is denied something he wants, such as when I take him off my kitchen counter and place him on the floor.

Is there anything that can help him calm down, or is this just normal for some cats? I love the little guy and I want him to enjoy every minute of his life, but he always seems so high-strung.

 

[mani]

When you say 'lash out', do you mean he attacks/bites you?

If it's just his tail, some cats do 'wag' their tails without it being an sign of anger.  And some cats are incredibly strong head butters!

To be honest, if it's just the tail thing, I think it's his nature...

If he's attacking you after you've petted him a little while, that is common too... It's like a kind of sensory overload that the cat turns into agression.  Over time you pick up the signs and know when to stop. 

 

[sostratos]

Yeah, when he lashes out he'll strike with his claws or lightly bite. He clearly doesn't do it to cause any damage because he never holds on or goes beyond one swat, but it's also clear that he can get angry really quickly. The strange thing with him is how unpredictable he is when it comes to how much is too much. I've learned to just stroke him a couple of times and then stop, when he headbutts my hand I'll repeat a couple of strokes until he shows no interest when I stop again.

 

[mani]

Yeah, when he lashes out he'll strike with his claws or lightly bite. He clearly doesn't do it to cause any damage because he never holds on or goes beyond one swat, but it's also clear that he can get angry really quickly. The strange thing with him is how unpredictable he is when it comes to how much is too much. I've learned to just stroke him a couple of times and then stop, when he headbutts my hand I'll repeat a couple of strokes until he shows no interest when I stop again.

They really can be unpredictable with this kind of response.... You sound like you're handling it well

 

[katluver4life]

What kind of play is he getting? Sounds like he has a lot of pent up energy. I too have a male who's tail gets to thumbing pretty hard when he's highly excited, though he never lashes out. I know when he gets like that, he just needs SOMETHING to do. Try working him out with some very vigorous play time, using a good interactive toy. My 3 love the Da-Bird and cat catcher (same company). Lasers work well also, just let him have a toy after using the laser, as it tends to get them frustrated when they can't actually "catch" something.

 

[sostratos]

I think you're probably right. This morning I made him a mouse-on-a-string toy and played with him for a good half-hour. After that he seemed calm and at ease, so it's probably related to him not getting enough interesting play time. I think I'll order some good interactive toys and see which ones he likes the best.