Hi All,
I TNR'd a friendly stray mid-last year. He really is a sweet cat right up until he isn't.
He went through a toe nipping stage, no problem, we dealt with it and he doesn't do it anymore.
I was petting him one night when it was drizzling, I was leaning down to pet him and all of a sudden he lunges up and puts his front paws with claws at least slightly extended on either side of my face. I didn't get any scratches, but just a few pinpoints of blood.
He has panic bitten me twice - once when he was startled when I was taking the trash to the dumpster and he saw a small dog a neighbor was walking and the second time was just after he saw the same dog and was walking next to me.
I was in my hammock and he wanted some attention so I pet him for a few minutes and he wandered away. A few minutes later he swiped at my face around the hammock. Luckily he missed my eye and I just got a scratch on my face.
Today I was in the hammock and he was snuggling on me. He was purring, relaxed, and snuggly - his tail wasn't even twitching which is my usual notice I need to stop petting him - and all of a sudden he lunged up at my face and scratched my face and ear.
I really like this guy and he is sweet but I must be missing something. It's been months since he was neutered and this behaviors is still happening. There is a more dominant also TNR'd male cat who picks on him some, but they also snooze near each other.
Does he just need to work out his energy? I've only ever had indoor pet cats before. When I moved to my current home there were community cats around and then these two males showed up so I TNR'd them but maybe I'm missing out on some essential part of their life to help make them content.
I really need to be able to feel comfortable being on my hammock and outside without worrying I'm going to be scratched up. I also worry if he ever went after a neighbor that it would be my fault since I feed him - although someone else must feed him too because he doesn't eat enough at my house to fill him up.
I can't take them in because my current cat is immuno-compromised and not doing well. Even after I don't have a cat they can't move in because my cat allergies are severe and I can't smell even while I'm on 4 daily allergy meds.
Advice please! Thank you!
I TNR'd a friendly stray mid-last year. He really is a sweet cat right up until he isn't.
He went through a toe nipping stage, no problem, we dealt with it and he doesn't do it anymore.
I was petting him one night when it was drizzling, I was leaning down to pet him and all of a sudden he lunges up and puts his front paws with claws at least slightly extended on either side of my face. I didn't get any scratches, but just a few pinpoints of blood.
He has panic bitten me twice - once when he was startled when I was taking the trash to the dumpster and he saw a small dog a neighbor was walking and the second time was just after he saw the same dog and was walking next to me.
I was in my hammock and he wanted some attention so I pet him for a few minutes and he wandered away. A few minutes later he swiped at my face around the hammock. Luckily he missed my eye and I just got a scratch on my face.
Today I was in the hammock and he was snuggling on me. He was purring, relaxed, and snuggly - his tail wasn't even twitching which is my usual notice I need to stop petting him - and all of a sudden he lunged up at my face and scratched my face and ear.
I really like this guy and he is sweet but I must be missing something. It's been months since he was neutered and this behaviors is still happening. There is a more dominant also TNR'd male cat who picks on him some, but they also snooze near each other.
Does he just need to work out his energy? I've only ever had indoor pet cats before. When I moved to my current home there were community cats around and then these two males showed up so I TNR'd them but maybe I'm missing out on some essential part of their life to help make them content.
I really need to be able to feel comfortable being on my hammock and outside without worrying I'm going to be scratched up. I also worry if he ever went after a neighbor that it would be my fault since I feed him - although someone else must feed him too because he doesn't eat enough at my house to fill him up.
I can't take them in because my current cat is immuno-compromised and not doing well. Even after I don't have a cat they can't move in because my cat allergies are severe and I can't smell even while I'm on 4 daily allergy meds.
Advice please! Thank you!