Stray Cat Aggression

[TooManyFelines]

We are feeding a stray cat who recently showed up. We think it's a female, but we won't find out for sure til Monday when s/he is going to the vet.

We can't take the kitty in because we already have 7 indoor cats, so for now we are providing food and outdoor shelter. We usually both go out to feed/water him/her and then sit down so s/he can lap sit and get cuddles and affection. The kitty IS very affectionate, kneading and drooling and purring, but sometimes gets over-exited and nips. Hasn't drawn blood yet.

Today, as I walked back up the steps onto our deck, s/he grabbed my leg, dug claws in, and nipped. Thankfully I was wearing loose yoga pants so my leg just sustained a few pinpricks from the very sharp claws. But it is worrisome because for obvious reasons, we can't deal with an aggressive kitty. We've taken in many strays who have sometimes not been well socialized and have had to learn to be gentle, but haven't had one who tried to attack legs like this. We are both weary of her/him now.

Should we just put food out and pet him/her while putting the food down and stop sitting with him/her? How do we stop the aggression? We are hoping to maybe place the kitty with a rescue (though the likelihood of being able to do that is minuscule) via the vet she is going to on Monday and I am concerned about the aggression. How likely is it that this is just lack of socialization and would stop once s/he is in a more secure, stable situation?

 

[moxiewild]

Do you see male anatomy? It is usually pretty obvious, especially if unneutered.

If it’s an unneutered male, the bahavior may be solved after he is fixed.

It doesn’t sound like this is “true” aggression, so that’s a good sign.

This sort of behavior can (typically) be trained out of them, although keeping kitty outside may make that more complicated.

If you are afraid of being bitten, then it is fine to just set food out. Usually sitting with them while they eat is preferable for training purposes, but since this cat’s vaccination status is unknown, it is probably best to limit opportunities for aggression to occur until after vaccination (and after it takes full effect) to be safe.

After that, you will primarily only need to worry about infection, so wear thicker clothing, and flush wounds and clean any broken skin thoroughly, properly, and promptly.

Thank you for trying to help this kitty!

 

[TooManyFelines]

The kitty is really floofy, lots of long fur on the rear end. We were initially pretty sure it's a female, but kitty rolled over on his/her back briefly and husband is sure he saw testicles. But we'll find out for certain on Monday from the vet.

I know it would be so much better if we could take kitty inside, but it is impossible. The best we can do is provide food, water, outdoor shelter and affection. That is why I am hoping that maybe the vet clinic will be able to place him/her, but it is unlikely as there are so many strays in this area. At least we'll get kitty tested, vaccinated and, if s/he is not spayed/neutered, do that as well.

 

[TooManyFelines]

Update - It's a boy! While he was distracted eating this a.m., I quickly poked around his rear end and definitely felt 2 small testicles. So that explains the more aggressive behavior and, hopefully, it'll be resolved once he is neutered. And it also explains the aggressive male who belongs to our relative throwing a hissy fit when he encountered the stray kitty through the screen door. He is fine with females, but hates other males so much that we have to keep our old boy in the bedroom and just swap them out every day.

 

[fionasmom]

I think that you will see an improvement once he is neutered and the hormones are in remission. You can proceed from there to see if he is able to get a home. Hopefully your vet might be able to help as you say.

 

[TooManyFelines]

I am sooo hoping they may be able to help place him, but I don't have high hopes, especially with covid raging here in TX and transfers to other shelters having pretty much stopped as a result. Even local animal control has stopped in-taking surrenders because of that, which I think is a bad idea because people will just dump pets they can't surrender.

Anyway, I lured the kitty onto our enclosed porch this a.m., pending his vet apptm. this afternoon. We always drink our coffee out there in the a.m. and he insisted on alternating laps. There are two house windows facing the porch and one of our kitties was watching him. He noticed and then grabbed my arm and started biting and kicking. I yelled NO and put him down right away, but now I have a few arm punctures though my sleeve took the brunt of the attack. I sure hope this stops once he is neutered.

 

[fionasmom]

Did you get him to the vet?

 

[TooManyFelines]

Yes, dropped him off an hour ago and will pick him up before they close. They are only doing curbside drop and pickup.

We asked to have him tested for all the nasties and haven't heard anything yet, so that hopefully means he is negative.

We did find out at dropoff that they are backlogged for spay/neuter til February!! We might have to look elsewhere to have him neutered earlier than that. Also, as we feared, not much chance for rescue placement.

 

[fionasmom]

I am glad that you got him there...step one, at least.

 

[TooManyFelines]

All went well, he tested negative for all nasties, including heartworm. He has been vaccinated and has to go in for a booster on the 28th, and he is scheduled to be neutered on Jan. 21, they squeezed him in as early as they could. They verified he is an intact male, approx. 18 months old, and he is considered a long-haired brown tabby, which basically means dime a dozen and hard to place, once they are no longer kittens.

 

[TooManyFelines]

Ugh, things are not improving at all. He is definitely aggressive, I've gotten scratched badly twice more. No provocation on my part, just stepping onto the deck once, and picking up his empty plate and heading back in the house to get him more food the other time. I know better than to turn my back, the attacks on my legs came while I was backing away. He likes to be petted, but I don't trust him at all now. The vet clipped his nails, but they've long grown back and we are not going to attempt to trim them.

Husband is furious that I got scratched and is rethinking the situation. He still wants to get him neutered and then give him a couple months to see if he stops the aggression. If he does not, he wants to stop feeding him. I feel terrible about the situation. I think this cat was abused, when we first started feeding him and I reached out to pet him, he would flinch. He is also very afraid of the water hose, we regularly fill the bird baths and he runs away each time. He really craves interaction, but does not know how to behave and with his aggression, it is impossible to pet him and try to socialize him more.

Also, two of our older kitties who love to go outside with us when have coffee in the backyard in the a.m. are unable to do so now because 1. we have stopped drinking coffee outside because of his aggression, and 2. we can't expose them to him since he'd likely attack them. So his ugly behavior is negatively affecting all of us and I hate it. Sorry for whining, but the whole situation sucks and I hope no one minds my venting to fellow cat people.

 

[fionasmom]

It does sound as if he was abused. Hold out some hope that neutering will help. I would discuss the aggression with the vet and ask for some help. Since he is outdoor, I don't know if meds are appropriate or if they make a cat overly sleepy and unsafe in that respect, but I would ask for some help from the vet.

There is currently a TNRed female living at some apartments near me. She has been fed off and on by tenants and was TNRed by someone other than me several years ago. I retrapped her a couple summers ago when I had the kitten apocaplyse and my vet verified that she was previously fixed.

Tenants don't seem to mind her but no one took over feeding entirely and I suspect that she was hungry a lot of the time. She seems to want affection and we are working on that; however, about 5 weeks ago as she was enjoying my rubbing her head she reacted, almost as if she had forgotten that she let down her guard, and bit my hand severely enough that my GP told me to go the ER which I did.

I now go out with long pants and shoes and leather gloves with a jacket and we have progressed to the point where I can safely pat her up to a point but at least I have the gloves on now. Protect yourself when you are around this cat and see if neutering makes any difference and let everyone know so possibly there might be some suggestions, especially if the behavior starts to become better.

 

[TooManyFelines]

I am so sorry you were bitten, I hope your hand is okay. It really sucks to try to help and have to deal with aggression, it is so kind of you to still try to help her.

 

[TooManyFelines]

Stray kitty has disappeared. We had a couple really cold nights and a night/day with sleet and snow, so we set him up in the sun room when he showed up to eat around 5 each day, and let him out after breakfast in the a.m. when it warmed up. He didn't like it much but it was just too darn cold and he was calling at the door to be let in. Did that for 3 nights and yesterday he did not show up for dinner. Checked off and on until midnight, but nothing. And not this a.m. either. He is scheduled to be neutered on the 21st, I sure hope he is okay and we can have that done.