- Joined
- Oct 21, 2019
- Messages
- 3
- Purraise
- 6
Hi everyone,
As my username probably indicates, I'm pretty much at my wit's end with my boyfriend's cat, Tucker. He's a neutered 6 year old. I rescued him when he was around 7 months old. He was always the most outgoing, friendly, adorable lil guy around...
Well, everything was honky dory until around 3 years ago when my spayed cat, Mollie (who's now 7), and I moved in with Tucker and the bf. Tucker did not take it well AT. ALL. The formerly congenial social butterfly was suddenly a growling, snarling beast. We messed up by not introducing them properly and that was our own fault and poor Tucker developed two bouts of urine crystals from it, pretty much relegating him to a lifetime of special prescription food.
Tucker and Mollie eventually learned to tolerate each other. Most of the time they ignore one another. Sometimes he'll chase her around aggressively and she'll hiss and swat at him, the odd time I've seen them engage in play...But usually it's a cold war of sorts.
Tucker and I have always gotten on well. He never hissed or acted aggressively towards me at all, except once years ago during his first crystals episode. But since that one time, years ago, he's always been calm and friendly.
Well, all that changed about a month or so ago. It started innocuously enough, we were all in the living room, the TV was on (Mod Fam) and there was a cat in the ep meowing. I didn't think anything of it but I saw Tucker and his face scared me. He was tense and serious and eyeballing me hard. He then lunged at me. We quickly put him in the bedroom to cool down and didn't think anything of it. After a couple hours we let him out and he was fine again and life went on as normal.
Fast forward a couple weeks and I'm in the living room. The bf's at work and sends me some viral cat video of some poor real estate agent being stalked by a cat. I have it on for only a few seconds before thinking to shut it off, remembering what happened last time. Well, lo and behold, when I put my phone down, who's right in front of me but Tucker. His gaze is set on me, looking to lunge and attack me once again. He ends up chasing me around the apartment. My arm gets all scratched up. I hide in the bathroom for a half hour or so, him eagerly sitting right outside waiting for me. With the help of a towel, I manage to get him into a bedroom. From behind the door I can hear him growling like he wants to tear me apart limb from limb. For the rest of the night until my bf gets home from work, he scratches at the door to get out. The bf gets home and lets him out. He's not as mad as before, but still seems restless, tense, especially around me. I try to be calm but my nerves are shot.
Anyway, after that I try to leave him alone. I never look him directly in the eye and I try not to run away and engage "hunt mode." I bought a Feliway diffuser and some "calming" drops. Around my boyfriend he's the same old sweet boy as before. He doesn't even seem to be all that bothered by Mollie. Only me. He'll corner me in rooms, staring me down, block me from exiting. I feel like I'm walking on eggshells and the slightest thing could set him off. But I prayed that the Feliway and drops and just time itself would help. Then yesterday happened.
We were in the living room. He seemed tense and restless again so I grabbed one of his fave toys to try and distract him. It has a long handle with a long narrow piece of fabric and a bright orange ball. He loves this toy and I've played with it with him dozens of times without any issue. This time he stopped looking at the toy and set his eyes right on me, the ominous look again. He stalked and attacked me again and once again we isolated him into the bedroom.
We had to stay separated for the remainder of the day/night because if he even got a quick glance at me he would start meowing this violent, low, guttural meow and stalk me. We took him to the vet first thing in the morning and they said nothing is physically wrong and recommended Prozac.
Today we bought an extra large dog crate and have him in there with some food, water, toys, litter etc. He was given his first dose (10mg) of Fluoxetine a few hours ago. He's not growling or exhibiting any typical aggressive behavior right now but I am scared out of my mind still. I haven't slept in over 24 hours and am a bundle of nerves. I don't trust him anymore and I don't even know if I trust any cat or animal anymore. My boyfriend tries to be comforting but I don't think he really grasps how frightening it is to have an 18 lb cat stalk you around, biting, scratching, drawing blood. I've been scratched by cats before, hissed at, even bitten, but never to this magnitude where I really fear for my life.
It's like a switch goes off and the look he gets in his eyes is like he wants to kill me. I work from home and so I'm pretty much in constant fear 24/7 these past few weeks.
The vet said that the cat knows he has the upper hand now and that he's the alpha. I know that my anxiety is not helping but I don't know how to assuage it.
I know this was super long and I probably seem way too emotional and maybe overreacting but I could really use some advice. Will Prozac really help? How can I learn to trust him again? How should I respond if/when he gets that crazed look again and is out for blood. Really, I appreciate any words of support or help, because, if it wasn't for Mollie, I probably would've fled the apartment yesterday and not return ever again.
As my username probably indicates, I'm pretty much at my wit's end with my boyfriend's cat, Tucker. He's a neutered 6 year old. I rescued him when he was around 7 months old. He was always the most outgoing, friendly, adorable lil guy around...
Well, everything was honky dory until around 3 years ago when my spayed cat, Mollie (who's now 7), and I moved in with Tucker and the bf. Tucker did not take it well AT. ALL. The formerly congenial social butterfly was suddenly a growling, snarling beast. We messed up by not introducing them properly and that was our own fault and poor Tucker developed two bouts of urine crystals from it, pretty much relegating him to a lifetime of special prescription food.
Tucker and Mollie eventually learned to tolerate each other. Most of the time they ignore one another. Sometimes he'll chase her around aggressively and she'll hiss and swat at him, the odd time I've seen them engage in play...But usually it's a cold war of sorts.
Tucker and I have always gotten on well. He never hissed or acted aggressively towards me at all, except once years ago during his first crystals episode. But since that one time, years ago, he's always been calm and friendly.
Well, all that changed about a month or so ago. It started innocuously enough, we were all in the living room, the TV was on (Mod Fam) and there was a cat in the ep meowing. I didn't think anything of it but I saw Tucker and his face scared me. He was tense and serious and eyeballing me hard. He then lunged at me. We quickly put him in the bedroom to cool down and didn't think anything of it. After a couple hours we let him out and he was fine again and life went on as normal.
Fast forward a couple weeks and I'm in the living room. The bf's at work and sends me some viral cat video of some poor real estate agent being stalked by a cat. I have it on for only a few seconds before thinking to shut it off, remembering what happened last time. Well, lo and behold, when I put my phone down, who's right in front of me but Tucker. His gaze is set on me, looking to lunge and attack me once again. He ends up chasing me around the apartment. My arm gets all scratched up. I hide in the bathroom for a half hour or so, him eagerly sitting right outside waiting for me. With the help of a towel, I manage to get him into a bedroom. From behind the door I can hear him growling like he wants to tear me apart limb from limb. For the rest of the night until my bf gets home from work, he scratches at the door to get out. The bf gets home and lets him out. He's not as mad as before, but still seems restless, tense, especially around me. I try to be calm but my nerves are shot.
Anyway, after that I try to leave him alone. I never look him directly in the eye and I try not to run away and engage "hunt mode." I bought a Feliway diffuser and some "calming" drops. Around my boyfriend he's the same old sweet boy as before. He doesn't even seem to be all that bothered by Mollie. Only me. He'll corner me in rooms, staring me down, block me from exiting. I feel like I'm walking on eggshells and the slightest thing could set him off. But I prayed that the Feliway and drops and just time itself would help. Then yesterday happened.
We were in the living room. He seemed tense and restless again so I grabbed one of his fave toys to try and distract him. It has a long handle with a long narrow piece of fabric and a bright orange ball. He loves this toy and I've played with it with him dozens of times without any issue. This time he stopped looking at the toy and set his eyes right on me, the ominous look again. He stalked and attacked me again and once again we isolated him into the bedroom.
We had to stay separated for the remainder of the day/night because if he even got a quick glance at me he would start meowing this violent, low, guttural meow and stalk me. We took him to the vet first thing in the morning and they said nothing is physically wrong and recommended Prozac.
Today we bought an extra large dog crate and have him in there with some food, water, toys, litter etc. He was given his first dose (10mg) of Fluoxetine a few hours ago. He's not growling or exhibiting any typical aggressive behavior right now but I am scared out of my mind still. I haven't slept in over 24 hours and am a bundle of nerves. I don't trust him anymore and I don't even know if I trust any cat or animal anymore. My boyfriend tries to be comforting but I don't think he really grasps how frightening it is to have an 18 lb cat stalk you around, biting, scratching, drawing blood. I've been scratched by cats before, hissed at, even bitten, but never to this magnitude where I really fear for my life.
It's like a switch goes off and the look he gets in his eyes is like he wants to kill me. I work from home and so I'm pretty much in constant fear 24/7 these past few weeks.
The vet said that the cat knows he has the upper hand now and that he's the alpha. I know that my anxiety is not helping but I don't know how to assuage it.
I know this was super long and I probably seem way too emotional and maybe overreacting but I could really use some advice. Will Prozac really help? How can I learn to trust him again? How should I respond if/when he gets that crazed look again and is out for blood. Really, I appreciate any words of support or help, because, if it wasn't for Mollie, I probably would've fled the apartment yesterday and not return ever again.