Why is he suddenly mean?

[MoonstoneWolf]

Most of you know the situation on Cooper: the red tabby that was a dumped pet in my yard almost 2 years ago. When he showed up he was very friendly. I had him neutered but for some reason the vet would not tip his ear as he was visibly not feral. Anyway long story short, because of Mom I couldn't bring him inside. He spent his first winter 2019/2020 outside and surprisingly survived. He started to not come and visit as much and at one point I thought something happened to him. He came in March and then was not seen for 6 months. I put up posters and all but no sign of him. Finally he came back very mean, very aggressive, attacking the other cats and attacked me. He carried no rabies as I had to check after he attacked me to make sure and there was no sign of illness.

Anyway long story short: What could make him change in attitude so much. I sadly may have to trap him and contact rescue but want to know what I'm up against? Is it normal for a cat to turn mean and aggressive like that? Please, I need help with this. Feral Society is wanting to cite me.

 

[di and bob]

He most likely has redirected aggression which means something, possibly an attack of some kind or a VERY bad scare, scared him so much he is turning on everything and everybody. This is common in outdoor cats, especially if he has been abused. How long has it been? Sometimes it takes weeks to calm them down, he WILL come around if he has a quiet, calm place to hide, and if you can talk softly to him and offer treats. Do not stare at him, that is a sign of aggression, do not corner him or really approach him at all, let him make the first move. How can the feral society site you when you are trying to help him? I would say he was fine before, he has redirected aggression now and what should you do to help? You might order some 'calming treats' on Amazon and see if that would help, it couldn't hurt, or get something from a vet and put it in tuna juice.

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

This has been going on since August whenever he comes along. He is a lot like Tourmaline in that he does not like chicken, turkey, fish or catnip. And I'm not even sure now that he would take any calming stuff because now when he shows up is at a time that normal humans are sleeping so can't wake up Mom. I am really saddened by this. I thought is could be from abuse but no one in my municipality speaks up. And yes, no one can tell me when houses are 20 feet apart that no one sees a thing. People notice 3 cats in my Mom's 1/4 backyard, that they don't know a thing


But we're talking about a feral society where one of their people lives right next door to where a woman bred 8 kittens to over 50, kicked them out and then those 50 bred to over 100. And she did nothing about it. Yes the same 100 cats that Treasure, Sopdet and Shaman came from. And the same 100 cats where Sopdet was abused as a kitten.

 

[di and bob]

That is horrible! I would definitely bring that up. SOMETHING is hurting,scaring him I hope you find out what it is...

 

[di and bob]

I wonder if you could live trap him and see if he would calm down caged. I feel sorry for him....if you trap the others they would avoid the trap.

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

Sopdet may avoid the trap but she's trusting of me to a point, meaning I have to be standing on a lower level then her. Treasure is totally trusting. He's my stalker and peeping tom. Tourmaline probably would not care one way or the other. But I'd have to put the trap in a spot that Mom won't see, where I can see who I trapped (the raccoons would most likely be the ones to get trapped as Cooper goes nowhere near a carrier or trap even in his friendly days; guess he associates that with being dumped).

 

[di and bob]

I wonder if he is hurting or sick. An injury could cause him to act out. I wish he would stick around so you could show him some kindness.

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

When he first showed back up I did check him after I calmed him down a bit and he didn't seem to be sick or injured. But now he only comes middle of night. I suppose I can take comfort that at least he can defend himself out there. He hasn't been back to someone since from my understanding as some neighbors claim they see him all different hours but he won't go to trap or carrier because f the association.

 

[di and bob]

I'm so sorry for both of you. I hope someone can come on and give you some answers. I really hope things turn around.

 

[CatladyJan]

I wonder if he is hurting or sick. An injury could cause him to act out. I wish he would stick around so you could show him some kindness.

That’s what I was thinking or he was abused while gone

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

Hopefully he'll come back soon during the day but for the next week we'll be in single digits with close to -13 wind chill so he and the other cats here may hunker down somewhere, coming out long enough to eat. I ask on that stupid Next Door app if anyone sees him and get no answer, however someone reads it because like when I mentioned he had a collar on, the next time he showed up the collar was gone. Just no cooperation from my neighbors.