Cat question

[nukeswife]

Hi all,

We got a almost 2 year old neutered male cat from the humane society about 3 months ago. He was a little skiddish at first which we figured was because it was a new house. We were told he was great with kids and other pets and was surrendered because the previous owners had a son who was allergic (which seemed odd, since they'd had him from a kitten and he's now 2)

 

Within the last 2 weeks he's started going after my kids any time they try to go up the stairs to their bedrooms. His food bowls are up there in the hall so at first we thought he was just overly excited that it might be feeding time. But now last night I found my 8.5 year old dd, who has wanted a cat for years, cowered in the corner at the bottom of the stairs crying while the cat kept jumping up near her shoulders trying to bite her face. About 10 minutes ago my youngest, 5 year old boy, was walking down the stairs after going up to put something away and the cat pounced onto his back and left some pretty bad scratches. Now, as I was typing this he decided to pounce on my pug who was fast asleep and snoring away in his kennel.

 

I'm really at a loss of what to do. I've owned 2 other cats over the years but one was long before I had kids and the other decided he liked living with my mom better when we went on a trip there, but he'd only been around my oldest son (from son's birth- age 2). Neither of them ever did anything like this, but I'd had both from the kittens.

[OnTheBrink]

I'd take him to the vet and see if there's anything medically wrong with him. I've had cats most of my adult life and have never had a neutered male act like that, regardless of where his food was.

 

If he's medically healthy, I'd get rid of him. And, I LOVE cats. But you can't keep a pet around who's attacking everyone!

[Lawana]

That's hard. I'm not that experienced with cats, though the cats I have owned have all been neutered males. I've had them be quite frisky, but not like what you're describing. Good luck getting it figured out.:grouphug:

[holdoll]

If he's medically healthy, I'd get rid of him. And, I LOVE cats. But you can't keep a pet around who's attacking everyone!

 

:iagree:

 

I had a male neutered cat. He never acted like that. I love cats but I love my family more.

[Aunty Social]

I'd take him to the vet and see if there's anything medically wrong with him. I've had cats most of my adult life and have never had a neutered male act like that, regardless of where his food was.

 

If he's medically healthy, I'd get rid of him. And, I LOVE cats. But you can't keep a pet around who's attacking everyone!

 

:iagree:

 

That doesn't sound like normal behavior. I don't know what could cause it - illness, previous abuse, just his temperment - but if the vet gives him a clean bill of health I'd be getting rid of the cat. I love my pets, but will not own one who attacks my children (unprovoked.....defense is a different story). In fact, I had to put down a cat when my eldest was little for that very reason.

[Denisemomof4]

it's VERY common to have a cat or dog for years, develop allergies, and then be forced to give up the cat. With behavior problems, though, it makes me wonder.

 

I'm really surprised to hear how aggressive the cat is in your home. I have to ask, are the kids REALLY involved with the cat? We have one cat, dd10's cat, that I told dd that I was going to get rid of the cat if I saw anymore bite marks or scratches on her from the cat. I knew the cat was acting out because it's NOT the cuddly cat dd wishes it was. BUT, I wasn't going to have dd bitten and scratched by a cat we opened our homes to. It was a stray. When I told dd that I had drawn the line, one more time and the cat was going to go, all biting and scratching stopped. She's a cool cat but she's ONLY cuddly on her terms.

 

Do you think your kids are pushing the cat too much to be something it isn't? You'll NEVER teach a cat to become a cuddler. Either they are or they aren't, in my experience. Still, biting their faces??? No way. I couldn't keep an animal like that.

 

But the dog sleeping and the cat attacking it in the crate? That's unacceptable. Do you know if the cat came from a home with a dog? Poor doggie!!!

 

If the aggressive behavior continues, I'd try to find it a farm it could live on. Maybe it'd make a nice barn cat. Then again, you can't find a new home for a cat you adopted. You'll likely have to return the cat to the shelter.

 

This situation stinks! Try to have the kids give it space and see what happens.

Edited July 26, 2010 by Denisemomof4

[Garga]

That's a really tough one. I had a cat act like that, but not to US. He was a guard cat and would scratch any visitors that came to our house (well, he tried--we put him in the basement when we had guests), but he never harmed me or my family. Perhaps the cat hasn't bonded to you guys yet, and sees you as the "visitors" and is acting as my guard cat did?

 

With time, he might bond with you guys and guard you, but frankly, his attacking would terrify me.

 

Scary fact #1: A cat's instinct is to go for the eyes when they scratch.

 

Scary fact #2: For their size, cats cause the most damage in an attack than any other animal. (For example, if you have a 15 pound dog compared to a 15 pound cat, the cat will damage you more.)

 

Scary story: My parents tried to bring in a cat that attacked them--it grabbed onto my mother's thigh and hung there with all 4 leg's worth of claws deep in her thigh.

 

When my dad peeled the cat off her leg, it attached to his arm and he actually got Cat Scratch Fever from the cat and has nerve damage in his arm to this day.

[hornblower]

- vet check (which means running blood & urine tests); there's only so much vets can tell by looking at the animal & if we don't pay for the blood & urine, we really don't have a lot of info

 

- I'd give the cat a room. A nice sunny room, a perch, a litter box, quiet music. CLOSE the door & do not let the kids in without an adult. Go in several times a day with treats, gently pet the cat, offer a treat. Leave.

 

- Feliway diffuser. http://www.feliway.com/gb

 

I wonder if your cat is scared & overwhelmed. When you brought him home did he have quiet time in a room first & gently get introduced to the family or did he just get dropped into all the chaos of family & dog?

 

He may just need places he can escape. Using baby gates which are raised off the floor so the cat cat easily go in but kids & dogs are kept out are options for when he's ready to have the door to his room open.

 

Also consider building him an outdoor enclosure - have a look at the photo gallery here http://habitathaven.com/cat-enclosures-photo-gallery.html

for ideas. It can be done inexpensively with some lumber & chicken wire.

 

I would not let children be with him unattended.

 

One last thing - I'd change his diet to something with NO grains. Some cats react to carbs like kids to sugar & they go all zoomy. Try putting him on no grain (not low grain - NO grain) wet food.

 

 

And one more thing - IME skittish cats stay skittish. They may find their 'person' but they generally stay skittish. The best advice I ever got from old time crazy cat ladies is that if you want a social cuddly cat, you have to pick that one at the shelter. While the shelter stresses them & makes them suppress bhvr a bit, the ones who are social are still social. The scared ones might come out of their shells eventually in a home but you can't count on it, & it may take months. The skittish ones stay skittish & again, it will take a lot of patience & gentle training until they pick their person but you can't make a skittish cat become cuddly.

 

Respect a cat's space, do not force contact, be gentle & patient & things might improve.

[nukeswife]

Thanks all,

I'm starting to think he's maybe just a dominant personality. My oldest did tell me that the cat "didn't jump Lucas from behind" Lucas was trying to carry him down the stairs and the cat fought to get away which meant climbing over his shoulder and down his back. I'm talked to my youngest about not carrying the cat around. He's not the type of cat that want's to just lay on you all day, he will come up and rub you until you pet him or scratch his chin, so I'm going to work with the kids to let them know to not rush the cat. I'm not sure what was going on with my dd that day he went after her on the stairs, but she said that since then he is getting more cuddly with her and sleeps on her bed at night and will curl up in a chair in her room with her from time to time while she's watching a video.

 

I will make sure he is seen by a vet though just to make sure there's no medical problems that are bothering him.

[gingersmom]

Some months after our beloved cat died I went to the shelter to adopt another cat.

 

My kids were about 2 and 5 at the time. I bought my kids to meet the cat.

 

I was told the cat was about 2 years old, blah blah blah.

 

Within 2 weeks or so being in the house my daughter told me the cat was attacking her when she went to bed. I thought it was so strange and thought she must have done something to provoke the cat. So one night I hid in the closet so I could watch. The cat was attacking her totally unprovoked.

 

The next morning I took him back to the shelter. They then told me he was 5-6 years old. Who knows what else they lied about. I have no doubt this cat had never been around kids before.

 

Do not feel guilty. You need to do what is right for your family.

[mrs.m]

Our Male Neutered cat did this to my DD all the time. We had him from the time he was a kitten and he was always a little wacky. She didn't ever do anything to the cat and was always very gentle with him. He even did this to me!!! We tried many different things and the reality was he was too playful and high strung. We had to send him to be a mouser on a farm. I hear he is very happy there!

[Denisemomof4]

Thanks all,

I'm starting to think he's maybe just a dominant personality. My oldest did tell me that the cat "didn't jump Lucas from behind" Lucas was trying to carry him down the stairs and the cat fought to get away which meant climbing over his shoulder and down his back. I'm talked to my youngest about not carrying the cat around. He's not the type of cat that want's to just lay on you all day, he will come up and rub you until you pet him or scratch his chin, so I'm going to work with the kids to let them know to not rush the cat. I'm not sure what was going on with my dd that day he went after her on the stairs, but she said that since then he is getting more cuddly with her and sleeps on her bed at night and will curl up in a chair in her room with her from time to time while she's watching a video.

 

I will make sure he is seen by a vet though just to make sure there's no medical problems that are bothering him.

 

aaawww, he actually sounds like a very sweet cat that needs his space. The cat I said we almost got rid of is the same way. She wants her space and doesn't want to be touched all the time, but she sleeps with dd every night, hangs out with dd in her room, cuddles with her, on CAT'S terms, etc. Please just explain to your children how they need to behave around the cat, and that they really need to give him his space.

 

His own room is a GREAT idea of you can do it. I have a small room that I'm going to use as my office storage area and I'll have those tall cat poles in there. I can't wait to get it done - it will be kitty heaven!!!

[Laurie]

Hi all,

Within the last 2 weeks he's started going after my kids any time they try to go up the stairs to their bedrooms. His food bowls are up there in the hall so at first we thought he was just overly excited that it might be feeding time. But now last night I found my 8.5 year old dd, who has wanted a cat for years, cowered in the corner at the bottom of the stairs crying while the cat kept jumping up near her shoulders trying to bite her face. About 10 minutes ago my youngest, 5 year old boy, was walking down the stairs after going up to put something away and the cat pounced onto his back and left some pretty bad scratches. Now, as I was typing this he decided to pounce on my pug who was fast asleep and snoring away in his kennel.

 

.

 

We have a young neutered male (part Siamese) who is VERY playful. We got him from the animal shelter...he picked us out by coming right over to us and walking around on our laps and purring.

 

Does your daughter have a long ponytail or braid? Our cat would probably think that was a great thing to play with. My dd and I don't have long hair but he's jumped at my clothing before if there's something like a belt or fringe that catches his eye.

 

Our cat also likes piggyback rides (something we've allowed him to do, he didn't do it on his own). He's also our dog's brother from another mother ...they have played together since we brought the pup home and the cat was the bigger one. He still runs and plays with our now-50lb dog and they often sleep together on the big dog pillow when they've worn themselves out.

 

Maybe your cat has finally warmed up to the family and is an extremely playful guy like ours? Not all neutered cats are lazy lumps. :001_smile:

[SapphireStitch]

Thanks all,

I'm starting to think he's maybe just a dominant personality. My oldest did tell me that the cat "didn't jump Lucas from behind" Lucas was trying to carry him down the stairs and the cat fought to get away which meant climbing over his shoulder and down his back. I'm talked to my youngest about not carrying the cat around. He's not the type of cat that want's to just lay on you all day, he will come up and rub you until you pet him or scratch his chin, so I'm going to work with the kids to let them know to not rush the cat. I'm not sure what was going on with my dd that day he went after her on the stairs, but she said that since then he is getting more cuddly with her and sleeps on her bed at night and will curl up in a chair in her room with her from time to time while she's watching a video.

 

I will make sure he is seen by a vet though just to make sure there's no medical problems that are bothering him.

 

 

Oh, the carrying thing...yeah, most of our cats would freak out if carried like that. It something I've had to work with my kids about over the years. We have a 4mo old kitten who is cuddly and sweet, but DS8 has scratches all over his legs and arms because he puts her in situations where she feels she has to get away. She's not attacking him, she's just trying to hold on anywhere she can and scratching him in the process. He's finally starting to understand that just because the kitten doesn't mind being draped around his neck like a stole doesn't mean she will continue to not mind it if he walks around like that.

 

I think cats in general need to know that an adult is in charge and that kids won't be allowed to pester them too much. My cats respond to me as the Mom Cat and they want me to keep those furless kittens in line. :)