Badly Behaved cat

barbiedoll

My last cat was a bit of a thug, I only got her because her deceased owner's family were all too scared of her, plus they had small children and she just couldn't be trusted with them.

She was originally a rescue cat, and we always wondered if she had been mistreated. You couldn't stroke her head if you approached her from above, she would just lash out as if in fear. She loved a lap and was very soppy, winding her paws around your neck and so on. But then she would suddenly turn and sink her claws in, I was always covered in scratch marks, one particularly long one on my wrist drew attention at work, I think my colleagues thought I had been self-harming!

I don't normally let my cats out into the front garden, because of traffic (although we live in a fairly quiet road) but bizarrely enough, she wouldn't go out into the back garden because the other cats would bully her. When I used to walk to the station in the morning, she would follow me halfway there. And she would be waiting at the top of the road when I came home, all of the neighbours said that she was a cat that thought she was a dog! She used to sit on the garden wall and let all and sundry stroke her but if you tried it indoors, you would pay dearly if she was in one of her moods!

She eventually died at around 10 years old, of an undiagnosed heart condition. I don't know if that contributed to her behaviour, but I think she was just a moody mare. And yes, we all miss her dearly, blood-soaked claws and all.

choille

Pollycat wrote: »

My cat used to come and sit next to me when I was sat on the floor looking at a magazine.
He'd lean on me and look at me and close his eyes as though to say 'I love you, Mum'.
In a split second, he'd change and sink his teeth into me then run off and hide - just as though it was something he'd done totally involuntarily and then he'd come to his senses.

Snap. Same here.

choille

Barbiedoll - that is a interesting story. I'm not alone with pyshco cat experience.

He is lovely but a lot damaged mentally methinks.

watson503

My father has a cat that was very friendly as a kitten but began to attack what seemed at random once it got older. I seriously figured this cat was bi-polar but it turned out the cat does not mind pets as long as they are on its head and neck - but once you touch it anywhere on its body, it will attack. Funny thing is, my sister is a huge cat lover and would come into town and first thing she'd do is fawn over it and pet it and of course, get attacked. Here I am more of a dog person and after learning where to pet this cat without getting attacked, would make it a point to rub it in and my sister just couldn't get why this cat wouldn't attack me but would claw the hell out of her, the big cat lover hahaha. I finally let the cat out of the bag - ahem...- and clued her in on it this past Christmas...

choille

Yes, I used to have a female cat that couldn't abide her tail being touched or lower back. She was lovely, but not if you touched her tail.

I did used to warn unsuspecting visitors, but sometimes they forgot & ended up bleeding!

gettingready

Has the cat been checked by a vet from neurological angle?

My youngest one, Macius (4.5 yo) can be a right terror. In a weird way as one second he is this loving purring fluffbal and next second he wants to kill you. He is quite"wobbly" though (which does not bother him) and I suspect Cerebellar Hypoplasia..

He is a very happy little boy so I just put up with whatever his mood is at any give time

choille

No, he doesn't have the symptoms of that. He spent a lot of time on a drip at the vet because of his trioditis pre coming here. I think that he has been very ill - well I know he has. He would have been in a great deal of pain prior to diagnosis - I just think he has probably had a bad start in life.

Today has been really cold, but dry & bright & he's been outdoors a lot & his mood seems really good. If he can get out - which he has a cat flap, but weather wise it's been really awful - but it does improve his mood & behaviour if he is out a lot.

Hope your cat isn't too unwell.

Waterfalls

If you are worried about his behaviour, ask your very for a referral to a feline behaviourist. This van be claim on some pet insurances too. Worth a try...

no1catman

Maybe he's bored. Try playing with him to tire him out.


I think that was the usual recommendation on 'Cats from Hell' programme - Animal planet I think.
The guy on it is great - amazing some of the case histories on the programme.


Good luck.

choille

He came with a wiggle worm.....I thought it really wound him up & seemed to encourage him to jump up & bite.

He does love following me about the croft & being outdoors, but I will play with him when I find my welders gloves again!