General Chat

I like to watch the Jackson galaxy shows

Nearly all the cats he sees are indoor cats and yes more interaction with play often calms them down .

I admit I don't play with him .but in my defence he doesn't seem that interested anyway
The feather thing on the line he will take a few swipes at then loses interest

My mobility is impaired at the moment whilst waiting for the knee replacement op.

The laser thing sounds a good idea as I can sit and use it in play with him

Will look into getting one

Will try anything to help him and myself

Thanks folks for all the input

I've not read all the post so don't know if this has already been mentioned, but you can buy a plug-in diffuser which looks a bit like an air freshener, it's designed to calms animals down. I used to have a cat similar to yours and the plug-in work within a week, she was a completely different cat.

https://www.feliway.com/uk

I hope this works. Has he had the op? This might help too. Good luck. Let us know how you get on.

Get a water pistol, which won't hurt him, or give him a slap. Either way he will learn. ;-)

Gill
Tried the diffuser but made no difference he still had the switched into aggressive mode times

He used to do the crouch position tail switching bum wriggling mode and jump at me but he was doing it as play . I would laugh at him when he did it .
Now it's done with intent of hurting me and have had several scratched legs that drew blood . Plus scratched arms when I have tried to fend him off

Jackson Galaxy tells folks to get the vet check them out but mine just replied oh he shouldn't be doing that !! and didn't give any advice at all
He seemed to just shrug it off TBH

I'd get a second opinion, as vets shouldn't be this unhelpful.

I PM'd you the link, just in case you didn't see it on here.

Has he had the op? I know once dogs have had the op it can calm them down, so maybe it'll work on cats to. It might be worth a try. Or maybe you could seek out a cat behavioral expert. I've seen programme on TV of people who work wonders, in a very short space of time. Maybe you could put him in a different room or outside (weather permitting) each time he does it, when he realises he's not getting the attention anymore he might stop.

Ignoring him might just be the answer.

Have you got any clothes of your late husband's, or some aftershave he used. The familiar smell might work if put where your cat sleeps. It might just be he's missing your husband and blames you for him not being there anymore?

If I think of anything else I'll let you know, but I would definately seek help from a different vet. Or maybe ring the RSPCA. They deal with all sorts of animals and have probably come across this before. I'm sure they'll be able to advise you.

Ignoring your cat's behaviour will at least show him you're not willing to put up with it anymore and if he's in another room, he'll soon learn that's what's going to happen every time he attacks you. If nothing else, your arms and legs will be saved.

When he turns and goes into attack mode you can't just ignore him as he quickly goes into the lunging attack

No way could I pick him up to remove him from the room

What I do do is to open the back door and say out .

I often too remove myself from the room when he is being aggressive and looks like he coming in for a second go
He gets a claw stuck in my trousers leg and that enrages him even more
Have had blood raising scratches on my arms too trying to stop him or remove his paw .


Most of the time he sleeps , eats and will want a stroke ,and spend lots of time outside
He does go walkabout too so expends energy

Yes he has been " done" This was before we got him and he done by the previous owners
Cats protection don't rehome any cat without them being seen to !!

I wish I knew what the answer is and how to stop it

Sorry Shirley but the cart has won.

If you walked out of the room it knows now he can do anything to you and you won't get rid of him.

I agree, if you walk out of the room then he's won.

I would speak with the RSPCA I'm sure they'll have come across this sort of behaviour before, so should be able to advise you better.

I see the op didn't make any difference, but it does sound like he wants to be the boss and by walking into another room that's giving him exactly what he wants, so he'll just keep doing it.

One of our cats had arthritis, she hated being picked up as it hurt her so she would attack because of the pain, of course we didn't know this at the time until we had her checked out by a vet. Maybe your cat has something similar. There must be a reason for his behaviour, it's just a point of finding out what it is. Easier said than done I know, but maybe a check up with another vet to see if it's medical and can be sorted is the answer.

I would definitely change your vet though, as it sounds like he just wants to take your money, rather than help you with the situation and definitely speak with the RSPCA as you can't carry on like this.

I think you should ring the RSPCA now. If you do nothing, then it'll never change. It sounds like you've tried everything you can think of and they may have some ideas you haven't tried yet. It's worth a call.

I forgot to mention earlier, have his claws clipped regularly at least they won't get caught on your clothes or in your skin and would be less painful for you and less frightening for your cat.

I don't remove myself from the room every time it's depends on how he is and whether he is still in attack mode and coming in for a second go .
Most times it's Noooo very loudly and get up if I,m sitting and shoo him out to the garden and shut him out

If I,m standing I have found grabbing hold of my iPad and holding it's as a shield between us whilst saying firmly Nooo will stop him after a few tries to get at me

He is now 5 years old and seems very healthy. He has no problems jumping up the fences and crossing over to walk on the pergola

Indoors too he has no problem jumping up , he likes to use the back of one of the armchairs to jump to the top of the display units and look down from there and sometimes have a nap

Am not impressed with this vet to TBH . Our old one closed down as the owner retired and our vet who worked with him was put out of work as the clinics closed down.
This vet I have got him with is still a car ride away but there is parking .others in the area are on busy roads with limited parking and many are residents parking only


I will try ringing the rspca for advice

I have just ordered a set of play laser pens



:-(

Shirley as said previous you can buy a press gadget that when pressed sounds like an aerosol, psssssst ,,cats don't like the sound ,its not harmful in any way,,,,,,just enough to distract him from what hes doing. then have a toy handy to throw so he chases after it,,,,,,,,,it will become a bit of a game aswell ,...the sooner the better,

hes just finding his feet as a young man and wants to be bossy..he has no concept of what hes doing hurt wise..just needs a bit of bossing about.


I think the vets sell them but know good pet shop does like Pets4 U...

I have rung the rspca and they were very listening but couldn't advise
Said the vet should take it more seriously

They also suggested contacting cats protection which i have just done

Cats protection said as theres been no change in the home then he should get checked out by the vet to see if there's some underlying health problem. Could also be phsycological which would be difficult to treat
If all else fails and he gets worse and I can't cope with him they will rehome him
They have places like stables etc where his aggressiveness wouldn't be a danger

They said try the felliway again so I have just ordered some .

Watch this space !!

I would keep a newspaper handy and if he attacks anytime give him a quick whack with it .


He will soon get who is the boss and keep doing it.

May sound cruel but it isn't.

The RSPCA are useless unless their getting money in they won't do anything to help.

Example for you all.

My daughter had 4 cats and she was pregnant at the time.
She thought the cat that had come in was one of hers .so went to stroke it but it
attacked her and clawed her all down her arm.

She let out such a scream,I went running into her kitchen and it wasn't her cat but a strange cat.

I tried to shoo it out with towels.newspapers and chairs.anything to get it out.She
rang the RSPCA AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND THEY SAID


WE WON'T COME OUT UNLESS WE GET A £100 TO GET RID OF IT.

I rang the doctors for an appointment for her as the cat had rally gone to town on her arm.

In the end her next doos neighbour her the commotion and came round and as soon as they saw her arm .

The HUBBY went and got his keep net from fishing and he had a problem getting it out but after 3/4 hour he eventually cornered it and got it in the net.AND SCREWED THE NET AROUND AND TUCK IT INTO THE WOODS AND THE END OF THEIR STREET.

She needed to go to the hospital once the doctor had seen her arm as she needed stitches and antibiotics for a week or so and was kept in as she was pregnant at the time.


So RSPCA don't give a monkeys how badly you need them.

Keep those scratch marks clean to avoid infection Shirley

Sorry to hear about your daughter Sue, what an awful experience, thankfully there were people around to help get rid of the cat.

I had no idea how bad the RSPCA are, I really thought they may of offered you some advice Shirley.

It sounds like you're trying everything you can now. I wish you luck and hope the Felliway works this time around. Good idea to have him checked out just incase it is something to do with his health, if it is I hope it's nothing to bad and he gets the help he may need. Good luck, I'm thinking of you.

That's the programme I was thinking of, My cat from hell, I am watching it now actually.

Hope you can find a solution, maybe someone can give you a lift to a better vet who can help you, if the parking is difficult.

Take care

Lizxx

The cat is behaving like this because of some past trauma. Getting into any sort of battle for control will just make matters worse or even insoluble. The key is to alleviate the trauma and build trust. It will take time and patience. If you can get any history that will help.

Vets are not for the most part v good at dealing with animal behaviour problems from cats and dogs to racehorses.

There are in most areas animal behaviour experts who can do wonders. Your local cat rescue groups will be aware of your local people. Fees are often minimal or even nil.

Good luck

Shirley, we have never had a cat because two of us are allergic to them, one of my kids particularly so. This is not to say we have never had other animals.

From what I've read it looks as though you have struggled since 2015 - so you have given it a good go. Four years of your cat's bad behaviour, exacerbated now by your impaired mobility seems to me that you have gone above and beyond.

I understand your feelings toward the cat because of your late husband but your own well-being must take precedence and, if I were you, I'd take up that RSPCA offer of re-homing the cat. Would your husband have given you that same advice if he knew that you were being clawed regularly? Only you can know that, but ask yourself what advice you would have given him if the situation was reversed.

Sorry if this is not what you want to hear but I would be asking myself whether, after four years of trying, I would still be accepting such behaviour from any other grown animal.

(Sorry, I have removed a few words from my last para because it is not my intention to upset anyone. Rather, I am trying to imagine four years of patience exercised by Shirley to no avail.

Shirley, that phrase, ' You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din' springs to mind.)

Rollo
The only info cats protection had on him was that he had been had from a kitten to two years old and was being rehomed becaued the owners were being evicted and couldn't take him with them

Believe me he hasn't had any trauma living with us and I certaining don't do battle for control . He frightens me more than anything when he goes into attack mode

Joy Louise

No the funny thing is this aggression wasn't there for over two years
He would do a play attack and I would be what you doing you pickle!!

There was never any aggression from him or from me when he did the play

The aggression has started in tha last year . Was one off and then nothing but it's built up to at least twice a week

Most of the time he is laid back and friendly ,not a lap cat but will when the mood takes him get on my lap and circle and settle down for a snooze together with purrs

He stays downstairs at night because he is a scratcher but if he should come in the bedroom he will lay on my chest and push his head under my hand for strokes ,but then a few strokes in he will nip my arm .
Not a full blown bite but one like the mummy cat does with the kittens to tell em enough !!

It's the onset of the attacks that is a puzzle cos nothing has changed in the house that could be the cause