Cat Woes

[Pete's Mom]

I am posting a new thread because I didn't want to hijack the other ones.

I am kind of going through the same thing with my cat who is 2 now. I waited until Pete was almost 7 before we adopted Luigi. We talked a great deal about responsibility and Pete has been wonderful about helping me take care of him. We got him when he was around 5 weeks old. He had been abandoned and was the only kitten left alive. Luigi was a sweet enough kitten but then around 6 months kind of went wild, scratching, spraying, and biting. Per my vet's advice, I had his "meatballs" removed, but the scratching continued. It wasn't the furniture or carpet he would tear up(that's ragged out anyway from Pete ). He would scratch us and when I say scratch I mean stalk, attack, and draw blood kind of scratching. Well, I figured that it was either put him to sleep or have him declawed. No one would adopt an attack cat, besides, he genuinely loves Pete. He sleeps wrapped around Pete's head and grooms my son while he sleeps every night, and if my son rolls over on him while he is sleeping, Luigi just lays trapped there, he doesn't even try to get away or cry. It very strange, but Luigi is very affectionate and loving and when we are trying to sleep. It drives me nuts because during the day he goes into attack mode except when Pete goes to his dad's and then Luigi walks around crying from room to room!

Anyhow, I feel like all he does is eat, poop, sleep, and attack. He has every cat toy in the world but expresses no interest in them. He doesn't want to be loved or played with during the day. If you try, he will nip at you and run off. I feel terrible because we can never have another pet while we have Luigi. We went tried that when he was a kitten last year and he constantly viciously attacked our other cat until it bolted out the door one day and never came back. Right now, when he gets out of hand, Pete puts him in "timeout" in the bathroom and closes the door. He would never strike or hurt Luigi. I am not so tolerant and am ready to punt him like a football if he bites my feet again.

I won't give him away or put him down. I made a committment and he is not an object to toss to the side or replace. He is family and he will be with us until he dies. It's just hard, because I feel like I made my bed and now I have to lie in it. Don't know why I even posted, just felt like talking to someone about it.

 

[MosMom]

So he is only two and perhaps he isn't really attacking but playing (still kittenish). A lot of cat play is attacking and pouncing. Do you have one of those fishing poles with the "bird" at the end? Maybe spend some time really tiring him out with one of those? It may be that he doesn't want to play alone with toys but wants to interact with Pete somehow so perhaps a toy that they can play with together and long enough to tucker Luigi out?

Just a guess.

 

[jennyl772003]

The thing with cats is they only want to be played with on their terms. If you try to hold or pet them when they don't want it, they get mad. You do that enough, and the cat starts to get mean.

With cats, you (mostly) only pet them when they come to you. Don't search them out, don't chase them, and when they walk away, let them.

 

[Aidensmom]

Our cat is almost 4, and still does the "attack" thing on occassion, but she is just playing. She is declawed though, so we don't have to worry about getting hurt, except for when she occassionally decides she wants to play bite my ankles as I walk through the house!

I would recommend getting the cat declawed if he is an indoor cat (outdoor cats need their claws for defensive purposes).

 

[Pete's Mom]

Our cat is almost 4, and still does the "attack" thing on occassion, but she is just playing. She is declawed though, so we don't have to worry about getting hurt, except for when she occassionally decides she wants to play bite my ankles as I walk through the house!

I would recommend getting the cat declawed if he is an indoor cat (outdoor cats need their claws for defensive purposes).

He is already declawed and has never gone outside. He appears to be a loner. He likes to hide and jump out and the most unexpected moments and I don't think he is playing because he is really aggressive. We play with him on his terms. Pete will pet him and love on him when comes up to him and wants it, but instead of walking away when he is done, he bites.

 

[Rowena]

Luigi sounds a lot like my Sonja. Once I got her some catnip toys, and pole toys, the attacking lessoned. I also stop moving and begin to "babytalk" to her when she takes the attack stance. She's almost to the point now that she'll just go find something else to do.

I honestly think Luigi isn't angry, he's trying to play. He most likely sees you and Pete as other cats, especially since you got him so young.

You might consider also looking for bigger toys, like dog plush ones, rub them with catnip and let Luigi stalk and attack them.

I hope you all find a way to live together without being a little afraid of your pet.

 

[bigsis1970]

Hi no advise here but have you ever seen the move "snow dogs" they keep telling Cuba Gooding Jr to bite the other dogs ear so the dog will know who is boss... sorry thought it might lighten your mood.. My cat is very lovey until you pet his belly then he claws and bites.

 

[HappyMommy2]

We had a cat just like that when I was growing up! We were genuinely afraid of him...there was a particular chair in the living room that we couldn't sit on, because if we did, he was sure to come and jump up over the back of the chair and attack our heads! It seemed like he was attacking all day long. He was lovable at night of course.
I remember one time when he was almost 4, my sister and I suddenly looked at the cat and said to each other, "Hey, when did he get nice?" And sure enough, by the time he was 4, he had gradually stopped the wild crazy scratching behavior and had become a super nice cat! He was very special.
He just recently passed away at age 17 and is much missed!

The cat DH and I got 10 years ago, Jinx, was really wild as well, starting at about 6 months. I remember thinking, "WHEN will he ever just sit calmly in a window and doze like a cat should...he is constantly attacking!" But we stuck with him, gave him plenty of avenues for getting his agressions out (pole toys, chasing him round and round the house, catnip, etc.), and just waited, and sure enough by age 3 1/2 he matured and became that calm wonderful cat I had dreamed of. (He is still a demon at the vet's office but that's understandable I think).

I'll bet Luigi just needs you to stick with him as you plan to, and he will turn out fine.

 

[Pete's Mom]

I give him catnip every now and then. Heck, even get out the black light and put on some Pink Floyd for him. Nothing mellows him out.

I hope you are right, HappyMommy2, that in time he will calm down.

Thanks for all the great advice and encouragement.

 

[L107ANGEL]

I give him catnip every now and then. Heck, even get out the black light and put on some Pink Floyd for him. Nothing mellows him out.

I hope you are right, HappyMommy2, that in time he will calm down.

Thanks for all the great advice and encouragement.

The black light and Pink Floyd did nothing?!?!?
I am sure he will calm down, Good Luck!

 

[vacanut]

This sounds like my mom's cat. She is very tempermental. She can be as nice as pie one minute and turn on you the next. She has calmed down quite a bit she's about 2-3 now. My mom has gotten used to her and knows when to leave her alone vs. when she wants attention.

All cats have their own personality. My cat is the total opposite would LOVE attention 24/7 and would NEVER attack or bite us. But like people they are all different.

 

[Pete's Mom]

This sounds like my mom's cat. She is very tempermental. She can be as nice as pie one minute and turn on you the next. She has calmed down quite a bit she's about 2-3 now. My mom has gotten used to her and knows when to leave her alone vs. when she wants attention.

All cats have their own personality. My cat is the total opposite would LOVE attention 24/7 and would NEVER attack or bite us. But like people they are all different.

I really wanted to have a normal pet for Pete and am so jealous when I see my friends pets all lovey dovey. You never know how they are going to turn out.

 

[vacanut]

Unfortunately its probably not possible to get another kitten for the house. As this cat is aggressive and would be mean to a new kitten. I say hang in there, I'm sure by now you know the limits.

 

[Pete's Mom]

Unfortunately its probably not possible to get another kitten for the house. As this cat is aggressive and would be mean to a new kitten. I say hang in there, I'm sure by now you know the limits.

As I mentioned earlier, we got Luigi when he was a small kitten. When he was around 2 months old, a friend gave us a HUGE 4 year old cat named Shadow. From day one, Shadow was afraid of Luigi. They were together for almost 6 months and as Luigi got bigger he got more aggressive. He was relentless in attacking Shadow, biting and drawing blood. He wouldn't stop either, even if Shadow tried to get away. Shadow spent most of his time hiding and never coming out. I had hoped in time that they would grow accustomed to one another but that never happened. One day, when I was bringing in groceries, Shadow bolted. I tried to catch him, spent several hours and days looking for him in the woods but he was gone and never came back. I still feel horrible about it and tear up everytime I think about it. No, another pet is not an option, Luigi growls and lunges at the window when my neighboor walks his Rottweiller.

 

[pearlieq]

I do hear that cats will mellow out with time. I think the other suggestions about getting bigger toys--maybe even dog toys is a good one. Anything to get all that energy out! Does he have a climber or a cat tree?

Good luck with this!

 

[cynsaun]

Is it possible "someone" is slipping him Krispy Kreme doughnuts and he is angry about that?

I'm sorry you are going through this with Luigi (love his name!), and hope that you will have a calm kitty soon.

 

[Pete's Mom]

Is it possible "someone" is slipping him Krispy Kreme doughnuts and he is angry about that?

I'm sorry you are going through this with Luigi (love his name!), and hope that you will have a calm kitty soon.

Jrydberg, I should have known! It's a sugar high!

 

[BoyLovesBuzz]

Except for wanting to "throw down" with the Rottweiller, you have described every cat I have ever known.

Hope it works out for you!!

{Hmmmm Luigi.....meatballs....Italian food sound good for tonight }