My cat is way too aggressive

[newsguyatl]

when i adopted him in february, i was warned a) he didn't like other cats and b) he plays rough

i figured i could change his disposition some, and for the most part it seems to be working... but lately nikko's personality seems to be changing... he doesn't like my holding him like he used to, he scratches, bites, and bats at my face when i go to kiss him or play with him around his face or neck (my nose is now infected because of a scratch) and just now he bit me until i'm bleeding when i try to brush him...

it's extremely frustrating, and he's not the cat i'd always pictured having... i'm willing to be patient with him, and do whatever i can to help "fix" his bad behavior...

i'm just looking for any suggestions on how to curb this aggressive play ... and how to bring back the cuteness and sweetness i'd seen in him until very recently.


back when he was a cool cat

[superconnected]

1. Okay, as the cat gets to know you better, his personality will change

and the both of you will grow together.

I have an 18 yearold calico with a VERY strong will and even though her base personality will always be there we both had to change a lot to live together.

The cat won't change over night but it's only been since february. You may have to give him a whole lot longer but I think you will end up with a cat that attaches himself to you and no longer hurts you.

He may be going through a brave rebellious phase, or he may be testing the limits.

I don't think his actually drawing blood is going to continue for very long though, the more he gets used to being a perm fixture in your home.

My cat draws blood once every several years, and it's her wild side. But if I cry, she goes nuts and consoles me.

[superconnected]

2. Beautiful cat, btw.

[ET Awful]

3. Well my Quinn isn't exactly a cuddler, he likes to play rough too

but he'll still get up on my bed in the morning and lay there and purr and get his head rubbed. He's just not a contact kitty :).

Althea on the other hand is a great lap kitty. She hates to be carried and picked up, but when she's in a lap mood, she's a super cuddler. She also likes to sleep under the covers in the small of my back :)

[sadinred]

4. in case your kitty is stressed

My mother rescues feral and abandoned cats. In cases of aggression and/or stress (spraying, going after other cats, fear) she has used the essences at this site: Anaflora.com. (Sorry, I can't figure out how to post a link!) I think the one she uses most often is called "Return to Joy", but there are others as well. She just puts a few drops in the water bowl.

If your cat is just going through a stage and testing you he's probably fine and you can just back off a little (no kisses!!). If he's stressed or upset the essence might help. It's done a lot of good for some of the tougher characters my mom's dealt with.

Good luck to you and your kitty.

[iconoclastic cat]

5. Yeah, one of ours, Mink, was like that for a couple years.

She was fine as a kitten, but after she hit 2 years old, she became very antisocial. We stuck with it, and while she was bitchy for about 3 more years, she's now a total affection hog.

One strange thing: The behavior change occurred right after we changed to a brand of food that does not contain any beef or wheat products. I don't know if there's a connection or not.

[kaitykaity]

6. Let him come to you.

Let the loving be his idea.

You can trick him by having treats close, or like
handling some tuna so that you have the smell
on your hands.

But let it be his idea.

This is why cats own people, rather than the other
way around.

[BrklynLiberal]

7. Two suggestions. Rescue Remedy and a trip to the vet to make sure

that there is not some underlying cause for this change in personality.
Sometimes there could be a thyroid or some other type of physiological reason for a change like this.
Just a thought.
And he is a very handsome boy.

EDIT: Rescue Remedy is a holistic calming floral essence that you can use by putting a few drops into his water each day. It is available in health food stores.

[Eurobabe]

8. serious subject, but I am chuckling

the thyroid suggestion --- that's exactly what MY problem was 2 yrs. ago, my hubby was about ready to put me down. Now that I am on thyroid meds, I am much less aggressive and bitchy.

Rescue Remedy works well, but I agree with BL, rule out any underlying issue (ie metabolic).

Sorry your guy is having problems. Have you changed his food lately? litter? -48

[BrklynLiberal]

9. heh heh 48percenter! We have that in common. About 30 years ago

I had the same exact experience with my husband and a visit to my ob-gyn. The results of a thyroid test explained a lot of things to me as well.
Actually, the thyroid came to mind specifically when he mentioned the agression when his neck was touched. But it sure seems that underlying causes need to be checked out.

[Lorien]

13. Feliway can also help

it's a behavioral modification spray which uses pheromones to calm your kitty. It's sold at most major pet supply stores.

Has Nikko been at home alone a lot lately? He may be acting out from the irritation of being bored and lonely. Consider getting an additional pet. A large breed cat (Ragdoll, Ragamuffin, Maine Coon, Norwegian forest cat, etc.) might bring some much needed calm to your home and give him the companionship he craves.

[newsguyatl]

19. thanks lorien

yeh, i definitely want to get him a brother or sister eventually, but jeez, he can be so rough, i often worry if he'd harm another cat!

he's much better the past two days... i'm coming out of my sickness, and he's being a lot more affectionate... following me wherever i go, sleeping next to me at night, talking to me as i walk around the house, etc. perhaps he's just temperamental (like his daddy) hehe

[newsguyatl]

10. thanks everyone

he's been much better today --


a few things i've since thought about that might be bothering him -- 1) i've been knocked out with a virus for the last week, staying in bed, and not paying much attention to him 2) i've had a few new people over lately and he's not used to that and 3) someone besides him shared my bed the other night, and he was NOT happy. first night since i've had him that he purposely stayed downstairs and didn't sleep with me. lol

also, i can sometimes play a little rough with him which probably eggs him on... but he's much better tonight, already sitting in my lap, talking to me, etc.

maybe he had cat pms this last week? :shrug:

[Warpy]

14. Probably #2 and #3 were the culprits

Cats are solitary animals who, for some reason we don't quite understand, seem to have formed an alliance with primates, including people. Some cats are very strong one person cats and don't do well when other people have been around. They get sressed out and can either get depressed or aggressive.

Both my cats are rescued kitties; one was neglected and the other one was abused. The neglected kitty is sociable around strangers, but the abused kitty heads for her safe spot in a drawer under the bed. She can get defensive if I haul her out and try to get her to smell fingers of people I want her to get used to. They're both big time lap cats when I'm alone.

If the kitty's personality change seems to be permanent, go to your vet and get metabolic problems ruled out. Permanent behavior changes can signal real problems.

[hippiegranny]

22. playing rough

seems to inevitably bring out aggressiveness in kitties. I have learned that in order to keep them sweet tempered I never ever play rough with them, or use my hands or feet to goad them to play. Always use toys they can bat at for playtime, hands are for loving only!

[newsguyatl]

23. yeh, i've cut back a lot

and instead leave it to strings and such:

[Robeson]

24. Very good advice hippiegranny....

...and I think they love it more when toys and such are involved. My girls go crazy over laser pens, feathers on a stick, and things that they can chase or bat at. Its also fun to watch them chase this stuff around. The laser light is like cocaine for them. It instantly gets them going.

[newsguyatl]

25. where can i get a laser pointer?

i've been wanting to buy one...

[Robeson]

26. If you have a PetSmart near you, you can get one there.....

...Also, you can order them on line at PetSmart at... http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441775025&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302033748&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023690&bmUID=1118184000530

[meow2u3]

11. How old is he?

Age has a part in aggressive play. My Boots is 9 1/2 months old and sometimes, he plays very rough! I have scratch marks to prove it

[newsguyatl]

18. he's 9 months

[meow2u3]

21. That explains it

I have the same problem with Boots. It's his age; he'll grow out of it.

You have a rebellious, aggressive teenage boy on your hands. Teens will be teens, on two legs or four.

[haele]

12. If he's a Korat/mix, he's grooming agressive...

and will only accept attention on his terms. I've got a Korat mix and he's got a similar problem. When my "Willy-Bear" feels comfortable, he'll accept scritches and belly rubs on his terms only. He'll often nuzzle or mark you if he's feeling affectionate.
But he doesn't like holding or cuddles at all; if you try to hold him, he'll hunch up and either swipe at you or run away to his "safe spot" as soon as possible.
Other people I know that have Korats report that grooming aggression (hitting, gripping, biting, or rabbit-kicking when excited) seems to be typical in that breed. They can also be rather shy or skittish.

Physically, Korats look to be the typical "blue" cat - green eyes, slate blue skin, lavender/grey tone to the coat - but they're bit more "bearlike" in body structure, have skinny, whip-like tails that often curl when they're happy, have a more heart-shaped, almost perpetual kitten look to their faces due to big ears, eyes and rounder than usual pupils; speak with "squeeks" or in short, pre-emptive mews; and have very little undercoat in comparison to the other blue breeds. They also tend to have respiratory issues (coughing/sneezing) in dry or dusty environments.

Korats are an old Thai breed of temple cats that have only come to the West as pet cats in the past fifty years or so. In Thailand and Burma, they're supposed to be guard cats to chase away vermin and other demons, and are reputed to bring good luck. Many people confuse them with the similarly cobby body shaped Russian Blue; but the give away is the kitten face, the thin tail, little undercoat and shy/aggressive behavior.

If he is Korat or part Korat, this unsocial behavior may be normal for your furbaby, especially if he's still stressing from a new environment with new "friends" around. With very few exceptions, it takes Willy-Bear a good year or so to accept any new critters or people in "his home" enough to interact positively with them.

Just be patient -

Haele

[newsguyatl]

16. wow, that sounds EXACTLY like nikko

i guess he is part korat!

thanks for the info!!!

[Princess Turandot]

15. "What's a few love bites??"

sez Razputin...who bites the back of my legs while I'm preparing their food, among other things..









(PS The bite photo is not typical. His leg got caught under something and he bit me while I was trying to free him. Normally,
I don't wind up at the ER as a result!)

[newsguyatl]

17. ouch!!!!!!!!!!

are you sure those are LOVEbites?

poor thing!

[Patiod]

20. True story

Was interviewing physicians, and had this one doctor filling out a preliminary questionnaire. While she was writing, she noticed the scratches on my hands.

MD: "Cat?"

Me: "What else?"

MD: "You're lucky you're not in charge of the Big Cats at the zoo."

Me: "Uh,...okay..."

MD: "One of my patients is in charge of the Big Cats at the Zoo, and I had her take her shirt off for an exam, and she had a huge scar running from her shoulder across her chest to her waist. She said one of the cats was just being affectionate."

Me "Yikes"

[superconnected]

27. hahahah great story!