aggressive cat [long]

I have a 2 year old overweight neutered male cat. When we first got him at
12 weeks of age, I thought he was the best cat I could ever have. He would
sleep with me every night, follow me around the house looking for attention
or just to lie next to me. He was just a very sweet little boy. This past
January, out of seemingly nowhere, he would attack me, scratching clawing,
hissing, biting...everything. I just took it in stride and figured that the
holidays had been too much for him, with Christmas come and gone and things
in the house changing once again as decorations came down. Well, his
aggression since then has continued and become more intense. His attacks do
not seem to be provoked by anything specific. Some times he will attack me
after he has climbed up in my lap for some loving. He seems to really be
enjoying it, the next thing I know, my or arm is stuck in his grip. I've
had to yell for someone else to come and get him off of me before. Other
times when he will let go himself, he just lays there on me growling at me.
I'm not even touching him at the time except that he's laying on me! He has
growled and gone after my mom before too because she told him to move so she
could open the fridge door, or to go outside. These bites he gives aren't
in any way inhibited, he has broken the skin several times and I've had to
deal with a couple of infected bites. I took him to the vet and they
couldn't find anything wrong with him. I told the vet about my husband and
I having a baby soon. She told me what I already knew, that I absolutely
should not have him around a baby at all! She also told me that I couldnt'
give him away because he was aggressive. The vet suggested that I could
have him tested for a brain tumor, but he doesn't have any of the other
signs for that, or that I could try an animal behavoirist. I don't have the
money for anything this expensive, to find an animal behaviorist I'd have to
travel a couple hundred miles. She suggested then that I might have to put
him to sleep. I love my kitty! If he was aggressive all the time it would
be easier to go with the vets advice to put him to sleep, but he's so sweet
and loving at other times, that it just makes it too hard to know what to
do. If anyone has any suggestions or just something to cheer me up, it
would be much appreciated.

Fork spaketh...

I have a 2 year old overweight neutered male cat. When we first got
him at 12 weeks of age, I thought he was the best cat I could ever
have. ... This past January, out of seemingly nowhere, he
would attack me, scratching clawing, hissing, biting...everything.

his aggression since then has continued and become more intense.
His attacks do not seem to be provoked by anything specific.

I have known a few cats like this and they usually live with single women
(I don't know why). They are nice one second and mean the next. One cat
would use the nic-nac shelves around the top of the wall to ambush
unsuspecting visitors.

Some times he will attack me after he
has climbed up in my lap for some loving. He seems to really be
enjoying it, the next thing I know, my or arm is stuck in his grip.

How do you think another cat would react?

Other times... he just lays there... growling at me.

You really cannot allow this behavior. It is probably too late because
you are intimidated by him now.

...my husband and I having a baby soon. She told me what I already
knew, that I absolutely should not have him around a baby at all!

His behavior would be unpredictable, he could scratch the baby's eye out
or bite the baby's face. I suggest that you contact a local rescue
organization and see if they are interested in him. Possibly one of the
volunteers could take him in and attempt to change his behavior. One way
or the other, you will have to get rid of him.
--
McQualude

Fork spaketh...

I have a 2 year old overweight neutered male cat. When we first got
him at 12 weeks of age, I thought he was the best cat I could ever
have. ... This past January, out of seemingly nowhere, he
would attack me, scratching clawing, hissing, biting...everything.

his aggression since then has continued and become more intense.
His attacks do not seem to be provoked by anything specific.

I have known a few cats like this and they usually live with single women
(I don't know why). They are nice one second and mean the next. One cat
would use the nic-nac shelves around the top of the wall to ambush
unsuspecting visitors.

Some times he will attack me after he
has climbed up in my lap for some loving. He seems to really be
enjoying it, the next thing I know, my or arm is stuck in his grip.

How do you think another cat would react?

Other times... he just lays there... growling at me.

You really cannot allow this behavior. It is probably too late because
you are intimidated by him now.

...my husband and I having a baby soon. She told me what I already
knew, that I absolutely should not have him around a baby at all!

His behavior would be unpredictable, he could scratch the baby's eye out
or bite the baby's face. I suggest that you contact a local rescue
organization and see if they are interested in him. Possibly one of the
volunteers could take him in and attempt to change his behavior. One way
or the other, you will have to get rid of him.
--
McQualude

Fork spaketh...

I have a 2 year old overweight neutered male cat. When we first got
him at 12 weeks of age, I thought he was the best cat I could ever
have. ... This past January, out of seemingly nowhere, he
would attack me, scratching clawing, hissing, biting...everything.

his aggression since then has continued and become more intense.
His attacks do not seem to be provoked by anything specific.

I have known a few cats like this and they usually live with single women
(I don't know why). They are nice one second and mean the next. One cat
would use the nic-nac shelves around the top of the wall to ambush
unsuspecting visitors.

Some times he will attack me after he
has climbed up in my lap for some loving. He seems to really be
enjoying it, the next thing I know, my or arm is stuck in his grip.

How do you think another cat would react?

Other times... he just lays there... growling at me.

You really cannot allow this behavior. It is probably too late because
you are intimidated by him now.

...my husband and I having a baby soon. She told me what I already
knew, that I absolutely should not have him around a baby at all!

His behavior would be unpredictable, he could scratch the baby's eye out
or bite the baby's face. I suggest that you contact a local rescue
organization and see if they are interested in him. Possibly one of the
volunteers could take him in and attempt to change his behavior. One way
or the other, you will have to get rid of him.
--
McQualude

Were you away on vacation and left somebody else looking after the
cat? Or has he changed from night to day?

Were you away on vacation and left somebody else looking after the
cat? Or has he changed from night to day?

Were you away on vacation and left somebody else looking after the
cat? Or has he changed from night to day?

This may seem ridiculous, but your body odor probably changed when you got
pregnant. The cat is possibly reacting to hormonal changes.

There are drugs that can be used to calm an aggressive animal--I know, I
have one. Talk to your vet, and if he doesn't know then talk to another
vet. I'm not encouraged about your vet telling you not to have the cat
around a baby or put him to sleep. It really sounds like you need another
opinion--there are lots of options. What kind of vet is this? Small
practice? Country? Older? Not very current, anyway.

Also, there is a spray called Feliway that is a feline pheromone that may
help. You can get this at any pet store or online.

You certainly will have to watch him around the baby, if he is already
reacting like this to you. But I'm sure you can take steps in the meantime
to calm him down.

"Fork" wrote in message
...
I have a 2 year old overweight neutered male cat. When we first got him
at
12 weeks of age, I thought he was the best cat I could ever have. He
would
sleep with me every night, follow me around the house looking for
attention
or just to lie next to me. He was just a very sweet little boy. This past
January, out of seemingly nowhere, he would attack me, scratching clawing,
hissing, biting...everything. I just took it in stride and figured that
the
holidays had been too much for him, with Christmas come and gone and
things
in the house changing once again as decorations came down. Well, his
aggression since then has continued and become more intense. His attacks
do
not seem to be provoked by anything specific. Some times he will attack
me
after he has climbed up in my lap for some loving. He seems to really be
enjoying it, the next thing I know, my or arm is stuck in his grip. I've
had to yell for someone else to come and get him off of me before. Other
times when he will let go himself, he just lays there on me growling at
me.
I'm not even touching him at the time except that he's laying on me! He
has
growled and gone after my mom before too because she told him to move so
she
could open the fridge door, or to go outside. These bites he gives aren't
in any way inhibited, he has broken the skin several times and I've had to
deal with a couple of infected bites. I took him to the vet and they
couldn't find anything wrong with him. I told the vet about my husband
and
I having a baby soon. She told me what I already knew, that I absolutely
should not have him around a baby at all! She also told me that I
couldnt'
give him away because he was aggressive. The vet suggested that I could
have him tested for a brain tumor, but he doesn't have any of the other
signs for that, or that I could try an animal behavoirist. I don't have
the
money for anything this expensive, to find an animal behaviorist I'd have
to
travel a couple hundred miles. She suggested then that I might have to
put
him to sleep. I love my kitty! If he was aggressive all the time it
would
be easier to go with the vets advice to put him to sleep, but he's so
sweet
and loving at other times, that it just makes it too hard to know what to
do. If anyone has any suggestions or just something to cheer me up, it
would be much appreciated.

This may seem ridiculous, but your body odor probably changed when you got
pregnant. The cat is possibly reacting to hormonal changes.

There are drugs that can be used to calm an aggressive animal--I know, I
have one. Talk to your vet, and if he doesn't know then talk to another
vet. I'm not encouraged about your vet telling you not to have the cat
around a baby or put him to sleep. It really sounds like you need another
opinion--there are lots of options. What kind of vet is this? Small
practice? Country? Older? Not very current, anyway.

Also, there is a spray called Feliway that is a feline pheromone that may
help. You can get this at any pet store or online.

You certainly will have to watch him around the baby, if he is already
reacting like this to you. But I'm sure you can take steps in the meantime
to calm him down.

"Fork" wrote in message
...
I have a 2 year old overweight neutered male cat. When we first got him
at
12 weeks of age, I thought he was the best cat I could ever have. He
would
sleep with me every night, follow me around the house looking for
attention
or just to lie next to me. He was just a very sweet little boy. This past
January, out of seemingly nowhere, he would attack me, scratching clawing,
hissing, biting...everything. I just took it in stride and figured that
the
holidays had been too much for him, with Christmas come and gone and
things
in the house changing once again as decorations came down. Well, his
aggression since then has continued and become more intense. His attacks
do
not seem to be provoked by anything specific. Some times he will attack
me
after he has climbed up in my lap for some loving. He seems to really be
enjoying it, the next thing I know, my or arm is stuck in his grip. I've
had to yell for someone else to come and get him off of me before. Other
times when he will let go himself, he just lays there on me growling at
me.
I'm not even touching him at the time except that he's laying on me! He
has
growled and gone after my mom before too because she told him to move so
she
could open the fridge door, or to go outside. These bites he gives aren't
in any way inhibited, he has broken the skin several times and I've had to
deal with a couple of infected bites. I took him to the vet and they
couldn't find anything wrong with him. I told the vet about my husband
and
I having a baby soon. She told me what I already knew, that I absolutely
should not have him around a baby at all! She also told me that I
couldnt'
give him away because he was aggressive. The vet suggested that I could
have him tested for a brain tumor, but he doesn't have any of the other
signs for that, or that I could try an animal behavoirist. I don't have
the
money for anything this expensive, to find an animal behaviorist I'd have
to
travel a couple hundred miles. She suggested then that I might have to
put
him to sleep. I love my kitty! If he was aggressive all the time it
would
be easier to go with the vets advice to put him to sleep, but he's so
sweet
and loving at other times, that it just makes it too hard to know what to
do. If anyone has any suggestions or just something to cheer me up, it
would be much appreciated.

This may seem ridiculous, but your body odor probably changed when you got
pregnant. The cat is possibly reacting to hormonal changes.

There are drugs that can be used to calm an aggressive animal--I know, I
have one. Talk to your vet, and if he doesn't know then talk to another
vet. I'm not encouraged about your vet telling you not to have the cat
around a baby or put him to sleep. It really sounds like you need another
opinion--there are lots of options. What kind of vet is this? Small
practice? Country? Older? Not very current, anyway.

Also, there is a spray called Feliway that is a feline pheromone that may
help. You can get this at any pet store or online.

You certainly will have to watch him around the baby, if he is already
reacting like this to you. But I'm sure you can take steps in the meantime
to calm him down.

"Fork" wrote in message
...
I have a 2 year old overweight neutered male cat. When we first got him
at
12 weeks of age, I thought he was the best cat I could ever have. He
would
sleep with me every night, follow me around the house looking for
attention
or just to lie next to me. He was just a very sweet little boy. This past
January, out of seemingly nowhere, he would attack me, scratching clawing,
hissing, biting...everything. I just took it in stride and figured that
the
holidays had been too much for him, with Christmas come and gone and
things
in the house changing once again as decorations came down. Well, his
aggression since then has continued and become more intense. His attacks
do
not seem to be provoked by anything specific. Some times he will attack
me
after he has climbed up in my lap for some loving. He seems to really be
enjoying it, the next thing I know, my or arm is stuck in his grip. I've
had to yell for someone else to come and get him off of me before. Other
times when he will let go himself, he just lays there on me growling at
me.
I'm not even touching him at the time except that he's laying on me! He
has
growled and gone after my mom before too because she told him to move so
she
could open the fridge door, or to go outside. These bites he gives aren't
in any way inhibited, he has broken the skin several times and I've had to
deal with a couple of infected bites. I took him to the vet and they
couldn't find anything wrong with him. I told the vet about my husband
and
I having a baby soon. She told me what I already knew, that I absolutely
should not have him around a baby at all! She also told me that I
couldnt'
give him away because he was aggressive. The vet suggested that I could
have him tested for a brain tumor, but he doesn't have any of the other
signs for that, or that I could try an animal behavoirist. I don't have
the
money for anything this expensive, to find an animal behaviorist I'd have
to
travel a couple hundred miles. She suggested then that I might have to
put
him to sleep. I love my kitty! If he was aggressive all the time it
would
be easier to go with the vets advice to put him to sleep, but he's so
sweet
and loving at other times, that it just makes it too hard to know what to
do. If anyone has any suggestions or just something to cheer me up, it
would be much appreciated.