# HELP PLEASE majorly aggressive cat



## Charlongo (Dec 12, 2011)

Please help me, I am going to have to rehome my cat if I can't improve things. I have a 14 month old part siamese?? cat. She lashes out at me at any moment, grabs my arm with her claws and bites me without provocation. I have read loads of advice books and have tried everything I can think of. I stop petting her if she starts to get annoyed etc but the lashing out is leaving me in tears.

She also seems unhappy now winter has come. She won't really play with me, I have tried everything and she has loads of different toys I rotate.

i love her to bits even though she attacks me and it will break my heart to rehome her. Thanks for your help in advance 

I know someone has put a post on regarding cat aggression but I am desparate for help here. Rehoming day is looking to be Thursday but I so don't want to do it.


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## Ali82 (Mar 19, 2011)

Has she always been like this or has her behaviour changed recently? Also has she been examined by a vet? The agression and her depression could be a sign that she is in pain.


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## raggie doll (Sep 16, 2011)

wwll i had a at like that, for many years she only calmed in her old years also many cats get aggressive when they have thyroid issues


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## Lunabuma (Dec 12, 2011)

My little terror was like that for a few years. She stopped biting my leg when I walked past (for no reason!) at about 10 months when I stopped feeding her wet food.

I did make the mistake of allowing friends to play with her using hands and more like a dog when she was a young kitten which may have been part of the problem.

She v rarely bit down hard on me but would do things like swing from my lower arm grabbing on with all legs (and claws!) if I walked past her whilst on the bed. Each time she did something like that, I'd assertively (not cruelly or forcefully) remove her from me and scoot her away. 

She made vast improvement when she moved into my parents house with their two cats and more outside space, she eventually became a loving and doting cat with a bit of a 'skitzy' streak at around two years old. My dad became her favourite. 

In the end when she did bite, it would be resting her teeth and not biting down. More grumpy than bad behaviour. I really loved her for her strange nature as within seconds she forgot about it and continue purrring. 

I'm not sure about the not playing part. If she doesn't want to play, be sure not to force her by shoving it in her face when she clearly doesn't want to play. She will loose trust and perceive it as being tormented and just be annoyed about it. If she plays for a few seconds, just leave it at that. 

Feeding a morsel of cooked chicken by hand is always good but only if she takes it in a respectful way. 

Also I would get her checked by a vet.

She is still a very young cat! 

Hope this helps.


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## ChinaBlue (Feb 3, 2008)

I would, before taking any other action such as rehoming, take her to the vets for a very thorough check up. She may as already suggested be in some pain. If you rehome her you are just passing the problem on to someone else who may not show the patience you have so far.

Have you tried Feliway plug ins, some Rescue Remedy in her water etc?

What is her history before you got her?


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

Agree with above she needs a vet visit to rule out any medical issues..I lived for many months with a kitten/young cat with aggressive behaviour and it took a lot of work to get him where he is now.Is she spayed and has she always been like this.


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## Charlongo (Dec 12, 2011)

Thanks for all your replies. 
She has been doing this since she was about 6 months old, sometimes she doesn't do it for ages I never played games with her with my hands because I know this can cause problems. 

I had her checked by a vet about a month ago and he said she was fine but we tried painkillers for a couple of weeks but they made no difference. I have had a Feliway plug in going for about a month now and it has made no difference. The only thing the vet suggested was being really firm with her.

She is part siamese and very demanding but I don't mind. She goes around the place meowing and I don't know what she wants! Wouldn't it be good if we could speak cat. I have tried giving her lots of attention, giving her space, she has lots of toys etc.

I will try the rescue remedy and perhaps take her back to the vets. Maybe she is just like this. She is very dependent on me, doesn't like anyone else at all but at times is really loving. I agree about just passing the problem onto someone else and it would break my heart to rehome her.


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## raggie doll (Sep 16, 2011)

Well you never though these things might help!
Is she alone a big part of the day?


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

Sorry to ask again ,but you havnt answered,is she neutered.


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## Chewie39 (Jul 24, 2011)

Charlongo said:


> She is very dependent on me, doesn't like anyone else at all but at times is really loving. I agree about just passing the problem onto someone else and it would break my heart to rehome her.


Have you considered a cat behaviourist? Once you have ruled out anything veterinary of course? The reason I ask is that I've just finished reading several of Vicky Hall's books - she writes about a lot of overly dependent cats who become agressive as well as lots of strategies for solving the problems.


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

I found a behaviour therapist very helpful with Meeko.She came to the house and observed his behaviour for an hour ,and then she sat and worked through a plan to help to address his problems.Probably the best £80 I have spent.She was able to see the triggers and could talk me through methods to avoid or react to them.If you do decide to go down this route,ask your vet to recommend one.


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## ChinaBlue (Feb 3, 2008)

Would agree with Buffie - a therapist could help ascertain the triggers.

Have you tried, whenever she starts being overly aggressive, getting up immediately, turning your back and walking out on her - not giving her any eye contact etc? If she is very dependent on you doing this may help her realise that *YOU* are in charge and not her and by walking out you are signalling that you are not prepared to give her the attention to try to pacify her etc.


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## raggie doll (Sep 16, 2011)

i agree with buffi and CB there i find with my loopy who gets aggressive when he gets away with too much i immediately get up and act as if he is not in the room he gets annoyed and then behaves so well


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## Charlongo (Dec 12, 2011)

Sorry, yes she is neutered.

I have read Vicky Hall's books as well and have tried her methods. Nothing seems to be working. I am more concerned now that she is fed up and I can't help her.


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

Charlongo said:


> Sorry, yes she is neutered.
> 
> I have read Vicky Hall's books as well and have tried her methods. Nothing seems to be working. I am more concerned now that she is fed up and I can't help her.


As someone who has been there,believe me ,it needs someone experienced observing how your cat is reacting/responding to situations and also how you are reacting to the cat.While the methods described in books may be correct in certain situations,if you use the wrong method with a specific behaviour problem it could make matters worse and confuse your cat.I was given lots of tried and tested "advice"which was sound advice but was not ever going to help Meeko and was making his behaviour worse.This is where a one to one with a behaviour expert is invaluable.


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## Jiskefet (May 15, 2011)

How have things proceeded from here?
My first idea is that, if there is nothing physically wrong with her, she may be bored... or just very dominant.
Has she been spayed, is she indoor or outdoor?
If she is an indoor cat, and alone for much of the day, I would suggest a playmate, but if she is indeed that dominant, she may not accept another cat. Your best shot would be a male kitten, as young as possible (12 to 16 weeks, if possible).

Try to make your home more interesting by creating an adventure for her. Do you have a cat room, a big cat tree, and lots of possibilities to climb, jump and hide..

Some pics to show you how to make a house more interesting to a bored indoor cat...


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## Chewie39 (Jul 24, 2011)

Wow! Cat paradise 

Reminds me of this book:

The Cats&#39; House: Amazon.co.uk: Bob Walker: Books


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## Jiskefet (May 15, 2011)

I love it!!!
The Cats' House


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## Anca (Aug 27, 2011)

ChinaBlue said:


> Would agree with Buffie - a therapist could help ascertain the triggers.
> 
> Have you tried, whenever she starts being overly aggressive, getting up immediately, turning your back and walking out on her - not giving her any eye contact etc? If she is very dependent on you doing this may help her realise that *YOU* are in charge and not her and by walking out you are signalling that you are not prepared to give her the attention to try to pacify her etc.


My "tiger" was aggressive to me at times and to my son, without being provoked (never with my husband, I still don't know how he did that), in spite of the fact we never played with him using our hands, we didn't force him into nothing etc. The only thing that worked for us was to predend we didn't see him, didn't touch him, as if he didn't exist. He is now crazy about everybody's attention and affection and would not bite anyone, also very friendly to visitors.

I read somewhere that certain cats like to climb in trees and other higher places, and if they don't have the opportunity, they can develop aggression. Maybe Jiskefet's ideas will solve the problem of your cat? Those cat trees look fantastic (I feel like climbing up there myself )


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## Charlongo (Dec 12, 2011)

Just thought I would update you on how things are with my cat.

I have been using Pet Rescue Remedy and Bach Flower Remedy Calm Down from Boots (put behind her ears, not fed to her) and she has been somewhat calmer and more content. She has been playing quite a lot too. We had one incident last night when she was sat on my lap and I was stroking her and she just bit and scratched me out of the blue. I think she got fed up with me stroking her (I usually spot the signs when this is going to happen). Also I had been handling fish risotto so maybe this confused her!

There seem to be a lot of posts about cat aggression at the moment. Perhaps with the weather being bad cats are staying in more and getting frustrated. Also with people being stressed out in the run up to Christmas this may be affecting them.

Anyway thanks for everyones help. Things arent 100% right but Im not so desperate now and she seems happier. I still love her to bits!


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