Question:
Hi -
(Sorry this is kind of long, but I want to give as much background as I can)
I've had my little Lando for a year now, and he's always been a wonderful and affectionate cat. He did have a history of aggression with other cats (he was a foundling who didn't do well with the other cats at my cousins' house), but has been doing very well in our one-cat household.
Lately, he's had periods of sudden and serious aggression. I think that he's been stressed - my husband took a new job that has a very erratic schedule, and we've just gotten new furniture, so his surroundings have changed.
I've always tried to be sensitive to Lando's moods and stop whatever I'm doing when I see warning sings of grumpiness or overstimulation, and in the past, at worst he would get a little upset and stop immediately when I backed off.
Now, however, he just goes from 0-60 with few or no warning signs. One second he's purring and rubbing, and the next he's sitting up, ears back and eyes wide, and then he'll pounce at me, swatting my head and has even almost bitten my face. I've tried backing away as soon as the first sign happens, breaking eye contact, and adopting a submissive posture, but I can't seem to find a way to defuse him before he lunges at me, strikes, and runs away. I tried a firm "NO" once but I think that only frightened him more. I just feel so bad because he seems so terrified (twice now before he's struck, he's given the most pitiful meow I've ever heard.) I also don't want to be afraid of my little fuzzy sweetie, and I don't want him afraid of me.
Literally minutes after he's attacked like this, he'll come back, purring and climbing all over me, bunting and nuzzling and crying to be picked up and cuddled. The psycho kitty episodes usually only happen one time a day, and not every day.
I have identified (and am trying to stop) some of the things that seem to trigger him, like overhandling or making him feel confined. My question is what, if anything, I can do to keep him from lunging if he does get agitated. As I said, backing away doesn't seem to help - he'll chase me - and I'd rather not have to take a hit every time this happens. So far I've been lucky and only had a few minor scratches, but you never know. My primary concern is my relationship with the kitty.
He's meowing and bunting for my attention even as I type.
Again, sorry for the length. Any insight would be appreciated!
Answer:
A sudden behavior change always requires a vet exam to make sure there is no source of pain or any other physical cause for the problem.
If the vet doesn't find anything, then you probably have a case of overstimulation aggression or possibly play aggression; these article describe them and what you can do to relieve them:
http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=overstimulationpettingrelatedaggression
http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=playaggression
Cheers,
Dr. Jean
Jean Hofve, DVM
www.littlebigcat.com
www.spiritessence.com
Boulder, Colorado
Answer:
Reading your post freaks me out! I have only had Mi' Mi' a short time now and she is starting to act this way. She has evil eyes.
1 second rubbing and nuzzling my hand the next second biting the sh*&
out of me. It stinks!
Answer:
ya, those evil eyes Mellie does that sometimes. she gives the evil eye to the new cat. it's the funniest thing: after I adopted my kitties, I found that they really do all the crazy things you see in cartoons. now I know that those cartoons aren't made up...they're taken from real life! I even saw one of my cats prancing sideways across the floor on his tippy-tippy toes, back arched and tail up, just like in the cartoons.
Tim