Daily Kitten Chat Forum » General Chat

1. 

   So, everything was wonderful last night, Mr. K was home and our happy little family was back together. George was ecstatic to have his favorite hooman back. I was looking forward to a decent night's sleep. At bedtime, George came up on the bed and was getting 4-handed scritches from me and Mr. K and purring up a storm. All was right in the world.

   Not long after we turned off the lights, I had to get up and make a bathroom run. George came out of nowhere and started attacking my bare legs (as I was sitting on the john, so there was only so much I could do to fend him off). When I got up and tried to get past him he jumped up with his claws out; my hands and arms are covered in bad scratches. Luckily, Mr. K heard the commotion, he came out of the bedroom and George immediately ran off.

   What the **** did I do, ,and how do I prevent it from happening again? He frequently comes at me when I'm in the bathroom (closing the door just pisses him off).

   Help, please.

   Posted 1 year ago by Kilroy #

2. 

   OMG, that sounds like Sammy before Oliver came to us. He would be-devil me by attacking my legs. Like I was his prey or something. Now Oliver gets his attention but he doesn't get attacked. Maybe George was so deep in sleep he thought you were prey too. Maybe cat-sleep-walking? I don't know Kilroy. ((Kilroy}}

   One thing I used to do was keep a big stuffed bear nearby and then I would put that between us to get to the kitchen or where-ever.

   Posted 1 year ago by SammyandOliversmama #

3. 

   (((Kilroy))) I wish I had some words of wisdom for you. I am so sorry George attacks you like that. There has to be a trigger for him to attack like that...something that sets him off. Maybe a smell or item of clothing...who knows. I am at a loss of any advice, maybe keeping a small water squirter in the bathroom and when he comes at you squirt him.

   Posted 1 year ago by cricketsmama #

4. 

   Water squirter is a great idea, CM. Thanks for that. I did that too but forgot! ;)

   Posted 1 year ago by SammyandOliversmama #

5. 

   We have the water bottle, but it never seems to be where I need it when I need it. I had actually taken a comforter with me to use as a shield; it was on the floor at the bathroom door, and he immediately started trying to climb over it, climb up the door frame, etc. I described him once as being like the Terminator when he gets like this, he's totally focused on getting at me and nothing distracts him (except Mr. K, thank goodness). I felt bad, though, for waking Mr. K up, plus I was really bloody and shaking like a leaf. Stupid cat went away and curled up and went to sleep like nothing happened.

   Posted 1 year ago by Kilroy #

6. 

   Maybe he got wound up with Mr. K home and all that petting. Some kitties get sensory overload and biting/clawing is a release. I might recommend keeping George's claws clipped to he doesn't give such lacerations..

   Posted 1 year ago by Siobhan #

7. 

   So sorry that happened to you Kilroy :( Would a sharp noise like rattling coins in a can distract him enough for him to stop, or try to keep a small water bottle in the bathroom nearby so you can use it. For some unknown reason he has an aggression towards the bathroom or so it seems, and who knows at times what may go thru a kitty's mind then. Have you ever tried 'hissing' at him when he gets like this? I remember when he was really small the way he would come after you and not Mr. K.

   Posted 1 year ago by AZDEBRA 5/27 & crew #

8. 

   I get so scared when he does this, I completely forget what I'm supposed to do, like hissing at him. I tried scruffing him once and he just turned his head and bit me on the hand.

   When I just went to take a shower, he came into the bathroom and got up on his back legs, pawing at the shower enclosure and yowling. Good thing we have glass shower doors now instead of a curtain!

   He was so good while Mr. K was away, he was sitting with me on the couch and sleeping on the bed with me, and I was so happy.

   Posted 1 year ago by Kilroy #

9. 

   I like SOM's idea of a big stuffed animal.
   Leela was so happy to see her daddy come home last night, she chased after me and tagged each ankle with each step! She loves her mama, and usually follows me around and hangs out with me, but the evening I was alone, she went downstairs and yowled, presumably looking for daddy.
   George, please stop attacking mama - that hurts!

   Posted 1 year ago by JoanfromNewJersey #

10. 

    He's yowling his head off this morning (Mr. K is out playing tennis) and when I just put my coat on the table, he leaped up at it and pulled it down on the floor. I've tried playing with him, giving him treats, petting him, but I can't calm him down.

    Posted 1 year ago by Kilroy #

11. 

    Oh No, Kilroy....that IS unsettling! I like the idea of the spray water bottle or rattling coins, but you'd have to almost carry them with you! It almost seems like something set him off for sure, something isn't right in his world, he thinks...Feliway to calm him down, perhaps? {{{KILROY}}}

    Posted 1 year ago by katthays #

12. 

    When George attacks your legs like that, do the natural thing:

    YELL LOUDLY and no matter what you are doing, stand up quickly and raise your arms.

    He will never do it again. And neither did Rotley.

    Posted 1 year ago by Emma #

13. 

    LOL @ Emma!

    Posted 1 year ago by SammyandOliversmama #

14. 

    Rotley did it three times. The first two times I tried to gently discourage him.

    The third time (and yes, I was on the toilet when he attacked) I threw my arms in the air and SCREAMED.

    Found him under my bed 5 minutes later. He was rightfully upset and very unwilling to look at me.

    Rotley has NEVER felt the need to do that again.

    And, come to think of it, neither have I.

    Posted 1 year ago by Emma #

15. 

    LOL, Emma! Well, it just might do the trick for George :))

    Posted 1 year ago by katthays #

16. 

    I've tried yelling, scruffing, squirting. Anytime I try to physically intimidate him he just looks at me like "who do you think you're kidding, lady?". He hadn't scratched me like this for a long time, so I thought maybe we were past it. I couldn't yell at him last night, I was trying not to wake up Mr. K.

    Sorry, I know I sound like I'm whining. I love my cat and I want him to love me, instead of just putting up with me if his favorite person's not around.

    I'm hoping 8 hours of just him and Mr. K will help him settle down.

    Posted 1 year ago by Kilroy #

17. 

    I'm sorry Kilroy. I hope George calms down and lets you love him.

    Posted 1 year ago by HuddysMama #

18. 

    Thanks, HM.

    Posted 1 year ago by Kilroy #

19. 

    ((Kilroy)) I'm so sorry.... I know it's terribly frustrating for you.

    Posted 1 year ago by 2 Popoki #

20. 

    Wow Kilroy, I've used the squirt bottle method & catnip dose to calm Crockey down...he too likes to invite himself in the bathrm! Hope wildkit George gets it under control soon!

    Posted 1 year ago by jeankit #

21. 

    Bad, Bad George!!!! Kilroy, I can only think that it had something to do with George being excited at having Mr. K home. Could he think you're responsible for Mr. K having been gone? Who knows what lurks in the minds of cats.....

    Posted 1 year ago by WillowandWindismom #

22. 

    {{Kilroy}} {{George}}
    I thought I was the only one going through kitty hell in the past few months! In January right after my husband left after being home for 2 weeks, Oreo attacked Onyx. I was getting ready to go out of town myself, so I gave the petsitter instructions to keep them separated. After I came home, they seemed to have forgotten their quarrel and I got them back together again. That lasted about a month when it started again. This time Oreo jumped on me in her frenzy...I don't know any other word for it and I got badly scratched while trying to get Onyx to safety. I took Oreo to the vet and she seemed to think they would be separated forever. So far they have been, Oreo lives in the den and Onyx lives mostly in our bedroom and at night has roaming privileges to the living room. Trooper (our dog) has had to be separated from her and now Onyx too for several years, so he stays in my stepsons room. It sounds complicated and it is less than ideal, but it has been livable.
    On the advice of the vet I did get a Feliway diffuser which is to calm stressed out cats. I think a lot of Oreo's' problem came from my husband coming and going every couple weeks, then capped off with seeing me pack the day after he left! In George's case he might have thought you were all his, this your husband came home! Try the Feliway,it might help. If you go to a vet they'll charge about $50 for one (but you get it right away),but I have since found them and refills for about half price on both Ebay and Amazon.

    Posted 1 year ago by MaryLynnVa #

23. 

    I think I might try the Feliway, although I wonder about any effects since he's not stressed out/aggressive all the time, just sometimes. I don't want to "overmedicate" him, even if it's not really a drug.

    Hope he calms down, Mr. K and I are headed out of town again on Wednesday for 4 nights.

    Posted 1 year ago by Kilroy #

24. 

    Kilroy, I use the Feliway diffusers to try and help Windi not be so stressed. If we're going on a trip, I plug them in about a week before we go. And if there's something unusually stressful about to take place in Windi Land, I plug them in. Also, three times a week I put four drops of Bach's Rescue Remedy for Pets on her food. I think that it has helped her. She's still nervous but not quite as bad. I get both of them from Amazon.

    Posted 1 year ago by WillowandWindismom #

25. 

    The thing is, George is normally a remarkably mellow cat (apart from his morning spazz out play sessions). Every cat sitter we've had has said what a good, sweet kitty he is, so he's not freaked out by having strangers around. I guess I just don't want to try to change him if the problem is with me (now, how to change me is a whole different can of worms).

    Thank you, everybody, for all the suggestions and support. I love this group.

    Posted 1 year ago by Kilroy #

26. 

    This is so perplexing. You clearly aren't the aggressor, so he's not doing this because he is feeling like he's being attacked. I have to think it is a dominance thing. The only trigger I can think of in this situation is the fact that Mr. K is back after an absence. Maybe George feels like he has to re-establish the pecking order in your household. I know he's attacked you on a regular basis when he was much younger and that you've expressed some fear of him (completely understandable!). He may have concluded that he is higher on the social hierarchy than you. Somehow, George needs to understand that he is NOT above you on the social hierarchy. I'm not sure how that could be done.

    Could there be an organic problem with his kitty brain that sets him into attack mode for no reason?

    As a minor fix, what would you think of getting a set of Soft Paws for the tips of his claws? At least those pointy ends wouldn't be able to cause you so much damage.

    {{{{Kilroy}}}

    Posted 1 year ago by Kitten Whisperer #

27. 

    I think he definitely thinks the pecking order in our household goes like this: Mr. K >>> George >>> me. I let him intimidate me from the beginning because I didn't want to get bitten/clawed, and now he thinks he's the boss.

    I don't think it's a physical problem, because like I said, he only does this with me.

    Posted 1 year ago by Kilroy #

28. 

    Oh boy Kilroy....Shame on you George! It's a tough thing sometimes trying to get into a cat's head. I really believe it's nothing you've done to warrant the attacks as much as whatever is the true underlying reason, George feels you're his safest candidate to relay his discomfort or displeasure. He registers his female servant as being best able to read and correct his problem perhaps. Could he possibly be developing a UTI? Sometimes UTI's can provoke any number of behavioral problems. I'd try the Feliway diffuser and consider packing a holster at all times with a water pistol at hand! *just kidding* Have you considered getting George a playpal to keep him company since you and hubby do travel from time to time? {{{Kilroy}}} {{{George}}}

    Posted 1 year ago by Karenopa #

29. 

    He might be getting a playmate he never bargained for - our complex has approved ownership of dogs up to 80 lbs, which means Mr. K could get the bulldog he desperately wants. We've only talked about it in a joking kind of way so far, but it could happen.

    Posted 1 year ago by Kilroy #

30. 

    Well, the pecking order can be changed. That is something you would need to initiate. I have no idea how that could be done although watching cats establish dominance is instructive. Hissing at him, standing up over him, growling at him, scruffing him, pinning him to the floor by the scruff/neck until he stops attacking are negative conditioning things that dominant cats do. (Goodness, sounds like you might want one of those police dog full body padded suits to do this.) Not retreating or showing fear would be very important. Giving treats when you have a positive interaction would probably be a good positive conditioning technique.

    When he actually launches into a full on attack, if he can be corralled into a room to settle down by himself, he might get over his aggression.

    I would not hesitate to use Feliway or Bach's Rescue Remedy to get him to a state where things that might otherwise trigger a display of dominance don't set him off. You can't go through life with George getting bloodied by him at random times.

    Posted 1 year ago by Kitten Whisperer #

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