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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Can/should I see about getting my cat to sleep as he keeps attacking people

104 replies

User9988 · 30/08/2017 22:33

Regular lurker, Name changed for this as I am embarrassed.

So I have a cat and he keeps attacking people to the point of I am embarrassed of his behaviour, I have had so many people knock on my door about him complaining.
He's half Bengal he seems to enjoy attacking people, His usual thing is to go up to people act really friendly rubbing himself against them then when they go to pet him he will lash out and attack them. (To be honest sometimes he will just attack anyway but that's his usual thing he does)
He's really menacing the way he does it, leads people into thinking he wants a pet and attention and I'm at the end of my tether with him. I have tried rehoming shelters but they are all booked up and tbh he is not rehomable as he is just too spiteful, he is 6 years old. he attacked a little girl today and it made me so cross and embarrassed.
He's attacked my friends son before too and my kids won't go near him because he's so vicious.
Any advice I would be greatful for. What can/should I do?

OP posts:
Original poster
User9988 · 30/08/2017 23:28

Hence why I am seeking help, If it would be as easy to keep him in then of course I would.

OP posts:
Broken11Girl · 30/08/2017 23:29

Second gamer, watch My Cat from Hell with Jackson Galaxy, watch every episode. It's online.
He's probably bored. Does he have toys? Scratching posts? High places to go?

Original poster
User9988 · 30/08/2017 23:29

Oh and I can't build a run my garden is tiny and we live in rented accommodation.

OP posts:
GardenGeek · 30/08/2017 23:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Rhootintootinboo · 30/08/2017 23:30

Cats are cats. We have one who is exactly as you describe. It's just her personality and no behaviourist will change that (unless the cat is reacting to pain but I would've thought the vet visit would be enough to rule out). Please don't have the poor creature put down for instinctive behaviour. There will be a place ideally suited. Like our house. We just put up with/ manage the situation. We chose to accommodate her so we live with her quirks (and bites and scratches).

Original poster
User9988 · 30/08/2017 23:31

No he has plenty of countryside down the road I definately can't see how he would be bored he doesn't really come in the house an awful lot he just eats and leaves.

OP posts:
GardenGeek · 30/08/2017 23:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CoteDAzur · 30/08/2017 23:32

"He loves to be outdoors he won't even come in at night. He's an explorer not an indoor cat at all"

In that case, put him in a car, take him far away, and free him in nature.

Surely that's better than killing him.

Original poster
User9988 · 30/08/2017 23:32

I haven't gardengeek never heard of it might try if I can keep him in the house long enough.

OP posts:
DJBaggySmalls · 30/08/2017 23:33

In that case contact the breed rescue and ask them to help rehome him. Put a sign on your door warning people not to pet the cat when they come in. Cats dont like being stroked anyway.

DJBaggySmalls · 30/08/2017 23:34

Animal abandonment is illegal. Pet animals rarely cope in the wild and they have an adverse effect on native wildlife.

Dairymilkmuncher · 30/08/2017 23:34

Hi I'm not an expert but I have a cat and have binge watched a lot of the cats from hell.

As people have mentioned you need to try feliway, your vet will have a version of it in but you can get good deals off amazon too I've seen how well it works with ours the stuff is magic.

You said you're scared to interact with the cat but badly behaved cats do usually need that attention to be attacking and playing with mice on strings etc rather than real people. Get gardening gloves if you're scared!

Hope things look up soon

Original poster
User9988 · 30/08/2017 23:35

Thanks anyone who has been helpful and anyone who have shared their experiences!
I will take it all on board!

OP posts:
GardenGeek · 30/08/2017 23:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Wolfiefan · 30/08/2017 23:37

Is he neutered? One of mine will go from cuddling to biting. It's not vicious. It's like she gets over stimulated. If I watch I can see it coming.
Why on earth you paid for a half Bengal when in rented accommodation and without properly researching breed traits? No. I can't work it out.

Ontheboardwalk · 30/08/2017 23:38

What play clawing does your husband do with the cat?

You shouldn't be encouraging to play attack people only toys

GardenGeek · 30/08/2017 23:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TormundsGingerBeard · 30/08/2017 23:41

He sounds semi-feral if he's rarely in. Might do well rehomed on a farm or smallholding?

RidingWindhorses · 30/08/2017 23:45

Just rehome him if you can't cope with him. He might do well as a farm cat.

PinkMoony · 30/08/2017 23:47

I had this problem. My cat would attack my children in their sleep, bite and scratch them and break their skin. I kept him in an outhouse with a cat flap to outside.

No shelters would take him. I tried to find farms that would have him (he never caught a mouse!) but no luck. I wanted to rehabilitate him so much, I posted on here, watched cat behaviour programmes, talked to the vet, read books, tried all the suggested stuff, got feliway plug ins, loads of toys etc he continued attacking the children (in the house and in the garden) and bit my baby on the face, all these attacks were without provocation, so I had to have him put to sleep. I think he was part feral and just not able to coexist with people 😢😢😢 I still miss him but I had to put the children first

GardenGeek · 30/08/2017 23:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PinkMoony · 30/08/2017 23:48

It's not easy to rehome an aggressive cat, I spent two years ringing round rescue centres and trying to find a farm etc

Olliver27 · 30/08/2017 23:48

The breed rescue may very well be able to help if normal cat rescues can't. Having him put to sleep is extreme for a cat who is just being a cat, but certainly preferable to just freeing him in the wild where he could starve or get injured and die alone in a ditch. Try the feliway which you will get from your vet, redirect aggressive behaviour to toys covered in a catnip spray or the Pet remedy plug in which has fantastic reviews online (I haven't tried it before).

CoteDAzur · 30/08/2017 23:53

"Animal abandonment is illegal"

I doubt if OP will be pursued in a court of law but if the police somehow get wind of this heinous crime Hmm and come knocking on her door, she can always say that the cat ran away.

"Pet animals rarely cope in the wild"

Have you RTFT? This cat will do just fine in the wild.

PeaFaceMcgee · 31/08/2017 00:00

Animal abandonment has been illegal since 1960! It would be highly stressful for a cat to be dumped in the middle of nowhere with no source of refund food. Even if he was a good hunter he wouldn't know where the mouse / rabbit nests were etc.

Op- don't follow Cote's advice - it would be utterly cruel.