My 8-year old son is generally difficult, but has worsened in his behavior over the summer. He generally doesn't listen. One of the most distressing things is that he has taken to chasing the cats when he is bored. The younger cat tolerates his rather rough cuddles, but the older cat actively avoids him and freezes when he picks her up. He holds them in an uncomfortable way and runs after them, but doesn't do more than that. Asking him to be gentler, begging him to stop has had little effect.
Do I need to take my son to a psychologist? I have thought about getting rid of the cats, but thought it would be better to correct his behavior. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.