My cat is bullying me!

[EngeldinkHumpabert]

My cat is nearly a year old and I have had him for a few months. He's a beautiful silver tabby (neutered) tom and generally he's gorgeous and daft and everything a cat should be.

But on an evening when he comes over for a sit and a stroke, he'll only sit for so long before he suddenly goes all mad-eyed and flat-eared and will launch himself at one of my arms. Even if he isn't sat with me, he will come into the room specifically, it would seem, to have a fight with my arm!

I know cats play quite roughly with each other and can bite each other quite robustly as they have tough skin but this is proper, full on attack mode. Claws in, hanging on, teeth sunk, back legs doing the scrabbly, scratchy thing (does anyone know what I mean?)

I usually have to grab him by the scruff with the other hand and really pull him off me. Then he becomes all lovey and creepy like he's sorry. But then he does the same thing again. How can I stop him doing it? Is there a way or have I just acquired a Psycho HellBeast from Hades? My left arm is covered in puncture marks from teeth and I'm bored of it now! Will I have to resort to wearing chainmail gauntlets or wrapping carpet round my arms for the next 15 years?

TIA for any suggestions or tales of similar behaviour that they 'just grew out of'!

Badger, is yours a grey tabby? If so then I think we need to do some tests to determine genetic linkage

I recognise the mad sessions in the evening. I have three cats, and they regularly kick off mid-evening. I would agree that some pre-emptive energy burning might help - mine love any of those dangly things on a stick that they can chase and leap about with.

If you do find yourself with your cat clamped to your arm, kicking, biting etc, the best thing to do is let your arm go completely limp and cat will probably lose interest and let go fairly swiftly. Trying to peel them off or fight back tends to make things worse, much worse!!

One of mine ambushes my toes under the duvet - I've had some nasty scratches. Another one sits beside DH at night and grooms his hair....

My pils used to have a black cat that did that. My fil used to sit with one arm along the arm of his armchair, and the cat used to go for him. Fil got fed up, and 'peppered' the sleeve of his jumper. The cat launched himself as per usual, got about 6 inches away, and got a noseful of pepper. He then twisted round and left him in peace.

My boy does this to me too, the same arm every time! He loves attacking toes as well- he's not fussy about who's they are.

I've noticed since he's been castrated and has been going out it's happening less. He's now allowed to have the run of the house at night now he's stopped attacking me in bed. He snuggles up now and goes to sleep.

He's a toilet watcher too. Actually any water running and he'll be there. He likes to watch me shower and walks along the edge of the bath if I'm bathing. He's fallen in twice!

Mind's also a sacredy cat and hasn't gone much further than the back garden yet. He had his first kill last night a huge spider!

Mine love the feathers on a stick thing too we got through about 1 every two months

We also have a bird, is a small bird toy thingie that vibrates when moved, they love it vicious little buggers. they have one eachit also squeeeeeks.

I hate it but it helps with the mad dash thing on wet days