How can I stop by cat being a thug?

[fairyfuckwings]

We adopted a 4 year old tom cat a year ago. He'd only just been castrated at the time.

He's just so vicious. He's very big and has quite a lot of battle scars which should have been a bit of a red flag but for some reason he was the one we all wanted so we took him home.

He seems to quite like living with us and the kids love him but he just hasn't warmed to us at all. We can't pick him up or stroke him really as he's just too violent. He attacks my other older tom cat so I've had to separate them. Also attacked the vet twice.

He terrorises the neighbourhood cats too. My neighbour told me he's been regularly attacking her two cats and actually drawing blood.

I've thought about a felliway defused but won't that only calm him whilst he's in the home? Also he's caused probably about a thousand pounds worth of damage in the home - shredded carpet, sofa and chairs. He won't use the scratching post at all.

I'd hoped he'd calm down over time but it's been a year now and he's still exactly the same. He walks round with his hackles up - seems to have the fur on his spine permanently stood up. He will come and rub himself against us but if I stroke him he'll scratch.

They do mellow though. Usually.

I have a scrapper too and he is also a tuxedo type, he attacked a neighbours rottie once for coming to close to him, poor dog could smell bbq and didnt see him so he ninja'd him on the side-twice.
My boy is small enough for a Tom but doesn't care about the size of his targets. I wonder is it a genetic thing?

We had a thug cat who would chase dogs away from our gate, jump in the fridge as soon as it was opened, attack my mother for chicken and sit on top of you drooling and putting and refuse to move.

One time he tried to steal a whole roast chicken, misjudged the jump and slid off the work top smashing his jaw.

We just have him respect - and a wide berth. He would disappear fir weeks on the summer.

We were kind of glad when he died -at the age of 14 - as he was a malevolent presence. The dog was terrified of him.

Any way you cat sounds like he needs lots of time to settle down. He will mellow but it just takes time and bonding.

We regularly stock up on Feliway for our 15 year old rescue boy. We know when it's running out as he gets agitated and bitey. We play with Da Bird too and he loves it - he seems to need to burn off energy. Amazon has best prices.

We can't stop him going through next doors cat flap and intimidating their cat though - he's very territorial. Here he is relaxing in his radiator bed.

Haha, the dangly mouse looks a bit out of place next to his thuggish face.

Loving all the pics of big gorgeous cats!
OP, a couple of other things you could try are a laser pointer and a forage ball. The laser pointer is really good for them to chase although it does feel a bit mean because they can never ever "catch" the red dot. Just take care not to point it at anyone's eyes. The forage balls are good for cats who like to hunt & get bored easily; you put some dry food in it & the cat has to roll it around until the food falls out.

Just an anecdote for you. I had an old girl cat who had been mine from kittenhood. I am ashamed to say I left her alone too much when she was small & she was not well socialised, quite bitey/savage in fact. When I met my DH he took it upon himself to "tame" her and he managed it! She was never the most cuddly of cats but we were able to stroke her back rather than just head, and she didn't savage my hands all the time. I think like you I had assumed she wanted to be left alone, but in fact she seemed desperate for play & more affection. I'm so glad DH realised this as she had a much nicer life with us after that.

MCat loves his laser pointer. He does this pathetic, girly miaow when I pick it up.

When he gets tired from playing with it, he rolls around on his back and flirts with it.

I swear he thinks it's a fairy.