How long to give a biting/scratching rescue cat to settle?

[scaredyrescuecat]

We got a 3yr old rescue cat a week ago. The shelter wasn't sure how he'd be with young children but he responded well when he met us all, so we happily took him home.

After a day or so of staying in hiding, he has been venturing out and we've slowly introduced him to the rest of the house. Everyone has been very gentle with him, although inevitably my pre-schooler and 5yr old have been a little noisier than is ideal for a new pet (but nothing extreme). Feliway sprayed about the place and plenty of quiet hidey places for the cat.

However, although generally affectionate, the cat has now and again lashed out with scratching and biting. There doesn't seem to be any warning for this and it has been when he has been seemingly happily interacting.

Obviously it takes some time to settle a rescue cat, but we are concerned about the children getting hurt, and so were looking for views on how long it is sensible to persevere if this potentially isn't the right home for the cat.
Any thoughts gratefully received! (We are novice cat owners)

It took our 6month old rescue cat about a year to stop biting us. She had been very badly treated by her previous owner and was on high alert all the time as she was so frightened.

We had to be very quiet and calm around her, always let her come to us and even then not stroke her, just sit very quietly next to her. If there was any sudden movement, even someone just standing up, she would bolt behind the sofa and hide.

Six years on she is a very calm, affectionate cat who will happily sit on anyones knee but it has been a long process for her to settle down.

I think in your situation I would almost ignore the cat. By that I mean, don't approach him and even if he approaches you, just let him be there quietly. Only stroke him if he nuzzles your hand and then only stroke him once or twice. He will calm down and as he is 3 it will probably happen a lot quicker than it did for us as he is an adult cat.

Do you think your DC would be able to 'ignore' him for a few months? It is definitely worth the effort as it is lovely to see a scared rescue cat gain confidence and settle into a happy home.

Do you or the rescue know any of his history?

I agree with PP on the 'ignoring him' bit. You said 'and it has been when he has been seemingly happily interacting' which is a bit of a giveaway. Even with my own old boy, I usually let him make most of the running and I've known him for donkey's years. (He's become generally much more social since he came to me and while I can't say that's as a result, it's certainly happened.)

You know that he has 'sensitivities' and if you can get the DC to leave him alone physically all the time for a bit, that's the way I'd go. (It will feel bad to you I know but it will make him feel surprisingly good.)

Lots of verbal communication is still good by the way so the family may be able to make do with that: it seems to be the physical stuff that makes them edgy.

It took at least 6 months for ours to stop. We learned the warning signs and backed off, taught the DCs the same.

Thanks all, it's good to know it can turn around, and that's really helpful advice.

We have already been ignoring him since the last bite/scratch attack - not difficult as he's disappeared somewhere for the moment! The DC don't seem too bothered about this. I think they'll be happy just helping do the food for the time being and they already know cats like to be left alone when eating.

We only know that he was previously in a home with an autistic child but don't know whether (and if so, how) that had any bearing on his rehoming. I assume so, from the fact of it being mentioned, but who knows.

We just have the feliway spray at the moment, are the plug-ins better?

With ours it was usually while we were seemingly happily interacting too, it seems there's a fine line and it's very easy to overstep it. With ours she was happy to have her back stroke but if your hand strayed round her side a bit too far she would lash out. The usual warning sign was her tail starting to swish, or flick at the tip.

Plug ins might be better and you might also try playing with him using "fishing rod" type toys which keeps physical contact to a minimum but allows him to associate you with play/fun? I've heard the Flying Frenzy is good. And yes to ignoring him and letting him gain confidence in approaching you.

we have a tom cat at YCR that is friendly but he des the bite thing when he gets over stimulated, and the therapy we are applying to him involves sitting next to him with dreamies, if he lets us stroke him a few times without biting he gets a dreamie, if he goes in for the bite we blow on his face, this does not hurt but stops him in his tracks, then we go back to if hes ok he gets a dreamie and cats learn quite quickly what is acceptable and whats not

That's interesting, issey - so thanks. Is it just a straightforward puff of air from the lips and does it have to be in the front of the face?

just blowing over his face hard enough so he feels it dosent have to be full face on

Does he scratch? Or just bite?

Biting without (intentionally, sometimes they catch you) scratching I can tolerate, as usually it's play or dominance, and is unlikely to actually hurt or draw blood.

Full on scratching, claws out, would worry me more as blood letting is likely, and if they catch your face or eye there could be real damage.

But yy, he's very new. I seem to get bitey cats- my first settled down about 5 as he matured (would hide and randomly bite your leg as you went past)- co-inciding with a house move and a better territory with fewer cats. New kitten also bites, but in the same manner you see kittens playing with each other. Neither really hurt or draw blood, so I ignore and they should grow out of it.

The blowing in the face sends ours into full on attack mode! So be careful with that.

Also reacting- withdrawing and making a noise/squeaking, can trigger their prey drive- it feels nice on their teeth. So biting is best dealt with by ignoring, and just gently removing the cat if they start chewing...

I would suggest a nice tall cat tree (full ceiling if possible) to allow your cat somewhere high he can sit out of reach. Also the plug in diffusers are far better.

Ignoring is important, even if he sits on you lap, a lot of cats get petting-induced aggression where the stimulation of being petted can overexcite the cat and cause them to attack the hand.

My rescue Mitzi does this and comes for love and slowly gets worked up, clawing, biting and bunny kicking my hand. Eventually you learn the cats body language and know when to stop.

He's only bitten me, and definitely only in a warning way, but DH has a really nasty scratch on his arm where the cat jumped up at him - hence being particularly worried about young children.

I've hissed gently at him the last couple of times he's bitten and he seems to be thinking better of it now (although really limited interaction at the moment, keeping it to feeding and putting him in the kitchen at night). I was a bit nervous of getting close enough to blow in his face.

Oh, and I tried the fishing rod with fluffy bit on the end and he ignored it disdainfully and walked off. He doesn't really seem like he wants to play at all. Bit of a grumpy bugger really!

He'll still be 'en garde' at the moment; he's really been with you nobbut a moment and it's a big thing with some cats to give their heart over and relax. (And who knows what his past experiences have been with humans? Maybe not entirely positive?)

I would really get the whole family to ignore him physically and go about their normal business. (Lots of voice communications are a good idea eg calling him for his food and assigning key words to a few things - apart from anything else, it will enable him to place you in the house so that he's prepared for people in certain places.)

It might feel as if you're almost 'snubbing' him because people instinctively want to stroke animals but believe me, he'll probably enjoy it as long as the adults give him a reasonable routine to follow. (Cats seem to love routine.) The day when he asks to come onto your lap will be a great one.

We have a similar cat. She was bullied and physically abused by young children in her previous home. She is a lot better than she used to be, but I still do not let children near her as she is one of those cats that tends to attack when frightened.

We also ensure she has a bolt hole away from noise (top of a cupboard or in a wardrobe) so she can feel safe.

We've had her for 10 years.