My cat attacked me and I don't know what to do

[poppet31]

For background, my cat is 7 and came to us at about 1 from a rescue centre. She had been found as a stray with a maggot infested wound (probably from a cat fight.) From day 1, she has been difficult with us. Used to bite and was generally quite unimaginable. We put her on feliway and it seemed to help. She has never been particularly affectionate, but calmed down a lot over the years. However she has always hated other cats, to the point where she will throw herself at the glass and howl if she sees a cat out the window. We only have cats in the garden very occasionally and she is a housecat (does go in back garden on lead) so it wasn't too much of an issue.

That was until our next door neighbour got a cat six months ago. This cat will not leave us alone and is in our garden every day. We have tried everything to keep her out but nothing has worked and our cat is getting more and more distressed and aggressive. Tonight, after seeing the cat in the garden, she attacked me. I understand about redirected aggression, but this seemed more than that. She looked me straight in the eye, paused and then went for me. I was about 5 feet away, standing still talking on the phone. She has clawed at my leg and drew blood in three places. I managed to quickly get out the room as she lunged to try and attack me again. My worry is, we have a 3 year old and I don't know if I can trust her around him now. I love her to bits and the last thing I want to do is have her put to sleep, but I'm worried that's what it may come to as she is becoming increasingly aggressive. Has anyone encountered something similar? Going to ring the vet tomorrow to see if perhaps putting her on some sort of sedative might be an option. Apologies for the long post but I am feeling pretty distraught tonight. Any advice welcome.

I have a female that is very territorial and aggressive to intruders, and that's not just my personal opinion. But even so they don't tend to physically fight to the extent males do, it's far more focused on the posturing beforehand and the chasing than fur flying. And females normally have a far smaller territory range than toms, so fewer encounters.

Mine can also take it out on a nearby human when she's angry, and the only solution is avoiding the triggers. And first aid skills. Your cats trigger is simple enough to solve, either let her out or prevent other cats coming on her territory.

She would kill a cat if she got out and saw one.

No, she really wouldn't.

She's probably jealous of the other cat being in her garden when she's not.

Just let her out and I bet you see an improvement straight away. Surely that's better than her attacking you or your child?

Window film/pull curtains/put blinds down at night. Changed the permanently nocturnal (and probably quite stressed) DTwatCat from a hyperalert sentry from twilight to dawn and then sleeping all day into a lazy bastard who is awake and happy through the day (with naps) and then takes himself off to bed at 10.30pm until I get up in the morning.

It sounds like she is desperate to mark her territory.
I would be worried with a three year old in the house though.
I love cats but they can be vicious.

One option you haven't tried is letting her out! She may have tolerated being a housecat until a few months ago, but she doesn't appear to be very happy living as one now. I doubt you'll be able to deter this other cat from your garden, but your cat might if let to stake out your garden as her territory. She might fight with this other cat, she might tolerate it, she might even enjoy its company, but it is extremely unlikely that she will kill it.

I can see how window film would work but do you really not want her to be able to look out the window as well as not go out?

It would be great if she could have an enclosed outdoor area.

My dozy Persian decided to defend her garden from another cat. It ended with an access, a punctured eyeball and a £750 vets bill! Don't encourage her to see off the other cat!

But what if it's the 3 year old on the receiving end?
Cats are notorious for roaming wherever they fancy. The neighbours cat will see OP's garden as it's territory, while her cat goes slowly bonkers watching it happen through the window.

I saw a great documentary once that explained cats can occupy the same territory, they just all had different time slots. Fascinating stuff.

Yes I saw that one too @AppleJane it was interesting!

She is currently a danger to your child and you are afraid putting her down may be an option. But you won't consider letting her out to mark her territory/ mate.
Surely an attempt at letting her out is worth a try? She sounds desperate

I'd keep your three year old separate from your cat until you feel you have found a solution. Don't just hope it will be ok or think it probably won't happen - it could be really serious.

do you really not want her to be able to look out the window as well as not go out?

I know, how bloody miserable for the poor thing

I can never understand having a house cat, especially when it was a stray and lived entirely outdoors. We had one, it didn't work, she was aggressive because she wanted to be outside.

Cats don't fight to the death as if a cat is hurt and losing it will back off and go home. Your cat can see another cat stealing its territory and can not attack the other cat to chase it away and so is taking its frustration out on you. If you let your cat come and go as it pleases with a catflap it would be happier and less frustated and so less aggressive.

I'm having similar problems with a visiting cat.

I've taken him out on his extending lead and let him chase the other cat away which is helping.

I don't know if frosted glass is the answer since they can smell the other cat.

Have you tried the water bottles at boarders deterant. It sounds crazy but my dad has done it and it works for him

This probably sounds gross, but I would take your cat's used litter and sprinkle it along the edges of your property to mark out her territory. It might help put the other cat off.

We have full height windows and used window film up to the height the cat can reach. We thought it might look weird but it's fine.

Also get a motion activated water sprinkler cat deterrent. Something like this

www.amazon.co.uk/Defenders-Jet-Spray-Protector-Motion-Activated-Repellent/dp/B01DACLHT2?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

All this angst when the poor cat just wants to go out. No wonder he’s getting aggressive, and your option is to put him down?!? Awful to read this post. If you won’t let him out then regime him to someone who will.

Rehome

This is the cat proofing we have in our garden www.secur-a-cat.com/ it's really quick to put up, depending on the size of your garden

It's not just about keeping your cat in but keeping other cats out. Our cat is similar to yours though perhaps not as extreme, she's aggressive to other cats and it wouldn't be safe to let her out. If she sees cats through tiny gaps in our fence she hurls herself at the fence in an attempt to get at them! This does at least give her a cat free space she can occupy.

I can't quite believe the amount of people who are telling you just to let your house cat of 6 years outside to 'defend' its garden. How irresponsible!
Then again, I have worked in a vets and the amount of cats that were scraped off the road and brought in us has probably put me firmly in the "indoor" pen!

I can't quite believe the amount of people who are telling you just to let your house cat of 6 years outside to 'defend' its garden. How irresponsible!

If it had been a house cat from a kitten maybe so, it wouldn't have known any better.
But it was a stray before that so has been outside before and knows what it's missing.

Bloody hell we've been in lockdown for a few weeks and we're all going stir crazy wanting to get out and about.

Imagine how the poor cat feels being stuck in the house for years. No wonder she's getting frustrated

One of my cats was a stray - if he had to stay in he would attack us too probably. I can never understand how people can be so cruel. Cats do not usually ‘kill’ other cats. A big scrap perhaps. OP, indeed, you are considering killing your cat for his behaviour in not letting him defend his turf. Hypocritical much?

It depends, a cat can choose to be a house cat, our cat turned into a real lapcat and really friendly even through the stray shelter we got her from stated that she would probably never be friendly, she wouldn't go near anyone for a year but completely changed. She would not go out even in back garden and didn't seem to miss if. Is the aggression nervousness or boredom? Only your vet will know and there's still a debate about wether cats should be allowed out at night but our other cat would not stay in, also a stray and would be out most of the day and night. That sounds really difficult, I hope you find a solution, has your cat wanted to go out before?