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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

Help! What’s going on here? (Cat behaviour)

20 replies

Peasbewithyou · 15/11/2020 09:52

Hello, new cat owner here. I’m doing a lot of reading and watching Jackson Galaxy YouTube but wondered if any wise Mnetters would have an idea of what’s going on with dcat.

He is 11 months old, we have had him for just over a month.

Generally things are good (the odd bit of biting in play that I’m discouraging) but occasionally he seems to really want to go for me.

So, this morning I was standing in the kitchen making a cup of tea when he just ran up to me and attacked my legs with tooth and claw. Ears flat. But purring?! I tried to remove him (gently) and said “no” but he just kept coming again and again. It hurt!! I had to pick him up (trying to bite me) and shut him in the utility room (where his food, water and litter tray are) to get him to stop.

I had tried to play with him about 15 mins earlier but he hadn’t been terribly interested. He had recently been fed. He had been outside for a short time (he has just started going outside for short periods).

So WTF is it? Play aggression? But when I tried to play with his favourite feathery toy he didn’t want to! Was it overstimulation from being outside or maybe he smelled a scary cat outside and took it out on me?! We’re the kids being too noisy? They were in the living room and he and I were in the kitchen.

Really puzzled. He wasn’t stalking me and pouncing, it felt like he was attacking me. He has done this a few times now and it’s really unpleasant. I want to provide a home for him where he is happy and we are happy too. I have kids and although he hasn’t done this to them (he only scratched them when playing and it was clearly accidental) I really don’t want to risk it.

Any ideas??

Thank you! And pic for attention because he is cute even if he is a rascal.

Help! What’s going on here? (Cat behaviour)

OP posts:

Original poster

Peasbewithyou · 15/11/2020 10:24

Also, I should have said, if anyone has recommendations for good books / websites / resources for understanding cats please say!

OP posts:

Clarich007 · 15/11/2020 11:50

I'm sorry to hear this Peas.
My cat is like that he suddenly lashes out and scratches and bites only me though, not my husband.Sorry I've no real advice though but it's very unpleasant and it can affect your bond with the cat.It has done with me

Clarich007 · 15/11/2020 11:53

Someone on another thread with a similar problem said maybe shout "ouch" loudly as that is what kittens do when play fighting.They make a noise to startle the other cat.No idea if this is good advice though

SpongeBobJudgeyPants · 15/11/2020 11:59

Has he been neutred {sp}. ?

SockDrawer · 15/11/2020 12:00

You said you tried to play with him and he wasn’t interested - could it be actually that he was scared? And then he can to attack you when you weren’t looking and he had the upper hand?

I have no idea btw but lots of sympathy! I was scared of cats before we got mine as my only experience was with bitey cats!

Original poster

Peasbewithyou · 15/11/2020 12:37

Thank you!

So to answer questions, yes he has been castrated, was done at the beginning of October by RSPCA before we got him.

I don’t think he was scared off the toy because he plays with that toy a lot but it could be that he had been scared of something else and then attacked me after. Although he was purring - do cats purr when they are aggressive? His ears were flat though which I know is a sign of anxiety.

I did say “ow” as I’ve also read that about teaching them that humans are easily hurt so you can’t use claws when playing with them. But this didn’t feel like playing! The way he kept coming for me was quite disconcerting.

When I shut him away I could hear him meowing and throwing himself against the door making it shudder (he is only a little cat so he was really trying to get out). I left him for about 10 mins then I went into the utility room and sat down on the floor to be non threatening and he came up and was purring, rubbing himself on my legs and climbing into my lap. He did try to bite my hand but it was definitely in a more playful way. I just don’t know!

OP posts:

Fluffycloudland77 · 15/11/2020 12:48

Hiss at him.

Clarich007 · 15/11/2020 12:59

Confusing behaviour.
My cat just growls at me if i get into his space ears flat then he lashes out, but it's obvious with him if you se what I mean.I know what's coming !!
Is he healthy ? Just thought could he be in pain

laughoutquiet · 15/11/2020 13:04

Sorry no real advice but cats don't always just purr when they are happy.

He looks lovely x

Prestel · 15/11/2020 14:21

He definitely seems to be trying to tell you something. How long has he been doing this? All the time you've had him or has it just started? If the latter it might be easier to pinpoint what has triggered the behaviour. You say he's just started to go out "for short periods". Is this his choice, to only remain out a short time, or is he being restricted in some way? Being allowed out sometimes but not others, for instance. Or have there been any other recent changes. I'm trying to think of things that may be causing some frustration, basically. If he's been like this all along, though, it may be harder to figure out what it is.

Original poster

Peasbewithyou · 15/11/2020 15:13

Thanks all for commenting!

To answer questions:
So he has done it maybe 4-5 times over the entire course of the time we have had him.

He is now allowed out / in pretty much when he wants although it’s only been a week since I let him out for the first time so I’ve been tending to let him out when I know I can get him back in again - I’m not picking him up and bringing him in or anything, it’s more that it’s going to be a mealtime in an hour or so or I will encourage him with a treat. I haven’t let him stay out all night yet.

He did have a bit of a gunky eye yesterday - like yellowish discharge. I was going to call the vet today but it seems to have disappeared overnight and hasn’t come back so I’m just going to keep an eye on it. But maybe he is not feeling 100%?

OP posts:

Original poster

Peasbewithyou · 15/11/2020 15:14

If he stands by the door and looks out then I open the door though. It’s more than I’m aware when he is out and prefer him to be in overnight. Hope that makes sense!

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TroysMammy · 15/11/2020 15:31

Haribo went through a thankfully short phase of attacking my legs., usually when I turfed him out of the bathroom when I left it too. I had all my houseplants in there to stop him from having a sly chew as I kept the door shut. He would wait for me in the bedroom and really go for me. Unfortunately I was usually bare legged.

For a cat who plays without using his claws the attacking phase was bloody painful.

Fluffycloudland77 · 15/11/2020 15:47

I always wrote this off as play. My cankles got pounced on a few times especially when the weather was bad and he couldn’t get outside much.

Original poster

Peasbewithyou · 15/11/2020 15:56

@TroysMammy @Fluffycloudland77
Can I ask if you did anything to stop it? Or did they grow out of it?

OP posts:

Prestel · 15/11/2020 16:09

If it's something he's been doing since you've had him, there might not be a specific trigger you can identify and change. It may be different things each time. I think doing what you're doing, putting him in the utility where his things are until he calms down, seems like the best approach. Hopefully he'll work out the behaviour isn't getting him what he wants and he'll stop doing it. He's just moved to a new home and now he's allowed out - that's a lot of change, both scary and exciting, in a short amount of time. He may just need a bit of time to feel properly secure. It sounds like you're giving him a lovely, welcoming home, so hopefully he'll settle down.
An additional thought, as he's only just been neutered it's possible he's still got quite a bit of testosterone in his system and that can magnify aggressive behaviours, so that may be a factor too and could improve on its own over the next few months.

Original poster

Peasbewithyou · 15/11/2020 16:16

Thanks @Prestel! I hope you’re right and he stops doing it! I will keep doing what I’m doing. I am reading some cat behaviour books too so hoping that will help

OP posts:

Fluffycloudland77 · 15/11/2020 16:44

He grew out of attacking legs but never grew out of pouncing on my left arm. I think their genuinely astonished it’s not fun for us too.

TroysMammy · 15/11/2020 20:28

Peasbewithyou I hissed at him a few times, as recommended on here, but he grew out of it. He didn't seem to like the word "no" and got quite nasty about it. He's a good cat on the whole but I think he used to do it up until he was about 10 months old, then he went missing for a few days (see my thread from May Haribo is Missing) and he is now the most relaxed, soppy, funny cat I have the pleasure to own (debatable) and love.

Deathraystare · 18/11/2020 16:56

Our old naughty torti girl would attack legs - well, mine! It was not often and really out of the blue. Yet as kids we would dress her in baby dolly clothes and put her in a pram. She was feisty but most of the time completely lovable. In fact, my dad (who did not speak to my mum for a week after she got the cat) was absolutely besotted with her and she with him!

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