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

Original poster

2 year old cat turned nasty

14 replies

AlwaysNapTime · 17/12/2021 22:00

Hi all, desperate for help with my mums cat.
He's a beautiful cat and has lovely, affectionate moments. My mum adores him but she's becoming terrified of him.
Every time she walks by him or goes to stroke him he attacks her. He was like this before he was neutered and going out but once he was done and had some freedom he seemed to settle. Just recently he's gone back to being very nasty. Tonight he's bit my mums leg and it was so deep, blood everywhere! She's covered in bite marks and bruises. He's bitten me a few times and my god can he bite!
I intend on getting him in the vets to make sure there are no hidden injuries or health issues. Can anyone give me advice on things we can do to turn this around?
He's well fed, loved, showed affection when he allows it, can come and go as he pleases, has plenty of toys and is played with.

OP posts:
Pixiedust1234 · 17/12/2021 22:08

If there is no medical reason for the attacks then its highly likely another cat is coming into your garden. If your cat is inside then make sure it cant see out of the windows and use a plug in like feliway(?) which can calm cats down. Its called redirected aggression.

Original poster
AlwaysNapTime · 17/12/2021 22:17

I was thinking of buying her a feliway to try. There is another cat coming through the cat flap and eating his food. He never bothers or shows aggression to the cat but I will suggest she locks it and let's him in through the door. I'll also suggest she moves the cat tree away from the window.

OP posts:
RandomMess · 17/12/2021 22:19

Ask her to get a microchip cat flap no more intruders!

Brusca · 17/12/2021 23:00

The other cat might mean he's on high alert.

Definitely see the vet, and switch for a microchip flap.

And in the meantime try to break the habit, so if you know his trigger points, eg being walked past, always have a few dreamies at hand and give him one every time you're about to go past or do any of the things that trigger him. Put them in a tub so you can shake them so he knows to expect them and he'll be focused on his treat instead of in defensive mode.

Want2beme · 18/12/2021 00:44

He's probably feeling threatened by the intruder or something else. Does your mum have contact with another animal that leaves a scent on her legs? He might be hungry a lot of the time? Does he have access to food all day? A vet check is a good idea. Ask the vet to check his teeth thoroughly, in case of bad gums & teeth.

BobbieT1999 · 18/12/2021 00:46

Good advice here and if you go for feliway don't just get one, plug them in all over the place!

Original poster
AlwaysNapTime · 18/12/2021 03:48

Want2beme
No contact with other animals unless she comes to mine, which is rare, we always go there. He has biscuits down all day. Very fussy about his wet food but does eat a lot of it, probably too much! He's due his annual health check/vaccines but they're pushing everything routine back 3 months so will make a separate appointment for him as soon as they can get him in.

OP posts:
silentpool · 18/12/2021 04:36

It's a bit late age-wise but cats do go through a weird adolescent stage. Google it and see if it might be that. Mine is acting really oddly but after I googled that, I thought, Ah ok.

icedcoffees · 18/12/2021 06:48

You need a microchip cat flap - it's very normal for cats to be bothered by intruders - especially if one is coming into his house and eating his food!

Pixiedust1234 · 18/12/2021 11:10

@AlwaysNapTime

I was thinking of buying her a feliway to try. There is another cat coming through the cat flap and eating his food. He never bothers or shows aggression to the cat but I will suggest she locks it and let's him in through the door. I'll also suggest she moves the cat tree away from the window.
Ahhhhh, that is the reason why. Your cat is being threatened by having his territory (home) and food taken over by a more dominant cat. Take immediate steps to stop it. Also tell your mother not to touch her cat unless she has tutted him and he's actually looked at her as he could still be "in the defensive zone". This is very manageable but does involve being on the ball for a couple of weeks. Good luck!

As a side note, make sure its an owned cat and not a stray Flowers

lilmishap · 18/12/2021 11:20

My cat became quite ill as a result of an intruder, I didn't know he was being forced to share his food as the other shittytom cat was coming in the middle of the night.

We spent lots of money on blood tests and things as he just kept losing weight and attacking everything in the house/yowling and weeing everywhere (he is done)

Caught the other bastard in my house at the beginning of the year. Once I'd stopped him coming in it took a month or so for my boy to settle once I'd got the right cat flap but he's back to full weight and being lovely again.

lilmishap · 18/12/2021 11:22

My cat didn't seem bothered by the intruder either, it's common if the other cat is more dominant for the resident cat to just let them eat undisturbed.

But he will be bothered

Taoneusa · 18/12/2021 11:40

He thinks you have got another cat. ie The intruder!

Basically he thinks he is being minimised and gaslit, if you can imagine that!

Original poster
AlwaysNapTime · 18/12/2021 11:42

Thank you for all your input. I have 3 cats but only one goes out. We don't have a cat flap he just sits at the window to let us know he's ready to come in so never had a problem with random cats.
I shall read the replies to her and we will do everything suggested.

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