(Usually) lovely cat attacking at night!

[Violet4522]

Any advice please
Our lovely 2 year old cat (he’s a moggie - tabby but apparently his mum was 1/2 Bengal) is absolutely lovely 99% of the time, cuddly, sleeps on the bed with us, a real lap cat. But he has this strange habit of attacking me (and me only) in a really specific situation

He has a cat flap and comes & goes as he pleases more or less but is in a routine where he tends to come in around 10:30-11pm (the cat flap is open so he could stay out longer if he wanted to).
Every single time he comes in, we are already upstairs in bed and everything’s turned off downstairs and I happen to be passing him at the bottom of the stairs (e.g to get a drink of water, check door is locked etc) he suddenly goes into attack mode - and I mean vicious attack! He’s drawn blood on my arm several times, and in fact last week he chased me up the stairs and jumped so high to attack me he managed to draw blood on my chin! He is in full dilated pupil/ears back mode. Then quite often if I manage to escape upstairs he’s back in cuddle mode immediately! (Although I normally shut him out at this point as it’s unnerving)

it’s so frightening and upsetting when it happens

any advice as to why / what we do about it?
There is never any other occasion that he does this

Thank you in advance xx

Is it dark when you pass at the bottom of the stairs? Do you speak to him? I read somewhere ages ago that cats identify us by our voices rather than by sight. Could he think you're an intruder until he realises it's you (when it's too late)?

Our newly adopted 3 year old cat has a habit of doing this. Always in the evening- seems to go a bit mad and our normally affectionate and friendly cat turns into a vicious attack animal! I think it is related to his evening need to be out hunting so we encourage him to leave the house and just get “it” out of his system. Sometimes if he has come in after having caught something then he is also a hit wired and it takes him a few mins to calm back down again.

so maybe your cat is coming in from his hunting phase and hasn’t quite switched out of attack mode? I can only suggest you are either out of his way at that time or maybe do what the previous poster said and calm him with your voice to help switch his mood back to friendly?

It sounds like you're scaring him.

Can you put the light on when you pass him and talk to him?

Hi guys! Thank you for your replies much appreciated. The light is usually on as I approach him, however sometimes where hes come from is dark if that makes sense so maybe it’s that adjustment. I’ve even had a couple of occasions where I happen to be looking out of the front door, see him in the street, call him, he comes running in then as soon as I get to the foot of the stairs he attacks, what is it with the stairs!
will try talking more so he recognises my voice x

If it only happens in one place, and only with you, I'd be wondering if he's perhaps had a bad experience? Have you ever accidentally scared him or trodden on him on the stairs maybe?

One of mine is a bit of a nervous nelly and he likes to attack from next to the fridge or by the back door - never does it anywhere else! I just assume those areas a flashpoint for him for some reason.

Yes Temporary Cat does this too and he's also allegedly 1/4 Bengal. He does it when you stop brushing him - he loves a brush and meows madly when he sees it being picked up, but it overstimulates him I think. If I don't move away asap he really attacks and goes for my forearm. I've learnt to read the body language signs now and know how to avoid it.

He also used to do it at night just after we'd gone to bed & turned the light out, would pounce on any exposed arm or even my head, but being swiftly evicted into the lounge a few times stopped it. He hates sleeping alone!

Not sure that helps your problem though.