Aggressive behaviour

[Lesley Frankie]

Hello everyone, since I last posted, Basil has mellowed a little bit and will allow me to stroke him more. Recently we decided to try him and Oliver outside as they have been indoors since October. We used a harness and lead first just to get them used to where we are. Ollie is fine but Baz is terrified to be outside - we were with them all of the time but he rushed back inside as soon as the door opened - he was only a foot away from the door. The next day, we tried again, this time out the front door but when Baz heared the sound of footsteps on the gravel, he totally freaked out. I honestly don't mind if he is an indoor cat but I wanted to let him have the opportunity to go outside if he wants. The poor little guy must have had some really bad experiences when he was on the streets. Funnily enough though, he is not scared of people as he always comes to meet visitors to the house and tends to walk all over them! He is quite nervous about noises and sudden movements though. Never mind, I love him to bits and I'm so glad that he's with us, despite the teeth marks on my hands 

[ginge66]

Hi Rosella, we have been thinking of getting another cat one thats `normal` in the hope that it would show Leo and Lawrence that we`re not monsters really. Of course there is always the risk that they would turn the other cat to their way of thinking and we could end up with three scardey cats W hat ever we decide it wont be for a few months yet as we want to give these pair more time to come round.

Sorry if I have hijacked your thread Rumletum.

Andrea aka ginge66.

[Rosella moggy]

..... we can only stroke them when foods involved and any attempt otherwise results in them shying away from us It has been a very slow process although when I think back to how they were when we first had them things have improved. Like you I just wonder if we will ever get things any better and just long for the day when we can stroke them without them shying away from us and hope in time they will learn to trust us.

Billy Whiz was exactly like this for many many months but having another cat that loved being stroked, helped to bring him out of his shell.  Also completely ignoring him whilst grooming the other.  He now (18 months later) loves being stroked and groomed on his terms at his pleasure, usually 3am unfortuantely    Patience..... and another puddy 

[blackcat]

no. it is definitely not personal, just a maladjusted cat who will come round in time. With patience and sensitivity to cat body language (in you as well as in the cat) you will do just fine. 

[Lesley Frankie]

Basil does not strike out at any other time than when he is being petted and as he is usually lying down, it's not as bad as being ambushed! Since I posed this question, I feel a bit less worried and am not taking it so personally.  He's really a sweet guy who just needs more time I think. Anyway, I have been giving him lots of strokes but stop as soon as I think he's had enough.

[ginge66]

Hi Rumletum,

I read your post with interest, we also adopted two cats three months ago with a similar history. They were living wild with their mother for the first six weeks of their lives so had no interaction with humans. They were captured and spent the next ten months or so in a very nice cattery but with limited human contact. The result is that the hissing and spitting has now stopped but we can only stroke them when foods involved and any attempt otherwise results in them shying away from us It has been a very slow process although when I think back to how they were when we first had them things have improved. Like you I just wonder if we will ever get things any better and just long for the day when we can stroke them without them shying away from us and hope in time they will learn to trust us.

[Millys Mum]

Does he have a fav toy you can use after stroking him so he associates contact with something nice? Dont think food would be good incase he decides to start attacking for it!

[blackcat]

yep - always the best way, and getting down to his level in a non-threatening way always helps. Try a bit of ribbon, you can twirl it along the ground without engaging in any sudden movements...

[Lesley Frankie]

Thanks Blackcat and Christine, The scratching only happens as a result of my stroking him so it's with his front paws. Anyway, I think that he just needs more time to get used to us and to trust us. I will bear in mind the eye contact bit ( I should have thought of that myself!). I'll just let him set the pace and hope for the best. He does purr when we pet him so it can't be that bad for him.

[Christine (Blip)]

  to Purrs, Rumpletum

If poor little Basil was in a rescue between six and twelve months old, having been abandoned in some way, then I reckon you are already doing well after only three months.

Basil did not know that you, as humans, could be trusted so it will be a long slow process.  Spend time just sitting on the floor (at his level), reading a book or listening to music.  Do not try to force the pace, just let him come to you as and when he wants.  Play soothing music (choral music works for our cat Blip, you will soon find out what soothes Basil) and avoid eye contact or picking him up.  You could also play with a catnip mouse in a casual sort of way to encourage interaction.

If Basil chooses to come to you, then he will eventually lose his fear of other decent people (but will probably always be a good judge: our cat Blip is).

Keep us posted.

[blackcat]

looking at each other is a bit like saying 'right, you wanna fight, I'll give you a fight' which, given that he has your hand in his mouth is possibly not quite the message you want to be sending right then. Try averting your eyes at the same time as you are going ouch (these are all submission signals) so that he does not have an incentive to hang on. You can assert your superiority (if indeed this exists in the cat/slave relationship) some other way when he does not have your skin held to ransom. The scratching is a bit tricker. But if he comes up to you to scratch (is it front or hind legs?) then you may have to resort to other options. If it is the front legs that he is scratching iwth the tangle-towel routine may work - drape a towel over the vulnerable bits and let him get tangled up. If the hind legs, then the same limp=hand approach should get results albeit at the cost of a few gallons of blood and layers of skin  . (not laughing at you BTW, but at the things we put ourselves through when we adopt cats ...)

[Lesley Frankie]

Thank you, Blackcat, yes, I do sometimes leave my hand there, in his mouth!Then we sit and look at eachother while I tell him how dopey he is! The biting is not so bad because it's not that hard, it's the scratching that hurts.

[blackcat]

Hi Rumbletum and welcome to Purrs!! I think you have hit the nail on the head about him not learning good manners as a kitten, but a lot of cats will bite or scratch when they have had enough of stroking. Also, if the stroking is focussed on the lower back it can sometimes remind them of sexual stimulation and the resultant reactions to that (a queen will bite a tom when he withdraws cos it hurts).

When any of mine do that sort of thing (not that the present brood do, but there have been many) I tend to leave my hand where they have it and say ouch in a pained and reproachful way. Not move the hand at all. If you can stand the pain, after a few seconds they stop biting hard and ease back, then look at you curiously. If you try to move your hand, they may have another grab, but if you repeat the ouch word, slowly you can get your hand back with the minimum of pain. Repeat whenever he does it and eventually he will stop altogether (except when really excited and he forgets himself of course  )

[Lesley Frankie]

We adopted Basil from a rescue place 3 months ago. He is about 1 year old and had been at the shelter for nearly 6 months after being found at a camp site. He seems to be settled in with us however, he becomes quite aggressive when we try to pet him. After a very short time, he bites and/or scratches. I have assumed that he was not socialised as a kitten. In addition, he backs away when we approach him although whenever someone comes into the house and sits down, Basil will always approach them. I would like to help him get more relaxed around us, does anyone have any ideas ? At the moment, we are just petting him when we can and stop immediately he shows signs of impatience, usually by swishing his tail. I hate having to warn visitors not to touch him because he is a lovely looking cat so everyone is drawn to him, plus of course I would love to be able to have a better relationship with him.Do you think that in time, he will improve?