Aggressive cat question

[dabuddha]

We have 2 cats currently (1 male 1 female). They're going to be turning 5 this July. Over the last year or so, the female cat has suddenly become aggressive. She's attacked my wife a few times now (never me for some reason). Most of the times it happens when she gets startled. But few times it's out of the blue (like this morning. She started stalking my wife and clawed her feet).

I have an appointment with a vet later this week but does anyone have any ideas/suggestions about how to deal with this? I really don't want to get rid of her but this behavior is completely unacceptable.

 

[zebano]

She's asserting her stance of dominance over the lesser female.

 

[TwiceOver]

Declaw.

 

[adairusmc]

Sounds like it needs the wall bounce treatment.

I bet she will quit that crap real quick if she starts to associate her attitude with high velocity contact with drywall from the same foot she stalked and clawed.

 

[dabuddha]

Originally posted by: TwiceOver
Declaw.

Yeah that was the other option :/ Not really a fan of it but the aggressive behavior has to stop. Anyone have any experience with softpaws or products similar to that?

 

[dabuddha]

Originally posted by: adairusmc
Sounds like it needs the wall bounce treatment.

I bet she will quit that crap real quick if she starts to associate her attitude with high velocity contact with drywall from the same foot she stalked and clawed.

lol

I have smacked her on the top of her head and yelled at her. She's already a timid cat to begin with so it's just weird that she's become aggressive out of the blue.

 

[AntiFreze]

Originally posted by: TwiceOver
Declaw.

declawing is actually an amputation of the last digit. It affects the cats overall psychology since it can no longer protect itself or hunt if needed. It is also extremely painful for a cat, which you may argue that your cat didnt show signs of pain, but cats are one of the most bull headed animals. They will not show pain unless they are on their death bed.

Lots of Europe have made it illegal and I know many vets that refuse to do it. This isn't the answer. If you dont like a cat with claws, then you dont deserve to have a cat.

 

[AntiFreze]

Originally posted by: dabuddha

Originally posted by: adairusmc
Sounds like it needs the wall bounce treatment.

I bet she will quit that crap real quick if she starts to associate her attitude with high velocity contact with drywall from the same foot she stalked and clawed.

lol

I have smacked her on the top of her head and yelled at her. She's already a timid cat to begin with so it's just weird that she's become aggressive out of the blue.

/sigh

seriously? you hit a cat? cats arent dogs. You can't beat a cat when its bad. It will not associate the two together. Maybe you should just give your cat up for adoption.

 

[dabuddha]

Originally posted by: AntiFreze

Originally posted by: dabuddha

Originally posted by: adairusmc
Sounds like it needs the wall bounce treatment.

I bet she will quit that crap real quick if she starts to associate her attitude with high velocity contact with drywall from the same foot she stalked and clawed.

lol

I have smacked her on the top of her head and yelled at her. She's already a timid cat to begin with so it's just weird that she's become aggressive out of the blue.

/sigh

seriously? you hit a cat? cats arent dogs. You can't beat a cat when its bad. It will not associate the two together. Maybe you should just give your cat up for adoption.

Sorry but I'm not about to hire a cat psychologist to analyze my cat's feelings. She attacked my wife and the cat had to be shown that it is not acceptable. And the cat will associate the two if the smacks happen immediately.

 

[Linflas]

Originally posted by: AntiFreze

Originally posted by: dabuddha

Originally posted by: adairusmc
Sounds like it needs the wall bounce treatment.

I bet she will quit that crap real quick if she starts to associate her attitude with high velocity contact with drywall from the same foot she stalked and clawed.

lol

I have smacked her on the top of her head and yelled at her. She's already a timid cat to begin with so it's just weird that she's become aggressive out of the blue.

/sigh

seriously? you hit a cat? cats arent dogs. You can't beat a cat when its bad. It will not associate the two together. Maybe you should just give your cat up for adoption.

Actually beating any animal isn't going to lead to positive behavior. Cats will respond to a simple tap on the nose much better than hitting them on the head.

 

[amdhunter]

Originally posted by: Linflas

Originally posted by: AntiFreze

Originally posted by: dabuddha

Originally posted by: adairusmc
Sounds like it needs the wall bounce treatment.

I bet she will quit that crap real quick if she starts to associate her attitude with high velocity contact with drywall from the same foot she stalked and clawed.

lol

I have smacked her on the top of her head and yelled at her. She's already a timid cat to begin with so it's just weird that she's become aggressive out of the blue.

/sigh

seriously? you hit a cat? cats arent dogs. You can't beat a cat when its bad. It will not associate the two together. Maybe you should just give your cat up for adoption.

Actually beating any animal isn't going to lead to positive behavior. Cats will respond to a simple tap on the nose much better than hitting them on the head.

They might? But it's just not as fun.

 

[AntiFreze]

Originally posted by: amdhunter

Originally posted by: Linflas

Originally posted by: AntiFreze

Originally posted by: dabuddha

Originally posted by: adairusmc
Sounds like it needs the wall bounce treatment.

I bet she will quit that crap real quick if she starts to associate her attitude with high velocity contact with drywall from the same foot she stalked and clawed.

lol

I have smacked her on the top of her head and yelled at her. She's already a timid cat to begin with so it's just weird that she's become aggressive out of the blue.

/sigh

seriously? you hit a cat? cats arent dogs. You can't beat a cat when its bad. It will not associate the two together. Maybe you should just give your cat up for adoption.

Actually beating any animal isn't going to lead to positive behavior. Cats will respond to a simple tap on the nose much better than hitting them on the head.

They might? But it's just not as fun.

DIAF

 

[DrawninwarD]

Hit your cat with a Falcon Punch. It will never bother you or your wife again.

 

[dabuddha]

Originally posted by: DrawninwarD
Hit your cat with a Falcon Punch. It will never bother you or your wife again.

lol had to google that.

 

[geno]

That cat question wasn't at all aggressive. Use more bold, caps and excalamation points next time.

 

[Phoenix86]

There's some pretty good advice here: http://www.ehow.com/how_2110411_dominate-a-cat.html

I was specifically looking for something they called "Kitten Grip" *insert kung-fu sound* in step 6.

 

[MrMatt]

Originally posted by: zebano
She's asserting her stance of dominance over the lesser female.

Yup. Your wife just moved down the hierarchy. Sorry, you're married to the beta-female in the house.

 

[waffleironhead]

Originally posted by: TwiceOver
Declaw.

Turns them into biters.~

Better to solve the cause of the problem, rather than the symptom.

 

[PepePeru]

the best way to punish a cat is when it does something you don't approve of (cattack your feet), tell it "no" in a firm voice and put it in a room by itself for a while.
they hate that.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Any changes in environment? Are there some animals coming around at night and sitting outside the windows/patio doors...especially other cats? Is your wife wearing new/weird, fuzzy shoes that smell like tuna?

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

I know a dogs behavior can change if it gets a brain tumor. My in-laws cocker spaniel started going crazy for like a year. That all ended with dump truck tire vs dog.

 

[geno]

Originally posted by: G Wizard
the best way to punish a cat is when it does something you don't approve of (cattack your feet), tell it "no" in a firm voice and put it in a room by itself for a while.
they hate that.

That's exactly how a mommy cat punishes a kitten in the wild.

 

[racolvin]

Originally posted by: AntiFreze

declawing is actually an amputation of the last digit. It affects the cats overall psychology since it can no longer protect itself or hunt if needed. It is also extremely painful for a cat, which you may argue that your cat didnt show signs of pain, but cats are one of the most bull headed animals. They will not show pain unless they are on their death bed.

Lots of Europe have made it illegal and I know many vets that refuse to do it. This isn't the answer. If you dont like a cat with claws, then you dont deserve to have a cat.

*cough*
Bullshit
*cough*

I love my cats (I had two that were with me for 20yrs). I take full responsibility for them, provide them loving homes, they never want for anything (spoiled rotten more like), and they get all their vet checkups, shots, annual teeth cleaning, etc. A cat couldn't ask for a better home BUT ... they WILL get declawed.

Since you're not actually a cat and you're not Dr. Doolittle, you don't really know how painful it is or how much it affects their lives, so you know precisely squat. If the cost for a long, healthy, loving life is their front claws, I find that an acceptable bargain compared to the alternative of a short life outdoors, euthanized as a stray, or spending their lives in a shelter. If you could ask a cat whether it would trade its front claws for a cushy indoor life versus getting hit by cars, attacked by dogs or racoons, drinking anti-freeze, getting shot at by cat-hating neighbors or cruel children, I think you might be surprised at the answer.

 

[bignateyk]

Originally posted by: G Wizard
the best way to punish a cat is when it does something you don't approve of (cattack your feet), tell it "no" in a firm voice and put it in a room with the neighbors rottweiler.
they hate that.

TFTFY

 

[Gooberlx2]

Originally posted by: racolvin

Originally posted by: AntiFreze

declawing is actually an amputation of the last digit. It affects the cats overall psychology since it can no longer protect itself or hunt if needed. It is also extremely painful for a cat, which you may argue that your cat didnt show signs of pain, but cats are one of the most bull headed animals. They will not show pain unless they are on their death bed.

Lots of Europe have made it illegal and I know many vets that refuse to do it. This isn't the answer. If you dont like a cat with claws, then you dont deserve to have a cat.

*cough*
Bullshit
*cough*

I love my cats (I had two that were with me for 20yrs). I take full responsibility for them, provide them loving homes, they never want for anything (spoiled rotten more like), and they get all their vet checkups, shots, annual teeth cleaning, etc. A cat couldn't ask for a better home BUT ... they WILL get declawed.

Since you're not actually a cat and you're not Dr. Doolittle, you don't really know how painful it is or how much it affects their lives, so you know precisely squat. If the cost for a long, healthy, loving life is their front claws, I find that an acceptable bargain compared to the alternative of a short life outdoors, euthanized as a stray, or spending their lives in a shelter. If you could ask a cat whether it would trade its front claws for a cushy indoor life versus getting hit by cars, attacked by dogs or racoons, drinking anti-freeze, getting shot at by cat-hating neighbors or cruel children, I think you might be surprised at the answer.

This.

All 3 of my cats are no worse for being declawed. They run, play and climb on shit no less than they did before. For that matter, every declawed cat I've ever met has been a happy cat. Of course, they typically live in households that love them and can afford to care for them.

Psychologically, my cats don't even realize they don't have claws.