My cat is psycho.

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forrestroche

forrestroche

Senior member
Apr 25, 2005
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This female Burmese (surely not pure, but looks it) is very very agressive at times. She is also very affectionate, but when she goes into hunting mode your ankles are in danger anywhere in the house where there is a hole or nook that she can hide in. She especially likes to wait behind a potted plant in the living room and when you enter, BAM! you have another scratch on your ankle.

I have tried scolding, water pistol, kicking her ass (if I can catch her - she always runs like hell as soon as she does it).

My girlfriend says I socialized her to be agressive by playing rough with her. I said, but she's a predator, and if she had siblings, they would do this with her, but it has to be me. If you rough-house with her, she gets all mean, drops her ears, and stalks your hand. She loves playing badass, but was I wrong to raise her this way, or is it her breed?

Pic

If it is my fault, can I fix it?

Other strange behaviours:
Scratches door when you're on the crapper until you open up.
Sits outside shower until I am done (every time)
Tries to milk my armpit - sticks her nose in and acts like she's nursing (and she's almost 2 now)

EDIT: Forgot to mention it seemed to get worse after we had her spade (spaded? spud?) Here's what she did yesterday to my friend: PIC
 
S

Slammy1

Platinum Member
Apr 8, 2003
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It sounds like a dominance issue, actually. Your cat might view you as a sibling, since you treated her as such. When my mom's cat is like that, I hold her on her back and rub her belly. It's really made her more docile towards me though she still tries to dominate strangers/other cats. Also, when "rough housing" with the cat make sure they win some. They can get frustrated and take it to the next level if you dominate them too much.
 
Vic

Vic

Elite Member
Jun 12, 2001
50,422
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Normal behavior. The waiting and pouncing on your ankles is funny. :)

Stop scolding her for these things (and especially stop "kicking her ass"). Start joining in on the play, because that's what it is to her. I'm assuming this is an indoor cat, and they get bored a lot, and never really grow up either.
 
forrestroche

forrestroche

Senior member
Apr 25, 2005
529
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Originally posted by: Slammy1
It sounds like a dominance issue, actually. Your cat might view you as a sibling, since you treated her as such. When my mom's cat is like that, I hold her on her back and rub her belly. It's really made her more docile towards me though she still tries to dominate strangers/other cats. Also, when "rough housing" with the cat make sure they win some. They can get frustrated and take it to the next level if you dominate them too much.
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Thanks, I have noticed sometimes it passes from play attacking (which can be pretty real) to something that is definitely real, like she is PISSED. Then she gets the rear claws into it too and it's hard to get her off.

 
T

TheoPetro

Banned
Nov 30, 2004
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Originally posted by: Vic
Normal behavior. The waiting and pouncing on your ankles is funny. :)

Stop scolding her for these things (and especially stop "kicking her ass"). Start joining in on the play, because that's what it is to her. I'm assuming this is an indoor cat, and they get bored a lot, and never really grow up either.
Click to expand...

please will you take a picture of you hiding behind a house plant attacking your cat as it walks by
 
forrestroche

forrestroche

Senior member
Apr 25, 2005
529
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Originally posted by: Vic
Normal behavior. The waiting and pouncing on your ankles is funny. :)

Stop scolding her for these things (and especially stop "kicking her ass"). Start joining in on the play, because that's what it is to her. I'm assuming this is an indoor cat, and they get bored a lot, and never really grow up either.
Click to expand...

Oh, I play a lot - my girlfriend says that the problem, that I "encourage her" or "get her worked up." I have a long piece of stiff wire with yarn on the end and she goes nuts chasing that until you can hear her weezing - then she lays down with tongue hanging out - I thought only dogs do that.

Yes she is indoor cat. She is bored for sure - she goes off like nuts on a fly or moving shadows, reflected light from my watch - she will chase that all over the house.
 
pontifex

pontifex

Lifer
Dec 5, 2000
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Originally posted by: forrestroche
Originally posted by: Vic
Normal behavior. The waiting and pouncing on your ankles is funny. :)

Stop scolding her for these things (and especially stop "kicking her ass"). Start joining in on the play, because that's what it is to her. I'm assuming this is an indoor cat, and they get bored a lot, and never really grow up either.
Click to expand...

Oh, I play a lot - my girlfriend says that the problem, that I "encourage her" or "get her worked up." I have a long piece of stiff wire with yarn on the end and she goes nuts chasing that until you can hear her weezing - then she lays down with tongue hanging out - I thought only dogs do that.

Yes she is indoor cat. She is bored for sure - she goes off like nuts on a fly or moving shadows, reflected light from my watch - she will chase that all over the house.
Click to expand...

:confused: :laugh:
 
forrestroche

forrestroche

Senior member
Apr 25, 2005
529
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Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
Originally posted by: forrestroche

EDIT: Forgot to mention it seemed to get worse after we had her spade (spaded? spud?) Here's what she did yesterday to my friend: PIC
Click to expand...

good god man...
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JOKE! I thought it would be obvious.

 
MrChad

MrChad

Lifer
Aug 22, 2001
13,507
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Originally posted by: Vic
Normal behavior. The waiting and pouncing on your ankles is funny. :)

Stop scolding her for these things (and especially stop "kicking her ass"). Start joining in on the play, because that's what it is to her. I'm assuming this is an indoor cat, and they get bored a lot, and never really grow up either.
Click to expand...

I agree. We have two cats that sometimes get hyperactive and aggressive. This is a great opportunity to break out some toys and play with them.
 
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imported_Baloo

Golden Member
Feb 2, 2006
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This is not normal behavior for cats, and you people saying it is I hope never adopt any pets. I dealt with this problem with my brothers cat a few years ago. He was a sweet friendly little kitten when I gave it to him, but became a monster in his care. He left him with me when he went on vacation for two weeks once. For the first two days he tried that behavior on me, and each time he did, I put him in a kitty crate and left him there until he whined to come out. On the third day, he stopped the aggressive behavior completely and like he was as a kitten before I gave him to my brother, he was as sweet , friendly and affectionate as can be. Of course, after returning to my brother, he became a monster again.
 
forrestroche

forrestroche

Senior member
Apr 25, 2005
529
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Originally posted by: Baloo
This is not normal behavior for cats, and you people saying it is I hope never adopt any pets.
Click to expand...

So I created the monster?

But I always figured, well, they are predators, they have a hunting instinct (isn't that why they play fight with siblings, to develope hunting skills?

If I just stop playing with her will she turn normal again?

 
EarthwormJim

EarthwormJim

Diamond Member
Oct 15, 2003
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Originally posted by: forrestroche
Originally posted by: Baloo
This is not normal behavior for cats, and you people saying it is I hope never adopt any pets.
Click to expand...

So I created the monster?

But I always figured, well, they are predators, they have a hunting instinct (isn't that why they play fight with siblings, to develope hunting skills?

If I just stop playing with her will she turn normal again?
Click to expand...

They're also supposed to be domesticated. There's nothing wrong with trying to train your cat to act differently.

 
S

Slammy1

Platinum Member
Apr 8, 2003
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I think you just need to separate the behaviors a bit. If a cat tries to rake you, grab its head (it's instinct for the cat to freeze, as it's prey/dominance to grab the prey by the head and rake the claws over the belly). Not hard or painful in any way, just let her know you're the king. If she gets too rough, stop to pet her and if she continues, learn a behavior to teach them they're doing wrong without hurting her (I always "touch nose", cats are very sensitive about that). The cat needs to learn when they're hurting you. They don't mean to be hurtful (well, most don't), they just view it as play. My mom's cats respond to rattling a piece of paper, as my mom) will swat them on their nose (not hurtful, just lightly) when they're being over aggressive.

My sister had a cat that was exactly as you describe, with her it was not allowing the cat to win in play (my sister is of the school that animals are there entirely for our benefit). Poor kitty, I went to visit with her for a few days and the cat fell in love with me. Two days after I left the cat ran away. With cats (and dogs as well) establishing a parental vs a sibling role is the key for an owner. Sorta like the Southpark episode "The Dog Whisperer".
 
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