Question
Mr. Simon
Hello. In August of '08 I adopted a 2- to 3-year-old, neutered male cat with very similar features to an Ocicat. He's very loving and has a wonderful disposition. When we first got him, however, he would attack me if I was holding him, petting, him, scratching him and I needed to get up and put him down. If I gently pushed him off my lap he'd stand up on hind legs and lunge at me with ears back and attack me ferociously. It would really scare me, not to mention hurt. I'd have to use a pillow to protect myself. And I'd tell him NO. He'd fight back with me. As time went on he's stopped that behavior and knows when his scratching session is over. This week we went away for a few days. When I came home Simon jumped on my lap in his usual manner in the morning. And without my even pushing him off my lap, he gently grabbed my hand and then ferociously attacked it sinking his teeth in. I chased him into his cat room and swatted his nose telling him NO. Then tonight he was meowing at me, telling me he wanted his dinner. I was busy at that moment. So he jumps onto a counter and flies in mid air onto my arm and holds on digging his claws in. I was shocked. And I can only assume he was trying to get my attention because he wanted to eat at that very moment. My husband came running in and swatted him with a towel. Simon hissed, growled, and puffed is hair out. I've never seen him do somthing like this. Have I created a monster here? 98 percent of the time he's the most loving, self confident, wonderful boy. Could it be he's mad at us for being gone and no one was paying attention to him? His aggressive behavior worries me very much. There are three other men in our family, my husband and two sons, and Simon will only act like this to me. How do I handle this behavior?
Thank you very much for your time.
Jen Schroeder
AnswerHi Jen. Sorry to hear he's giving you such trouble! I think it's very possible that the stress of your trip could have triggered these outbursts. It's unlikely that cats think in terms of revenge, but they can become aggressive when unnerved. I hope that, as things return to normal, his behavior will calm down.
You may want to try a product called Feliway to help reduce anxiety, in case this is stress-related. I use the plug-in diffusers in my own home at all times to help reduce aggression. You can learn more at www.feliway.com. The products are available through many websites and pet stores.
Also, a flower essence could be a good idea. I like Spirit Essences, formulated by a well-respected holistic vet and an animal behaviorist. See www.spiritessences.com. Simon may benefit from the Grouch Remedy. However, you may want to send an email and see if he could be further helped by some other formulas. Dr. Hofve has always gotten back to me personally and been very helpful.
Finally, you should probably consider consulting a veterinary behaviorist when aggression is this severe. They can help you pinpoint the root cause of his behavior and offer you exercises to help modify his behavior. Additionally, a veterinarian will be able to provide you with a medication to curb aggression if necessary. There are many choices. Some vets may prescribe a few days' worth of a mild sedative, while others recommend an antidepressant be given for several weeks to several months.
I hope his behavior improves shortly!
Jessica
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