Brady

Question
Hi my name is Jessica. I just adopted a new cat he is a year old and he was doing great when I first brought him home, the only problem was that he was very sick. So of course I knew that it would be a while before I would see his real personality. When I adopted him the animal shelter told me that he was brought in as a stray, but the funny thing was that he had been neutered in the past 4 to 6 months. It has been 4 weeks sense I have brought him home and he has gotten over his cold really well but now his personality has come out and he isn't always that friendly. He acts very strange, one min he will be purring and looking for affection and once you start to pet him he scratches you or makes a growling sound and run under the bed. He doesn't like to be held at all. When I pick him up he will grab a hold of my head with his claws and bit me. I just don't know what to do. I think that he might have been neglected in a past home. Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

Answer
Hi Jessica,

Thanks for taking in this little guy when he needed a home and someone to care for him.  You're probably right that he was neglected or abused in his former home, or he may have at least seen violence that made him fearful of people.  The reaction he is giving to your attention is a fear reaction, he isn't sure if you mean to harm him or not.  I know it seems strange since you took care of him so well but he may have a very deep seated wariness of people and he may even have a bit of a feral background which can be genetic.  The best thing you can do is let him come to you--if he doesn't want to be picked up don't pick him up, let him jump up on you.  If he tries to scratch or bite you when you try to pet him immediately put him down on the floor with a sharp "no" but don't swat or otherwise hit him.  Just a stern "no."  Eventually he will learn to trust you but you'll have to be patient.  And you may find that you are the only person in your household that he will come to, shy cats often learn to trust one person and one person only.