[Tungsten]

My girlfriend and I have a 5month old kitten. He is pure white and 100% deaf. He was rescued from the wild when he was only 6 weeks old. His name is Polar. 95% of the time he is a great cat. But when we feed him he will growl at us if we try to pet him. He will also growl at our other cat if she is next to him when he is eating. The two get along great other then that.

What really bothers me is when he gets very aggresive towards us. If we touch his feet or tail he will growl hiss and attack us. If caught by surprise he will usually draw blood from us.

At night all he wants to do is lay next to us and purr, we try and stay clear of petting his tail or feet. But I am worried about the future (kids)

I don't think his tail or feet hurt him seeings he is always busy bighting/chasing one or the other.

He has been to the vet and is in perfect health and has had all his shots.

Thanks
Jeff

 

[Jeanie]

I don't think cats like their front paws touched. Perhaps it's because they protect themselves with them, or tell off a dog or cat who bothers them by giving them a swat. My cats withdraw their paws if I try to "hold paws" with them.

My cats hide when we have little children in the house. However, if you decide to have a baby, this is a problem I would discuss with the vet.

 

[ForJazz]

Well the thing with his food -- lots of animals growl and snap when anyone comes around their food if they have ever experienced starvation. If he was from the wild this could be the explanation. For this, as well as the petting, my advice is to take baby steps. When he's really sleepy and relaxed, make sure he sees your hands. Move them closer to his problem areas, but withdraw as soon as he seems to be upset and just leave him alone. Don't even stay in his area or room -- just leave to show him that you're not a threat -- that is your main goal. Never push him, and try not to catch him by surprise. Reward him (maybe a treat with verbal praise and petting where he does like it) each time he lets you get close without attacking. Don't push it too far at once -- a little bit at a time. Once he is okay with your hands close to the problem areas, try moving a little closer. Maybe just barely touch the tail or paw. Again, reward him every time he doesn't show signs of agression. Move up with these steps no matter how long it takes if you really want him to become okay with it. I don't know if there is better advice for this, but it worked with my cat like a charm. Your cat's trust in you is very important. I think your cat is trainable, and just needs time like any cat who had a rough start.

My cat was also afraid of children and babies, but after a few weeks of being around one while supervised so that the child didn't make the cat feel threatened, she learned not to flinch at all at them.