[Jerri]

Hi everyone, just joined the forum in search of a little cat advice.

Right, I have two cats, a 4 year old female and a 7 week old male cat, the female cat has always been vicious, not one to be petted and takes every opportunity given to scratch/bite people. I've had her from 6 weeks, and got her from a friend who's cat had kittens, I actually saw her being born, and I know she was never I'll treated, I guess she's just like that.

A few weeks back My nephew found two kittens, still with there mother although very sadly there mother had died. I decided to keep one and a friend kept the other, he was so tiny I didn't think he'd make it, but I cared for him as best I could with the vets advice and thankfully he's doing fine now, the vet thinks he's around 7 weeks now and very healthy

I'm worried however that he will end up vicious like the other cat, so I was wondering if anyone had any advice on what I could do to make sure he isn't, if there is any steps I can take. I always wonder if her viciousness had something to do with how I brought her up. She's an indoor cat as we don't live in a very nice area.

Anyway, sorry to be so long winded lol

thanks for any tips/advice given, it's greatly appreciated.

Jerri

 

[Kittys Mom]

...the female cat has always been vicious, not one to be petted and takes every opportunity given to scratch/bite people.

Well, some cats are just different. My older cat Kitty hates to be held. She will squirm, cry, bite and scratch. She loves me and wants to be near me but she doesn't like to sit on my lap or have me carry her. I think this is because she grew up in a house with 4 very young children who were always grabbing at her.

I would want to know examples of when she tries to scratch/bite. Also, how do you pet her? (Kitty loves me to scratch with one or two fingers around her face, but long body pets make her upset).

If you could figure out why she does those things, you could correct whatever it was that caused her to be that way and not have the same problem this time around.

One thing, never play with the kitten with your hands or feet. Always have something between you, a toy, blanket, etc. Otherwise, you'll just be teaching your kitten that your hands and feet are ready made toys, ready to be attacked.

 

[Jerri]

thanks for the reply

Well she's kind of strange, she never lashes out at me, ever, she'll hiss at me if she's in a seriously bad mood, but never attacks me. She attacks my mum a quite a bit, but she always goes to my mum for attention, she sleeps on my mum's bed and will curl up on her knee as long as she doesn't touch her. She's much the same as your cat, she likes to be around my mum, but doesn't like to be stroked by her at all. She likes me to stroke her nose for a few minutes but when she's had enough she walks away. Long body strokes are a no no, she wil either attack or if its me run away. We have a quiet house, my nieces and nephews come around once a week and I always made sure they didn't treat her as a toy when she was growing up.

With anyone else she'll scratch then for simply walking past her, or talking to her, the friend I got her from can't even go in the same room as the cat, she runs at her and tries to attack her, thankfully she's the only person she does that to. More often than not if there's more than me and my mum in the house she'll take herself off upstars.

Right, i'll have to stop the kitten playing with my hand, he does attack it, but thankfully never uses his claws or bites, he just likes rolling around with it, lol. He's got quite a few toys so i'll make sure from now on its them and not my hand he plays with. Thenks for the tip .

 

[artemisa]

One of my friend's cat is a bit like that. Actually she's not vicious, she's just so skittish! As if she were a feral or something. But she was born at that house and has been treated the same as the others. But she doesn't like to be touched much, she only comes around when she wants food and spends most of the day outside. My friend says she used to be like that when she was a tiny kitten. You'd be petting all her brothers and sisters and she'd be watching from under the bed :?

So yeah, it's just personality. I don't think it's nothing you did. But just make sure to pet the little one a lot, hold him, etc. so he grows used to you. Hopefully your other cat won't be mean to him either.

Good luck.

 

[Lilly]

My Minnie cat isnt very nice all the time, she hates to be held or petted to much.

When all my kittens were small I made sure to pet them alot and hold them sometimes, of course be very gentle. Also never force the kitten to be held if he doesnt want to be. Let him be in control.

Another thing I did was I always petted their bellys gently, so they all love to have belly rubs :wink: except Minnie of course.

 

[Jerri]

thanks for the replies folks. Its greatly appreciated.

I agree with you there, I just let the Big cat and kitten get on with it, there doing really well together besides the od spat when the kitten wont leave the big cat alone.

I've stopped letting him play with my hands and I pet him as much as he lets me, he likes being petted, and cuddled, he likes giving you affection as well, he's much more affectionate than the big cat ever was, even when she was a kitten. He gets up on your knee when he wants to sleep, he only even sleeps alone when he has to, if we're not in etc.

I can only pray he doesn't turn out like our bigger cat, as I still live at home my mum has said she won't put up with two vicious cats in the house, so if he is, she says he's got to go. I know some may think thats harsh but she's been the hospital quite a few times with serious infections thanks to bites from our big cat.