Is she mad at me or has she gone crazy?

-Sorry for the long post, just read as much as you can.

I've had my Kitty for over 2 years now, I brought her home from a Ferrel colony I rescued when she was alittle over 9 weeks old. She latched onto me immediately as mom (even though I always insist I have to be her dad) and she's been a great cat as long as she's been with me. Now, I'm still in high school but for the last two years I was in homeschooling due to reasons I won't go into, but I spent alot of time with Kitty.
This year I went back to traditional public school to finish out my senior year, and I also have taken on a job after school. I think kitty might be holding a grudge against me for not being around as much, even though my mom is always here to take care of her.

Kitty has never been a cuddly cat, she's the personality that thinks she's queen and occasionally rewards you with the honor of petting her. Sometimes you can pet her until you've got so much cat hair on you that you could sell your shirt as a Bigfoot costume, but other times she gets tired of you in seconds and bats at your hand or gives you a quick nip - but never anything that leaves a mark.
She also sometimes sleeps cuddled right up to me at night but I only know that because I wake up before her, she'd never let me know she likes me that much.

Now, as for that grudge I mentioned. Since I started back in school she's been kind of stand-offish with me, like she's upset, then the last two days she has gotten very aggressive with me. Last night I went to pet her and before I even got my hand to her she sprung up and bit me in the eyebrow hard enough that I not only bled, but kept bleeding for about an hour. Now, kitty usually does get alittle aggressive during play, but she has never broken the skin or left marks that where anymore serious than being red for a couple hours and she has certainly never attacked me at face level before.

All day today I've been avoiding prolonged contact with her for fear she might bite me again, but she didn't until about an hour ago. She just decided I looked like fun to attack, and followed me around with her ears back and her eyes all wide like she had way to much caffeine, and then she started doing that little slow crouch cats do when their going to attack, so I backed off and she jumped at me. She tore my arm up with her back claws and I had to wrap it up in some gauss I found. I locked her in the bathroom because I don't know what to do with her.

Like I said, up until yesterday Kitty has been a really, really great cat. She's always a sweet heart even if she isn't as cuddly as I'd like, and sure kitty does bite and scratch, but never anything that bleeds or needs a band-aid, and she never does it 'just because'.

I've read some of the posts on here and I'm going to take her to the vet as soon as I can get an appointment to get her checked out, however is there anything I can do until then? I don't think standing still will work, she seems to come at me no matter if I'm moving or not. I don't even have to be looking at her.

thank you

and by the way, yes she is up to date on all her shots and I do let her outside almost every day, though she hasn't been out as much for the last two months because she got in a cat fight, but that was way back then and she's been to the vet since. Also, I'm a guy so it isn't that I'm wearing a new scent she doesn't like.

It could be that she's still adjusting to your absence.

Has she been to the vet recently? Cats can't tell us verbally when they feel sick, but they let us know through changes in their behaviour, aggressive being one of the top ones. I would suggest having her checked out to rule out illness.

Also, I've seen many people here recommend something called Felliway. I'm not sure exactly what it is, but it sounds like some kind of destresser for cats. Not sure how it works. Maybe someone else can recommend where you can get this.

Also, you are out of the house now and picking up all kinds of different smells on you from school and work, and your kitty might be picking up on all of this too and adding to her stress.

I'd get her checked by the vet first, and then go from there.

I can't add anything except that you're doing the right thing getting her to a vet.

Could she bored during the day with you away? Does she have things to occupy her?

I know it seems like the only way to keep her from attacking you, but I'm not sure if keeping her in the bathroom is a good idea. I daresay that may work her up even more being stuck in there and make her more aggressive.

Good luck and let us know what the vet says!

Letting her go outside may have a lot to do with it too - if she's having to deal with neighbourhood cats who may be aggressive, she'll pick up on the behaviour and bring it home, never mind be confused as to who's who (they can see a strange cat or dog out the window, get enraged and turn on who or whatever's inside with them until they relax (usually 20 mins. or so). Is it possible there's another cat hanging around outside the door, etc.?

thank you for all the replies

I'm trying to get an appointment with the vet for her but unfortunately my parents don't feel she needs to go and therefore don't want to spend the money, so I guess kitty gets my first paycheck - which is fine, she's worth it all the way, but it does make it difficult to get her in soon since I won't get my check until Friday.

I let her out of the bathroom like right after I posted last night and she's been fine so far, in fact she even came and bumped her head into mine in that "I love you so much I wanna give you a concussion" way kittens do. She's been a sweet heart all morning.

I think she could be upset with me over being gone, and might be bored and just trying to get some more attention. I would like to use a Felliway plug with her, but we have ionic air purifiers that I think would cancel out the scent the Felliway gives off.

We've been looking at getting another cat, which would deffenantly keep her occupied during the day but with her acting like this I don't know if I want to bring a kitten around her.

It could also be a cat that has been prowling the area, but we usually have all the windows closed at night so I don't know how she would smell or hear him.

I guess we'll have to wait until I get her to the vet.