A Violent Attack

Let me just say, I would like all of you reading to think about this story in the most extreme sense.

My boyfriend and I have had our cat for over a year now. On Dec. 4th (now 12 day ago) he was taken to the humane society to get neutered and his shots. He is an indoor kitty and hasnt been in the same room with another animal sense he was a baby.

So last night I made dinner for my boyfriend and there was a wierd smell coming from one of the stove burners, like a burning hair/plastic smell. We opened a window and had our dinner. A little later my boyfriend wanted some more dinner and turned the burner on high, and the smell got very strong very fast. We were both in the Kitchen and we had turned the burner off and our cat came into the kitchen and made a very very deep meow, almost like how a cat sounds in heat. My boyfriend tried to pick him up and take him to the window to get fresh air, and the cat meowed like, 'don't touch me'. Then he attacked my boyfriend. My boyfriend literally jumped over the sofa and the cat followed. We both went outside through the sliding glass door and slammed it behind us. The cat just sat there staring at us and would make a deep meow if we came toward the door.
We sat outside for 20 minutes or so and finally the cat let us back in the house. I was moving around to try to find a cat FAQ book we have with no luck. We both sat in our seats (me on the sofa, him in his computer chair) and the cat was watching us both. At least an hour later we both started to stand up and move around again. I walked around the cat and he made that sound again. I went around to the kitchen and he followed and puffed himself up. My boyfriend yelled at me to move, and I took off running. The cat latched himself to my leg, teeth, claws and all and I ran with him to the sliding door. My boyfriend had to literally kick (very hard I might add) the cat to get him off my leg, when he finally had a chance, my boyfriend and I jumped onto the ledge of our porch and ran to the parking lot of our apt. complex. We called the humane society, animal control, pest control-all closed, we called our parents (avid pet lovers) and even called the police (who laughed at us).
We had to sneak into the apartment to grab our keys and drive to stay with family. Right now he is in his cage and tomorrow we are taking him to the humane society. They have behaviorists there and can maybe help him.
I just wish I knew what happened to him to cause him snap at us like he did. Once we came back from staying with family (at this point he had been left alone for about 18 hours or so) he was very very nervous. He was skittish and his ears were moving every direction. Eventually he let my boyfriends mom pick him up and put him in a cage. I just dont understand. It sounds like a territorial thing, but I've also read about how rare that is. Could it be an infection or something? Maybe a reaction from the medication he recieved at the vet's? If anyone has any information or insite please share. I could use some answers.



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what did your vet say?

I would ask a vet.

Did you find out what was causing the smell? My immediate thought on reading your post was that your cat was responding to the smell. If it was strong for you it would have been even more so to a cat. That - and your subsequent behaviour - seems to have triggered the following events.

I absolutely think it was the smell... if it was strong to you (never mind unpleasant) it was horrible for the cat, and not understanding what was happening, he freaked out. I think if you get rid of the smell (really get rid of it - from the stove, the air, your clothes, etc.) and then bring him back in (or have someone else do it) in a few days with his things around, he'll probably be fine and certainly will have forgotten what happened long ago - providing there are no reminders. But you could (and I'm not kidding!) dress up carefully with jackets and gloves on, long pants, etc. just for that time on the slight chance he'll go nuts again (I am almost sure though that it won't happen) and at least you'll be protected.

I have witnessed one attack like that in my life. It was a cat that we were catsitting in our home. The other cats threatened him and he attacked my husband - bit down on his arm hard enough that he was lifted in the air and had to be shaken loose (in the panic of having a cat hanging from his arm, this was his first reaction). We locked the cat up in a safe environment away from all the cats and he returned to his usual self after about a day.

Cats just don't attack unprovoked. There was probably something about that smell that jolted a bad experience with him (perhaps his recent neutering?). Don't give up on him. Get rid on the whatever was on that burner, wash your clothes and if you can, purify the air.

Good luck and please let us know what you do!

Yes anyone who has been present when a cat goes berserk will note that 1. they can do a ton of damage and 2. you should not get anywhere near them in their frenzied state.

One time when we tried to have my mom's cat over when she was out of town, he went absolutely ballistic because we had other cats. I tried to use my entire body (220 pounds) to hold him down, but there was nothing I could do even using all my strength. Even domestic cats are stronger than humans if they use all their muscles at once - which he did. Not to mention their claws.

Suffice to say, we just took him back to my mom's place and he was much more content.