angry puss

Hi all im new to this site and would love some advice on a stray cat that ive found,well its about 4-5 months old and very bad tempered he will only let you stroke him on his terms so when hes had enough he just attacks me with no warning and also i have trouble with him eating cat food ,(ive only had him for a week now).

Sounds like you have a feral on your hands. He just isn't as trusting as cats raised in a home with people, and he probably isn't quite sure what to make of you.

Reading through this thread may give you some ways to work with your new friend, and help you understand what is going through that kitty head of his and let you know that you are not alone. A Friend Needs Help...

As for him attacking with no warning, they do put out warnings that to them are clear as day but to us feeble humans are harder to catch unless you are paying attention to them. His tail will start flicking back and forth more rapidly, his eyes will dialate, and his ears will shift from up and alert to back and lower. Pay attention to him when he next wants some pets and see if you can pick up on his particular body language. He will tell you in his own way that he is done.

I'm sure some of our resident experts will have more advice for you. Please keep us updated on how things progress with him!

Louie - Hi, welcome to the Cat Site.

Do you have any experience of cats? Heidi's right. If you have a feral on your hands, you're in for a quick learning curve.

Above all you will need patience and an understanding that this cat is probably very scared of you due to (maybe) some past bad history.

There are some real, serious feral experts here, so I'll let them pitch in with their advice. All I have to add is thanks for helping this kitty and stick with it if you can.

he isnt feral as he was wearing a coller,also i have had a cat before but he went missing 2 weeks ago now ,thanks for the tips any idea on how to get him eating cat food ?.

You can try dripping some tuna water over the food and see if that is smelly enough to entice him to eat it.

ok thanks i'll give it a go

Hello and congradulations on your little one. So, you will need to learn about your kitty since you only had him for about a month.

Well, about the attacking. There are 2 kinds of cats.

1- Like my boy Loki - when petted too much he gets over stimulated and "attacks - get's rough"!!

2- Like my mom's girl Piper - you could pet her till the cows come home - there is nothing better in her eyes and she relaxes like a ragdoll.

Cats, just like humans, have different moods and they communicate these moods to us through their
ears, eyes, tails, body position, voice, and fur. If your cat is in a mood where he/she doesn't want to be played with or bothered he or she will let you know. The tail might be lashing, the ears might be back etc. If you disregard what your cat is saying and try to pick up a cat or pet a cat who isn't in the mood you might find yourself receiving a little bap, hiss or scratch. The best thing to do to minimize such situatons is to
better communicate with your cat and learn to read what he/she is saying. If you do that you will know when your cat wants love and attention and when he/she just wants to be left alone.


In regards to the food thing - they are also like humans in this respect, they don't necessarily like everything put in front of them. Try and find a premium quality food that he likes. May I suggest Max Cat Nutro - I have never known a kitty that did not like it.

Good Luck!

thanks for the reply the trouble is that he isnt over petted ,its just going near him too stroke him hes just like a spitfire and all claws out !!

I have had a similar experience to you. I found a stray about a year ago and have put up an update in the Minky update thread. Minky was extremely aggressive when he first started hanging around and I have been scratched by him more thimes than i an rememeber. He used to run away from me and hiss or spit if I came too near. All i can say is that time is the crucial factor - and to offer you encouragement that things will get better. I stopped trying to stroke him and waited until he came to me. It's a matter or gradual changes as well - small victories. He wouldn't play with anything at all in the beginning and one day he came in and launched himself on a furry toy and played by himself. He is now a cat that will sit on my lap and likes to be stroked. So don't think your cat will always be the same. Good luck.

Originally posted by Louie
he isnt feral as he was wearing a coller

Click to expand...

Does the collar have a ID tag? Hopefully you've posted "Cat Found" signs in the neighborhood which you found this kitty?

The other family that put the collar on might be looking for their beloved cat. I lost -- then found -- one of my cats and was heartbroken while she was gone.

yep ive done all of that ive even taken him to the rspca to see if he had a micro chip but he doesnt have one ,and i know what its like to lose a cat as my ginger and white cat dissapeared over 2 weeks ago now and i still havent found him