Vampire?

I have not been on this site for awhile, but always got such great advice. So I'm back. Javie is now a year and a half. Ever since we first brought him home, he has been sometimes nice during the day and a monster after the sun sets. (His redeeming trait is when I let him in my room in the morning, he purrs and cuddles and rubs his face all over mine for about 10 minutes, and then falls asleep with his head on my shoulder and his little arm across my neck. He is also unbelievably cute.)

I'm sure that part of the problem that gets worse at night is because during the day we're all busy and there is lots of activity going on. Also, I work from home and Javie likes to snuggle and nap on my bed while I'm there on the phone or on my computer. He gets violent sometimes during the day, (will jump at us with no provocation and bite really hard or attack our ankles and feet with his claws and teeth) but I started letting him outside for our survival. And he seems so much happier and never wanders far. (This is something I agonized about and I know that people on this site disapprove. But it was getting to the point of him or us and even the vet suggested it.)

But starting around 8 p.m. his behavior gets unbearable. This is when I just want to sit and read or watch TV, he changes into a vampire and he is so scary. Last week, I was reading a book, and he jumped up on the arm of the couch and bit my cheek. Other times, he will jump on my lap and stare intensely at me with dilated eyes and then jump at my arm and bite. His thing is staring and then attacking. We have tried everything from playing hard with lasers and fishing rod type toys to time outs to having him run after me all around the house dragging a string. Trying to tire him out. It helps for about 3 minutes, even when he is so exhausted he's panting.

Now I'm afraid we won't be able to let him out anymore because there is this horrible big orange cat that wants to kill him. We used to leave the window open a bit for Javie to come in and out, and this morning I heard a horrible screetching and ran downstairs to find this orange cat in my house, on top of him, going for his neck. I yelled at him and he ran out, but Javie was choking. So now I'm afraid to let him out, and I'm afraid to keep him in. I can't even imagine life with him inside all the time. It would be hell.

Except . . . maybe drugs? Sometimes I think he's mentally ill. I just don't know. I could think it's his age and he will get better. But my other cat that I had for 18 years never used her claws or teeth on me. And this other kitten that we had for awhile, but he kept beating her up, was never violent either.
We found her a wonderful new home and kept him. Who else would want him? We love him in spite of everything, don't ask me why. So does anybody know any kind of herb or medication that might help with aggression? We tried feliway and it didn't do a thing. My new thing is that I filled a can with pennies and when he attacks, I shake it really loud. This is helping a little. Any advice would be SO appreciated. Thank you, thank you.

Age?
Neutered?

My thoughts on this....he's a bored, obnoxious kitty who doesn't know he can't play that hard with people. Try interactive play session for 15 mins. say right before bed & when you get up in the morning.

What about a playmate for him indoors? Living indoors isn't as bad as you think....he'll be safer, the tom won't kill him. Lots of toys, frequent play sessions, & lots of love.

Drugs, in this care, are not the solution. He's a normal cat. You can't drug them for that.

Hi. Thanks for answering my post. He is a year and a half old and has been neutered since he was a few months old. We adopted him from a shelter when he was just 12 weeks old. We tried getting him another cat twice and it didn't work out either time. Once, we kept the other cat for 4 months and it was pure hell. Even with doing introductions by the book and enlisting the help of a cat behaviorist, he beat her up constantly and she became depressed and frightened to the point where I had to find her another home. I was spending my days standing in between them with a squirt gun in my hand for Javier, (someone's advice) and running up or down the stairs every time I heard her scream. The stress was unbearable. We got him another cat because most people said he would leave us alone if he had another cat. Which he did, but he just attacked the poor other cat instead. Now that she is gone, he is back to attacking us!

The only reason I would ever consider medication is because I don't know what else there is to try. We do play with him. A lot. I was just wondering, since there are people who no matter how much therapy or whatever they try, have hard wiring in their brains where medication is the only thing that helps. I wonder if it is the same thing with cats? I hate to think he is just obnoxious. Because at times every day, he is so sweet and loving. I really don't know what to think.

Any chance there is a behaviorist around?