What is going on?

scottf

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Mr Jinx is acting the way he did about 3 weeks ago. Like he turned feral again and is attacking me. He seems to be nice one minute, then very mean and aggressive the next. The last 3 weeks, he has been really sweet and loving but all of a sudden he has changed again. Its like having Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in my house .
 

gailc

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Anything different in the house-even new cleaning supplies with a different odor??

Or he once again might have seen a stray cat outside? I though you mentioned he wasn't neutered?? They can get quite worked up if they see one.
 

carolpetunia

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You can't really expect rational behavior from him until he's been neutered for at least a month or two. Hang in there!
 
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scottf

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The problem is, over the past 4 years he NEVER EVER got this worked up about a cat outside. It is as if he is going feral on me. I cant even come near him with out him attacking me. This is not like him at all. The vets ruled out any more problems with UTI, and the medication is out of his system. I really am getting sick of this crap and don't know what to do anymore. Its as if he does not recognize me as a friend. I have NOT changed any cleaning solutions, deodorants or soaps or anything like that. For him to act this way is completely out of character. I thought he was back to his old self for a while there and we were getting along. Now, its this demon cat again.
 

pami

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You cannot predict how his personality will be if he hasnt been neutered. He may be smelling a female or a male outside that he has never smelled before, but since he was neutered (right?) he will settle down in a few weeks, just be patient with him and give him his space.
 
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scottf

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Well....I have good news and bad news. Bad news first, he escaped while I was taking out the trash. The good news is I suppose I won't have to get worried about being attacked now.
 

pami

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Thats terrible news. You cannot just leave him out there. He is not use to being outside and if he is not neutered or freshly neutered, he will be fighting with other cats. Please go look for him. Dont just leave him out there because of how he is treating you.
 
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scottf

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Well another bit of good news, he is hiding out under the front porch, every time I go out there( nice weather) he growls at me.
He has not left his new hideout for an hour( it happened about an hour ago).
 

pami

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Try to entice him in with some smelly food to follow you inside.
Regardless of his demeanor he will be scared, he is out of his territory.
 

carolina

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Originally Posted by Pami

Thats terrible news. You cannot just leave him out there. He is not use to being outside and if he is not neutered or freshly neutered, he will be fighting with other cats. Please go look for him. Dont just leave him out there because of how he is treating you.
I also think that after you bring him back home you might want to consider finding him another loving forever home...
Evidently this situation will keep repeating itself, and for what is going on right now... Well, he is not safe if you just let him go like that...
Sorry, but just my opinion in the matter... Your cat deserve to be safe... Please please go outside and look for him...
 
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scottf

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I tried all he does is growl at me and retreats further away from me, so I put his dishes out on the porch
 

brokenheart

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Since the weather's nice in the northeast tonight, can you sit out there with him to keep an eye on him? Or leave the door open, he may decide to tear past you back into the house. (In that case, be as far away from the door as possible but preferably outside where you can keep an eye on him.)

I know what it's like to have your cat freak out on you. It can be very scary. Can you pinpoint anything at all that might set him off?

Also, if he's not neutered yet, that could be a big part of it.

The first thing is, of course, to get him safely back inside. Then figure out what to do from there.
 
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scottf

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Originally Posted by Brokenheart

Since the weather's nice in the northeast tonight, can you sit out there with him to keep an eye on him? Or leave the door open, he may decide to tear past you back into the house. (In that case, be as far away from the door as possible but preferably outside where you can keep an eye on him.)

I know what it's like to have your cat freak out on you. It can be very scary. Can you pinpoint anything at all that might set him off?

Also, if he's not neutered yet, that could be a big part of it.

The first thing is, of course, to get him safely back inside. Then figure out what to do from there.
I cannot think of anything that set him off. In five years of having him, he has never acted this way because of another cat. The vet said everything was fine with him, no UTI anymore, up until the first time this happened, he was always sweet, loving and gentle. Its like he got posessed or something...

He just flipped out on me tonight again as I stated in my original post, it was just so random. This morning, he was sleeping on my bed, snuggled up to me and last night, he was following me around the house and sitting on my lap. It is as if he just turned into another cat. I cannot figure out anything. I have tried sitting on the porch waiting for him, he will just hide, I tried to get him after I saw him on the porch, he just stood there and was howling at me so loud I thought the neighbors would wake up and come out to see what was going on. Everything had been going great for the last 3 weeks. I wish I knew what was wrong.
 

brokenheart

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Originally Posted by ScottF

I cannot think of anything that set him off. In five years of having him, he has never acted this way because of another cat. The vet said everything was fine with him, no UTI anymore, up until the first time this happened, he was always sweet, loving and gentle. Its like he got posessed or something...

He just flipped out on me tonight again as I stated in my original post, it was just so random. This morning, he was sleeping on my bed, snuggled up to me and last night, he was following me around the house and sitting on my lap. It is as if he just turned into another cat. I cannot figure out anything. I have tried sitting on the porch waiting for him, he will just hide, I tried to get him after I saw him on the porch, he just stood there and was howling at me so loud I thought the neighbors would wake up and come out to see what was going on. Everything had been going great for the last 3 weeks. I wish I knew what was wrong.
Wow, poor both of you. I know I felt horrible when my cat flipped and didn't seem to know who I was any more, and I was also physically scared of him. Did the vet ever give you any cat tranquilizers for him? If so, you might put some in his food. (Do NOT use any human meds; they could kill him.) I wish I could come up with something helpful. When it happened to my cat, there was an identifiable stressor (a housecall vet; and the second time, my nephew whom I'm pretty sure he thought was another housecall vet) so I was able to work with him behaviorally. Maybe he has some organic thing going wrong with his brain. I think older cats can get dementia but he seems young.

I'm rooting for you and that he'll make his way back inside tonight. I would just be very patient and again, leave that door open but stand away from him (close enough to see him and to make sure no one decides to come into your house upon seeing the door open). It may take a while for the adrenalin in his system to ease off (it took my cat about 15 hours to return to himself after I isolated him in a room and with your cat it's probably being compounded by his now being in an unfamiliar spot).

If he's normally an indoor cat, maybe try putting his cat box near the door on the inside. From habit, he may decide to go looking for it when he has to go.
 

brokenheart

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Originally Posted by ScottF

I miss the old teddy bear Mr Jinx
I know. I remember having a night like this with my cat -- but he did eventually return to his old sweet self.

And with your cat, maybe it's as simple as getting him neutered. From what I know, unneutered toms are major fighters by nature. And I think some people have had some success with putting their pets on Prozac, etc.
 

cheylink

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I know you have been dealing with this for a while now. Is there some reason why you don't want to have him neutered? What you are describing doesn't sound like it is anything that is your fault. It sounds like he is picking up the scent of another tom cat or other threatening presence around your home.
The first step to help his aggression and howling is to have him neutered..... Since he is mature, you won't see immediate results.........your veterinarian should advise you thoroughly.........
 
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