Is Monster threatened by men?

Monster has been acting weird the last few months. Some background info about Monster: I found him when he was 4 weeks, and bottle fed him. When I first found him there were a lot of people living in my house. A few of them have since moved, but all of his life he has been exposed to new people all the time. He has never shown any aggression towards visitors. He actually always makes it a point to approach visitors whether he knows them or not, and always makes sure he gets attention from them. He has always been very outgoing and friendly to everyone. He had never hissed EVER, unless he was at the vet.

Over the last few months though, whenever a male friend of mine or my boyfriend's comes over our house, he hisses at them and tries to bite and swat at them. For example: the first time he ever did this to ANYONE, was when my brother was here. Monster had met my brother in the past, once when I moved into his house for a week. Monster hissed at him then too, but I figured that was because he was in a new environment that was weird smelling to him and he was stressed out. Plus my brother had been here many times before that, and he never hissed. But this time, a few months ago, was completly out of nowhere. Then, he did it again, when my friend Andy was over. Monster came up to him all interested, and then when andy started to pet him, he just hissed at him, and swatted at him too. This keeps repeating, with 3 or 4 more of our male friends, and another time to my brother last week. Some of these people have been here before in the past, and he had never done that. He does not hiss at my boyfriend's cousin, who he has known his whole life. It seems to be with men he hardly knows, or has never known at all. This is all completely new behavior, something he just recently started doing, and he doesn't do this with females, ever. Only men. Does anyone know WHY he might be doing this?

How old is Monster? Is he neutered?

I think there are a couple of different possibilities.

1. Is some male was rough with him. It was obviously nothing really bad as he lives with you and is unharmed. But still may have been enough unpleasant to make him vary against men.

In this case the remedicum is probably to retrain him. Ie letting the visiting men give him food and or treats...
And such.


2. He is doing his male duties and trying to protect you! Alternatively - trying to keep his female to himself. (I suppose you are a she).

In this case neutering should help some, but not sure it will do everything. Cats can be protective to their owner.

Feliway perhaps is one try and lessen up "the need" to make you safe...

Retraining could perhaps be letting the visiting men be extra friendly to you, giving you gifts so him sees it... Say, doll mices. afterwards you give the mices to him.


Really I dont know, but both variations are possible.

I sort of doubt he's been abused or manhandled by a guy.

My guess would be simply because men have lower voices, body language may be interpreted as more aggressive, and even possibly scent related. Because, as mentioned, it's mostly with men he's not as used to.

Most women, though not all, will approach animals differently than a lot of guys do. We tend to pitch our voices higher (and do this with children too) and often body language from a woman will be a lot less threatening/assertive towards an new animal or child.

You can generally spot a guy who's an animal lover, too. Because they will often do things to make themselves less challenging to a new animal. My DH, for example, will get down on the animals level and pitches his voice up. Not surprisingly, a lot of animals like him.

Yes, Monster is neutered, and he is about 2 1/2 years old. He was neutered when he was about 6 or 7 months. I am a she, lol. I don't think he has been "abused" by a man, maybe some of them just come off as threatening?? Maybe, a guy was too rough with him at one point, maybe while I was not here? Idk, Im not sure. Whenever I am here, I always make sure people are gentle with my babies. It could be the voice being deeper thing, I just dont know... Thnx for the suggestions. I will try that new-guy-gives-him-treats thing.. I don't like how he does that, so I think the treat thing might work.

^I somehow doubted you let people get rough with your kitties.

I hope he can get over it some. But never push him to, if he wants to run off and hide always let him alone to do so.