My mom wants to give the cat away because of what happened last night...  

I don't want to be harsh, but I continue to see posts from you regarding the fact that you (or your brother, mother, or another individual) want to "get rid" of Maggie for one reason or another. In my opinion, there is no doubt in my mind that some of Maggie's behavioral issues stem from the fact that there is so much ambivalency about whether or not she is wanted in the home. And, really, this is less about Maggie and more about you and the family members who brought her into your lives to begin with.

I'm not saying that you, your mother, your brother (or anyone else for that matter) don't "love" Maggie. But, I do think your perceptions about what having a cat in your lives is going to look and feel like. And, I think that the only way you and your family are ever going to get past this is through some serious education about cats in general. Perhaps volunteering at a local animal shelter or with a rescue organization would benefit you all -- it would teach you about cat behavior as well as give you experience working with cats. Reading and researching is terrific, but it does sound like hands-on learning would be best for all involved. Maggie is a living, breathing, thinking, and feeling being. She needs guidance, nurturing, love, and patience -- not the continuous threats of going back to the shelter or being rehomied. No, she most likely doesn't understand the words being thrown around her, but she does feel the tension. It's not fair to her to have this persist.

You and your family need to decide whether having Maggie in your lives is important enough to warrant putting effort into her becoming a part of your family. What is it that you're looking for in a pet? What are your expectations? What are you willing to do in order to ensure Maggie is happy, healthy, and accepted in the home? Maggie is just being a cat. And, while she may be able to learn better behavioral skills, it's got to start with you (and, by you, I mean everyone in the household). And, if it's you against your family, it sounds like you're going to need to step up to the plate -- are you willing to stand your ground for Maggie? She needs an advocate in this situation. Are you willing to be it -- no matter the cost?

Again, this isn't meant to be mean. I just keep seeing the same pattern repeat itself and, to be honest, it is quite frustrating and upsetting to read. Something needs to happen. While Maggie's scratching your brother is certainly not appropriate, neither is the constant back and forth you've been putting her through. From an emotional standpoint, Maggie is apt to be acting out. The only way any of her behavior can change is if all of yours does first. But, before that can happen, you need to decide whether having a cat -- with all the good and bad that comes with it -- is worth the effort. For Maggie's sake, I hope it is. But, if you can't decide, once and for all, whether she is to stay or go, then, really, the best thing you can do for Maggie is find her a stable, loving home and family to call her own...

My adult cats can do that just be running across my legs at night. I haven't read all off your posts, but I see that your brother is school age. Was he playing with her last night and that's what made her try and jump? Was she going through a goofy 'manic cat' phase? Running around like a bat out of he**? She's not that old... what I refer to as the Teen Year... she's still an active cat.

if he was playing rough with her (which you didn't specify), she probably got all wound up. Cats use their claws to hold ground and stay in one spot so as to not fall off. I'm sure you've been told this before.

As a former shelter volunteer, I've seen cats brought back for less, which is sad and very wrong. Have you tried trimming her claws at all? Have the vet teach you how, as you can go too far and cause pain. or nail caps, which you can get at Petsmart or some other place.

I agree with Alison Joy... Maggie is sensing ambivalence among the family. Cats are very good at that. They can't detect the exact human emotion, but they do sense tension, and get fearful for that. A lot of education on the part of your family would do some good. Take a tour of a kill shelter... have them all come. If your brother is old enough, that is. If he's little, he won't get it, but if your mom gets the education, she can help teach your brother.

Our shelter got a grant from Open Paw while I was there. They have some good, basic tips on having a cat. I would encourage you mom to start learning... and if your brother is old enough, him as well. There are ways to play with a cat where they won't get rough with the person... (i.e. don't use your hand as a toy, use a dangly toy instead).

Maggie is not disposable. your family needs to learn that. Now. I know you get it, but they need to as well. Have your mom talk to the vet about this... maybe that will help...

Was he heading to the stairs? If he was and she 'attacked' she was possibly playing... If he was sitting, or just in one spot and SHE was heading for the stairs, he just got in the way. She would have dug her claws into whatever she was jumping from. Carpet, legs, chair, etc... that's part of what those little sharp things in their paws are for, to get traction when jumping or running. That's normal cat behavior. Period. he was just in the way.

Good luck,
Amanda

Some cats are very high strung and require special training techniques.

I think Maggie may be one of this type of cat.

The training to make a "nice cat" out of her is a lifetime work. It takes dedication, and consistency, patience and love, from every person who has contact with her. I am not normally an advocate for giving up on a cat, but if you don't think you and your family can do this, it may be better to return her so she can find a family equipped to cope with her personality.

It sounds like Maggie was not socialized properly. She probably was taken from her mother too soon, for whatever reason, and has not had enough of the right kind of handling from humans.

It's a shame someone at the shelter did not think more about her personality when adopting her out.

If you sincerely want help with Maggie, you and the rest of your family must be prepared to commit to the task, learn the methods and stick to them. It doesn't happen overnight, it is a long process.

My Mazy cat was much like you describe your Maggie. Random attacks, like what happened to your brother, biting and scratching during play, she sent me to the ER twice with bites. It took a long long time, 18 months, to teach her how to be. My household is quiet and calm, just me and my cats, and I was able to focus much of my attention on her, but it still took 18 months to socialize her to humans.

Even now, she has boundaries the other cats do not have, I know not to pass, or I will be sorry.

So, for Maggie's sake, so she doesn't end up tossed out the door, please decide now it you are willing to take on the challenge of socializing Maggie. If not, please give her a chance to find a home where it can be done.

If you are willing, we can help you, but it takes work. There is no quick fix to socializing a cat.

It really isn't normal cat behavior to attack like that, except for baby kittens. It is unsocialized cat behavior, yes, but not normal.

This kind of behavior, whether is it PLAY or not, can be trained out of most cats if they are not mishandled.

It is very important that it be trained out, these are the cats that often end up out on the street, because the people did not know how to handle it and the cat is labeled "mean cat", when really it is just understanding how to train the cat.

What I was referring to as normal behavior, is not the playing... it's that she uses her claws to not lose her footing if she's jumping. That is normal. Using claws during play... can be trained out of her... but I was referring to using claws to keep from losing her footing.

Amanda

thanks for clarifying my misunderstinding. : )

Otto you are right, some cats especially strays, are "mean cats" just because they don't understand the limits of play with humans. In most cases they are taken away from the litter too early. So they didn't have litter mates to teach them manners. They don't get humans handling them properly either so they don't know the limits.

With this cat Maggie this is what I feel too. I find it hard to believe Maggie is an evil cat. Maggie is just misunderstood. My first kitty was a "mean cat" as well. You wouldn't know it if you saw her today. She will warn you to stop before any attack happens. She rarely uses her claws unless I get her riled up.. and then it's my fault.

It sounds like you need to teach Maggie how to play with humans. She's still a kitten in her head. Do you play with her everyday? Play with her at the same time everyday for an hour. She's still a kitten she needs playing time. Teach her the wand game. But this will take a lot of paitence and love to get Maggie socialized properly.

Bryce: by socializing I mean teaching Maggie to not use her claws and teeth during play, or at any other time, on humans.

When you play with her never ever use your hands, or any body part. Always you should have a toy in your hands.

String on a stick is excellent for interactive Games, for cats who have a long reach. If the cat likes to wrap herself around something and bite and bunny kick, a small stuffed animal, rolled up newspaper, or crumpled paper balls work well for that.

Many cats use biting and scratching to communicate. Cats that are raised with their litter mates and mama learn how to control this behavior by the reactions they get.

It does sound like Maggie has never learned how to control these instincts.

When playing, or being petted, Maggie may be getting over stimulated. She reacts to this by grabbing on with claws or teeth. When she does this, the person (and everyone who plays with her must do this) should say (Sharply but not yelling) Ow! NO! Maggie. then turn your back on her and ignore her.

After a few minutes turn and resume play, but as soon as she grabs or bites, repeat NO! Maggie and ignore her. On the third try in one play session, stop playing all together and walk away from her. Do not turn to look at her, just leave the room.

The same thing when you are petting her. When you pet her, when she grabs and bites, NO! Maggie, and turn your back on her, or walk away.

*more to come*

Now, as you continue with the above methods, be watching Maggie carefully for signals that she is about to grab or bite, that she has become over stimulated.

You will learn to notice things such as, her ears going back, her eyes getting wide and fixating on your arm or leg, tail lashing. There may be other postures you will notice, too.

To help her with success, when you see these signals, STOP what you are doing with her. Don't say anything, just stop, and maybe turn slightly away. If she doesn't carry out the attack, praise her highly and resume play.

When petting, if you know she attacks after five strokes, pet her only three strokes. This will also help her gain self control.

please don't hesitate to ask for clarification or any questions you may have.

Ignoring is how a mama cat trains her kittens. When they are rough with her, mama disciplines the kitten with a swat or nip, then gets up and walks away, ignoring the baby. As humans, we mustn't EVER hit a cat, but the NO! Maggie, and ignore is just as effective (with time and consistency)

As for what happened last night with your brother. That kind of behavior is a bit more tricky to cure, since she wasn't getting attention to begin with (so no ignoring opportunity).

Although as she learns how to stop herself during play and petting, it may follow naturally.

I think it's possibly a lack of "training". If she's "gone after him" in the past and nothings been done to correct it she'll see it as being ok and continue to do it. My mom had a cat once (well, kitten, she was about 7 months old) that everytime I'd go over to her house (I lived with my grandmother) she'd attack me while I was sleeping. I eventually figured out it was because that was where SHE slept when I wasn't there (It was one of those trundle type things under the bed).

You have some great info here, I just wanted to add that she needs her nails cut. Be very careful that you do not get bit in the process. Do not cut too short, you can see the vein in their nail, don't cut it.

I hope she gets to stay with you & improves.

Yes just cut the tip. Cutting too short can make their nails sensitive. It's much better to just cut them more often.


I don't think your kitten is "evil" at all. I had two kittens who used to "attack" my ankles while I was doing the dishes the first few times I thought it was real cute. They would literally grab hold of my ankles and do the "bunny rabbit" thing.


Well after a couple of times, I realized I was being scratched pretty badly and I didn't find it so cute anymore. Let me tell you, it wasn't long before they stopped doing it. After hearing my loud cries of pain <Ow! OW! OW!> which I wasn't faking, they quickly realized they were hurting me! When it happened, I didn't pull away as that makes them want to hold on to their "prey/victim" even harder, but just yelled OW loudly a few times, then bent down and just gently pried them away, while telling them "no no no".


You don't have to yell "no" either, just use a firm tone of voice. Cats are pretty smart and they will understand. When I need to divert my cat's attention from something they are doing wrong, I just say in my "special" tone of voice, without even yelling, "What are you doing?" That usually stops them right away. I always stay calm around my cats, I think that is very important. In fact, both my cats are very calm.


Also just to add to the excellent advice you have received, make sure your kitten knows she is loved and wanted. This is very important because as others have mentioned, cats do pick up on our vibes and moods. Like when I'm in a good mood and have high energy, my cats pick up on that and will start to run around and want to play


So talk to her often as if she was your friend, because in a sense she can become your friend if you her the chance. Give her lots of affection too. One thing my cats love is when they are sleeping ... or rather ... pretending to be sleeping is when I come over and just give them gentle kisses on the head and nuzzle their ears gently with my nose and lips They always start to purr when I do that! It makes them feel loved and wanted.


Also, when she wants down, don't keep holding on to her, just set her down right away. Once she realizes she can trust you to let her go when she wants, in time you will find that she will be willing to let you hold her more often. But with kittens it can take time, because they have so much energy, they just want to play more than anything.


Speaking of playing do make sure to play with her often. This will help to burn some of her energy, but it will also help to develop a bond between the two of you!


Anyways hope this all helps, please keep us posted on how things progress.

Terrific advice, Shanynne!

I recommend that you get the clippers out and start trimming Maggie's nails on a regular basis. I use a regular human clipper and all my cats learned about nail trimmings. Regular clippings will help prevent scratches like this. Cats LOVE to run and pounce on moving objects. Your brother was the prey and she got him.

Sounds like she might need more toys. Make sure she has some scratching posts around the house.

ALSO watch her tail. You can tell the mood your kitty is in by the twitch of her tail. Watch her all the time and you'll begin to learn the difference.

Ah yes.. I have a rescue/foster who was communicating with his claws and teeth - I have the scars and the antibiotic refills to prove it!

I did something very similar as Otto described. Casper WANTED attention from me... cats are in this for themselves and you have to figure out what she wants and work with that. Dogs usu. want to please, cats want to please themselves!

In this case, when I began to read his body language and he was going to "strike" or would go to nip or swat at me, he got a hiss or puff of air in his face, a sharp NO! and I would turn away and refuse to engage him.

If this would happen a couple of times in succession I would just get up and leave his room for five or ten minutes. It took me about three months to get him to communicate in a better way with me. He is very lovey with ME and really no one else and is afraid of the other cats.

He is damaged goods and it will take a special person to adopt him.

I don't have time to read the whole thread. Just wanted to mention if someone else hasn't already that keeping her claws clipped will go a long way towards preventing serious scratches.

I had a kitty who used to guard the refrigerator, which, unfortunately was in the walkway to the kitchen, with 3 feet of space to walk thru.

Guard cat would pounce on my kids almost every time they walked by. He was playing, but they weren't too happy with it.

I totally agree with everyone's advice. Your kitty needs socialization. And make absolute sure your brother never taunts her in any way. Ever. Good luck to all of you.

I totally agree with everyone's posts here, but one idea has not been voiced yet:

How old is the brother? How mature? Kids will be kids, and boys will boys. And for that reason, it's recommended that kids under the age of 10 not be left alone with a pet whenever possible. There's a chance that he could have been doing more than playing rough with the cat before going up the stairs. If he's developed a history with the cat of extremely rough play, or worse, the cat will eventually respond in kind.

Kids can do a lot of damage to a pet without even knowing it.

There was a kid in my neighborhood when I was growing up who loved to pick up his cat by the tail and swing her around. Before dislocating it, she turned into one nasty animal and went after any kid that so much as walked onto their property.

I strongly recommend that family members "spy" on the boy when he's alone with the cat to determine just how responsible he is with her.

ginger

i agree with the person above me. boys can often be the antagonist in the story of animals. they play rough, act hyper, etc. that can kind of bother the cat. maybe she just doesn't like him. my cat hit my grandparents and grandpa won't even touch her. she bites my mother fairly often andbites me rarely tho she still does. i've had everything to bite scratchmarks to bites to a lovely attack on my ear a year ago that left a 2 inch long gash from the top down that went almost all the way tru, got blood all over the floor, a brand new shirt, and bleed A LOT for 15 mins or so (which should have required stitches but it was not going to risk going to the ER and getting the stomach flu) and left my ear so sore, i had to be extra extra delicate even putting my hair behind my ear for a couple months and couldn't even sleep on my right side for about 2 months.

i can't remember reading how old your cat is but is it possible to get her front claws removed? have you considered the little claw cover things? i remember seeing them when i was littl ebut i can't remember seeing them since, tho i haven't been looking.

if the cat doesn't work out, is there a friend or relative you could give it to? it would be terrible for it to go back to the spca. now with that being said, did it cross ya'lls minds that if your matchmaker quiz didn't match you with an "adequate match", maybe you should have waited? obviously the cat wasn't matched with you for a reason. it would be a shame to take the cat anyway just to have to take it back.

This is an anti declaw site. We will never recommend anyone have a cat declawed, this site is officially against such mutilation of cats.

Are you aware of what declawing is? I can provide you with some links that tell exactly what is done to the cat (amputation of the first digit of the toe) if you wish.

I am sorry to hear you have such problems with your own cat. Cats can be trained not to bite and scratch, if you read through this thread you will find many useful methods that are effective. Like any training, it will take time and patience and absolute consistency.

Excellent point, about the fact that the boy may be harassing the cat, thanks for posting that thought!

i was unaware that it is an anti-declaw site so i appologize. i was 17 when i got my cat so it wasn't really up to me, but even tho i know what it is,i know the pros and the cons but my next one will be declawed in front as well.

and honestly no bashing, but seeing as 70% of all cats in shelters get euthanized every year (roughly 2-2.5 million) in the u.s. alone, i'd think the site would be against breeding before declawing.


thaks. i don;t want to say "ohh..it's ok" b/c it's not.lol. i work SOOO hard on training her not to bite but my parents just say no and continue to pet her. so my hours worth of effort can be squashed in 2 minutes, you know. it's so difficult. but one thing i can say is that i've taught her "sit" and "stay"! and she knows that treat time is sit time! i don't think that's something many people can say about their cat so i may have a "mean kitty", but she's a smart kitty, so it all evens out... for now atleast. lol

Do you really know the pros and cons then? I'm not trying to bash you in any way, but if you insist on having a declawed cat, PLEASE adopt one that has already been put through the torture. I have friends who adopt cats from local shelters and prefer to have them declawed, but they only adopt ones that already are, they would NEVER put a cat through that.

When I was in 6th grade, we had a "career day" kind of thing where we shadowed a professional in a career we were interested in. At the time, I wanted to be a vet, so I spent the day at a vet office in my town. The ONE thing I remember from that day is that I witnessed a kitten getting declawed. It was horrendous, and still haunts me to this day, over 20 years later.

Cats' claws are a part of them, they need them in the same ways that we need our fingernails. Declawed cats, besides being mutilated, are also very susceptible to arthritis and other related health issues. And for what? So they don't scratch your furniture? I guess my thinking is that if someone's furniture is that important to them, then they shouldn't be looking at getting a cat.