Hi. I am new to this forum and joined following yet another attack from Percy. Percy is 3.5 years old, a neutered ginger male, fed on dry food (tinned made him even more aggressive),and has roam of a huge amount of land and woodland and old country house. We've had him since he was a kitten, he lives with a 6 year-old dog, a 14 year-old boy and me, and we live in a rurual setting and run a holiday centre, so hundreds of people come through the doors during the warmer months. There are also other cats on the premises; his mother included and they fight.
I read the threads on aggressive cats, particularly the one which gave good tips to try to control the aggression and suggested either prozac or St. John's wort. This is interesting to me but I wonder about the St. John's Wort long term as I know in people you are supposed to take a break from it as far as I know. And dosage? Any tips?
What Percy does is just simply attack, randomly. It is most distressing. Yesterday he punctured someone's hand. In this instance he was under a chair in part of the house he is not generally welcomed and they were trying to get him. The cause and effect in this case is obvious but this is more rare than his unprovoked attacks. (Well, they seem unprovoked!) He has many doors and catflaps so he can enter/leave at desire from my flat. Sometimes he bites and you know it is because he either wanted more or less stroking; sometimes he just lunges unprovoked. All of it is concerning.
He has really hurt 5 people since August and some people living here consider him a dangerous cat; others love him and suggest tolerance. I know if my dog did this, by now I would not have her. What concerns me and what I spoke with my vet about is that although those of us living here can avoid him or stroke him at our own risk; and although we can warm visitors to not stroke him or stroke at their own risk; I wonder what kind of life this is for Perc and if it is fair on him. Equally can I allow an animal so threatening to live where I live and work because I feel responsible for him and I cannot guarantee that he won't bite even if we give out warnings. Of course I do not want to re-home him, but I am now feeling I must consider this as a real option and this is ruining my day/week/month I can tell you.
He is a beauty; stunning white markings on his face and neck and paws; he is a real thug looking cat with thunder thighs, but also loving if you are willing to take the chance. Percy adores the dog and is always trying to cuddle the dog, but she is wary too.
The training tips are not really viable with all the people living and visiting here. It is complicated enough conveying the training/controlling tips I have worked hard to scale down to a few for handling our dog who is very loved and many visitors play with. Warnings is the only way. And maybe drugs.
Although I have had cats all my life and know what Percy is doing is not highly unusual, I have never had a cat like this and where we live is the unusual factor in this. Would prozac work? I prefer St Johns Wort I think but do not rule out anything at this point! I look forward to hearing from more experienced cat owners and it feels good to just communicate about it with people who understand!
thanks from
Percy the cat's food buyer!
I read the threads on aggressive cats, particularly the one which gave good tips to try to control the aggression and suggested either prozac or St. John's wort. This is interesting to me but I wonder about the St. John's Wort long term as I know in people you are supposed to take a break from it as far as I know. And dosage? Any tips?
What Percy does is just simply attack, randomly. It is most distressing. Yesterday he punctured someone's hand. In this instance he was under a chair in part of the house he is not generally welcomed and they were trying to get him. The cause and effect in this case is obvious but this is more rare than his unprovoked attacks. (Well, they seem unprovoked!) He has many doors and catflaps so he can enter/leave at desire from my flat. Sometimes he bites and you know it is because he either wanted more or less stroking; sometimes he just lunges unprovoked. All of it is concerning.
He has really hurt 5 people since August and some people living here consider him a dangerous cat; others love him and suggest tolerance. I know if my dog did this, by now I would not have her. What concerns me and what I spoke with my vet about is that although those of us living here can avoid him or stroke him at our own risk; and although we can warm visitors to not stroke him or stroke at their own risk; I wonder what kind of life this is for Perc and if it is fair on him. Equally can I allow an animal so threatening to live where I live and work because I feel responsible for him and I cannot guarantee that he won't bite even if we give out warnings. Of course I do not want to re-home him, but I am now feeling I must consider this as a real option and this is ruining my day/week/month I can tell you.
He is a beauty; stunning white markings on his face and neck and paws; he is a real thug looking cat with thunder thighs, but also loving if you are willing to take the chance. Percy adores the dog and is always trying to cuddle the dog, but she is wary too.
The training tips are not really viable with all the people living and visiting here. It is complicated enough conveying the training/controlling tips I have worked hard to scale down to a few for handling our dog who is very loved and many visitors play with. Warnings is the only way. And maybe drugs.
Although I have had cats all my life and know what Percy is doing is not highly unusual, I have never had a cat like this and where we live is the unusual factor in this. Would prozac work? I prefer St Johns Wort I think but do not rule out anything at this point! I look forward to hearing from more experienced cat owners and it feels good to just communicate about it with people who understand!
thanks from
Percy the cat's food buyer!
. Which I do not consider to be an acceptable option. Certainly if he was taken to a shelter, they'd have to put him down; they can't have the liability of adopting out a biting animal.
