New addition to my home is very, very aggresive!

Hi all,

I am having issues with a new addition to my home. I called and arranged to meet with the owner of an 8 year old intact male Tom named Brisco, who belonged to an 87 year old lady who could no longer care for him. Unfortunately, after a few weeks, Brisco is forcing me to consider giving him away myself.

I've done my usual work in trying to "introduce" Brisco to my home and current kitty, another 8 year old male (neutered) by putting him in a room by himself (he has been there ever since, naughty cat!) and letting him get used to Plucky's scent. Brisco just seems insanely high strung however. He has aggressively bitten me 3 times, once in the forehead and twice in the left hand. I learned that he had also bitten a member of the PREVIOUS family that tried to adopt him. He has rubbed up against my leg, and arched his back to brush up against my hand, meowing, then simply screamed and hissed and launched himself at my arm, all 4 claws sank into my arm, and he bit- hard!!- into my thumb. Just now- again - he lunged at my face while I was kneeling down to feed him. In the minutes before, he had been sitting quietly and purring, no outward signs of stress or aggression.

I can tell he is having issues adjusting, and I can understand why; an intact male, in an apartment that stinks of another cat, with a 49 year old man replacing his beloved 87 year old mama. I get it. But he has been here now, in seclusion, for almost 4 weeks. I visit him frequently, try to talk to him, play with him, make a bif show of feeding him so he knows where the goddies come from...but he is still highly nervous and worries me. He acts like a normal cat most of the time, and he even purrs and stretches out on the door, meowing for me to let him out. If I do, he will go as far as the kitchen, turn around, and go back to the closet he is sleeping in. I have to confess...I am afraid to even touch him now, and will not lean down or crouch or sit in the room with him. I remain standing, keep my hands to myself, and simply talk to him as gently as I can.

I am at a loss. Should I give him a few more weeks and try again to let him out? Or is he simply not a good fit for my home?

Is there a reason that you haven't gotten him neutered? I think that would go a long way in helping all of you settle.

I agree, getting him fixed will make a huge difference. 

The most effective way to deal with Brisco's aggressiveness is to have him neutered.  Although it may take a month for his hormone levels to drop, this is where you need to start.   (See two articles below.)

I'd also recommend  you try one or more of the calming agents available.

1.  Feliway is available as a plug-in diffuser or spray.  It's based on a facial pheromone that cat's emit when they are feeling happy and content.  Here is the Feliway website:  http://www.feliway.com/us/#redirected.  Many members have found the best prices are at amazon.  

2.  Composure is a calming agent available in treat or liquid form.  http://www.vetriscience.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=9008103030  Many of our members have very good luck with this.  

3.  Calming pheromone collars are available.  The selling point is that the pheromone level is constant and close to the nose.  The negatives are that they may be covered with powder that gets everywhere, they may have a strong odor and the collar itself has been criticized as not being effectively break-away.  Here is an amazon search that shows some of the products available:  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...:calming+collars+for+cats&tag=&tag=thecatsite

4.  Bach's Flower Remedies, in particular Rescue Remedy:  Many members report excellent results with these products.  http://www.bachcentre.com/centre/bfrani.htm

5.  Spirit Essences:  http://www.spiritessences.com/category-s/1876.htm  Another favorite with our members.

The following articles should also provide you with some ideas:
[article="30307"]Is Your Cat Stressed Out  [/article][article="30348"]When To Spay Neuter A Cat  [/article][article="0"]Spay And Neuter Your Cats  [/article][article="32493"]The Dos And Donts Of Cat Behavior Modification  [/article]
The last resort of all, when none of the above techniques work is the use of medication:
[article="30323"]Anti Anxiety Medication For Cats  [/article]
Good luck.  I really hope you will be able to keep poor Brisco.  It was kind of you to take him in, even knowing his problems and it really should be possible to reduce his aggressiveness considerably.

Thanks for the replies everyone. I didn't get him neutered right off because I wanted to give him a bit of time to settle before I whisked him off to the vet's. He was already distraught at being taken out of his home and uprooted the way he was. Unfortunately, the biting incidents took place in the first week, and since then I have simply not had the confidence to even pet him, much less try and pick him up to coax him into the carrier.

I will see if I can enlist a friend to come by and try to get him into the carry case. I am pretty sure Brisco is picking up on my apprehension towards him (which is really quite severe right now) and that is confusing him further. I've heard of some cats that take months to acclimate to the point where they can be released from their "holding room". Right now, Brisco and Plucky eat on opposite sides of the door, and they frequently play footsie without hissing or growling. I am hopeful I can bring him 'round...I just hate having to leave him cooped up in a single room all by himself like that, no matter how often I go and visit. He is a "loud and proud" kitty, and I can tell he wants to be loved. We're just not meshing right now.

*sigh* Brisco strikes again.

I took to wearing some neoprene gardening gloves when I visit him. Just now, I visited him and let my hang down, far from him, as an invitation to come and say hello. He was siting a few feet away, ears and whiskers forward and relaxed, lazy eye blinks and purring, no tail swishing. He got up, walked by, and rubbed up against my hand full length, purring and stretching as he walked by. He turned around and did it again...and then suddenly bit my pinky finger hard (no damage thanks to the glove thankfully!) and hissed AT MY HAND, then RAN into the closet.

I admit; I don't get it. He went from happy kitty to aggressive and terrified in the space of exactly one second. Why does he go from being relaxed and purring and cuddly to suddenly terrified/stressed enough to bite like that, with no warning signs in body language or behavior?  There were no sudden noises, no sudden moves on my part of any kind, and my other cat was sleeping in the living room. He was absolutely not provoked into that behavior or triggered, he just...snapped. I am convinced this is not just a case of displaced/new kitty behavior, and something far more ingrained. That "trust" bond between kitty and carer is so broken right now that I don't think I could ever bring myself to really be comfortable around him, or let him out of his room when I am at work (too concerned he would attack my big goofy Plucky).

Unfortunately, I think I am going to give Brisco away...but I have to be honest, I don't think anyone would take him as I have to be honest about his biting and clawing, that he is a troubled kitty. His attacks are frequent and violent (these are NOT play bites and scratches!). His attacks aren't defensive or in response to over-stimulation or stress, and it isn't displaced aggression. He's just...I do not know. I have never, ever had this sort of trouble with a cat, any cat, and I introduced 4 other cats to Plucky when I lived in my home in Montreal; they all got along famously, and none of them have ever attacked me...not even once.

There are no-kill shelters here in Toronto. I will try to find him a good home, but I am feeling certain it will not be here.

I really think you can do more to help this relationship before you give up, and I'm not just saying that.

His entire world has been turned upside down and on top of that he has raging aggressive hormones. You will see a large difference with him once he is fixed. He can also be given anti-anxiety meds to help him reset.

You have certainly taken on a challenge, and I wouldn't expect a perfect, easy transition. That said, you are not out of options.

I am torn between the idea of keeping him and finding a better home for him. He's an adorable little guy, and he seems like he really, really wants to be loved. He is so talkative and cute. My gut is just telling me that, after a month now in a quiet, calm room by himself, getting used to my cat's scent and mine, my voice, having me feed him...there has to be more going on with these instantaneous, split-second mood flips than just "I'm in a new home!! MUST FIGHT!!!"

But I don't like leaving him in a single room by himself all the time, and he quite obviously does not like it. I guess...I guess I can try leaving him there for another 5-6 weeks after I have him neutered. I feel like I am torturing him right now, leaving him in seclusion like that.

I want him to stay with me, but not at the expense of his own happiness.

I don't think you should make any changes until after he is neutered and possibly medicated. You could see very significant changes.

He is probably miserable right now because he is adjusting to a new home and overrun with hormones. He will likely settle and I don't think he could do better than a home with you.

I agree. Briscoe must be neutered! Being pent up with raging homones can be a recipe for disaster. Also, I have to wonder about feral cats in your area since you live in an apartment...likely some of these are females in heat.

Start by getting Briscoe to the vet. At age 8, he needs to have senior blood work done as well, which they can do after he is sedated for neutering. I might also do a urinalysis/culture on him, this way you have a full view of his medical status. Sometimes underlying medical issues can cause aggression/agitation, so certainly not a bad idea to go ahead and get everything taken care of at one.

Also, definitely worth testing Briscoe for FIV/Leukemia as well before introducing him to Plucky.

If the aggression is due to hormones, you should see *some* improvement within about 2 weeks.

Would also be worth invest in a Feliway diffuser for Briscoe's room.

All the above needs to be done before making any further decisions, IMO.

Just a quick update on Brisco. He is scheduled for a vet visit this weekend to be neutered. I was "lucky" enough to seemingly try and book an appointment during a busy period, so no vet would see me during the hours I was free, until now.

I purchased a Feliway diffuser 2 weeks ago and it has been in his room ever since. It hasn't done much to calm him down, unfortunately. He is still extremely nervous around me, and aggressive. I can feed him and put a dish of wet food down near his head, and he will not attack me and eat quietly. Any other time, if approached, he will retreat and then sit, the very tip of his tail twitching ("back off") and make plaintive, heart-breaking  meows to me. It's as if he wants me to help him but I don't know how anymore. On a few occasions, as I leave the room, he will suddenly lunge forward and viciously claw at my legs (I wear denim now!) before retreating and hissing at me.

Several vets I have spoken to have all said the same thing; the neutering will probably not help, as he is 8 years old and his behavior is conditioned now, not just hormonal. I am still going through with it, but I am not terribly hopeful at this point.

I think he is not meant to be in a home with another cat. As I said earlier, I am going to have him neutered anyway as he is in my care and should have been fixed by his previous owner long ago.

I think Brisco is seeing ME as a rival cat. His behavior is more aggressive than fearful. When I visit him or let him out of his room briefly (he has been basically on his own in there for the past 5-6 weeks) he begins to meow very loudly. Not growling, just talking. Loud. I remain still and speak to him softly, and he will sit, meow at me loudly with his tail twitching, and he meows louder...and louder..and louder...until he makes one long, sustained meow and then moves towards me, tail whipping about, as if he is going to attack. If I do nothing, he DOES attack, swiping hard at my legs. I have taken to clapping my hands once very hard when he starts moving towards me. He will then stop and back away and retreat to his room with a hiss.

It Is hard to describe...it's sort of like "Meowww! Meowww! MeoWWWW! MeoWWWW! MeoWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW:  *attack*

red top rescue
catwoman707

Most definitely needs to be neutered, and ASAP.

His being 8 yrs old and is now 'conditioned' is true, but to a point. I am telling you there most surely WILL be changes in him after neutering, to what degree nobody can predict.

Stifled hormones can be pretty outrageous, I've seen all different levels of hormones ruling the cat. 

Know that it will take a good 3+ weeks post neuter for his hormones to adjust as well as his awful unfixed male urine which surely reeks.

Biting the gloved hand was seen as threatening, that's the trouble with gloves, been there, sooo many times, but at least my hands were protected! 

I would also request an anxiety med for him, like prozac. It's not going to be harmful for him to be on this for at least a short time, then the dose can slowly be cut down until he is on a very low dose but still has good and acceptable behavior, or eventually off of it completely, it all depends on him and his stress/anxiety level with time.

If you can do this, he will either be able to stay with you and your other boy, or he will at least be given the chance to find another home where he is an only cat if that's what it takes.

But at the point he is now, it will be very tough for someone else to give him a second look with his unpredictable behavior.

It's so good to hear you are a sensitive and caring man, patient too!!

I wonder if you could possibly close your cat in a room someplace and allow him an hour or so of freedom each day once he is fixed? I just think he is likely feeling pretty isolated and it might do him good to stretch out and take in some different sights here and there

The vocalization before an attack is just what male cats do with each other.  The singing of songs is a warning to get out, but don't turn your back or they will chase you.  The way cats disengage is face to face, and one male will back off slowly, still singing.   Perhaps your MALENESS is part of the problem, since often cats bond with the human of the opposite sex the best, and your mom was his bonded human.  He MIGHT bond with another woman, especially if there were no other cats around, or if the cats around were female. 

Getting rid of his excess testosterone will certainly help but it does usually take awhile for it to calm down.  I am in complete agreement with @talkingpeanut that you will never know what possibilities are there until he is neutered.  Rather than choose to keep him or not to keep him now, just take ONE step at a time. When you take him to get neutered, make sure the vet clips all 18 claws as short as safely possible.  You might also ask for a tranquilizer for him.  When I had Grey Boy here (see story near my signature), he came in a 3-4 year old non-neutered male and he certainly would have bitten anyone who tried to handle him. I got a tranquilizer from the vet before taking him in the first time, and never touched him -- just put a second laundry basket over the one he was sleeping in (he was badly injured so couldnt do much, but he could have and would have bitten) and hitched the two together with zip ties.  He only ate part of the vet's tranquilizer, and spat it out.  The vet told me that using a cat-sized dose of human lorazepam (generic ativan) would work, and it has no taste (I have some on hand), so it was easy to crush it (0.25 mg. = 1/4 a human 1 mg. tablet) and roll it in turkey bacon and he gobbled it up.  That made transport easy as he was sleepy, not drunk sleepy but just calm and relaxed.  The vet would then cut the zip ties on one side, give him a quick shot of something, and in a few minutes the cat was out like a light.  He got his bandages changed under anesthesia and then I brought him home in the same laundry basket affair, and when he woke up, he found himself at home in his usual place, with the second laundry basket long gone. 

Since then we have used that dose on several really aggressive feral cats and it has calmed them amazingly well.  Neutering does calm them a lot more by the end of one month, and had you done that as soon as you got him, you would be seeing who he really is by now.  It sounds like he wants to be petted but as soon as he smells you, he knows you're not what he's looking for and he gets angry and aggressive.

BTW a good defense against any aggressive cat is the SKUNK approach.  Carry a bottle of spray perfume and if he makes any move towards you, squirt just a little in his direction.  I have never seen this fail.  You dont wait until he is close, you dont want to get it in his eyes, but you want him to know that you can and will skunk him if necessary.

If you're willing to try it, just thought I'd let you know there is a droplet form of cat Prozac, which is much easier to give to an anxious cat than the pill variety. Just like with humans, it takes a few weeks for the medication to take effect.

I'm glad you're willing to get him neutered. It's tough when a cat is aggressive like that. Good luck! I hope it all works out.

I am most definitely getting him neutered. He is 8 years old, it should have been done by his previous owner a long time ago. Then again, she was about 79-80 years old when she had him as a kitten, so she may not have had the mobility/resources to do so, so I cannot really hold that against her. It is obvious he was very close to her and has been a single kitty his entire life, so this is a big change for him. When I went to her apartment (she lives in the same building as me, or used to), he was adorable, and would let me pet him and even pick him up without problem. He is adorable and I am doing all I can to hang onto him.

I let him out for roughly an hour per day right now (Plucky gets tucked away in my other room), but he will usually limit himself to the bathroom adjacent to his room, and a walk to the end of the hallway where my living room is. Then he turns back and goes into his room. Normal, as he has spent 90% of his time in there.

I would have had him neutered sooner, but his very first night here he bit me squarely in the face (forehead right above the right eye). I was shocked, truly shocked, and a few days later he leapt 2 feet off the ground at my arm and severely raked and bit me (still healing a month later). Since then, I was unwilling to approach him to get him into a carrying case.

He will be going tomorrow for his pre-neuter blood work and shots. Will see how things turn out. Thanks for the advice all.

I've had a cat attack my head before too. It's quite frightening. I'm so sorry. I'm sure you'll do whatever is best. Sounds like a really tough situation and you're trying to do your best. Hang in there!

Too Brisco to the vet today and they took blood samples for testing before neutering him. He was quiet and lovable at the vet's office; I even got to pet him for the first time since he first attacked me a month ago, and they were picking him up without any complaints. Once I got him home, I let him out of his case and had him wander the hallway. I went to get him some canned food, fed him and praised him for his bravery at the vet's, go to leave the room...and next thing I know my right leg kicks forward under the impact of a 14 pound kitty striking my calf from behind. Now, I am 6'2" and 235 pounds, and he lifted my leg a few inches off the ground!! One deep bite mark and four lacerations from his claws. He hit me twice with two claw swipes and one bite.

He is now confined to his room until he is neutered, and for several weeks afterwards. This cat is not aggressive, he is HYPER aggressive!!! He has attacked me a total of 5 times now, and in fact he goes out of his way to attack me...even when I am retreating after feeding him. I am doing all I can but he seems to be telling me quite clearly that he does not want to be here...

I am so very sorry you, Brisco, and Plucky are going through this. It is admirable you are trying so hard to help him.

I just wanted to say, please do make sure you clean those bites and scratches very thoroughly and get the bites checked out. Bites are basically puncture wounds and easily get infected. I was recently attacked by my cat myself rather badly a few times. It's really tough.

Wishing you the best, however you proceed.