Feral cat - loving then attacks

My family has recently found a cat that we think is a feral cat. We have dealt with feral cats before but this one is different. This cat starts out very nice and happy and rubs up against everyone. Then after that the cat will hiss, growl, and try to scratch/bite us. Then minutes later the cat is back to her happy self. We have other animals, could that be effecting her behavior? If anybody has anything that they think could help then please let me know. Thank you.

ryan farquhar said:

My family has recently found a cat that we think is a feral cat. We have dealt with feral cats before but this one is different. This cat starts out very nice and happy and rubs up against everyone. Then after that the cat will hiss, growl, and try to scratch/bite us. Then minutes later the cat is back to her happy self. We have other animals, could that be effecting her behavior? If anybody has anything that they think could help then please let me know. Thank you.

Click to expand...

Are you petting the cat while its rubbing and cuddling?  some cats dont manage long petting - it gets too much, and wham - they bite, often quite deeply.  If you are good with cat body language, you can usually observe when enough is enough, and stop in time.

I see its prob not the love bites here, as he hisses and growls...  Otherwise, love bites are quite common, and some cats hasnt learned to take it piano and very gently...

Other animals being present there may be.  if he isnt friendly with them.  It MAY be some sort of redirected aggression.

There is also the possibility, new feelings and hormones are flowing through him.  He isnt used to true love, its confusing him as yet.  If you stand fast, he will learn with time, he will know you are reliable, and his friend for real, not just because he is rubbing on you some and its pleasant to stroke him.

Ps.  Had you neutered him?  Im not saying this is the answer for this here problem, but in the long run this will help him and you in much.

Tx for caring and helping this guy!

If he is rubbing up against you when he first sees you, and has done from the start, then he is not a real feral. Ferals will not come near people for a long time. It may be he is a long-time stray who has had mixed reactions from people, so is wary, it sounds like he wants love but is a bit scared of it at the same time and cannot give full trust. I would pet him briefly each time he comes and then stop before he has had enough, and then gradually increase the time. That way he will never experience the scary feelings and will gradually forget them. Leave him always wanting more. Thank you for looking after this little lost one, I am sure there is a great relationship in there waiting to happen.

StefanZ is right - she may be in heat and you know what hormones do to you!

She could also smell your other pets and is unsure of what/where they are.

As JennyR says, always leave her wanting more.  We have a cat, a former stray turned almost feral, who loves head scratches.  Get to the shoulders and he's wary.  Touch his flank, and you've got claw marks on your hand.

In rescue, we call these "rattlesnake cats."  It's really a kind of overstimulation.  They can't help it, it's like a sneeze reaction.  The only thing you can do is to avoid petting them, or if you do pet them, one or two strokes and then stop, because they truly cannot stop that reaction.