Lulu is a 5 1/2 month old female kitten I got from a pet store when she was 7 weeks old. We immediatly bonded and she has been extremely loving and affectionate to me ever since. The problem is she HATES anyone other than myself. I live in an apartment alone with only her and ever since she was about 10 weeks old she has been attacking and spitting and hissing visitors. She never acts scared or cautious, she just runs up and takes a swipe at them. At her first vet visit she needed to be held down by an assistant with gloves becuase she was so agressive and mean. I have tried everything from keeping her in her cage and gradually letting her try to adjust to visitors to giving visitors treats to give her to disciplining her by giving her a "time out" when she attacks them. Even if the visitor and i ignore her she will still jump and agressively attack them. It is not play behavior, she hisses,growls and spits untill i put her in another room.
I do notice that she does seem to be an alpha cat. Sometimes she only likes to be pet when she seeks me out and sometimes when i catch her doing something she isn't allowed and take her away or discipline her by clapping my hands or making a sound her she will swipe and hiss at me. Otherwise she just follows me around all day and is sweet and affectionate.
I am now home for a long vacation (1 month) with my parents and my 2 siblings, 2 cats, turtle and dog and I have been keeping her isolated from everyone in fear she will hurt them. A few times my parents have gone into my room to try and play with her and she is aloof or just attacks them. She will look someone in the face, hiss, and turn away. Surprisingly she is different with the other two cats and dog. She will lay and look at them with curiosity but has never tried to attack any of them. Why does she hate other people?!?!!?
HELP how can I break my kitten's "cat from hell" reputation with other people and teach her to love and trust others as she does me??!??!?!?!!?
ps-i dont know if it matters at all but she is part Mau, hasnt been fixed (though I am planning on it in the next few weeks) and very small. (4.5 lbs)
I do notice that she does seem to be an alpha cat. Sometimes she only likes to be pet when she seeks me out and sometimes when i catch her doing something she isn't allowed and take her away or discipline her by clapping my hands or making a sound her she will swipe and hiss at me. Otherwise she just follows me around all day and is sweet and affectionate.
I am now home for a long vacation (1 month) with my parents and my 2 siblings, 2 cats, turtle and dog and I have been keeping her isolated from everyone in fear she will hurt them. A few times my parents have gone into my room to try and play with her and she is aloof or just attacks them. She will look someone in the face, hiss, and turn away. Surprisingly she is different with the other two cats and dog. She will lay and look at them with curiosity but has never tried to attack any of them. Why does she hate other people?!?!!?
HELP how can I break my kitten's "cat from hell" reputation with other people and teach her to love and trust others as she does me??!??!?!?!!?
ps-i dont know if it matters at all but she is part Mau, hasnt been fixed (though I am planning on it in the next few weeks) and very small. (4.5 lbs)