I have had about ENOUGH of being mauled by one of my two cats ...at that point where I am thinking about having only ONE cat instead.
That is a very extreme position for me to take, as I would still take care of an animal that I took on that was a pain in my ass anyway. I am of the mind that they are family, not possessions, and my responsibility to care for when I adopt them, but today marks the FIFTH time the psychotic f----r has not just scratched/bitten me, but has dug in HARDER when I yell out in pain rather than immediately let go like a normal cat that isn't an a-----e would. I mean he inflicts real INJURY, draws blood that flows or drips, causes significant damage: He bites hard enough to leave deep holes and scar and certainly WILL get infected if I don't immediately drown the wound in Mercurochrome (I'm talking the original OLD TIME fluorescent stuff, not the new fake red-tinted Bactine that is being passed off under the name nowadays. It is the only thing that works to really prevent it getting infected, even with an animal bite, and surely I would be a lot worse off if I didn't have it and a few antibiotic pills on hand.)
It really pisses me off because he seems to only do it if I am on my period and in a fit of intense affection, usually a sudden aggression while being petted, and often comes back interested in being close to me shortly after being violently flung off of whatever extremity he had just dug into. In fact, he's just tried to jump up on the bed here twice since I started typing this post (somewhat painfully, with the holes in my hand, thanks to him...), though he clearly understands my snarled command to f--k off well enough to recognize he is not welcome to resume friendly interaction with me, and made himself scarce quickly enough when I told him to get lost and out of the room just now.
He was initially a purposeful acquisition to prevent me ever having to deal with rats again the way I had to after Phantom passed, and has never been the most loving or interactive pet. And I was perfectly fine with it being a working relationship, but he only pulls this crap JUST when I start to think I might enjoy his company after all, after he gets purry and playful (yesterday he actually enjoyed playing with a wand/ribbon toy with me, which he NEVER does) instead of just being THERE in his normal aloof way. Usually the most he wants is to sit nearby, perhaps kneading the spot right next to or behind me, but not in direct contact or on my lap like Fizz. He will purr and accept chin/head scratching in the particular key spots around the back of the ears as enthusiastically as most cats will and doesn't get twitchy whenever I initiate it, even if he may have been asleep or just sitting there minding his own business.
But when he gets affectionate on his own, enough to actively demand contact by bunting/head butting/rubbing on me or hanging around to the point of following me around the room requesting attention by trying to trip me up as I walk, THAT's when he sometimes can't seem to help himself and will, without the warning signs of tail flicking or ears twitching or anything to indicate that he is uncomfortable, suddenly grab on (to my hand, if I'm petting, or foot if he's winding himself between my ankles as I'm trying to walk) with both paws and sink ALL of his claws and teeth into me, deliberately and HARD, and then I would happily punt him across a field if I could actually grab him to exact my revenge once I get him to let go. I am at the point I don't know if I even want to be tempted to trust him again, as my skin is only getting thinner as I age.
He doesn't do that to Chad, ever. And Fizzgig would NEVER do that to me -- even under the most overstimulated conditions, he seems to have enough sense to restrain himself from putting any pressure that would break the skin if he is reactive or touchy. I also am not sure if Oscar isn't the source of a lot of the damage Fizzgig seems to be more prone to - he's always getting scratched up around the head and neck, rather than the back end as he might when fleeing, though, so it could be that he is an instigator too, and only complains when HE isn't in the mood for rough and tumble playtime.
I also wonder if it is related to dominance or jealousy/competition for my attention, sinand ce Fizz is definitely the one who is getting all the love/snuggles because he is a SUPER sweetie that likes being picked up around carried like an infant. He will even invite belly rubs, and will nuzzle under my chin and lick my neck or face or whatever he can reach and come when called, and generally likes being adorable and adored and in physical contact. Fizz, I can do pretty much anything to, and he will be purring about it, with the worst outcome of anything being a complaint or perhaps him walking away when he's had enough.
Oscar is fine with petting, but doesn't care to be held or picked up, though I can generally do so briefly to move him or put in a carrier without fear of getting mauled. He will sit even longer than Fizzgig will for flea combing, and doesn't get all bitey when he's impatient with that, it's only when he's being actively affectionate that he even tries to hurt me. And it REALLY HURTS when he does.
I am wondering if it's worth the risk to keep him, and actually am more worried about how it will affect Fizzgig in how I decide either way. I'm not sure if they are buddies that like each other or if they are just tolerant of each other's presence at this point, since I definitely have heard some annoyance from Fizz when they are interacting around the house together, but also have seen him complain when Oscar is not immediately in the vicinity too...
The two of them used to be quite cuddly together as kittens when I got Fizz specifically to help teach Oscar some manners in rough play, though now I no longer find them sleeping together. They share dry food in the same bowl, though they visit it one after another another rather than simultaneously. They will both eat together from separate bowls right near each other though one will usually wait for the other to leave rather than eat from the same plate at the same time. They seem to interact more by chasing each other around and spend their leisure chill time separately, and tend to interact with me alone individually. Oscar was adopted from the shelter about a month earlier than Fizzgig as I was sick of him attacking my ankles as I walked by, so a second kitten seemed the solution to keep him entertained. Fizzy is maybe a month or so younger, so was at a disadvantage until he got bigger but they used to cuddle together along with both dogs, which both are affectionate with still. I don't see them sleep together anymore, though when outside to hunt or play, one never seems far from the other. Oscar was an owner surrender, supposedly due to allergies, though I am now wondering if maybe the allergy was to his violent tendency as opposed to his fur/dander.
At any rate, I am 100% playing favorites and am hopelessly enslaved by Fizzy, who has totally been a love fest from the beginning. I did not think I would ever find another cat that I had so much affection for as I did for Phantom, and sometimes they are similar enough that I will occasionally slip and call Fizz by his name. Oscar, however, really pushes the limits of my desire to have him around when he is so unpredictably aggro and that isn't likely to encourage me to try and even out the display of affection if indeed jealousy is the problem. The fact that my hand is going to be painfully stiff for a while and has to be monitored carefully for potential infection has me wondering if I finally haven't found the line of tolerance in my willingness to keep an animal and if surrendering him to someone else might not be the best choice.
I really don't feel right about "getting rid of the cat" which is my mother's advice, but I also don't like that I may have to go to get some antibiotics at the ER tonight or at the clinic in the morning and be wary of him possibly doing this AGAIN in the future or having more battle scars from him to deal with either... He's lucky Chad didn't kill him after he heard me screaming today, so he's in nobody's good graces at the moment, and I wonder about how willing I am to interact with him if I don't trust him.
The cats are about three years old now, and I got them when they were kittens about a month apart. Any advice on what might be up with Oscar? Can his behavior be corrected or should I just keep my distance until I'm done with menopause or what? I think Fizz MIGHT miss him if I took him back to the shelter, but I am not sure of that at all, and no one else in the house is likely to notice his absence since he isn't really a source of joy and doesn't really interact much, overall he is not a problem except for when he does THIS, but I wish I could be confident that it won't happen again and I am not unless I decide not to even touch him anymore. It's already affected how much concern I have for anything that might happen to him, as I pay for pet insurance on the other cat only, who is the one I feel I can't do without.
I mentioned menopause only because I just turned 50 and have been in the misery of this hormonal nightmare the last couple years and dealing with uterine fibroids on top of that and hoping its over soon or comes less frequently until then. But instead of irregularity making thngs less frequent, Aunt Flo is coming every two weeks as of two months ago. As I noted, the only times this has happened has been when I am on my period. With that being regularly on time every month until these last couple, it seemed significant that 5 of 5 times he has done this have all been during my cycle, and I was wondering if it might be related.
That is a very extreme position for me to take, as I would still take care of an animal that I took on that was a pain in my ass anyway. I am of the mind that they are family, not possessions, and my responsibility to care for when I adopt them, but today marks the FIFTH time the psychotic f----r has not just scratched/bitten me, but has dug in HARDER when I yell out in pain rather than immediately let go like a normal cat that isn't an a-----e would. I mean he inflicts real INJURY, draws blood that flows or drips, causes significant damage: He bites hard enough to leave deep holes and scar and certainly WILL get infected if I don't immediately drown the wound in Mercurochrome (I'm talking the original OLD TIME fluorescent stuff, not the new fake red-tinted Bactine that is being passed off under the name nowadays. It is the only thing that works to really prevent it getting infected, even with an animal bite, and surely I would be a lot worse off if I didn't have it and a few antibiotic pills on hand.)
It really pisses me off because he seems to only do it if I am on my period and in a fit of intense affection, usually a sudden aggression while being petted, and often comes back interested in being close to me shortly after being violently flung off of whatever extremity he had just dug into. In fact, he's just tried to jump up on the bed here twice since I started typing this post (somewhat painfully, with the holes in my hand, thanks to him...), though he clearly understands my snarled command to f--k off well enough to recognize he is not welcome to resume friendly interaction with me, and made himself scarce quickly enough when I told him to get lost and out of the room just now.
He was initially a purposeful acquisition to prevent me ever having to deal with rats again the way I had to after Phantom passed, and has never been the most loving or interactive pet. And I was perfectly fine with it being a working relationship, but he only pulls this crap JUST when I start to think I might enjoy his company after all, after he gets purry and playful (yesterday he actually enjoyed playing with a wand/ribbon toy with me, which he NEVER does) instead of just being THERE in his normal aloof way. Usually the most he wants is to sit nearby, perhaps kneading the spot right next to or behind me, but not in direct contact or on my lap like Fizz. He will purr and accept chin/head scratching in the particular key spots around the back of the ears as enthusiastically as most cats will and doesn't get twitchy whenever I initiate it, even if he may have been asleep or just sitting there minding his own business.
But when he gets affectionate on his own, enough to actively demand contact by bunting/head butting/rubbing on me or hanging around to the point of following me around the room requesting attention by trying to trip me up as I walk, THAT's when he sometimes can't seem to help himself and will, without the warning signs of tail flicking or ears twitching or anything to indicate that he is uncomfortable, suddenly grab on (to my hand, if I'm petting, or foot if he's winding himself between my ankles as I'm trying to walk) with both paws and sink ALL of his claws and teeth into me, deliberately and HARD, and then I would happily punt him across a field if I could actually grab him to exact my revenge once I get him to let go. I am at the point I don't know if I even want to be tempted to trust him again, as my skin is only getting thinner as I age.
He doesn't do that to Chad, ever. And Fizzgig would NEVER do that to me -- even under the most overstimulated conditions, he seems to have enough sense to restrain himself from putting any pressure that would break the skin if he is reactive or touchy. I also am not sure if Oscar isn't the source of a lot of the damage Fizzgig seems to be more prone to - he's always getting scratched up around the head and neck, rather than the back end as he might when fleeing, though, so it could be that he is an instigator too, and only complains when HE isn't in the mood for rough and tumble playtime.
I also wonder if it is related to dominance or jealousy/competition for my attention, sinand ce Fizz is definitely the one who is getting all the love/snuggles because he is a SUPER sweetie that likes being picked up around carried like an infant. He will even invite belly rubs, and will nuzzle under my chin and lick my neck or face or whatever he can reach and come when called, and generally likes being adorable and adored and in physical contact. Fizz, I can do pretty much anything to, and he will be purring about it, with the worst outcome of anything being a complaint or perhaps him walking away when he's had enough.
Oscar is fine with petting, but doesn't care to be held or picked up, though I can generally do so briefly to move him or put in a carrier without fear of getting mauled. He will sit even longer than Fizzgig will for flea combing, and doesn't get all bitey when he's impatient with that, it's only when he's being actively affectionate that he even tries to hurt me. And it REALLY HURTS when he does.
I am wondering if it's worth the risk to keep him, and actually am more worried about how it will affect Fizzgig in how I decide either way. I'm not sure if they are buddies that like each other or if they are just tolerant of each other's presence at this point, since I definitely have heard some annoyance from Fizz when they are interacting around the house together, but also have seen him complain when Oscar is not immediately in the vicinity too...
The two of them used to be quite cuddly together as kittens when I got Fizz specifically to help teach Oscar some manners in rough play, though now I no longer find them sleeping together. They share dry food in the same bowl, though they visit it one after another another rather than simultaneously. They will both eat together from separate bowls right near each other though one will usually wait for the other to leave rather than eat from the same plate at the same time. They seem to interact more by chasing each other around and spend their leisure chill time separately, and tend to interact with me alone individually. Oscar was adopted from the shelter about a month earlier than Fizzgig as I was sick of him attacking my ankles as I walked by, so a second kitten seemed the solution to keep him entertained. Fizzy is maybe a month or so younger, so was at a disadvantage until he got bigger but they used to cuddle together along with both dogs, which both are affectionate with still. I don't see them sleep together anymore, though when outside to hunt or play, one never seems far from the other. Oscar was an owner surrender, supposedly due to allergies, though I am now wondering if maybe the allergy was to his violent tendency as opposed to his fur/dander.
At any rate, I am 100% playing favorites and am hopelessly enslaved by Fizzy, who has totally been a love fest from the beginning. I did not think I would ever find another cat that I had so much affection for as I did for Phantom, and sometimes they are similar enough that I will occasionally slip and call Fizz by his name. Oscar, however, really pushes the limits of my desire to have him around when he is so unpredictably aggro and that isn't likely to encourage me to try and even out the display of affection if indeed jealousy is the problem. The fact that my hand is going to be painfully stiff for a while and has to be monitored carefully for potential infection has me wondering if I finally haven't found the line of tolerance in my willingness to keep an animal and if surrendering him to someone else might not be the best choice.
I really don't feel right about "getting rid of the cat" which is my mother's advice, but I also don't like that I may have to go to get some antibiotics at the ER tonight or at the clinic in the morning and be wary of him possibly doing this AGAIN in the future or having more battle scars from him to deal with either... He's lucky Chad didn't kill him after he heard me screaming today, so he's in nobody's good graces at the moment, and I wonder about how willing I am to interact with him if I don't trust him.
The cats are about three years old now, and I got them when they were kittens about a month apart. Any advice on what might be up with Oscar? Can his behavior be corrected or should I just keep my distance until I'm done with menopause or what? I think Fizz MIGHT miss him if I took him back to the shelter, but I am not sure of that at all, and no one else in the house is likely to notice his absence since he isn't really a source of joy and doesn't really interact much, overall he is not a problem except for when he does THIS, but I wish I could be confident that it won't happen again and I am not unless I decide not to even touch him anymore. It's already affected how much concern I have for anything that might happen to him, as I pay for pet insurance on the other cat only, who is the one I feel I can't do without.
I mentioned menopause only because I just turned 50 and have been in the misery of this hormonal nightmare the last couple years and dealing with uterine fibroids on top of that and hoping its over soon or comes less frequently until then. But instead of irregularity making thngs less frequent, Aunt Flo is coming every two weeks as of two months ago. As I noted, the only times this has happened has been when I am on my period. With that being regularly on time every month until these last couple, it seemed significant that 5 of 5 times he has done this have all been during my cycle, and I was wondering if it might be related.
