Title says it all. Our female cat has always had a mean side to her. Especially lately. In May our other cat was diagnosed with cancer. Ever since then she’s attacked him and treated him poorly. I tried everything possible to try to get them to get along again but I have been unsuccessful. I keep them separated at all times now. I’ve never seen my female cat attack me or my children before. Tonight my son was in the kitchen and the cat comes in with her tail all fat and hissing. She attacked him. At first I thought she just swatted at him but she got him good. Deep scratches on his back and put a hole in his brand new Christmas jammies. I put her in the basement and shut the door. My husband came out from the bedroom wanting to know what happened. He said she has to go. She needs to be put down because she’s dangerous. My question is do you think she should be put down? I am NOT HAPPY at all with what happened and agree she needs to go but I don’t have the heart to put her down. Shes been apart of the family for 9 years. Also, the shelters around here won’t take her without me making an appointment and having her be evaluated. Kind of wish there was a place I could just drop her without any questions. But if she attacked my son I wouldnt want her to do it to any other kids either...
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Cat Attacked 3 Year Old
- Thread starter kimfarr87
- Start Date
You haven't told us enough to evaluate what happened. Was the other cat locked away during the attack? Did you todler do anything vis-a-vis the cat? Has he ever? What is their pattern of interaction? What do you mean by has always had a mean side?
Couple things going on: (1) redirected aggression -- when a cat is stressed, by another cat or otherwise, they can lash out at a human that comes near; (2) toddlers aren't great with cats - normally a cat will trot away from a toddler, but if the cat is already anxious, it can be a problem; (3) how did the cats used to get along? If the cat's behavior got worse with the other cat right after the vet visit, this is a common thing, as the cat smells different coming back from the vet -- you may need to do a reintroduction the slow and proper way to give them a reset; and (4) we need to know more about the cat's history.
Tell us, we can try to help. Even if we can't, very likely the cat could do well as an only cat without toddlers, so you could look for a no kill shelter or friend willing to take a chance. It is quite possible you may need to give the cat away, but there is no reason to put it down as its surely possible to find a no kill shelter that will take her. You may have to make a lot of calls and be prepared to drive some, even quite a bit, but I bet you can find one.
Couple things going on: (1) redirected aggression -- when a cat is stressed, by another cat or otherwise, they can lash out at a human that comes near; (2) toddlers aren't great with cats - normally a cat will trot away from a toddler, but if the cat is already anxious, it can be a problem; (3) how did the cats used to get along? If the cat's behavior got worse with the other cat right after the vet visit, this is a common thing, as the cat smells different coming back from the vet -- you may need to do a reintroduction the slow and proper way to give them a reset; and (4) we need to know more about the cat's history.
Tell us, we can try to help. Even if we can't, very likely the cat could do well as an only cat without toddlers, so you could look for a no kill shelter or friend willing to take a chance. It is quite possible you may need to give the cat away, but there is no reason to put it down as its surely possible to find a no kill shelter that will take her. You may have to make a lot of calls and be prepared to drive some, even quite a bit, but I bet you can find one.
I don't think that putting her down is necessarily the only option here. And I agree totally with
A
ArtNJ
, as I so often do. When considering the possibility of redirected aggression, the thing that makes me lean towards this is that she is lashing out at your sick cat. Now, bear in mind that cats aren't thinking "oh, poor thing, he is so sick, I must be kind." A cat is smelling that illness (and they certainly can), and thinking "WRONG, NOT RIGHT, DANGER DANGER DANGER!"
I also believe that she might do well in a quiet home with only older (or even no) children, and as an only cat. If she is prone to stress, she might even come out of all of this behavior and blossom into a totally different cat in a quiet environment.
I also believe that she might do well in a quiet home with only older (or even no) children, and as an only cat. If she is prone to stress, she might even come out of all of this behavior and blossom into a totally different cat in a quiet environment.
