Desperate need of help please!!

[kelly101]

Hello everyone! My boyfriend and I are in desperate need of help. We adopted an older cat named Felix who we have had for a bout a year, he never shows aggression or any kind of violent behavior. He was a lazy old chubby cat. My boyfriend brought home two kittens home that we have put in a spare bedroom for now. However, Felix has started to violently attack my boyfriend and I and any person who walks in our door. He attacks multiple times leaving deep wounds on both of us. To the point we have to lock ourselves in our room till he calms down, if he does. he has become unpredictable and scares myself and everyone else. I know he's upset and jealous so we left the kittens the spare room till they get use to the smells but him attacking us violently and other people is beyond me. I know he's upset and jealous that we got another kitten or two. But he corners us and attacks! Please help us

 

[linawaary]

I have heard a lot of good things from people getting a Feliway diffuser to help calm the cat down. Best of luck to you guys! 

 

[kelly101]

Thank you very much my boyfriend and I will defiantly try those and see how they work. Our older cat Felix never showed aggression before and now whenever we go into the kittens room and then come out he's waiting by the door to attack us, and attacks more than once. I've never seen a cat do what he does. It's like having a feral cat all of a sudden. But when he goes to the kittens door to smell the door and smell their paws that are peeking under he's fine and just smells them. It's only been two days so we are trying to be patient but it's hard living with a cat who is trying to attack you and everyone else.

 

[shadowsrescue]

This sounds like redirected aggression.  He cannot get to the kittens to attack so your boyfriend is getting the brunt of his aggression.  Cats are very very very territorial by nature.  By bringing the cats into the home it has disrupted his territory.  You will need to work on cat to cat introductions very very slowly.  Since I assume the kittens are small, you will want to wait a bit before doing any face to face intros, but you can start slowly.  I will post some links and a video for you.  The key to success is to work very slowly or you will end up with problems and then have to restart.  Be sure the kittens have been to the vet for a clean bill of health.  You do not want Felix exposed to any diseases or worms. 

As mentioned above a feliway diffuser may help.  Just be sure you have enough to cover the size of your home.  Most people who find they do not help are not using enough. 

http://www.cathospitalofchicago.com/online-cat-health-library/feline-redirected-aggression

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/the-ultimate-yet-simplified-guide-to-introducing-cats

http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/a-simple-little-trick-to-use-during-new-cat-introductions/

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/cat-behavior/introducing-your-cat-new-cat

http://jacksongalaxy.com/2010/10/01/cat-to-cat-introductions/

 

[kelly101]

He attack me as well including people who come over. He goes to someone to purposely attack them multiple times .we have the kittens in the spare room and are separated. Felix knows they are in there because he's smelled them and one of the kittens always puts her paw under the door and Felix always goes up to smell them. All the cats are spayed and have a clean bill of health. My boyfriend and I have been searching day and night for methods and solutions. But none describe what this is. I'm hoping over time he will warm up I do not want to have to get rid of the kittens

 

[kelly101]

also they are separated. Kittens are in the spare room while Felix is out. However due to him attacking us randomly now we had to close our bedroom door at night. I knew he'd be upset with the kittens and I knew that'd take a while for him to get use to. But him attacking us every second and other people is whole other situation.

 

[shadowsrescue]

Please read the article I posted on redirected cat aggression and do a google search on it for more information.  Felix is going to need some extra attention in a positive manner.  Do you play with him?  His world is being turned upside down and the scent of the kittens is very scary to him.  I would not allow him at the door right now.  Just keep him away.  He will still smell them, but he is just not ready for it yet.  You will need a couple of feliway diffuers.  I also would suggest the Composure liquid max.  I used it very successfully on a territorial aggressive cat.  I would mix it into his wet food 2x a day.  You can find the best prices on the feliway and composure on Amazon or EntirelyPets.com

 

[kelly101]

I read your article and watched the video and as I mentioned before we've been searching day and night on solutions and we've done and have been doing these. After an hour or so he's fine with us and I can let him again, but once I go in the kittens room it's back to attacking us. He hasn't seen the kitten either, and Felix doesn't play never has since we got him, only one string that he enjoys but not crazy, I have no way of keeping him away from the door unless I bring him to someone else's house we live in an apartment. I'm hoping after a while he'll adjust but it's showing to be wry difficult giving Felix attention is hard when he's attacking everyone I give him love when he's calmed down like always but he can't be attacking people for no reason is the liquid mad at petsmart?

 

[kelly101]

I've been giving him the normal love and affection like always. But once we go in the spare room and come out he corners us and attacks us

 

[shadowsrescue]

Composure is not available at Pet stores.  You may find other calming supplements, but they are in treat form.  Many cats do not like the treats.  The liquid is easy to mix into wet food.  Yet remember this is not going to go away over night.  Can you get any baby gates to block off the area near the door?  He is reacting to their scent.  You smell like them.  Have you tried mixing the cats scents?  Take a clean wash cloth and rub Felix down with it.  Be sure to get under the chin and on the pads of his feet where the scent glands are located.  Then take the wash cloth and rub the kittens with it.  Once again be sure to hit the scent glands.  Then when Felix is calm, rub him down with the mixed scent wash cloth.  This will allow all of their scents to mix.  You may need to do this daily.  Yet if it stresses Felix, wait a bit longer.  Just try to do it calmly like you are petting him.  Not in a forceful way. 

Also is Felix neutered?

 

[kelly101]

All cats again are spayed and neutered and have shots he's not into treats but loves his wet food so I can put that in his wet food. I really can't block off that way because of the way the house is, of course he know they are there and he goes to the door himself to smell the kittens and when they paw under the door he just looks at them and smells them. I have heard of the cloth method and my boyfriend and I are fixing to do that today, it's hard because once we go in that room he's already at the door waiting to attack us. Plus his aggression towards people is new also he's never done that. I appreciate all the help my boyfriend and I are working on doing the cloth method along with the composure in hopes that'll work, I just don't see why he has to attack people because of it

 

[kelly101]

After he attacks us and calms down he lets us love him and pet him and he's back to normal. It seems like a jealousy thing

 

[shadowsrescue]

All cats again are spayed and neutered and have shots

he's not into treats but loves his wet food so I can put that in his wet food. I really can't block off that way because of the way the house is, of course he know they are there and he goes to the door himself to smell the kittens and when they paw under the door he just looks at them and smells them. I have heard of the cloth method and my boyfriend and I are fixing to do that today, it's hard because once we go in that room he's already at the door waiting to attack us. Plus his aggression towards people is new also he's never done that. I appreciate all the help my boyfriend and I are working on doing the cloth method along with the composure in hopes that'll work, I just don't see why he has to attack people because of it

That is the gist of redirected aggression.  He wants to attack the kittens and cannot get them so he attacks you or your boyfriend instead.  If you do a google search on redirected cat to human aggression you will find it is not uncommon.

Try putting a towel under the door so that the kittens cannot get their paws under it and he cannot get his under.

 

[kelly101]

I have this unfortunately from the reading isn't helping much of our situation, Him attacking people who come over also?

 

[kelly101]

should we stop having people come over a week or so? He's been showing this aggression towards people who come as well.which he never did he always wanted to be the center of attention.

 

[shadowsrescue]

If the people are coming to see the kittens, then I would stop for awhile.  If you do have people come over then I would suggest putting Felix into the bedroom or bathroom.  He may not be happy, but it's best if he is attacking people.  But you can certainly try not having people over for a week or so and see if the scent swapping and no visitors helps.

Be sure to keep an eye on him too just to be sure he isn't sick.  A sudden change in behavior may warrant a vet visit.  Yet my suspicion is the kitties are just causing an up roar.  He is very very unhappy. 

 

[kelly101]

Any suggestions for not getting attacked when we go in the room? He doesn't show any aggression or much of interest when he walks by their door a smell and normally walks away and comes to lay on the couch with us. But when we go in there and come out he's by the door waiting to attack us, his attacks are like a feral cat he jumps up at us and attacks as many times as he can till we push him off or we run and hide. He follows us until he can attack us, The first time he attacked it knocked my boyfriend to the ground.

 

[shadowsrescue]

Any suggestions for not getting attacked when we go in the room? He doesn't show any aggression or much of interest when he walks by their door a smell and normally walks away and comes to lay on the couch with us. But when we go in there and come out he's by the door waiting to attack us, his attacks are like a feral cat he jumps up at us and attacks as many times as he can till we push him off or we run and hide. He follows us until he can attack us, The first time he attacked it knocked my boyfriend to the ground.

Can you put him in another room or bathroom while you go into the room with the kittens.  Then when you come out, wash your hands really well.  Maybe even change clothes.  When you go to let him out try offering a yummy food reward.  Does he have something that is a favorite?  Try some plain cooked chicken, canned tuna .  Something extra special.  If you place him in a room, maybe try pushing some of the food reward under the door to divert his attention while you open the door. 

You also could try talking to your vet and seeing if he/she has some suggestions for the behavior.

 

[kelly101]

I also feel bad the kittens aren't getting as much play time and social time as they should. With Felix it's becoming impossible to come out. I have tried washing hands and changing and he still attacks, I do have an appointment for the vet soon for the kittens so I'm planning on asking some more questions. I've also tried redirection like his toys and what not, He's not a fan of treats but he has one toy he likes, I tried to redirect him with it yesterday and he attack my leg.

 

[kelly101]

Also we live in a two bedroom one bathroom apartment, so the kittens have the spare room Felix has the rest of the house and he use to sleep with is until all the attacks so we've been closing our door at night to prevent anymore attacks. Should I try and put him in our bedroom when we play with the kittens? I'm scared to see his reaction if we open the door and he just lunges and attacks, because he's been doing without warning.