male cat aggression

[sandysmoos]

galensgranny
I just wanted to report that your advise for my biting cat is working! He is much better. Everytime Smoky starts to bite I would grab the back of his neck (gently) and hold him down and say NO! If he did it again, I would hold him down longer. He still tries once in a while, but all I have to do is say NO and he's quits.
Thank you soooooooo much! Sandy

 

[galensgranny]

Great news, Sandy! Your very welcome and thank you for posting an update. I hate it when one never knows how something turned out. Give your kitty some head scratches for me.

 

[catspride]

Wonderful. The Galensgranny advice helped in my case, as well, since I made it a determined project instead of a haphazard effort.

It looks like the technique works regardless of the original motivation of the cat. I have added this one to my book of advice and experience.

Love and Peace

 

[flimflam]

What great advice from everyone. This is why I love this site, helpful advice from knowledgable people sharing their experiences.

 

[imachewtoy]

i have an extremely aggressive male cat whom we adopted from the humane society at 6 weeks, and he was nuetered 2 months ago. same as sandysmoos, his aggression is targetted specifically at me. it really is hard not to take it personally when i was the one who was wanting a pet in the first place. my arms and hands make my coworkers think i have a really bad habit and i'm constantly trying to hide them under long sleeves

.
i read this post about a week ago, and it seemed to be working at first, but then b got wise to the fact that he'd now have to bite/scratch and run so as to still dominate but not get held down. he is a very strong kitten (7 months) and very strong willed, when i do catch him, it is becoming increasingly tricky to hold him down. i really do fear he'll get the best of me!
i've heard that introducing another cat of similar temperament into the household would help because then they'd duke it out between the 2 of them, but we can't take another cat yet (as money is really tight at our house) and i fear if we did, would it go horribly awry and i end up with 2 cats who love nothing more than to bite a scratch the daylights out of me?!
i really need help. i hate to give up too soon and put him back up for adoption, but then again, i hate to be the punching bag.

 

[galensgranny]

imachewtoy, does anyone play with him by using their hands? Some people, seems like moreso males, sometimes play rough with cats like they might with a dog. If anyone in the home is playing rough with Boris, they should stop, so he does't get confused about what is acceptable.

Perhaps playing more with him with a fishing pole type toy will help get out his energy, without him being near your body parts.

<<i really do fear he'll get the best of me!>>
You are bigger and stronger than he is. Though it is true that cats can squirm so much that it is so hard to keep hold of them.

<<i read this post about a week ago,>>
It takes more than a week. Keep trying and think "i'm NOT a chewtoy".

<<i've heard that introducing another cat of similar temperament into the household would help because then they'd duke it out between the 2 of them, but we can't take another cat yet (as money is really tight at our house) and i fear if we did, would it go horribly awry and i end up with 2 cats who love nothing more than to bite a scratch the daylights out of me?!>>

Getting another cat might be helpful, but not with the idea that the two cats would then "duke it out". You don't want fighting cats! Another cat might make a good wrestling play partner for Boris so he won't be as interested in doing it to you. Some of what he is doing to you might be overly rough play. But, it is also true that some cats don't take to having another cat around so you might wind up with "things gone wrong". It's hard to tell ahead of time. If you do get another cat, be sure to do a very slow, gradual introduction so they have a better chance of getting along. If Boris has not been with other cats since six weeks old, he won't have learned good "kitty manners", so might "offend" another cat by being overly rough to them as he is doing to you.

Good luck.

 

[imachewtoy]

thanks galensgranny. i appreciate your coaching.
i haven't nor am i gonna give up quite yet. i'm kinda hoping (and praying) that some of this energy is due to his still being a kitten, and perhaps he will chill out a bit as he becomes more of an adult. he really is a cute kittie and he can be sweet when he wants to (you may have read my post last week about his nursing habit--my earlobe!). i guess his down time is when i'm at work during the day. my hubby is with him and says he's usually pretty good when it's just the 2 of them. although he's quite mischievous(knocking over the fishbowl, digging up my houseplants and rooting around in the dirt, jumping on top of the counters, refrigerator and kitchen cabinet tops, climbing my cloth shoe bag in my closet)he doesn't normally go nuts until i get home, but i think that's just his biological clock (5pm-11pm is his wild time). he's got alot of toys and every time we finish a bottle of milk or shampoo he gets the lids. i've tried the squirt bottle thing--it doesn't faze him. i've tried the loud noise--it gets his attention, but it doesn't halt him from what he's about. ugh...perhaps i should be posting this entirely separately from this thread, but is this all related to the alpha male syndrome/play aggression?
i am NOT a chew toy, i am NOT a chew toy, i am NOT a chew toy...

 

[valanhb]

Could hubby do more interactive play with Boris while he is home? Just 15-20 minutes a couple times during the day? Boris may see you as the sole provider of his entertainment, and since Mama Cat didn't teach him any play manners since he was taken away too early, well you get the brunt of all his energy. Are you playing with him when he bites/scratches? If so, tell him "NO" is a firm voice and remove attention from him. If it agressive play, this should help.

Are you the primary disciplinarian? A friend of mine went through the same thing, and we think it was mainly because her S/O let kitty get away with anything when he was home, but she tried to discipline/train the cat. Many times he would scold her for being too harsh on kitty (with the spray bottle, it's not like she ever got physical with the cat). Kitty was getting mixed messages, but knew that her S/O was really the Alpha in the house, and basically tried to become second. If this sounds familiar, talk to your hubby about the need for consistency, and set the rules for Boris that both of you will try to enforce.

 

[kareng]

Daisy,

          when I first adopted my male cat, he would bite without being provoked. Firmly reprimanding him by saying 'No',letting him know you don't approve and praising him when He behaves well works for me.