My Cat Has Serious Biting Issues

[alissa]

I have a cat that just turned 2 in April. I adopted him from a shelter in 2013 when he was 17 weeks old, after losing my previous cat, who was only 5 and the sweetest animal I never knew, to a vaccine associated sarcoma. My current cat, Murphy, a short haired domestic who is neutered and has had all of his shots, began biting when he was about 9 months old. Last year, he bit me so severely that I developed such a serious case of cellulitis that I had to be hospitalized for three days.

I didn't know what to do with him. I considered re-homing him, which would be difficult due to his behavior issues, or euthanizing him, which would have broken my heart. Meanwhile, his vet ran tests that ruled out any health issues. He said that these were options, with the third option being to get Murphy a kitten. So I did just that; I adopted a 10-week-old female that I named Lily. Lo and behold, Lily and Murphy immediately became friends and love each other.

The good news is, Murphy stopped biting me. The bad news is; he bites everyone else. He has repeatedly attacked my 83-year-old mom. Today, he attacked my landlord; he severely bit his hand and drew blood.

I honestly don't know what to do with this cat. I know that this can't go on. I would appreciate any advice and/or suggestions because I am at the end of my rope.

 

[mani]

We have an article of aggression in cats here that may give more insight into your situation.

Have you tried things like feliway, or supplements like Composure which may help to settle him?

 

[alissa]

Yes, Mani. I don't know what to do. I have a call into the vet. Thanks.

 

[Draco]

Does the cat have his own space with lots of cat trees? Lots of vertical space to get away? He might not feel secure with people coming and going.

 

[alissa]

People aren't coming and going. And he has a very nice home environment. He is strictly an indoor cat, and he has plenty of toys and climbing spaces. He just attacks people unprovoked. My landlord called me this morning to tell me that his hand is swollen, and he had to see his doctor. He also bit my mom last year, and she wound up in the emergency room. I have done everything I could for this cat, but nothing seems to work.

 

[alissa]

Here is an update. I consulted my cat's vet, who is holistic, by the way, and he has determined that my cat's issues aren't behavioral. His issues are actually due to faulty wiring in his brain. In short, he said that he's mentally ill, just like some people are mentally ill. I actually found a prior thread about this on the Cat Site that helped to put this into perspective: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/272699/euthanizing-an-aggressive-cat. Sadly, his vet and I feel that the only humane recourse is to let him go. I am heartbroken, but I know that this is the right decision.

I thank you all for your support and insight, and hope that you will say a little prayer for Murphy and me.