New queen acting aggressive

[colleen3273]

My cat 2 years old just had her first litter last night. 5 kittens. She is in my bedroom walk in closet where I set her nesting box. She did wonderful. She let me handle the kittens last night and this morning before she turned on us.

I have a very excited dog (pit bull) which gets along with the cat most of the time. I also have four children ages 16, 14, 8, and 6. My 8 year old is aspergers and usually likes to hug the cat. He watched her give birth last night until he finally went to sleep in my bed. After my cat had her last kitten and I knew she was fine I partially closed the closet door and went to sleep. Woke up this morning and checked on her and the kittens and she was fine. She let me handle them and my 8 year old pet them. Than we left her alone in the closet and went to sit on the bed.

My cat than came out and attacked my 8 year olds legs, biting and scratching. I as a mother scooped him up and than she wrapped around my legs and scratched and bit me up pretty bad. I finally got my son out of there and into the kids bathroom all the while my cat kept trying to attack. Since than I have not been able to enter my bedroom without her darting out at me.

I did manage to get her litter box in my master bath for her by distracting her with a 1/2 can of tuna. I'm scared to death to enter my bedroom for the simple fact that I suffer from a rare disease Cutaneaous Mastocytosis, which causes me to go into anaphylaxis when I get any kind of punctures to the skins. After the episode this morning I now have bites and scratches all over my arms and legs. I did manage to go retrieve my medicines, which were on my nightstand and took a Benadryl to prevent an anaphylaxis attack.

All my clothes are in that closet with her and the kittens and I want to make sure she is doing okay as well as the kittens. It's been 4 hours since I've been in the room, and the last time I went in she darted at me but didn't attack. I also must mention, the first time she attacked, she followed me down stairs but was meowing and rubbing up against me until I lured her back to the kittens and she attacked me again. This cat has never shown aggression like this before and I understand it's her hormones and instinct.

I really want to check on the kittens and her to make sure she has enough food and water, but am scared to death she will attack me again. Will she calm down enough for me to go in by myself to check on her and her babies. I'll make sure the dog is outside and the kids are nowhere around. Should I let her come out of the bedroom knowing she may come out to hunt my 8 year old son and the dog down? And risk getting attacked again?

I must add, I've had this cat since she was seven weeks old and in the same house

 

[biancavd]

That is quite a story. I will try to analyze the situation and give an advice I believe is best in this case - it depends on mom if it will help tho, but we can try different stuff to at least make you able to enter the room.

Mom sounds extremely protective. She was fine with you and your son petting and touching her babies, but when she saw legs only, she freaked out and attacked. She must have felt threatened (not seeing whose legs it were). She now assosiates you and your son with the threatening feeling and thus she attacks.

She sounds like an insecure mom. It is her first litter and she wants to keep her babies save. Tuna, however, distracts her. I think this is where you can try to improve your bond with her and be able to check on her babies.

First of all, keep the room closed from your dog and children. She is too insecure and the more people and animals come near, the more she will become aggresive. And it can make her stay like this forever if she puts the link with threatening and your family. It's best to keep her in your room for a couple of weeks, and only let you inside, and see how it goes around then. She will have at least settled her mom feels by then.

Now, for you to be more trusted again for her, whenever you go into the room (not too many times), come in with a plate of Tuna. She will assosiate you with Tuna, and tuna is lovely, so you will become lovely and trustworthy. Basically you make her love you for feeding her her favorite kind of food. You can try the same with differend kinds of food and catcandy, whatever she likes to eat. When she is eating her Tuna, you can make sure she has enough food and water, and clean out the litterbox (I would put that in there too - make sure she has everything she needs). When she is eating you can also check on her and her babies, but I would't touch them yet if she doesn't let you. You grabbing her babies makes them scream, and makes her uncomfortable. It's up to you to see if she is okay with it or not. It would be best if you are able to weight the babies ones a day, but don't do it if mom freaks out and endangers your health.

I am autistic myself. I understand that for your son, not being able to hug his cat might confuse him. It is for his own health best to keep him away, despite that its very hard. You want to make sure he is save, but also make sure your cat feels secure and can focus on be a good mom instead of freaking out every day.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. I do believe when you feed her the first time you come in (come in low to reduce the threat of a larger person - and keep the plate of food in front of you so that's the first thing she sees) she will focus on the food and not attack you. Don't stay too long. Keep every visit a joy for her and make sure no attacks or aggressive behavior to you is done, it will make the bond better and she will most likely become trusting of you being in the room. Handling the kittens you will have to try and see. If it's not possible, don't worry. Mom can take good care of her babies. As long as you see them drink and be active ,it should be okay.

 

[Sarthur2]

No dog, no children, and I would not handle the babies until they begin to leave the nest at around 3-4 weeks. Mama kitty is hormonal and in super protective mode. She wants her privacy, but I doubt she will attack you again as long as she does not feel threatened. Mama kitties need about 3 days to settle in and adjust to being a mom.

Biancavd gave excellent advice!

 

[biancavd]

How has it been going the past few days?