# Any cat behaviour experts?



## chrisjrv (May 7, 2007)

Our cat has undergone a pesonality change in the last couple of months in that at night he decides to attack one of us for no reason. Usually happens at bedtime and he is SERIOUS. The only way to stop him is to hold him down and stroke him until he calms down when he becomes all loving and affectionate again. We have had him as a stray for about 4 years, don't really know how old he is but definately no kitten. We had him "done" when he first arrived and apart from having his teeth done he hasn't really had many problems. The trouble is that as I'm diabetic I have to be carefull to avoid things like septic cuts on the legs, anybody got any ideas apart from the obvious bit of lead in the earole which is not an option I could use being a softy,
Regards,
Chris V.


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## some-where-in-oxford (Apr 18, 2006)

Hi,

It may be worth having the cat checked by a vet to see if he is in pain in any way.


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## chrisjrv (May 7, 2007)

Thanks mate, thats happening tonight


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## annej (May 27, 2005)

Have you had him checked by your vet? A change in behaviour would normally indicate an injury or illness. 

Anne


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Hi Stickey

I don't know much about cats, but their behaviour patterns will not be too dissimilar to dogs or other similar beasts.

He is not attacking for no reason - that's for certain.

He is almost certainly reacting or responding to something, although you are obviously not aware what it is, and it could be difficult to determine.

He will be a creature of habit, so it's probable that something specific happened which made him attack the first time, and since then every time a similar "stimulus" occurs he responds instantly in the same way.

He won't be thinking about it in advance - animals don't plan in this way. It will almost certainly be a "stimulus - response" reaction. Something provides the stimulus and he reacts with the response.

Your best bet is to observe very closely what occurs immediately before the attacks - and I do mean _very closely_ and _immediately_. It could be, and probably is something so trivial and insignificant to you that you will find it difficult to believe that is the cause, and to identify it as such - and it will occur only a second or two before the attack.

A very simple example to show how specific such a stimulus can be. We can go to the fridge a dozen times and the dog will take no notice. When we get her food tin out though, she hears the plastic lid come off and is at our feet in seconds.

We can identify that as the specific stimulus because when we open a new tin of dog food she takes no notice for two or three minutes until the smell gets to her. I don't remember doing it, but I must have had her with me on a couple of occasions when she was very hungry, and showed her the tin as I got the plastic lid off. I do tend to talk to her (_get more sense from her than the missus_!) and would have shown her the tin and said something daft like, "Are you hungry girl". Once might be enough, and a couple of times would certainly teach her that the plop of the plastic lid means instant nosh!!

Sorry about the epistle - hope it helps.


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## rowley (May 14, 2005)

There is a sister website (by Nuke) www.petchat.co.uk a question on that Forum might help. Maybe a phone call to your Cat Protection branch might be useful. Sorry about the problem though. Hope that you can get to the bottom of it.


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## bigfoot (May 16, 2005)

One of my Labs had a sweet tooth and could distinquish between a rustle of a bag with sweets and an ordinary paper bag.
As for your cat have you made any changes when you retire for the night even something like a change of night garments or toothpaste or even a minor change in routine.


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## Boff (May 10, 2005)

Hi Stickey,

I have a lot of experience with cats of all ages. And one thing I can say for certain: Healthy cats do not attack without a reason. And if they attack, they never do it without a warning. 

Also cats are, like humans, creatures of habit, and the older they get the less likely a sudden change of behaviour becomes.

So I see only two possible explanations here:

Firstly, there could be something that you don't realize but that is extremely annoying to him. (E.g. maybe you are using a new electric toothbrush which makes a certain noise that is inaudible to you but very painful in his ears, as cats have a phenomenal sense of hearing.) So there might be some stimulus that makes him aggressive which you do not yet know about. 

Secondly, and I am afraid that this is the more probable explanation: There is some serious physical condition that temporarily, but more and more frequently, affects his behavioural pattern. E.g. a brain tumour.

Best Regards,
Gerhard


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## some-where-in-oxford (Apr 18, 2006)

Boff said:

Secondly, and I am afraid that this is the more probable explanation: There is some serious physical condition that temporarily, but more and more frequently, affects his behavioural pattern. E.g. a brain tumour. 


Unfortuantely I was thinking along similar lines, but decided against being to blunt and coming straight out with it.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Boff said:


> Secondly, and I am afraid that this is the more probable explanation: There is some serious physical condition that temporarily, but more and more frequently, affects his behavioural pattern. E.g. a brain tumour.


Hmmmm. A lot depends on precisely what Stickey means by "_usually_".

If the attacks almost always occur at the same time and place on each occasion, I would still go for "stimulus - response". 

If they are more random, then the brain tumour is one of the more likely possibilities - unless the stimulus is also random of course. :? :?

Animal behaviour is very complex and difficult to understand at times. If only they could speak there would be no further confusion!!

Hope for the best.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Hi

There is an organisation called COAPE who are animal behaviour specialists. I am one of them but I am in Portugal at the moment. As Zebedee says it can be very complex. i would suggest for the time being that you shut the bedroom door to protect yourself from injury.

Contact COAPE and they will almost certainly be able to help. Keep a note of any changes in and around the home that have happened. things like other cats arriving/departing, people moving in, new routines or smells etc etc etc. They will ask you lots of things along these lines.

Good Luck

Pat


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## 88870 (May 10, 2005)

stickey said:


> Thanks mate, thats happening tonight


Anything to report stickey? x


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## 96410 (Sep 30, 2005)

One of ours was the same as yours, and we later found out next door neighbour had thrown our cat down the stairs and our cat just did not trust people after that.


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## chrisjrv (May 7, 2007)

theboadacea said:


> stickey said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks mate, thats happening tonight
> ...


Hi,
Took beast to the vet and they said he was in good health and they could find no reason for his eccentricities(that looks wrong), there are drugs available for dogs to counter these "fits" by increasing the blood flow to the brain but they are not available for cats....or humans when I asked. It seems a case of suck it and see and if it continues we may take up patp's suggestion and contact coape, we have looked on their website but obviously these things all cost money and I don't live under a money tree,looks like we'll have to see how he goes on :roll: 
Regards and thanks to all posters,
Chris V


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## 110438 (Mar 8, 2008)

Hi Stickey

My old cat (sadly no longer with me but lived to 20 years) did this. At first it was at night but then became more regular at any time of day. He was having fits. Vet advised that there was no reason for them it just happened. Word of advice though. Apparently when they come back to reality they forget things like when they last ate. So be warned and not tempted to over fed. Also, sadly they do get quite scary and sometimes loose control of there bladder etc., so expect a few accidents. 

We just cleared the floor as much as possible and watched him to be sure he did not hurt himself and then fussed him when he came out of it.

Must admit, its not something that is easy to watch.

Best wishes to your puss.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Hi Chris

Good news that the little swine is fit and well, and thanks for the feedback. Before you spend your hard earned cash I would seriously suggest you try curing him yourself. 

For your personal protection (since you have to be careful) you could consider one of those citrus sprays that are designed to stop puppies chewing the furniture etc.. Canac make one called "Pet Behave Training Spray" but there are others as well. _(See N.B. at the end)_

They are obviously pretty harmless to animals, and a quick squirt up the nostrils would certainly stop the little sod from pressing home an attack. _They DON'T like it up 'em - as Corporal Jones would say_!!!

If you are quick enough with the spray you might even cure him, but you must get him right at the start of the attack - while he is still shaping up for it if you can. You may then be able to replace the existing stimulus (whatever it is) with the unpleasant citrus spray and put him off attacking for good.

If you decide to try it I would suggest you hiss loudly as you spray. That way if it works, after a while you will only need to hiss at him and he will stop - as he will have associated the hiss with the unpleasant citrus up the sniffer. This secondary stimulus will then be much more convenient, and you won't have to hold the spray can at the ready as you prepare for bed. If the hissing becomes less effective, a quick reminder of what lemon flavoured nostrils taste like and he will soon come back into line.

There you go. I would usually charge more than your tenner subscription for this! :lol: :lol: :lol:

_N.B. It says on the can not to spray directly onto pets, but our vet said it will not hurt them so long as you spray from a reasonable distance of three feet or so. It stopped one of our dogs from launching herself at anyone new who she met. She was only being over-friendly but looked scary and had huge, and often very muddy paws. Nothing else worked and we didn't want to clout her - but three or four doses of citrus, plus a reminder every so often did the trick._

Cheers


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## EdsMH (Apr 25, 2007)

Chris

We have always had cats with problems from a friends cat sanctuary over many years. Now that an injury has been discounted it is probably the cat play fighting and attacking but they do it so well with teeth and claws.

Our solution for this and other unwanted behaviours like climbing curtains has been a small waterpistol. When the cat starts its aggressive behaviour just give it a quick squirt. It does not harm the cat, it will not associate it with you and the shock aspect because they do not like water acts as aversion therapy. 

In between times give it lots of strokes whilst on your lap but wear thick clothing and you will find normality is restored as it will see you as the parent again rather than a competitor.

Hope this helps

Ed


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