Why Does My Cat Attack Me Out of Nowhere?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ย. 2024
- In this video, I'm discussing the reasons why cats sometimes pounce on, attack, scratch, or bite their caregivers.
I'm Tom Kirby, UW-AAB, LSHC-S and I'm a certified animal behavior consultant who specializes in cats. At Kitty Help Desk, I offer affordable, science-based, judgement-free, feline behavior consults.
DISCLAIMER: This video is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for a one-on-one consultation with an animal behavior consultant or a veterinarian.
All products shown or mentioned in this video were purchased at retail. I prefer not to do paid reviews or product placements. My opinions are my own.
WEB: kittyhelpdesk.com
INSTAGRAM: / kittyhelpdesk
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Video content by Tom Kirby, UW-AAB, LSHC-S
Original music by Tom Kirby
Modeling by Miss Lucy and Miss Mina
Please comment responsibly.
Very informative video,now I can handle my cat more cautiously.
I just got my 2 YR old cat ( frm a neighbor. Never had a cat before.He attacks me after playing with toys in the evening, hv to be careful with over stimulation. I put a black glove on as a " sign" to stop, sit down & put a pillow in front of my legs. I try to redirect with toys, if that doesn't work, I put him in the bathroom to calm down. He doesn't attack my husband, but he doesn't play with him either. We hv play time to get his energy out before bedtime. I learned too not to get in his space if he's resting on the floor.
Please don't punish your cat. Putting him in the bathroom will only make him fear you and increase his stress. Cats do not react well to punishment. If you want to minimize his attacking behavior, look for the warning signs that he's getting worked up during play, such as a thrashing tail, and end the play session early. And don't forget to end every play session with a treat. After all, play isn't play to a cat - it's hunting - and hunting always ends with calories.
I’ve had my cat for six years now and he started having behavioral issues about 3 years ago. He’s lived most of his life at my parent’s home with my siblings and our family dog. He was sort of an indoor/outdoor cat and we never had any issue of him attacking anybody. Three years ago he attacked my cousin and sister that sent them both to urgent care from his hard biting and scratching. The following year I moved him into my apartment to separate him from all commotion going on at my parents, thought the quietness and relaxed environment would help with some of his stress or anxiety. The first year of living here, he really opened up and became more social, cuddly, and friendly. We would have guest over and he would rub up on them and say hello. It wasn’t until last year that things have really taken a turn for the worse. It started when he attacked me this time last year and it ended up with me going to urgent care from the extreme wounds. Sometimes when I notice my cat gets overstimulated from people coming over, I like to put him in my room to calm him down. When I went to help guide him to my room, he immediately latched onto my arm and tore up it up from biting and scratching. I didn’t think too much of it because I thought I had caused him to react that way because maybe I stressed him out or scared him? But since then, if I have people over I have to put him away out of fear that he will pounce on someone. It’s happened to about 6-7 different people where he comes up to them, rubs up on their legs to say hello, followed by aggressive and defensive meows, to him attacking. And these aren’t little play bites, it is full on attack mode. I’ve never seen a cat act like this and it scares me because I don’t know what to do. Nothing triggers these attacks either, I always warn people to keep their distance and not to overstimulate him by petting him, just to let him come up to them first and be cautious. I’ve tried different methods of correcting this behavior like separating him from people by putting him in my room, or trying to ignore his meowing and walking into a different room. But he will try to follow my guest around and not leave them alone. I don’t know if this is a territorial thing or a form of expressing stress or anxiety? I feel like I’m at my wits end and I’ve been watching a few of your videos to see if I can get some more clarity on my cat’s behavior. If you have any suggestions please let me know :)
This is a complex and dynamic issue that I can't really diagnose in YT comments. :) I hope you understand. If you'd like to make an appointment for a consult, you can do so at kittyhelpdesk.com.
My cat was not nurtured by her mother unfortunately and bites and attacks hard out of nowhere. I have tried many things to make sure she is getting her energy out and has enough toys to play with. She attacks my legs a lot and when I try to leave the room and ignore her she keeps trying to bite and scratch. It makes me cry I feel like a bad owner I don’t really know what else to do
I've dealt with many cats like yours and the only effective approach is to derail the behavior during buildup and make the end result boring for the cat. In many cases, people who react IN ANY WAY continue to inadvertently reinforce the behavior. I wish you and your feline friend all the best!
I adopted my cat his nurtured I had him for 7 months now and he just jumps on my face and attacks with his claws I have brought him him a lot of toys at times he cuddles and sleeps I try to train him not to bite and attack I really don’t want to take him back I don’t know what triggers him his owners brought him in and brought him it’s getting out of hand and scary I took him to the vet and she said he will grow out of it but he hasn’t yet
Having this issue in our house - we adopted our guy at 3 months (he's now 9) but his mama left him and didn't come back so he was raised by people only. However, he knows the soft bite thing with me-he never hard bites or scratches me but he is with my kids ages 9 and 11, and it's really getting to them. He leaves marks and it hurts often. He was stalking my 9 year old but that has gotten a little better. He literally pounced at my daughter and bit her face while she was reading. Sometimes it can be due to overstimulation but sometimes it's totally out of the blue. They were keeping spray bottles to grab at one point. I don't know what to do anymore. We all live him❤
This is a complex and dynamic issue that I can't really diagnose in YT comments with anything more than I already posted in the video. I hope you understand. If you'd like to make an appointment for a consult, you can do so at kittyhelpdesk.com.
Wow literally having this exact problem i was gifted my kitten at 3 months she is now almost 7 she’s so sweet and cuddly and then the next minute she’s randomly attacking me i have marks all over my body and face she really gets me in my sleep, has sooo many toys loves them all but seems to attack me when im just minding my business. I was thinking about getting the kitten nail caps but i really don’t want to and i don’t think she would even let me. But i love her so much im trying to wait it out maybe it’s a phase? I hope 😭
My cat just turned one year old. I believe he is probably one who missed out on the discipline from his mother when he was little. I think he was separated from his mother and litter mates too young. He was found in the city of Philadelphia and turned over to a rescue agency, then ultimately he was sent to a rescue center near me in the suburbs. I didn't know any of this when I adopted him.
He attacks me often on my arms, legs, etc. with deep scratches and hard bites. He will follow me around the room in a threatening fashion and jump up to bite or claw me and draw blood. I have NEVER used my hands or feet as toys. I give him lots of toys and lots of playtime attention. None of that helps.
He's cute and funny to play with, BUT he doesn't want to be held or petted. When he goes into "attack mode" he will literally stalk me all over the room or jump across the king-size bed to jump on my back with claws out and biting my head. His pupils get huge and he acts like he's possessed by demons. I'm afraid of him at those times. The only defense that gets him to stop is if I take a large beach towel and try to wrap him up in it. He doesn''t like that so he will run away and I can close the door between us. Next time I see him he will act like there's no problem. This behavior happens almost every day. I'm an older woman with thin skin. Nobody can believe the scabs and wounds all over my arms, hands and legs. He bit me right through a long-sleeved top and left a huge bleeding wound.
I'm at my wits end. I don't want to return him to the shelter because I fear they'll be unable to rehome him. I feel a responsibility to this kitty and I do love him. Is there ANY hope of curing this violent behavior?????
There's always hope, but it will take time and a concerted effort. These aren't the types of problems that get solved easily. They usually require ongoing management. If you'd like to book a consult, please visit my site at kittyhelpdesk.com.
@@KittyHelpDesk Thanks for the encouragement. What kind of "ongoing management" should I be doing?
The main focus should be on removing triggers, not responding to bites and scratches in any way, and offering redirection of these behaviors. It's not something I can really provide details for without knowing more, but I often consult on cases like yours. Visit kittyhelpdesk.com for info on appointments.
My cat seems to jump and nips me for attention even when I have played with her and she gets lots of attention. If I'm standing doing something and she' ll just attack. And walk away. She's 2.5 yrs never around other people other than my daughter and I. I've had her since she was 7 weeks from her mother and siblings.
I found two wiskers that have fallen out.
That's perfectly normal. Cats shed their whiskers from time to time.
The problem with my cat is he attacks my feet when I’m sleeping. When I feel it, I kick and scream. Sometimes if not to deep asleep I just move away and said no. It’s hard been conscious of what to do when you’re half out you know
Just know that your actions will actually reinforce the behavior and only make it worse. Maybe that will help you remember what to do. :)
I’ll try
I don’t kick him, just so you know. I now have 3 and love them very much. He doesn’t like to be petted much but is a sweetheart.