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Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/Mean cat
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Question
My cat is 2yrld. She is fixed and is down right mean. When you go to pet her she bites,scraches,hisses and growls. She bites ans scratches all the time. I don't know what to do anymore.
Mani,
It sounds like she had feral parents. Her personality probably won't change. Ferals can be loving, but they DO NOT like to be held or petted for very long. They are not like domesticated house cats and will not behave like one. It's probably best to ignore her and let her come to you when she wants to.
She may be happier being an outside cat. Ferals love to hunt and when they are locked inside they can get upset and unhappy.
You may want to consider re-homing her to a farm and saving a sweet loving cat from a shelter that is going to be put to death only because of overcrowding and being unwanted.
Tabbi
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Answers by Expert:
Dear Tabbi
Expertise
My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too. Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again. Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.
Experience
Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).
Education/Credentials
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Awards and Honors
* One of the top 50 Experts Of 2008 *
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