Expert: Dear Tabbi - 5/19/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hello,
I really need an answer as to why my cat is doing what he is doing as its worrying me slightly.
Our Cat is very loving toward my husband and I - he will come in and meow as if to say he is here, and he will love getting attention.  However, when it comes to feeding him - its like he has a personality transplant.  I walk into the kitchen to pick up his bowl and if my leg gets near him he hisses and growls, i then move to the utility room where his food is and if i walk passed him he hisses again and sometimes he has taken a swipe at my legs. He sometimes jumps up on the utility top and waits patiently, doesnt meow and doenst try to get to the food, but again he has sometimes swiped at me.  I then take the bowl off the utility top and walk into the kitchen to place it on his mat, and again he can sometimes hiss if i walk passed him, and then he sniffs like crazy when im placing the food down.

Now he is certainly NOT under fed - he is a healthy cat and is well looked after and we have never kicked him or anything like that.  We are total animal lovers and just want to help him and resolve this.

Please help.

Thank you, Anna

ANSWER: Anna,

You didn't mention if that cat was adopted or rescued at some point, maybe when he was a kitten. Was he a stray? Cats, like people, can have emotional problems. His behavior sounds like at some point he had to fight for his food, and that memory has stayed with him.

I would free-choice feed him. Keep a bowl of a good quality dry cat food out all the time. That way he can nibble when he is hungry and he will come to realize his food isn't going to disappear or get stolen. Then feed him canned food as usual.

I would have a rolled up newspaper handy. When he swipes at you I would say "No!" loudly and swat him. Cats go by association so he should associate the swatting with his behavior. Wait a few minutes then pet him. You want him afraid to misbehave but NOT be afraid of you. If he does it again, repeat until he makes the association and waits patiently for his food.

Tabbi

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi,
We got our cat when he was a kitten (7 weeks old). I wouldnt say the familly we got him from was very tidy etc but they seemed to like animals - but their place was a mess and there were a few cats around.....

We always leave him dry cat food out - Iams.........and he loves them.  And like you say we then give him wet cat food from a pouch which is loves.

Ill try the newspaper thing if he does it again - the last few days have been good so i will keep an eye out.

Thank you very much for your advise.

Regards, Alison

Answer
Anna,

Sometimes there is not a logical or 'text-book' reason for a cat's behavior. Often only the cat knows why it acts in a certain way.

I have one cat that will only allow you to pet her IF she has a cat toy in her mouth! I have another that will go crazy if you try to carry him in the normal way, but if you carry him upside down he is fine! These cats, and other with strange behaviors, I have had since birth and there have been no 'traumas' in their life and no explanation for why do think like they do. That may be same with your cat.

I hope you can 're-train' him to be a gentleman at feeding time.

Tabbi