Expert: Jessica - 12/16/2009

Question
by boy friend has had his cat for 10 yrs. and has moved about three times since he's had the cat. This time he moved and we moved in with him...myself and my three girls (16,13,and 6 yrs.) This is not the first time the cat has had to share his house with other people, but it is the first time with kids. My middle daughter was scared of him because he would hiss and raise his hair when she walked by. He did this to the rest of us when we were first around, but we ignored it or smacked our hands and made him quit. She was the only one scared. Now he will wait on the stairs and show his teeth and hiss. She pauses, freezes, and yells for help. Once I made her keep walking and he attacked her (didn't cause any harm bec. he's declawed). He'll get real still when she starts to walk by and she will pause and get scared and then if he looks more agressive, se'll often turn the other way and he'll chase her and she will even screm when he pounces at her. This weekend my other daughter ran through the living room playing with my youngest (the cat hasn't had any trouble with them in a while). When she grabbed her and sat on the floor with her to tickle her, he ran from the other room, bit her on her back, and then dug his back claws into her back as he jumped over her. We want to know if his aggressiveness with her was bec. he's on edge bec. of my other daughter? Once a cat is this worked up, is there anything we can do to fix it? We don't want to get rid of him. My worry is that now that he knows my middle daughter is scared will she always be the target? It's hard to tell my daughter to stop acting that way bec. she really is scared, but we will keep working on her...is there something she can do to help the situation?  

Answer
Hi Irene.  Cats can sense fear for sure.  Most often, they use this sense to bully other pets who are afraid of them, but it sounds like this kitty can have quite a mean streak!  I think the behavior is likely to continue until your daughter is able to put him in his place (of course, I don't mean using any physical punishment).  And it's possible that he's moved on to your other daughter simply because he knows he's getting away with bad behavior with your 13-year-old.  Cats are good at pushing boundaries!  Your daughter needs to push back, and since the cat obviously responds to people who assert their dominance, I think it would be a good idea to encourage her to use the same methods that you all have to remind him where he stands.  I don’t generally recommend using a spray bottle for behavior modification because it’s typically ineffective.  But if necessary, the cat can be squirted with water just to stop his attacks in progress.  Some cats won’t be fazed by this, however.

Anytime a cat behaves aggressively, I recommend to isolate them for 15 minutes.  It’s best not to scold them – just escort them to a small room or crate where they can sit through a time-out.  If the cat is behaving this way because it draws him attention, he’ll hate being ignored, and these cats learn from time-outs quickly.  If he’s simply an aggressive cat, at least the time-out will give him time to cool off.

I think it would also be worth it to try some flower essences to try to curb his aggression.  I like Spirit Essences (www.spiritessences.com), as they’re formulated by a respected holistic vet and an animal behaviorist.  He may benefit from the Grouch Remedy.  You might also want to add in the Declaw Remedy.  Vets who perform the surgery will deny that declawing causes any kind of aggression, but shelter workers will usually have a different perspective.  This is because most cats with aggression problems are turned in to a shelter instead of brought to a vet.  Rescuers and shelter workers, like me, see that an abnormally high number of declawed cats are aggressive.

Some cats need a medication to get their aggression under control.  An antidepressant with a mild sedative effect often does the trick.  One called Clomicalm has gained a lot of favor for treating aggressive kitties.  One of my aggressive cats was on Elavil many years ago, and this worked wonders, as well.  He needed treatment for only a few months, and his aggression never returned.

It might also be wise to consult an animal behaviorist.  Some provide in-office consultations, and some will even visit the home to help determine the cause of the cat’s aggression.  Then, they can provide you and your daughter with exercises to help solve the problem.  If you choose a veterinary behaviorist, they could also fill a prescription if necessary.

Best of luck!

Jessica