Expert: Tomay - 4/23/2006

Question
I found an abandoned cat, who I think might have been 8 months old. She turned out to be pregnant and had 2 kittens of which I kept one. She was very wild when I got her and would attack any animal but was good with humans. I just got her spay and it turned out she was 4 weeks pregnant and the vet aborted them. The problem is that she won't leave my side for more than a few minutes and attacks any animal who comes near the house or me. There are two chows, a border collie, a shi tzu, and 2 young goats who are all fearing for their lives. When I tried to hold her back she clawed me. When I try locking her inside she goes berserk and howls. I also have a 21 year old cat who I don't want her hurting the most. Help.

Answer
Hello Judy,
Wow!  Sounds like you've got a real problem there.  I am not a animal behaviouralist, so I can only tell you what my opinion is and what I would do if I were in this situation.
It is possible that the escalation of violent behaviour and protectiveness toward you, could have been triggered by the abrupt alteration of her hormone levels as well as production, as she was going from pregnant to spay, removing all traces of hormone producing agents. Perhaps a hormonal imbalance.  Or perhaps she has an inborn sense of being ferel, and will always have trust issues as well as issues with being confined.
Keeping in mind that I, like many, like to think of my pets as my little furry 'kids'..the bottom line is, they are animals.  Having said that, I think if I had five pets that had been with me for a long time, with no issues, and this one cat is proving a big problem for ALL of them, making their lives (and mine) needlessly stressful, then I believe I would be looking for a home for this kitty.  I wouldn't think it fair to the others that they be subjected to this kind of behaviour resulting in them being in fear of their lives.  And not to mention your apprehension with handling her..  Cat bites can be exceptionally painful as well as dangerous.  I really think that you are accepting alot of risk here. So, for those who say 'so would you simply re home a disobedient child, then?'  I would refer to my earlier observation, that this is not about a human child, it is about an animal, and as human guardians and caregivers of these animals, it is up to us to make the best decision for ALL concerned, not just one.  Should you decide to re home this kitty, or surrender it to a shelter, you should know that you have done the best you could do, and not feel too badly about any decision you feel you must make.
I hope this has been helpful, and, as I said, this is just my opinion.  I an hopeful things work our for everyone involved.
Thank you for your intrest in this site.
Tomay