violent cat???

[Newt]

hey everyone, this is a post about my cat Bogey.

He's always been a very cuddly loving cat, who follows us around and always loves to sit with us and be petted. He's 11 years old now, and has never been violent until now....I mean he likes to play and sometimes scratches when he does, but lately he's been flat out attacking us.

Typical scenario: we're in bed and the cat wants to be under the covers. We let him in, but he gets in then wants out, then wants in then wants out...repeat several times, until in frustration we pick the cat up and put him on top of the covers at the bottom of the bed. Then he literally launches himself at us, spitting and clawing and biting. It's like a Jeckyl and Hyde situation....and only at bedtime....he's never like this at any other time.
Tonight he actually sunk his claws into my face, and took a chunk out of my skin just under my eye. god knows what would have happened if he'd got my eye instead. I'm bleeding and very upset.

Bogey is a very special cat, and usually he is soft purring fluffball.
I have a suspicion the poor little guy might be suffering from senile dementia, and we're taking him to the vet in a couple of days. I just wondered if anyone had experienced anything like this, and what the outcome was....

 

[Laurie]

Yikes Amanda!
I don't think I've ever seen this is my cats. Sometimes after petting Baxter for awhile he will all of a sudden attack you. I've had him claw me and draw vicious blood a time or two, but it's very random, never at the same time.
I hope whatever it is they can help you with it.

 

[addictedtochins]

I've had cats for 34 years (since I was 10) and I have never even heard of this. Only in 1 crazy ferret I rescued. I'm sorry, good luck at the Vets.

 

[eroomlorac]

I have heard of this, or something very similar. Years ago I worked with a woman who's cat would go berzerk and attack. They would sometimes have to hide in the bathroom until the cat settle down as it would scratch them and bite them deeply. Their cat ended up having a growing brain tumor. I'm not saying your cat has a tumor, but I definitely would have him checked out. He may be in some pain or some other physical ailment like tumors or something else.

Please have him checked out by a vet.

 

[CTChin]

Have the vet do thyroid tests. Sometimes hyperthyroidism (which is fairly common in elderly cats) will change their personality and make them more aggressive. He may also be sick in some other way. Cats are masters at hiding illness until they are very, very sick.

 

[Spoof]

I'm with the last two posters, my cat started doing this at 8 years old - peeing on my pillows/bed, becoming very aggressive almost overnight. It persisted for about three weeks, took her to one vet that told me she had 'gotten a string caught around her tongue (it was purple in back and huge!) I saw that, rushed her out of there immediately took her to WSU's vet hospital and they confirmed my suspicion that she had cancer.

It was a huge tumor on her tongue, I had her put down that night, she was not doing good.

I still can't believe how fast it came on.

Anyway, point of the story is they tend to do that when they're in pain - trying to tell you something...

 

[Newt]

oh gosh it's not sounding too good is it....

I got an appt at the vets the day after tomorrow. I just cant believe all this....only five months ago he had a full check-up, bloodwork, urine, and everything, and it all came back fine.
Aside from these odd fits of aggression, Bogey seems fine....eating and drinking and using the litter tray normally. He's still jumping and playing too. It's just so weird

Anyways, I'll let you guys know what the vet has to say.

 

[Meowzer]

My cat is like that if he doesn't get his own way and/or he sees/smells another cat. It didn't come on all of a sudden though, he's always been like it since I found him as a stray at about 9 months old. In his case it's just redirected aggression from what my vet was saying. He's gotten better about it.. well either that or I've just gotten to know what sets him off, I'm not sure which. A couple of things that stop him when he gets into attack mode like that are a spray bottle, assuming I'm near enough to it to grab while being mauled, or else blowing air at him.. pushing him off never worked anyway, he'd just relaunch and I always worry that it could hurt him, but blowing at him he doesn't like and it makes him back off, then I grab the nearest of his toys and throw that for him to beat up.

Hopefully it's just something that's making him angry and he's redirecting his aggression towards you, and it's not anything more serious.

 

[Newt]

Funny you should say that Meowzer, as our vet seems to think Bogey's aggression is most likely linked to the new(ish) kitties in the area.
I didnt even consider this, as Bogey is an indoor cat (he has zero road sense and thinks all dogs are friendly) and we certainly dont let any of the other neighbourhood moggies inside. But... a stray has been sleeping under our house lately and has been fighting with the two cats that moved in three doors up from us, so the vet thinks Bogey might be in "defend the territory" mode.

At any rate we've got some pheromone dispenser to try for three weeks, and if that doesnt work then Bogey might be getting some kitty-prozac.

The vet thinks its unlikely to be pain related as he did a full exam and tested Bogey's joints. He doesnt think dementia as the aggression only occurs in the bedroom (lol) whereas he says if it was dementia then Bogey would be randomly aggressive in any room of the house.

He says if the pheromones and kitty-prozac dont work, then we'll have to look towards cat-scans (no pun intended) to check for possible tumours, though he thinks a tumour is unlikely as Bogey has no other symptoms.
Hopefully though this pheromone stuff will work *fingers crossed*

 

[saphire]

I guess that is pretty good news, This is all very interesting. I've had cats all my life and haven't delt with such.

I am crossing my fingers for you,

 

[eroomlorac]

I hope he gets better soon. Miserable for the kitty and for you.

 

[starleomach]

I had a brain damaged cat (thrown out of a car window as a kitten where we found him) that would randomly attack. but when that happened we just set him down and walk away. he never sought people out to attach he just latched on to whatever was closest, often we would put a pillow or blanket next to him. He was a wonderful cat other wise lived to be 19. the attacks weren't daily came and went in spurts sometimes he would go months without. Fidget was an awsome cat, he begged and was always purring and snuggly, but his attacks didn't do much damage