Cat is attacking me! Behavior is becoming unbearable!

I don't know what kind of cat she is, but she's white with green eyes and she's 7 years old. She is also spayed.

She swats and scratches the heck out of everyone. She's not playing when she does this. She just does it. I could just be walking by her any time of the day when she's sitting, laying down, or standing up, and she will just take a swipe at my legs, and she never misses. Sometimes when I go to pet her, she will also take a swipe at my hand and/or arm. But she wants to be pet, so I don't get it. One time I picked her up out of the bathroom because she liked to play in the toilet water. When I took her out of there, she came after me! She left three 6 inch scratches on my right arm when she swated at me, which caused me to bleed pretty good.
I know I should just get her de-clawed, which I'm planning on, but I was wondering why she does this in the first place?

Also, she can't seem to eat enough! She's already a bigger cat than average. She seems to want to eat 24/7, but we can't feed her all the time. When she doesn't get the food she wants, she will annoy the living daylights out of everyone in the house until she gets food. Lately she's been trying to steal our food off our plates. In her entire life, she has NEVER done that before. She's obviously desperate for some food. I feed her a full bowl of food twice a day, that's a lot, considering the size of her bowl. Sometimes when I feed her she chokes on her food because she is eating very aggressively like she's been starved for days, which she has never been. This is nothing new, she's always been like that, but it is getting worse.

 

Sounds to me like you have a very spoiled kitty. You can get the self feeders to help with the food problem. Try getting a low fat and weight management diet formula food for her.

As for the behavioral issues. When she does this. Pick her up, take her to a secluded room and punish her by leaving her in there for a few minutes. She'll learn that everytime she misbehaves she gets punished by not being allowed to be with her people.


Also, have you consulted your vet to see if she has any health issues. Cats and dogs can sometimes act aggressively when in pain.
Also try a behaviorlist.


Instead of declawing. Which with her old age, could be a BAD idea. Cats that get declawed need to have it done very early in life so they can adjust. A cat that has had claws its whole life will never adjust to the change. Its harder on them, very painful and will take longer to heal.
They have a product called Soft Claws . Basically you slip these plastic covers over the claws and they stay on for a LONG time. She can't scratch or do any damage and its painless and she'll never notice.

 

I agree with Samsintentions.

The very first thing I would do is get her to a vet and have health problems ruled out...be sure to describe her behavior in detail.
Declawing will not solve the problem and may even make matters worse (especially considering her age). If she really wants to be aggressive towards you she will simply bite you instead. I would definately try the soft paws for now.

How long has she been aggressive like this?

 

I totally forgot about the soft claws thing. I will probably do that instead.
She has been aggressive since she was almost a year old, around the time we got her from the pet shop. I don't know what went on with her original owner. So she's been like this pretty much her whole life. At first it wasn't bad, but when she got fixed, it seemed to make the problem worse. I suppose I could get a vet's opinion on this. But she has been seen since this problem, and she was fine then.

 

This posting really caught my attention for I am having the same problems but, not as often or serious.
We have had our baby since he was 3 months old and know he came from a loving home. He is our only pet and we spoil and love him to death. He is incredabliy smart (of course I would say that he is my baby)but, I have taught him tricks, he is so loving to any houseguest and us, he never wakes us up in the odd hours, eats when we eat........even for non cat lover friends fall in love with him and have changed their minds on cats...I could go on and on about all the positive things this cat brings to us...........BUT, after 2 years of having the purfect kitty he has suddenly started to get a tad agressive and only towards me.....mommy...the one that feeds , grooms him and cleans the kitty litter daily. At first I thought he was just wanting to play but than I would stop playing and he would rare up on the hind legs and attack me with his teeth. I can tell when it will happen by the look in his eyes and can sometimes grab the water bottle for a squirt away id he starts. If I don't stop it in time even the act of trying to pick him up to put him in another room for a time out...he will bite me hard. It's so baffling and my husband didn't believe me until he witnessed it. Sometimes he will do this as I leave for work or when I am home alone.Does he want me to stay home maybe??????? Anyways, he never does it to my husband....he sits in his lap all evening and never my lap(that hurts my feelings).At night come bed time that cat in next to me in bed all night long purring and all snuggly.......Don't get my wrong he doesn't do this attck stuff all the time like sneak attacks or anything...........just once in a while when I get up to go to another room or putting on my makeup...when the whim stricks him with no pattern I can't put my foot on. It's like he invites me to pet or play and pulls a attack on me after a few minutes....does that mean he doesn't want to play anylonger?
So what do you people think this means? I have asked the vet and he says nothing is wrong with him he is very fit and healthy. Do you think he is just playing rough and thinks of me as his equal unlike dad as the boss in the household? I have read alot of books and nothing seems to answer why?
One last foot note: our cat sitter said he has done it to her and treats her husband like he treats mine all lovie dovie..........
Appreciate any input or thought on this.

 

Hi DJ. Here is a great link for you. Scroll down to the part that says: Aggression. This link has tons of information. I post this link like crazy! I hope you take the time to read it. I wish you luck in resolving the issue.

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Poin ... avior.html

 

Thanks Chessmind.....wonderful informative reading.