My cat stalks and scratches my sister. Why is she doing this?

Hi and thanks for using PetCoach! Sorry you are having such problems with Tinker. Unfortunately behavioral problems are not easily solved especially in a forum like this. To solve them, we as professionals need a thorough history of Tinker including past and present, and we often times need to witness these behaviors and learn the triggers that are causing the unwanted behaviors. If she was raised away from her litter or not is very important. Kittens raised like that miss out on all of the socialization skills learned from their mother and other litter mates. They learn how to behave, how to play, etc. So that is very important. I would advise talking to your veterinarian and describe in detail what is going on. Your vet can gather a thorough history, do a physical exam, observe some behavior during the exam, and then offer some solutions or tests to perform to make sure that Tinker is healthy. They may advise some blood tests, etc to assess her overall health and they can direct you on what things need to be done to make sure her preventive health care is done properly. Behavior modification is key with any behavioral problems. Drug therapy is possible but she is still a very young kitten and that is probably not advised. You may need to work with some trainers/behaviorists in your area which are experienced in raising young kittens. I will provide a link here to add to your reading material to see if you can put into practice anything discussed in the paper. https://catfriendly.com/ https://www.catvets.com/guidelines/practice-guidelines/life-stage-guidelines I hope this aids in pointing you into the right direction. Good luck with Tinker.

There could be many different reasons - without more information, it's hard to say. The most common possibilities in a cat this age would be inappropriate play behavior, or fear-based aggression. Feel free to post another question with more details about this behavior if you like, so that we can try and provide more specific advice on how to help. Or, you could consider making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate Ginger in person and help you put together a treatment plan to work on the problem. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If he is attacking you and not trying to play then he should be confined, you should always keep him up to date on Rabies, and you should discuss behavior modification drugs with your Vet, like prozac. I would get it in a liquid form you can put in his food. I would purchase feliway diffusers for around the house, one should go in his room. You can play with him but as soon as he gets over stimulated you need to stop and walk away. If he starts to get aggressive and is coming towards you squirt him with a water bottle. It is inappropriate behavior for a cat to attack you and injury you that badly. You need to strongly consider if this is the kind of relationship you want from a pet. This may not be an easy thing to break him of. I hope this helps and i wish you the very best!

I would make sure Lulu has toys to get her energy out, a place for her to hide and a place for her to climb. Is this new? If it is, has anything changed in her environment that could make her upset? If this is not new then I would consult with a behaviorist if these suggestions do not help. You can also consult with your veterinarian to see if medication is an option. If this is not a good fit and she continues to attack I would talk to rescues about rehoming her and if they feel it is an option after accessing her. Is she indoor? or indoor outdoor? If just indoor I would consider letting her outside. As a veterinarian I do not like when cats go outside because they are more prone to disease and animal bite wounds and being hit by a car. The reason I suggest this is because she may be happier going outside. Take this suggestion with caution as she can easily get sick, get hit by a car or get in a fight which would result in veterinary care. If you do this I would discuss getting the Feline Leukemia vaccination, making sure her other vaccinations like rabies is up to date and performing routine fecals and dewormings on her. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I am sorry to hear about Lucy! Many cats can have personality changes at around 2 years of age as they truly reach maturity. That compounded with the fact that she is unspayed and has had a changing life situation over the past few months could definitely be affecting her personality. I would recommend an exam by a vet and having her spayed. I would recommend a feline pheromone diffuser in the house called Feliway, and a calming supplement such as Composure or Zylkene https://m.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetri-science-composure-feline-bite-sized-chews# as well. If her aggression continues then a veterinary behaviorist consultation would be recommended.

The first thing I would do for now is put Attila in a room by herself with a litter box, food and water bowls, comfortable resting places, etc. and leave her alone for the next few days apart from coming in briefly to refill her food and water and change her litter. When cats become upset and aggressive like this, for whatever reason, it can take up to a week for them to fully calm down and return to normal - until then, it's best to leave her completely alone and give her plenty of space. Some cats can have serious aggression issues that are triggered by a strange or scary noise, an unusual smell, or anything else that startles them. It's possible that Attila may have had a scary dream that frightened her, or she could be painful due to a pinched nerve, arthritis, or some other issue that may have been aggravated by petting. If she calms down over the next few days and things return to normal with no further problems, you may not need to do anything else. If she is still acting aggressive a week from now, or if this becomes a recurring problem for her in the future, I would strongly recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist - he/she can evaluate Attila in person and help you determine what may be triggering these episodes, and will also give you some specific suggestions for managing her when this happens. Prescription medication is helpful for some cats with aggression issues, so this is something that could be discussed also. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

Hello, and thank you for your question. Does Lucy seem like she is stressed and asking you for something, such as more food or water, or wanting you to clean her litter box? If she seems like she is losing weight, it may be worth taking her to the vet to check for a medical problem. If she is not losing weight, then I would just check for anything that she may be missing in her environment, and keep an eye on her for a few more days. Monitor her food intake closely, and take her to the vet if her appetite is low or she is losing weight, or any vomiting or diarrhea occurs. I hope this helps, and that Lucy is feeling well!