Ra (like the Egyptian sun god) is our 8-month-old neutered male kitty. He has an perpetual supply of pure energy and a spunky personality to match. My husband and I love him dearly and have so much fun living with the endless antics of such a weird cat.

But (you knew this part was coming) Ra has some serious aggression issues. Much of it seems to be play aggression. He stalks us often, even when we are sitting still watching TV or sleeping. This stalking usually ends in biting and scratching before he begins another cycle of stalking. And, he is persistent about it. Walking away is almost counter-productive because he just follows us while remaining in stalk mode (ears pricked, pupils dilated, tail twitching). Spraying him with water is useless because he doesn't mind getting wet. Certain loud noises work for a while, but he eventually desensitizes himself to them - he's fearless!

Up until this evening, Ra only stalked my husband and me, but tonight he began stalking then attacked a guest whom he had just met, but had been friendly with. I guess that is really a separate problem, though. He attacks if we stop petting him before he decides that we are done. He also attacks if we pet him too long. Sometimes, he snuggles up under the covers or hops into our laps while making cute little chirrup noises, then slowly wraps himself around one of our arms or legs. Once his grasp is firm, he suddenly sinks in his claws and teeth. His painful grip only intensifies if we try and pull him off. And once he is off, he begins stalking.

Ra has tons of toys - balls, mice, strings, stuffed animals, catnip bags, and a kitty climbing tower. We play with him every day. He just has so much energy and an intense hunting instinct. He also seems to think that aggression is an appropriate attention-seeking device. How can I stop this? Should we consider getting him a kitty playmate?

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