Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So yesterday we tried to bring home a stray kitten and needless to say my 3 year old male cat was not having that at all. He got so pissed off that he attacked the kitten which is a natrual instict. But I got upset and pulled them apart and smacked my cat. I didn't do it hard, but it still pissed him off. I took the kittend to a friends who wanted him and came back home. I took a shower to try and get the kitten smell off of me thinking maybe my cat wouldn't be so damn mad. Boy was I ever wrong. As soon as I went to touch him he hissed and clawed at my hand and it hurt like hell. I picked him up and tried to calm him down, but that just made it worse. He than scratched my nose and face to hell causing blood to run into my eyes. I was so upset at this point that I hit him again, not meaning to hurt him and he ran. I ran right behind him yelling the whole way, and trying like all get out the get him again. Dont think I am the type of person who just goes around hitting animals b/c I hate that (bleep), but he just made me so mad that I lost it.

So all night last night and even up until now, he hisses everytime he sees me. He is really upset with me. I called the Vet and they said that he is mad at me for several reasons...1. I beat his ass. 2. I brought home a kitten. 3. b/c he is scared. They said to just let him hide out in his room with the door shut and he will be alright in a few days up to 2 weeks. So it might take 2 weeks for him to forgive me, but what if he never does. The vet said to just pop my head in the door every once in a while and talk softly to him and let him know I am sorry and I love him...

Please help, I am so afraid he will never be the same with me.
Thanks
Amber

Sorry, Amber, but you have a lot to learn about cats.

You never, ever, EVER hit a cat, no matter what the cat does. Nor do you even touch a cat that is upset, let alone pick one up. Chasing and yelling at a cat is not a good thing either.

It is normal for a cat to be upset when a new animal is brought into a home. This is why almost all introductions need to be made slowly and gradually, with the new addition isolated for the first 2 weeks or so. My guess is that your cat and the kitten had a face-to-face meeting.

You have to learn to understand the body language of a cat. If you see a cat put it's ears back, or moving it's tail back and forth, you don't touch it. Normally, a cat that is upset will strike out at anyone who touches it or picks it up. Same with a cat that is hissing or growling. Leave it alone until it calms down. I would wait until the cat comes to me on it's own before touching it.

Your cat may or may not learn to trust you again. I recommend talking to your cat only at this time. No touching him for a couple of weeks. He may be hand-shy for a very long time. I would go into his room, sit on the floor, so that you are on his level, and talk softly to him. Offer him special foods and treats, but do not try to get him to take anything from your hand. Chances are that he will strike out again.

I'm really sorry you ended up getting hurt. With patience and the passage of time, hopefully your cat will learn to trust you again. We do have a feline behavior chat on Thursdays at 9:00 pm ET in Cat Care Central. You are welcome to come by if you feel it would help.

PHKitkat

So I learned the whole not to hit a cat the hard way, but I am happy to report that slowly Smokie is coming up to me and sniffing me. He isn't hissing as much anymore either. He has been playing with my husband almost all night. He is even allowing me to sit on the floor near him and talk to him. So hopefully with a few days things will back to normal. Thanks for the help and not being to hard on me...I so apreciate it.

So hopefully with a few days things will back to normal.

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It is good things are returning to normal. However, your cat may take a while to trust you again. He may trust your husband more as (I HOPE) your husband has never hit and yelled and chased the cat around trying to hit him... Hitting and yelling at the cat really scared it and it is now very suspicious and scared of you.

Please never hit him again. Ever. There are other things you can do besides hitting and yelling and chasing... He is much, much smaller than you and relies on you for protection. What may not seem like a hard hit to you, may hurt him more as he is so much smaller...

If you get mad again, walk away from him. He most likely doesn't even know why you are yelling and hitting him. You will have him so scared, he will fight with everything he has to get away and hide.

If he is doing something wrong and you are calm enough not to hit him (otherwise walk away), clapping your hands loudly and saying "NO" firmly works many times as does a water mister full of water only sprayed at him (never spray in the eyes) will usually stop the behavior. Cats like water and it doesn't cause him pain. Only spray if he is bad, or he won't associate the water with stopping bad behavior.

Understand what happened with the kitten is natural for him to react that way. You put another animal suddenly in his home. Introducing new pets should be gradual, not sudden.
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Tammy
Stanley and Pookey

Cats like water and it doesn't cause him pain.

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I meant to say cats don't like water... You'd be surprised how well the water mister works.

He should forgive you and as long as you don't yell/chase/or hit him again, things will go back to normal before long...
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Tammy
Stanley and Pookey