>>Now my boy is a very loving, playful, and active cat and doesn't exhibit any fear of me outside of this one specific behavior ---when I surprise him or get up out of my chair quickly with him near.
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>> In addition, I don't know much about how he was treated in his previous home. All I know is the person that gave him to me did not like him at all and hated having him in the house.
>>>

I'm not an expert on this, but it sounds like your cat's behavior has something to do with his former home. He might have been mistreated. The cat would have have sensed he wasn't wanted.
I think that you need to be patient and give your cat time to adjust. Try to avoid sudden movements if possible.
As far as clawing the couch, maybe you could try a different kind of scratcher for the cat. My cats have no use for a carpeted scratching post; they both prefer the flat cardboard kind. It will take some experimenting to find out what your cat likes. Also, try spraying water whenever you find the cat doing something wrong. Most cats don't like being sprayed.
It's great that you are able to give the cat a good home. Good luck.

Ellen

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