# Attacked by my own cat :o(



## DaveMB (Jan 9, 2014)

Well I went to bed last night and got comfy watching Law and Order SVU (thank god for America or there would be nothing worth watching on UK TV).

Gizmo hopped on the bed and came along side me started making biscuits and then curled up next to me as he usually does and then 'whack' claw marks down my cheek!!

He then backed away slowly with his back arched ready to jump at me, I put my arms up to cover my face just in case and he jumped of the bed and ran out of the room.

I shut him out of the bedroom for the night so I didn't get clawed to bits in my sleep and this morning he was his usual loving self.

The trouble is I no longer trust him, If he was an adult dog he would be on his way to the nearest shelter now, I can not and will not have a pet that launches unprovoked attacks on me.

He is currently on steroids and I know they can cause mood swings in humans, but can they effect an animals mood also? 

I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt (this time) but I'm now very wary of him and I don't like that, at all. :sad:

I'm really hoping it is a one off but will be keeping a close eye on him for considerable time yet.


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## Heather72754 (Nov 1, 2013)

Oh I'm so sorry to hear that! I don't know for sure about the effects of steroids in cats, but I would have to say it's got to be that because you've owned Gizmo for over 6 years right? And he has never done this before? You must be heartbroken and no wonder you feel like you don't trust him. 

I would call the vet and ask about the side effects as soon as you can, which I'm sure you will. I'm sorry I don't have anything but condolences to offer. I know how I would feel if one of mine did that, it would be very distressing. :sad:


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## DaveMB (Jan 9, 2014)

Thanks Heather, I'll be speaking to the vet tomorrow RE the steroids.

He is sat next to me as I type this purring his head off, I just wish I knew what provoked it.

And yes it is a first, He has never shown any real aggression towards me before.


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## Heather72754 (Nov 1, 2013)

Poor boy, there has to be something going on with him. My 4 yr-old grandson has asthma and is normally such a sweet boy, but he turns into a little unrecognizable monster when he is on steroids for an attack, ugh. Of course, like you say, I don't know if cats react the same or not.

Just before he attacked did anything at all happen? Did you reach out for him in an unusual way, anything?? It's so puzzling.


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## Baron Von Moggy (Nov 20, 2013)

You poor thing, it is very nerve racking when something like that happens... especially when it appears out of nowhere and for no obvious reason 

What caught my attention is the part where you said he was 'making biscuits'. I had a few very similar experiences with Moggy and they all happened when he was finished with a kneading session.

I had placed a soft pet bed on my desk for Moggy to sleep on as he loves to hang out on the desk when I work. He'd jump up on his bed and start kneading and purring and I noticed that if I made eye contact with him during the kneading that he'd continue to stare at me. Then he'd seem to settle down and out of nowhere come at me looking very aggressive and batting at me. His fur would be all puffed up and he had that look in his eyes like he wanted to eat me! One time he had zoned in on me so intently that my husband had to get in front of him to stop him coming after my legs, he did not even look like he was going to swat at my husband, he had 100% of his focus on me. I think it was territorial aggression of some sort. 

My solution was to remove the pet bed away from where I was sitting. He was also neutered during all this. By moving the bed, his favorite kneading item, to a more private area he completely stopped coming after me. I make sure to never make eye contact with him when he's kneading and to never disrupt him when he's in the zone. We have not had an attack since making those changes thankfully.

Moggy was always very calm and normal after the attacks. He never showed aggression at other times.. very similar to what you have described with Gizmo perhaps?


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## DaveMB (Jan 9, 2014)

@Heather No ,I never even moved everything was as normal (he almost always curls up at my side and sleeps there) so last night was nothing out of the ordinary.

He's been following me around the house today weaving between my legs with his tail held high, Maybe he was just in a bad mood last night lol.

He appears perfectly happy and is eating/using his litter box etc, There is nothing to indicate he is unhappy or unwell.

Unless something on TV spooked him? (not sure if that's even a possibility)

@Baron Von Moggy yes that's pretty much exactly what happened, Finished kneading and then.....attack


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## Speechie (Dec 2, 2013)

No real insight, but massive hugs, that is unsettling!! Hope it is the meds


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

There isn't always other indications, but my first thought when any of my pets does something so completely out of their average behavior is that something is wrong.

IMO the first thing is to get to the bottom of it, dont blame him if he's ill. Chances are once he's feeling better it won't happen again. What is he on steroids for? That could be a cause, as well as the meds.

I would never take a one time act of aggression as a reason to surrender a pet, besides if you surrender a pet with that as your reason they will put the animal down...there are very very few rescues who will even take on the risk of an aggressive animal, if they adopt it out they can be held responsible if it attacks again. Surrendering animals who've had one aggressive incident without finding out why is definitely not something I could ever condone.

Especially since pain is a major motivator for something like that.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Dave, Actually something on the TV could have spooked him!
When you mentioned how he backed away with his back arched, that is a defensive posture!
Just for grins...do you wear glasses?
My cats are all snuggle bunnies, but I do notice an odd look once in a while when I'm watching TV...
I realized they have a hard time seeing my eyes when the TV is reflected in them, which is what the cat sees!
In all honesty, I don't think you have to worry about a 'Psycho" cat!!


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## DaveMB (Jan 9, 2014)

Ha ha no I don't wear glasses :smile:

@librarychick oh don't worry, he's not going anywhere :!:

As for his health, I'm taking him to the vets tomorrow anyway to get his nailed clipped so I'll get him checked out then although I'm pretty sure he's not ill.

He's eating and using his litter box without any issue and is currently nudging my arm with his head as I try to type this


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## sweetcuddles (Jun 30, 2013)

He was playing with you. I doubt that he was trying to be mean. Skittles attacks me out of no where sometimes, cats like to attack for no reason. It is kinda cute, it is just them playing.


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## Carmel (Nov 23, 2010)

It can be a sign of pain. My aunt's cat had a urinary infection and its only sign was her crazy mood swings.

Meanwhile, Blaze always attacked us randomly and viciously ... just something he did. If there was a reason behind it, it was a cat reason us mere humans could not decipher in near 18 years of living with him. He was a sweet as anything most of the time, I'd never have given him away for it. I just learned to watch for the signs of attack mode. He'd have been euthanized if I had surrendered him. No one wants an attacking, spraying cat from the getgo. But you live with the choices you make, and I picked him.


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## DaveMB (Jan 9, 2014)

Oh he has a forever home with me, no question of that. (I'll start wearing a full suit of armour if I have to lol).

Besides I have spent every penny of my savings on his vet bills (absolutely no regrets) so he is stuck with me no matter if he likes it or not. :smile:

Hopefully the vet will be able to add some clarity to the situation tomorrow.


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## Heather72754 (Nov 1, 2013)

DaveMB, I never thought you meant anything else other than Gizmo staying put.  Don't forget that weirdness with the litter box too - there is _something_ going on with him.



Carmel said:


> Meanwhile, Blaze always attacked us randomly and viciously ... just something he did.


Wow, I hope I am never faced with this situation. I would like to think I could rise to the occasion as you did, but I know myself - it would really affect_ my_ quality of life to have to be concerned about a cat viciously attacking me on a random basis. I don't think I could do it for 18 years. :shock:


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## Carmel (Nov 23, 2010)

Heather72754 said:


> Wow, I hope I am never faced with this situation. I would like to think I could rise to the occasion as you did, but I know myself - it would really affect_ my_ quality of life to have to be concerned about a cat viciously attacking me on a random basis. I don't think I could do it for 18 years. :shock:


Maybe we just learned to live with it, but on reflection it wasn't that big of a deal. Sometimes it was every day, other times not for a week or two at a time. The only time we knew it would happen like clock work was when my dad would close my bedroom door at night, he'd bite his ankles repeatedly down the hall after he closed the door...

He never went for the face, I guess that's one thing. Our main issue was the spraying, not the attacking. Just recently my father was like "Oh, if only he hadn't sprayed he would have been the perfect cat" and I said "Oh? What about the random attacking?" and my dad just brushed it off... despite that Blaze made us bleed countless times. *shrugs* Like I said, I could usually tell when he was about to attack... he'd just stare at me very fixated for a few seconds... he was so sweet the rest of the time that it was never a deal breaker.

The spraying, on the other hand, I could never live with again.


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## cat owner again (Dec 14, 2012)

I vote for the steroids since I had a dog that had to be on it off and on. The only time he snapped at someone was on the steroids and I warned them not to do push him. My friend had two dogs who played all the time. On steroids, the bigger dog attacked the little dog's throat which led to his demise. Steroids help with so many conditions but they do seem to make the animal feel weird, hungrier than usual and sometimes aggressive. I have to tell you I would be totally freaked out if my cat did that to me.


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## cat face (Apr 4, 2013)

I'd be willing to say it was the steroids! My oldest cat has to take some steroids last year. She had mites with some extreme itching which was causing her to scratch herself bald. Part of her treatment, to calm down the itching , was steroids. It helped with her appetite a lot because she had gotten to the point where she was losing her taste for her food. 
The vet also warned me that she may be more aggressive at times, as well. And just be aware. She did show a couple signs of aggression, hissing and striking out because she just wanted to be left alone. After the course was finished, it was a couple weeks and she was back to her old self.


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

The only time I ever had an unprovoked attack was similar to _Baron Von Mogg_y's account. It was a young stud cat, and I hadn't yet got a female for him to breed. A neighbour's tom cat had sprayed outside a window or door. I walked into the room and was immediately attacked, so I took him to the vet and he said that wasn't uncommon to be attacked by a frustrated male cat. 
In your case it sounds to me that it was something that happened on TV that upset him.....were there sounds of guns shooting, or people yelling.....likely something dramatic like that can upset some cats. Try to keep the volume down on Law & Order and that may help.


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## Lotu (Apr 26, 2013)

10 cats--I was initially wondering about glasses reflecting from the tv as well...however that sounds like it didn't solve this mystery. I also wonder about a strange sound that freaked him out. Someone on this site posted that they have a baby and thinking of getting a cat and I was just remembering when we first brought our newborn home to introduce to our 6-7 year old cat. I'm sure we did it all wrong. I don't think our cat had ever seen a baby before...hissed at him and ran out of the room (accidently?) scratching my ankle in the process. I was in tears...and then, I don't think she ever acted that way toward him again. Later, he was even that type of kid who grabbed at the cat and she took it. I did take precautions to not let her in his room while napping/sleeping. It will be interesting to hear if the vet thinks the steroids could be the issue or if it will remain an issue.


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## gizmothecat (Jun 26, 2013)

maybe he smelled something not familiar?? new cologne, new wash soap? or like some others were stating...maybe it IS the steroids?? let us know what the vet says


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## cat owner again (Dec 14, 2012)

Hey maybe he wanted you to change the channel :???:


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## snowy (Aug 23, 2012)

Doc prescribed prednisone when I had finger stiffness last year and I didn't know it was actually steroid. Anyway, it didn't affect me at all, don't really know if it will have any effect on cats, maybe like some said, it could be steroid or maybe steroid has no effect on some cats, like it has no effect on me.

Anyway, I was attacked by my own cat many times, especially during the initial 8months. When he got out of it after that 8months, he will still attack me every once in a while and once the bite was only a couple mm away from the vein. I know many sites that say FIV doesn't spread to human, but sometimes I do get worried, cos I'm not sure if what I've read are entirely reliable and true, but oh well, what's done cannot be undone, he had already bitten me that many times. If it does spread, it would probably already have, so being bitten before and many times more makes no difference, so I'll just have to stop worrying.

I've come to realise, the many times he attacked me was during times when there was a change in food that he didn't like, and sometimes, he didn't get enough to eat, that was probably my fault, since he does gain weight easily and I'm trying hard to keep him below 13lb. But I have given in recently, getting bitten is no joke, so I decided to let him eat a little more and allow him to stay above 13lb but less than 14lb. I still measure the quantity though, he is just getting more than before, but not exceeding the recommended calorie. So far, that seemed to work fine, I save my skin and ET is happy.

Getting bitten by our own cat can be rather hurting, not just physically but emotionally too. Imagine the cat attacking the hands that feed them, how ungrateful, but well...it a fact... my cat do attack when he is unhappy, I'll just have to accept that, but of course if anything can be done to avoid it...so...he gets more food.


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## NebraskaCat (Jan 15, 2013)

DaveMB said:


> Well I went to bed last night and got comfy watching Law and Order SVU (thank god for America or there would be nothing worth watching on UK TV).


Well, I'm turning off the computer. It's time for me to watch Downton Abbey and my DVR'd episodes of Sherlock. Thank goodness for the BBC or I'd have to watch the reality nonsense American tv puts out.


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## gizmothecat (Jun 26, 2013)

cat owner again said:


> Hey maybe he wanted you to change the channel :???:


hahahahahah


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## emilyatl (Sep 9, 2013)

My late kitty Jem was on depo-medrol for a couple of months. I never saw any agression in him. He did seem very hyperactive after getting his shots and would eat a LOT, but those are the only "side effects" I saw. I know it can cause aggitation and irritability, but it doesn't sound like Gizmo's personality is really altered, he just kind of flipped out momentarily? I haven't had any cats who really attacked for no reason, so I can't offer any advice there. I hope it was an isolated incident!


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## DaveMB (Jan 9, 2014)

NebraskaCat said:


> Well, I'm turning off the computer. It's time for me to watch Downton Abbey and my DVR'd episodes of Sherlock. Thank goodness for the BBC or I'd have to watch the reality nonsense American tv puts out.


Ha ha fair enough 

Thanks for the answers everyone, the vet doesn't think the Depo-Medrone is likely to cause any noticeable side effects other than increased thirst and appetite, (well he eats like a pig anyway so there's no difference there).

However, before taking him to the vets for his nail clipping I was petting him and found a lump on his back with a large scabby area 8-O.

Of course I immediately suspected a burst abscess so brought his appointment forward to get it sorted out.

Anyway it turns out that the lump was caused by the Steroid injection and will apparently go away by itself but the scabby wound (which was not related to the lump, Just very close in position) actually looks pretty bad.

The vet assures me that it is in fact just a superficial wound and will heal by itself (daily cleaning with salt water).

It looks really sore though so could definitely explain why he was in such a bad mood :shock:

He's been really sweet and cuddly since he clawed me and given me no reason to think he will do it again so it's all good now. 

I have no idea how he got the wound, the vet reckons he must have caught his back on something but I have searched the house from top to bottom and can't see anything he could have done it on, and he hasn't been outside for 3 months so it's definitely from inside the house.


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## cat owner again (Dec 14, 2012)

A good thing came from one scary thing. I hope all is on the mend soon.


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## Arianwen (Jun 3, 2012)

May have been playing or may have been startled but have you considered the ore mundane? one of our cats has excessively sensitive skin and would erupt over a single flea bite. When was the last time you de-fleaed? Also (and I apologise for issing this) why is he on steroids? Could the under-lying problem be part of it?


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

That wound is nasty looking....could have been a combination of things for his aggression....feeling hungry, sore on his back irritating him, and maybe the TV. Just hope this was a one-off, and he'll be fine.


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## DaveMB (Jan 9, 2014)

Arianwen said:


> When was the last time you de-fleaed? Also (and I apologise for issing this) why is he on steroids? Could the under-lying problem be part of it?


He is de-flead once per month with Frontline combo and is on Steroids for a condition call Plasma cell pododermatitis (apparently the steroids work by blocking parts of his immune system?):???:



catloverami said:


> Just hope this was a one-off, and he'll be fine.


I'm 99% it was a one-off :smile:


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

...Any chance that nasty looking wound is in the spot where you put the frontline treatment???

I don't know if you use a pill or the gel, but it's in the right general area if you use one of those gel types. Just a thought.


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## emilyatl (Sep 9, 2013)

Yikes, that does look bad. It doesn't look like there's a puncture or anything in the photo and I think you indicated already that he's not around other cats? Is he scratching it at all (granted, the Depo-Medrone helps alleviate itching, so it may be difficult to tell until that wears off). So the vet doen't think this is somehow related to his pillow foot?


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## DaveMB (Jan 9, 2014)

librarychick said:


> ...Any chance that nasty looking wound is in the spot where you put the frontline treatment???
> .


No, the Frontline is applied higher up.



emilyatl said:


> So the vet doen't think this is somehow related to his pillow foot?


No, she seemed pretty certain that it is nothing more than a superficial flesh wound of unknown origin :???:


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## Jetlaya67 (Sep 26, 2012)

Poor Gizmo and poor you! if nothing like this has ever happened before it probably is the medication combined with something (a loud noise maybe?) on the tv show. I know if a dog barks on tv my cats get all stiff. I hope the vet has more insight for you.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

Oh', I'm sorry you are going through this. May be a medical issue here to check out. These critters keep is on our toes, huh?


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## DaveMB (Jan 9, 2014)

just wanted to add some closure to this thread as I believe I now know what caused the wound.

Gizmo was rolling around under my bed last night playing with a paper ball so I laid flat across the bed and looked underneath an noticed that one of the wooden lats that supports the mattress is broken and when weight is applied in a certain area the two halves separate and point downwards and have a really sharp edge on them.

So I suspect that during his midnight zoomies he has run under the bed and caught his back on the wood.

The wound wound itself is almost completely healed, just need his fur to grow back now as he has a few too many bald patches from previous treatments :grin:


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Dave, sounds like the mystery is solved! That could well have done it! Glad Gizmo is on the mend from that too!! Poor guy!


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## DaveMB (Jan 9, 2014)

10cats2dogs said:


> Dave, sounds like the mystery is solved! That could well have done it! Glad Gizmo is on the mend from that too!! Poor guy!


Thanks Sharon, My fingers are crossed for Charlie :wink: here's hoping for a speedy recovery.

They really keep us on our toes don't they :lol:


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## StellaLuna (Jan 16, 2013)

Try interactive toys between the two of you... play with him regularly (especially before bed) do it until he starts laying down panting. See if that helps at all.


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## Farciot Eduart (Jan 29, 2009)

I debated about posting this but here goes . . . 

We had a cat, a large male short-haired cat, mostly black with some white on his paws and belly. We got him when he was about 6 months old. He lived with us for a long time -- a normal cat life. Most of the time he was very sweet but once in a while, maybe every month or so, while being petted, he would just freak out, hiss, lash out with a paw, and then run. He once gave my wife a black eye while lying on her chest in bed. We just learned to live with it, treated him with a bit more respect. We always thought that something bad had happened to him before we got him -- but that's just a wild guess.

With the many cats that we still have and have had in the past, I don't think I could put any two in the same behavioral bucket -- they have all been different.


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## DaveMB (Jan 9, 2014)

@Farciot, Yeah I've often wondered if Gizmo was mistreat before I got him, He loves me but is terrified of 95% of strangers.

Any sudden movements or loud noises and he scarpers so I'm not sure if he was mistreat or if he is in fact the very definition of 'scaredy cat'


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## Joe711 (Jan 4, 2013)

U probably touched ur cats wound which hurt him and he attacked you..


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## wolfheartmoon (Aug 3, 2013)

DaveMB said:


> @Farciot, Yeah I've often wondered if Gizmo was mistreat before I got him, He loves me but is terrified of 95% of strangers.
> 
> Any sudden movements or loud noises and he scarpers so I'm not sure if he was mistreat or if he is in fact the very definition of 'scaredy cat'


I wouldn't go for "mistreated" right away. I got my little Zoe at only two months old (our shelter sucks) and had her for over three years now, and she'd ALWAYS been real skittish and shy with strangers, it's only been in the last year-ish that she's started exploring and such.
She was found with her siblings in a box with their eyes closed, they went to a foster right away. So there's no way even if she HAD been mistreated, that she could remember or even connect humans to it.


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

Ditto what wolfheartmoon said. The vast majority of the time someone thinks their pet was abused it's more likely they're simply either skittish by nature, or unaccustomed to humans. Any anxious animal will flinch if you make a sudden movement, so flinching if you suddenly raise your hand isn't always an indication they've been hit.

Besides all that, I'd much rather believe animals aren't abused nearly that much. The vast majority of abuse (at least in my region) seems to be mostly neglect, and typically caused by lack of knowledge. That doesn't mean it's ok, but it also isn't malicious.


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