My cat attacks my girfriend

by Mr Mike Short

My kids moved to a new home and could not take there cat with them. I took the cat (7 year old Male) home with me whereas I already have 2 female cats. After one month, the cats seemed to be getting along. The problem is my cat and my girlfriend. He will crawl all around her legs purring, looking for her attention etc..The problem is after a few minutes of petting him and she starts pulling her hand away, he lashes out with his paws at her, hisses, and sometimes tries to bite her. This has happened quite a few times. He has never done this before, and never does it with me.Is there something we can do to change this behavior? She is the one who pretty much feeds him but is starting to be afraid of him because of his agressive behavior.

Answer by Kate
Hi
i have seen this behavior before and it is rather odd. Its sort of like saying dont stop petting me. Or they get over excited by the petting and they go off on one of their cat daydreams and the game becomes a hunt etc.

As for what can be done this is difficult as the behavior is occurring when she wants to stop petting him and not the other way round.

All I can suggest is that your girlfriend makes sure she is not wearing any strong scent around him, this can sometimes cause this sort of odd behavior, it happened to me once with a new perfume I had bought.

Also when he goes for her and this is the hard bit for her not to react to it. I.e not to shout out as this to a cat is a positive reaction. the best thing to do is to quickly and quietly move away from him every time, this is a negative response. Please see my page on this sort of discipline here https://www.our-happy-cat.com/cat-discipline.html

best wishes Kate

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