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The litter tray

big bad-tempered cat and new baby

9 replies

bediscalling · 05/01/2013 22:56

I'm concerned about my sister and her cat, and wondered if anyone had experienced anything similar and what the outcome was.

My sister has a huge cat (he weighs 9kg apparently!) with by all accounts a distinctly bolshy temperament. I have never met him as she lives abroad but he regularly brings back all kinds of exotic beasties to them and on one occasion they were called by new neighbours to remove him from their house, where he had waltzed in, chased their cat up a tree, and was attacking anyone who tried to make him leave.

She is currently in hospital having had her first child, and due home tomorrow (baby is only 3kg!). Apparently disgruntled at his mistress's absence the cat has been in a more than usually filthy mood and today attacked another neighbour's three-year-old child with the result that said neighbour came round to complain. From the description I get the distinct impression this was more than just a quick side-swipe for having pulled his tail.

My sister is devoted to her cat and says he's a "big softee really" and "oh, he's just in a bad mood because he's hungry", etc., but I am really worried about how this animal might react when she brings the baby home. Although I am a cat-lover myself and have always have cats, I would have reservations about my children sharing a house with this one.

Anyone have any experience of angry cat + new-baby? How can I broach the subject, or perhaps I should just butt out?

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cozietoesie · 06/01/2013 07:19

Perhaps you should - but it's difficult if there's a real problem and you might be taking your DCs there. What kind of cat is he? (As you mentioned that your DSis lives abroad, I'm wondering if he's one of the semi-wild breeds that people sometimes keep - like savannahs?)

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Lonecatwithkitten · 06/01/2013 09:18

Most cats keep well away from the squeaking bundle that arrives home as it disturbs their sleep and often smells.
The real issues comes when the children are toddlers and grab and chase.

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cozietoesie · 06/01/2013 09:44

Most domestic cats, Lone. I'm only thinking that a 9kg (!) cat with a very aggressive attitude in a country maybe not covered by a DWAA or equivalent might be a high hybrid.

I wouldn't be concerned about a domestic cat - with appropriate care.

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bediscalling · 06/01/2013 15:51

I don't think it's any sort of breed in particular - just a moggy, but because of it's size I've wondered if it might be part Maine Coon, though the temperament doesn't seem right for that from what I've heard. He is black and fairly long haired.

They live in Australia and I have two kids under 4 so I don't see us taking them over there until they are a fair bit older as the flight would be hell! I'm more concerned about what might happen if the cat just goes for the baby, or even just decided baby is a comfy place to sit when everyone's back is turned.

I guess we'll see how it goes when she comes home from hospital tomorrow. There are plenty of people in the house at the moment to lend them a hand and keep an eye out at least!

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JakeBullet · 06/01/2013 15:57

My feeli g from what you have posted is that this is a cat with huge anxiety issues he the the aggression. Most cats would cope with tail pulling without needing to overreact in the way it sounds this one has done. It's down to the stress "fight or flight" hormones.....and he is fighting instead of fleeing.

My cat hated my DS as a baby.....in fact after DS was born the only time I saw her was at night when he was safely asleep. This cat might well be the same.....it sounds as though if this child had not pulled its tail then no injury would have occurred. But it sounds fearful of humans tbh.

My neighbour had a cat like this who would just hiss and growl when anyone turned up.....all the while backing out of the room in a "I have to leave now or I might hurt you" way....

Agree....it's the toddler years where things might become an issue.

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bediscalling · 06/01/2013 19:10

No Jake, I think you misunderstood, what I meant was that I didn't think it was a standard "child-pulls-tail-cat-gets-cross" incident. I think most cats will give someone a quick swipe if they hurt them or frighten them. I don't know the ins and outs of this incident, but my impression was that it was more along the lines of an unprovoked attack!

He is neutered but I think he behaves a lot as though he isn't.

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JakeBullet · 06/01/2013 21:17

Ah yes...Sad

I wonder when he was neutered. Usually the older they are then the less effective it is I gather.


Was he a feral kitten? I wonder if he had much socialization with people as a very small kitten (before your friend got him).

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bediscalling · 06/01/2013 21:56

She's had him since a kitten and will never have mistreated him in any way as we've always been a family of cat lovers. He can't be terribly old - only 3-4 years at most I'd have thought. Can't remember when they got him, but it was after they were married which was only 5 years ago and he was a kitten then. I think he came from a pet shop too, not the cat rescue.

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MarinaIvy · 10/01/2013 16:53

I'm a cat person, too - I want to slap people who spread that rumour about cats crushing sleeping babies.

But I also have to say Some Cats Are Just Bastards.

We've never had a cat we didn't like, and very much liked Exhibit X when we first adopted her - she even liked our barely-todder (9 months old at that time) in the cattery, but within two months had to give her back after she started getting unprovoked-aggressive with our barely-toddler.

And, yes, they were unprovoked, we witnessed one: she reared up and clawed him on the shoulder just because he was walking past her.

She'd been pooping and weeing on the carpets for a few weeks, and we were trying to deal with it the way we always do - reinforcing good behaviour, loads of attention, etc.

But violence against DC was the last straw. You're not being unreasonable in worrying about the baby's safety in that house. I'd be too - from what you describe, this cat is not going to take well to something else being the centre of attention.

But apart from generally being supportive of your sister, I can't see what you can do or, to some extent, need to. I doubt your sister will take kindly to anybody or anything endangering her own DC.

Keep us posted!

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