Need help/advice

[bxcav101]

My family took in a stray cat about 2 years ago. If anything I've noticed the cat has gotten more affectionate as time goes on. She has never been aggressive and she follows me around everywhere when I'm home. I also have some ferel kittens in my yard that have started to come around,( I live in a heavily populated area). I put down some food for the kittens, one of them came near me so I grabbed it, of course it was scared to death, scratched me up and was screaming out really loudly. I quickly put kitten back down and it went on it's way unharmed. (it quickly came back for the food) When I went back in the house, my cat immediately started to aggressively attacking me. It was scratching and biting me on my legs and jumping up and attacking me, going for my face. I threw it off but she just kept coming back for more. She didn't attack my 10 year old son, but she was growling at him and he was legitimately scared. We both left for school and work leaving her alone, I really didn't know what to make of it. I know the kitten crying out was what made her lash out like that. My son got home before me with my mom-in-law and there were no issues. I came home and everything appeared to be back to normal. she even came up on my lap and I was petting her. Then I got up to get something and completely unprovoked and unexpectedly she went back into full attack mode. I managed to get her into the basement and closed the door behind her. I'm actually kind of scared to let her out. To be honest, if this continues I will be forced to give her away to animal care & control, which I don't want, but I really don't know what to do.

[Kay]

first question has to be, has she been spayed? if no, it could be her motherly hormones that have been disturbed by hearing a kitten crying, and that should wear off - best get her done to avoid a repeat

if she has been spayed, it is likely it was the smell on you of another cat which disturbed her, and that too will fade, but best you wash any clothes you had on when you touched the kitten