Unchecked Aggression

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avenir
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Unchecked Aggression

Post by avenir »

We have an orange male cat who is 5-6 years old and very passive and lives for attention. We have another black male cat who is 1.5 year old and has always been slightly antagonistic but is otherwise very relaxed and seeks attention as a normal cat would. This has largely been fine as the older and larger cat will usually make it clear when the black one is going too far and the black cat always submits. They both play separately and sometimes together.

A new cat has shown up as I live in a forest. This one is a brown female cat barely 6 months old and even more passive than the first cat. We have her separated in a room by herself as we've begun the process of taking her in. However, the 1.5 year old male cat displays instantaneous and unchecked aggression on sight of the new 6 month old. When she is outside, he will literally assault and beat against the glass of the windows even if she's a hundred feet away; severely enough that I've worried he might one day break a window. I have even let him sniff my hands after I've been petting the 6 month old and outside of curious sniffing he doesn’t react.

He also goes out of his way to try and get into the room where she is being kept and will even run full speed across the house anytime he thinks he can get in. He immediately lunges onto and tries to hurt her whenever he can fight his way in. I have even had to drag him across the floor as I pried him away from her all the while he tries to break free with frenzied desperation solely to continue his assault. It's vicious and NOTHING will stop him except physical barriers. There is zero posturing, no growling, nothing. It's almost rabid and I've never seen a cat behave this way. I have always seen hissing, staring, etc but that is completely absent. Just instant bloodlust. I have never seen anything like it.

This is taking place in a large two story house with many rooms so I can't imagine space is the cause. When there is no chance of the door opening, he behaves completely normal, relaxed, and attention seeking. Both male cats have had their shots, are fixed, everything you would expect from a house cat. I don't even know where to start because it's so excessive.
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Cat-FAQ
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Re: Unchecked Aggression

Post by Cat-FAQ »

Hiya,

I can completely understand your concern regarding your cat's behaviour, and I think this link regarding aggression in cats may be useful for you: https://www.catchat.org/index.php/cat-b ... aggression

I hope you find a solution soon!
avenir
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Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2019 5:44 am

Re: Unchecked Aggression

Post by avenir »

Thank you for the only reply I've gotten. I wish it were easily identifiable as one of those things, if it is, I can't tell. I tried to describe what I've seen and I can't find anything like it. My guesses are it's either because she's young and male cats sometimes kill the young, or it's an excessive territorial thing but he's completely nonaggressive with the older cat who is absolutely in control so I'm really not sure.
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Mollycat
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Re: Unchecked Aggression

Post by Mollycat »

Killing juveniles is common in lions but very rare in domestic cats, that's very unlikely to be your answer. The reason you don't have answers is most likely because what you describe isn't a normal or common behaviour and maybe nobody has come across it before.

Cats are territorial and will defend their space regardless how large it is, so trying to chase off an intruder is perfectly normal. How is the young female responding, what is her behaviour like when he tries to attack her?

My ex's family had two cats as a kid, one Cleo was his cat and the other Nemesis was his brother's cat. Next door was Cola. Nemesis was Cola's kitten and Cleo and Cola would always fight, but when Nemesis was moved from Cola's care to Cleo's house, things turned. Cola at first would go to try and get her kitten back. Cleo would defend the house and everything in it including Nemesis. Fights would be like in the cartoons, a ball of flying fur and screeching. If Cleo saw Cola through the window she would go crazy. Your situation sounds a little like that?
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