cat behaviour

[Harrythecat]

I have had a rescue cat for about a year. The cat did not have a very good life before being rescued. I am a male which makes a difference because she only attacks me by flailing her legs with claws out and catches me mainly on the legs. I am covered in wounds. I think I have tried most approaches but looking for something new to try. She is about two years old and I am the one that feeds her. Any suggestions please?

[Ruth B]

While being male should not make a difference, many men do tend to play a little rougher with kittens and accept being scratched as part of the play, so it could be that someone in her past did that and she just assumes that is what is happening now.

Can you tell us a bit more about what is going on, when does she attack you. Is it only when you reach your hand out, is it only when you are putting food down for her, or does she jump out at you as you walk by.

If she attacks you when playing i would suggest getting a wand and string toy for her to chase so that your hands are no where near the toy and she can 'kill' it safely. If it is at feeding time then don't feel bad if you want to shut her out while preparing the food and only let her in when it is already down for her.

If it is happening at other times then working out why she does it and stopping it might be harder.

If she does scratch you, try not to yell at her, a firm 'No' and ignoring her for a couple of minutes is often enough to make them realise they did something wrong.

[fjm]

One of my cats when young used to do this particularly to my sister, stalking her ankles and pouncing on them, hind legs kicking. It was rough play rather than deliberate attacking, but that didn't make her feel any better about the scratches! The cat had recently lost his companion, his brother who vanished one morning and was never found - for him the solution was another kitten of the same age to play with. It was as instant a cure as I have ever seen, but I hesitate to recommend it as not all cats appreciate a feline intruder into their home. If the situation is similar in your case - hiding round corners or under furniture to dash out and pounce at your approach - I would try toys that she can hunt instead: fishing rod type games to snatch and catch, bigger soft toys that you can toss or drag for her to attack and roll around with.