My cat has become aggressive toward the beagle

[Critters2]

My youngest cat, Shamu, has been attacking the beagle. Actually, they're not so much attacks as guerilla maneuvers. He just walks up to the beagle, very calmly, and smacks her in the face--with his claws unsheathed!! He's done it twice today, in the time that I was home, and I've been at the office most of the day. The poor beagle rarely leaves her crate these days. I feel awful for her. She's not doing anything when Shamu does this. This morning, she was just looking out a window. At noon, she was just walking toward the water dish.

I'm thinking of closing Shamu up in one of the bedrooms when I'm not home, with water and a litter box, so Gracie can walk around her own home in safety. She weighs three times what he does, but she's being terrorized! I've also decided to take Shamu to the vet for a check-up. He's also been peeing outside his litter box--on the beagle's puppy pads. Wonder if that means something. All of this has just started in the last week or so. They've lived together for 4 years.

If anyone has any theories or advice, I'd be appreciative. So would the beagle!

[Parche]

1. This Is MY Shamu

:woohoo: :woohoo: :hi:

[Critters2]

2. I wouldn't want that attacking the beagle!!

Here's my Shamu:

[mtnester]

3. We went through something kind of the same

two cats who had grown up together for years, and one turned on the other.

The meeker (a Himalayan female) could not even, after a bot, come out from her hiding places without being attacked. She could not use the litter box, could not really even eat. She started peeing and defecating wherever she could. Not a happy situation. The female was not neutered, the other cat was a mix, and was neutered, but completely aggressive (we do not think "everything" was removed was all we could come up with).

On consult with our vet, we decided, for the sanity and safety of Minky (the Himalayan), we would give her away to a good home. At first we advertised her, and what we GOT were a bunch of scumbags who wanted her to breed her (too many "breeding" questions). So, in order to guarantee that she was in a home that wanted her for her, we made the decision to have her spayed. Amazing how many people were "not interested anymore" once we did that. She went to a great home, and we checked up on her...she adjusted FINE.

We kept the mean one. I have his scars, so do other people. He died after flinging himself many times against a window screen when an outdoor cat was sitting there "(insert "taunting" him), broke the screen out and ran after the taunter. Taunter made it across the street...the black cat did not.

He was a completely interesting creature, and was a RABID palmetto bug fighter (this is when we lived in FLA for 5 years). It is like mousing, only with a bug the size of a mouse.

After he diied, we got another one from the pound. Unfortunately, after many months of meds and an attempt to save him, we out him down as the vet agreed that he had some brain damage from the distemper. Poor cat, all declawed (no killing claws even) and in the pound, sick with distemper and visibly abused. We did what we could, but to bo avail.

Sigh...the things humans and pets do for, and TO, each other.

[Critters2]

6. I'm sure hoping not to have to give him up.

I suppose that's a possibility, but he's really attached to me. So is the beagle. I don't think either of them would do well in another setting. I'll try to prevent that.

So sorry to hear of your trials with your cats. Just so sorry :hug:

[mtnester]

8. No, it is ok...

the way we look at it, the ornery one died the only way he could...as hard as he lived. He was fun and even though I bear his scars, he was a blast...always ready to play, always making us laugh (when we were not cussing him that is...:)...he was our "attack cat" Guests knew the hazards of engagement, and paid if they did not pay atention...their fault. We never ever blamed anyone for yelling at the cat either, cause he deserved it sometimes.

The one we had to put down? Even though we tried and failed to save him, he simply had gotten too sick at one time to survive or live a good life anymore. He lived a quiet, loving life his last days instead of cold, shivering and scared...its all good.

[KSinTX]

4. You're on the right track with the vet

I have one that is chronically sickly and on mild days (for him) he's on the attack and just bops the others for no reason. I think it's to let the others know he's not vulnerable. Of course, the others are more aggresive when he's having bad days. They are very social creatures but have a rather wide personal space and use aggression to keep it and let others know how they're feeling.

HTH

[Critters2]

5. We know that Shamu has health issues.

He was malnourished when he was turned into the Humane Society. He has taurine-deficiency retinopathy, so problems with his vision. How much or little he sees, we're not sure. He can't read an eye chart:) .

He also has problems with his back legs and feet. They're somewhat misshapen. The vet isn't sure whether this is from the malnutrition, from a trauma, or congenital. It doesn't slow him down much, but he can't jump like the other cats do. And when he runs, it's more like the gait of a rabbit than a cat.

He's always had a little bit of a mean streak, usually aimed at the other two cats, and usually a matter of getting too worked up when playing with them. They just walk away when he starts being nasty. But this clawing the beagle out of the clear blue is new. So, I need to get him checked out.

You may be onto something when you say yours bops the others to let them know he's not vulnerable. I've even wondered if his eyesight is getting worse, causing him to feel more vulnerable. It's also possible that the beagle did something to piss him off when I wasn't watching, but he's more than paid her back by now.

So, yeah, I'm calling the vet in the morning.

[KSinTX]

7. Wishing you the best

I didn't realize your little one's fragile health and that makes me think it's even more about a certain level of pain. They do lash out when they're feeling tough. Hope it's good news. Mine was on death's door and a wonderful vet (he's now in our will) gave him back to us. Hepatitis of the liver. It's a constant battle keeping the balance between pain management and overmedication, but he's thriving and happy. Wish the same for you and yours!

Let me know how it goes! :hug: