Mean Cat - help

I think first of all this should probably be posted in the cat forum.

The cat has got to have time to adjust to the new situation.  It took my cat 2 or 3 months to even be in the same room as my pup.  Now they sleep cuddled together, and she'll literally walk on top of him to get to me. 

I don't believe in indoor/outdoor cats.  I believe a cat should be one or the other.  And if it's an outdoor cat, it's a working cat with the job of keeping the mouse/rat population down.  If your cat doesn't want to be outside, then don't force it to go outside. 

If you just brought the cat home and let it run loose, this cat has alot of adjustments to make.  New house, new smells, new floor plan, new people, new everything.  Right now the cat isn't being "mean" on purpose.  She's simply adjusting.  Think about it, 3 brand new dogs competing for attention and territory. 

Buy the cat an elevated scratching post, the kind that she can run up and get away from the dogs to hide.  That way the cat has her own special place that she doesn't have to share with the dogs.

Hayley - this might sound nuts, but talk to her in her own language.  When you catch her in the act of one of these unwanted behaviors - stalking a dog or unwarranted swatting at one, try hissing at her - with some force.  You don't have to be in her face or anything, but a forceful "pssssssst" will startle her and she'll understand you are angry and challenging her behavior.  I read this years ago in a holistic cat care book and it works pretty well stopping mine in their tracks.
 
Now, if she's defending herself because they are crowding her or chasing her, you have to try to correct the dogs, too - any cat is going to lash out when feeling threatened.
 
Give her lots of cooing and compliments when she's remaining calm.  Cats do also respond to positive reinforcement and you can help influence her to feel calmer.
 
I know you take her outside to get her some exercise - do you also make some play time for her - time to chase toys with you - maybe in a room where the dogs aren't so she can get out some of her prey drive on toy mice and stuff??

Thanks for the help so far. Ok fist she has been in the house for almost 2 months now so she is pretty used to it in here. She was hiding under beds etc for the first week but now she runs about as if it all belonged to her so she seems pretty settled in. I dont want her to be an indoor/outdoor cat. She IS most definatly an indoor cat. However, she NEEDS freash air, kust like my dogs do. It certainly would not be any good for her lungs to never experience freash air. So i do want her so spend some time outside everyday. My dogs go outside to use the toilet and the go on two major outings a day , the cat at the moment gets upto 30mins when i force her, she does need to climb, chase etc in my opinion to be happy.
I did buy her a huge scratching post with three levels and a hiding hole and she didn't go anywhere near it. I actually started a thread on how to help her to use it. I tried everything and ended up selling it because she didnt like it. I postsed two messages on kittycenteral about cats but i didnt get as much feedback asi do here, and i need help, so i put the message here.
 
Thank you so much for the idea of psssssssst at her. I think it might work. I will definatly try it next time. My dogs do occasionally annoy her and I do tell them off, but when she atttacks it does tend to be unprovoked.
 
I do spend time just me and her. Every night i tuck the dogs into bed and then go into her, brush her, hug her. However, she really isnt into playing. She is 8 which I know isnt that old for a cat but she couldn't care less about toys, she does have some.
 
She does have lots of places to get away from the dogs, the dogs cant and wont go under the beds and there are two lgaps in the laundry where the dogs cant get to her and there is the top bunk in the spare room. She does go to these places occasionally, but she seems to prefer it in the family room.
 
Thanks for the advice, keep it coming []

My cat (will be 12 this Nov) is hard to get started playing (look out once she starts though!). I usually have to use catnip to get her going.
 
For toys, do you have a wand toy? Some cats aren't into amusing themselves, so a wand toy usually works great. It also seems a bit more real and enticing so the cats go for it more.
 
 

cats can live quite nicely w/out experiencing outside fresh air...besides who says outside air is fresh? Gas fumes, pollution, etc.
Open a window for her to sit in is probably just as benefical especially since you have to force her outside.
In order to relax her around your dogs try Feliway - you can get it in diffuser form (like a Glade plug in ) or in a spray form.
Note when she goes after the dogs - is it when you bring her in from being outside? After she eats? Try to see if there is a pattern to her doing this.
Keep her busy with toys. When you see her going after the dogs distract her with a toy, as mentioned wand toys are great for this.

You cat obviously does not want to be outside. I would let her stay inside. She would me much happier if you gave her a place to sit by a window. Your kitty should have some sort of 'safe' room where only she can go, at anytime to get away. I used a pet gate to give my cat his own room. He goes there when Gracie is being obnoxious. Casey likes a peaceful house and Gracie seems to thrive on playful anarchy.

My cat is about 9yrs old.  She does NOT like to be outside.  There are occasions when she'll go out on the balcony, but the balcony is *safe* in her mind. 
 
If your cat doesn't want to be outside, don't force her to go.  Fresh air is overrated.  If taking her out is something that might traumatize her, the benefit of fresh air is negated. 
 
If you want to really see if she will play, take a piece of thread, yarn, fishing line and tie a feather onto it.  Dangle it in front of her.  She'll probably swat a few times at it, keep at it.  Eventually she'll get the hang of it.  But remember that cats are not built for endurance.  They usually won't play for more than 5 minutes.  They are built for short intense energy bursts.

What the heck?  How did you get my cat?  haha!  I have a male orange tabby that is the same way.  He is so mean.....we've only had the puppy a month and the cat beats him up.  The cat has no claws so he doesnt hurt the puppy.  My cat is the same around humans.  He doesnt beat them up but he screams like he's in a cat fight.  My cat really is just the best...so loving and cuddly just not when the pup or strangers are around.  I wish i could give you some advise but i just dont know.  All i do is call out the cats name and maybe stand between him and the pup. The cat usually walks off (miffed of course). Then it all happens again later, and it s usually the cat going up to the dog.  I will say i have seen some improvement in the past week or so.  My cat just wants the pup to know who/s the boss in the house.
Good luck.

Thanks for all the help guys.

The only thing I would add to this is to keep kitty's claws clipped very blunt.  (Not very short).  Also play with kitty with teaser style toys and get her good and exhausted.  This burns calories, and reduces her stress.  It is okay to keep her indoors and if you are concerned that she get fresh air, open a window.  She may take some time to adjust to her new surroundings.  If you catch her stalking or approaching the dogs with malice in her eyes, a spritz from a plant mister won't hurt.  Hope this helps, be patient.   Jules

ORIGINAL: hayley018


What should I do?

 
If it were me, I would kill the cat.  []