Aggressive Siamese

[StrayTales]

I appreciate the replies from my last post 'Leaving a Cat Alone.' New topic: Is my Siamese aggressive, (biting & nail digging) because he was a stray, or is it normal behavior? Last night he clamped his teeth into my wrist and hung on like a pit bull, despite my alarmed "NO'S." I was merely attempting to pick him up. In order to get him to release his grip I tweeked his nose. After he released he charged me like a tree trunk, drawing blood. In the first four months of our relationship he often attacked me, but the behavior had lessened - until last night, which was the scariest. Can anyone offer insight, or suggestions on how to handle an attack cat? He's not always pissy, the majority of time he seeks me out for cuddles. The trick, I learned, was to always let him come to me. Could he be registering malcontent because I keep him inside? I must admit, although he's a cat, his power to hurt my feelings is real.

[Ann]

Is your browser working properly now? If so, there's a very good article at www.catclinic.co.uk/health/aggression.htm whioh covers all types of aggression including what appears to be "motiveless aggression. It was written by a qualified veterinary nurse who specialises in cats.

Apparently motiveless aggression is most common in Burmese and I think there are strong genetic links between Burmese and Siamese. Interestingly, one of the general non breed specific causes she cites is keeping a cat who wants to go outside, indoors, which is something you've mentioned yourself. So you could be onto something.

Ann

[StrayTales]

The site contained valuable solutions, thank you...again Ann. I hope I'm psychologically capable of letting Pilgrim communicate with the outdoors on his own terms. Understanding tweeking his nose was the worst possible solution to his clenched bite helped me to drop the personal nature of his attack.