Aggressive

Hi. I'm new to the forum and my cat, Dave, was diagnosed as diabetic 8 days ago.
We got him 2 years ago from a rescue centre and he was very 'wild'. We all suspected a life of abuse. After patience and lots of love, he has mellowed a little. He comes to sit on my lap daily for cuddles and love his head stroking - any further down his back and he attacks with a vengeance.

So he spent 3 days in the hospital. Vet had to sedate him to get bloods and give insulin due to his aggression.

At home Dave is no more tolerant of me doing it. The first 2 days I restrained him and got badly bitten and scratched. I didn't used gloves as this would distress him more. I felt cruel so looked for alternatives.

I spent the next 2 days regaining his trust and associating the jab/ handling him with food. The first jab after this approach worked a treat. He didn't flinch.

Since then, his aggression has returned. He has got wise to me!

I'm getting very down as I don't know what to do. It's not the jab that hurts him, but he won't tolerate me 'tenting' his fur. I've tried wrapping in a towel; doing the fur touching at different times of the day (no needle in sight); jabbing during feeding; jabbing before feeding; and even when he was asleep - he soon woke up!!

All the cat videos I've seen are with calm cats.

I'm worried Dave will die.

 

Omg that's a tough one. 5 of my six are former strays. I have one like your Dave named Julie who sounds similar. I am not allowed to pet her past the shoulders.... And she sent me to the emergency room once when she bit and my hand blew up. Yet of all my cats she's also a lap cat. She's on me right now.

I'm REALLY glad she's not my diabetic. The first few months she was with us thought we were going to have to put her on Prozac. We found her in our yard.... My in laws took her in and a month later they said they weren't keeping her because she would stalk and attack my father in law viciously.

One thing I've found that really takes the edge off are feliway plug-ins! She's a different cat now but I can always tell when the feliway run out. Now look at my killer cat.... My son's bestie.

Maybe a first step needs to be desensitizing him to having his scruff touched. Pet his head, tug his scruff, give a treat. Do this several times a day for a few days to get him used to it. When he's used to it then try the injections.

In the mean time get him on a low carb wet food. No dry.

 

This is my "killer cat" Julie.

 

Thanks Janet. Your cat Julie sounds just like Dave.
I've tried the desensitisation and it worked but only for the first jab.
He's on v low carb wet good now. No dry. I've also thrown the dry food in the bin for my other cat.

I haven't tried the feliway plug in but it's worth a try. I will try anything and everything.

 

Feliway makes wipes that you can use like dryer sheets and put his blankets, towels bedding in the dryer with the items. Before using, let him have some time on the Feliway-ed item. After about 5-10 min, on the material, it turns my worrier into a biscuit -making happy guy. The vet keeps blankets with this and it relaxes him for the appointment. It may help. Wipes can also be wiped on carriers and counter areas where cat may be.

Good luck with you cat. I have one similar -look but don't touch is what she says to me.

 

I get feliway refills on amazon much cheaper than stores. I buy the six pack refills.

 

We have a biter so I know. Trying hard not to be condescending or stating the obvious. In no particular order/ try just you and Dave in a room with no distractions, the other cat, things that may trigger his aggression / don't surprise him, lay your tools out in front of him and really take your time / talk to him in a calm voice, say his name in a little sing song / no doorbell, ringing phone, slamming doors / zap a towel in the dryer or microwave and put that in a basket with him / a basket? Dave wants to feel safe if he's been abused and needs to trust you / you already know punishment won't work but he might see frustration as a precursor to a good smack or whatever someone did to him before he came to you. I know all these things are a stretch, I'm groping in the dark here. Noah's brother once sent a tech to emergency so I know all about deep bites and scratched corneas. Maybe the silliest thing you've heard in a month is the one thing that works. Sincerely wishing you luck. Please feel free to post again with what seems to work and work makes things worse, you won't be the last one with this problem.

 

A couple of people have posted about relaxing music for your cat, might be worth a try. Also maybe give him a treat before and after the shot then he will begin to associate it with good things.

 

Janet, what a beautiful photo! Love the "babysitter" guarding the baby!

 

@Dave's Mum Better news yet? Okay, this is a real stretch. Somewhere at some zoo there's a diabetic tiger or lion. What on Earth do they do? They don't just get rid of a big investment and they don't tranquilize it every time. In the one in a million category there is a pill for diabetic cats but in the 35+ years I've had cats I've only heard of it working once. Someone always wins the lottery no matter how bad the odds right?

 

Looks like Dave is a short hair? Maybe get the shortest needles possible and don't "tent" - just inject right behind the shoulder?

There is also the cat sack.

 

There are also calming drops that you can put into their water. Try everything and anything. Good luck

 

Great advice. Some things sound so far out there and ridiculous you'd never consider them It's not desperation, it's imagination.
@Dave's Mum We haven't heard from you since Sunday, we're all ready to help and we've all tried whacko things. Still there?