Cat Attack!

by Nancy Thompson
(Nippa.Ky.)

Me and Karl

Me and Karl

Seven and a half years ago,someone decided to drop a kitty off in my yard. He was wild and half starved, but quickly decided he'd take me up on the offer of food.I tried for weeks to find someone to adopt him but there were no takers.I finally figured he was mine and my son named him Karl (with a K).

I soon learned how rotten this kitten was and wondered if that was why his previous owners deposited him on my doorstep. I had to stay on guard with every trip made thru the house,day or night. He would leap from nowhere and attack. I was even attacked in my sleep. He would wake me up pouncing on my face,feet,it didn't matter to him. If it moved ....ATTACK!!!

After months of his attacks and my bleeding I finally decided to call the vet and see what my options were,short of killing him. He told me to have him neutered and he would soon calm down. Well needless to say,the vet found out quickly that I wasn't kidding when I offered to hold him so they could sedate him. He said not to worry,he could handle a little kitty.

Later that evening I went to pick him up and was shocked at seeing the vet. He had bite marks and scratches all over his hands and arms. Kitty Karl wanted no part of what the vet had in store for him.

To make a long story a little shorter,it took years for Karl to mellow out and he still lets you know when he wants to rumble. You had better have a thick hoodie on to protect your arms. I clip his front claws with nail clippers to keep my family from injury,but it still hurts when he jumps off the floor and latches around your arm.

My family loves him very much and I believe he loves us too. He's not a lap cat at all. He is a loner and sleep most of the day,but lets us know when its time to pet and love on him.

I have always read the Maine Coon is a great family pet,but his actions have always been the opposite. Maybe because of the life he had before he came to me I don't know ,but I still love him and doubt I will ever have a different breed. He is a huge cat,but not as huge as most.

He is about 17 lbs. or so and his tummy has some flab that swings sideways when he walks. I call him "fat boy" most of the time. He knows if I yell "Karl" he is in trouble and flips over on his back looking all cute to try and melt my heart.

Nancy


Hi Nancy.... Thanks for sharing. I have changed your title as I don't think Karl is a Maine Coon - sorry. I mean a purebred Maine Coon. He is a big, gorgeous tabby and white cat.

If you know for sure that Karl is a purebred Maine Coon, please leave a comment..

In the meantime, well done! You have been amazingly patient and calmed him down with tender loving care. We like to see that on PoC.

Best

Michael

Comments for
Cat Attack!

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Jan 03, 2012 Cat Attack
by: Tina

Just wanted to add on my precipice comment that your cat may not necessarily have been abused, his precipice owners may have had children in the house who played roughly with him, fight games and he learned that that was the norm. When the cat became too much because they had fought him bad ways they got rid. Lucky for you though!


Jan 03, 2012 Attack cat
by: Tina

It sounds like you are a very caring and compassionate person. Well done for doing what was right, if only a lot more were like you. A cat is a cat, it does not matter what size they are or what colour or breed. They are individuals that need respect the same as any other creature. When a child is born to a mother, the mother loves the child without any reserves of hair colour or size. Well done for loving your boy!


Oct 02, 2011 Cats never forget
by: Ruth

No cat is born 'bad'
Even cats born feral and struggling to survive don't attack if they are left alone.
I'm convinced this poor cat was badly abused.
It could have been as far back as when he was a tiny kitten.
Cats NEVER forget.
I worked for a very wise old vet for many years, learned a lot about cats from him and after he died I continued to learn by the experience of living, working and volunteering with them.

Kattaddorra signature Ruth


Oct 01, 2011 Handsome!
by: Leah England

Hello what a beautiful cat!

I'm not sure where you're from but sounds like USA?

I'm so pleased that despite the fact he used his claws on you so much you didn't have him de-clawed.

Something awful must have happened to him before to make him behave as he did poor lad.

Thanks so much for sharing.


Oct 01, 2011 Glad you did not declaw
by: Ruth (Monty's Mom)

I'm so glad that it seems like you never thought of declawing him, though it might have seemed on the surface to be a solution. It would, of course, only have caused more problems for you and him, and then he never would have come to trust humans. I'm not convinced he ever was abused, it might just be his personality to be an "attack cat." Some cats never become lap cats and never lose their essential wildness, no matter what is done or not done to socialize them. It makes them no less special. It's great you love the cat who came into your life for who he is. Too many people see a cat in the same light as they see any product they would buy. If you don't select the right one for you, take it back to the store! Everything can be custom made these days. Maybe that's why so many marriages are unhappy as well. People think there should be a warranty or guarantee on everything. That works with buying a toaster, but living beings are unpredictable. And sometimes God doesn't send us what we think we want, He sends what we need. Or better yet, he places us where we are needed.


Oct 01, 2011 To Nancy
by: Ruth

Well done for persevering with Karl !
He was obviously very badly treated before he came to you. Cats never ever forget abuse so in his mind poor Karl feels he has to be on the defensive and attack you before you attack him.
But it sounds as if he has slowly come to trust you more and more thanks to your patience and kindness to him.
I admire you very much for not giving up on him.

Kattaddorra signature Ruth


1 thought on “Cat Attack!”

  1. The author of the best comment will receive an Amazon gift of their choice at Christmas! Please comment as they can add to the article and pass on your valuable experience.
  2. And oh yes, Dave : One year I took super cute to the verge of disguising phtoos of my cats in christmassy boxes and sent it as a X-mas card to friends and family, not perhaps obvious to all but it was a ironic comment to those who send phtoos of their kids 🙂

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