Pixies aggressive behavior

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pixiesmom

pixiesmom

Member Since 2013
I am really beginning to get worried about Pixies aggression.
He has always been a defensive cat when going to the vets, being groomed, etc...
He would always grab our legs when we walked passed in hopes of being fed...which we would then do.
I guess it was his way of him telling us he was hungry.
Well, since his diagnosis he has become increasingly aggressive.
Today, my son walked passed him and pixie growled and hissed and went to attack.
He did the same when I walked passed. It was only when he knew I was coming with food that he calmed down and then
I fed and tested him.
My psych back round leads me to believe I created what I have. Now that he is not getting what he wants (food) whenever he
wants it he is ticked!
But he will also chase the dogs and attack if they run past. He will chase them through the kitchen, down the hall and almost out the front door
hissing, growling, and swatting at them.
The dogs are afraid to walk past him. They are 100+lb labs.
He used to "share" the dogs food with them and can no longer do that.
I hate to think what could go on here when I am not home.
Going to the vets today for a well dog check appt. and will mention it to him.

Do you think Pixie may need to be put on meds for this?
 
You could try feliway first. Also since he is feeling better try and tire him out with play.. My Tiggy does this when he has too much energy.

Wendy
 
I find that my sugarfoster hisses more at me and my civvies when his numbers are high. He just is not happy or congenial when he is not feeling well - kinda like me.
 
Start carrying some toys around with you, 4-5 in your pocket. When you see Pixie stalking, toss one of the toys to redirect his aggression into playing with the toy instead.

You should try behavior modification therapy first. The above is only one example. Sometimes, behavior modification on it's own, is not enough and medications may need to be added to the mix.

http://www.petfinder.com/cats/cat-problems/cat-aggression-part-2/

I had a cat that had re-directed aggression. Every time he saw a cat in his yard, he would turn around and viciously attack one of the other cats. I tried some behavior modification first, and "time outs" isolating him from human and all other contact. He came to associate the bad behavior with the isolation and really wanted to be around his people and feline friends. It was not quite enough, so I had to add some Prozac to the mix and worked diligently to nip his aggressive behavior in the bud. I even blocked off the lower part of the windows in my sliding doors so he could not see out and see "Stranger Kitty" in his territory.

I was able to take him off the medication after about 4 months and he is usually fine now.
 
I agree with the others about wearing him out with more play. Do you have any other cats? With Michelangelo, his aggression never fully went away until I got Henry. Even now, if Henry hasn't been around enough to sap Mikey of some of his energy, he starts getting a little aggressive again.

pixiesmom said:
Now that he is not getting what he wants (food) whenever he
wants it he is ticked!
Click to expand...

Do you have him on a feeding schedule now? Is he overweight? Is he a food binger? Check out this post on feeding kitty as much as they want as it might help you with Pixie's appetite.
 
Cat Behavior Associates, website for Pamela Johnson-Bennett, author of Psycho Kity (case studies of problem cat behavior), Starting From Scratch, Cat vs Cat, and a few others. Really, really good info on feline behavior.
 
Deb & Wink said:
Start carrying some toys around with you, 4-5 in your pocket. When you see Pixie stalking, toss one of the toys to redirect his aggression into playing with the toy instead.
Click to expand...

Pixie won't chase after something unless he can eat it.
He is mainly aggressive in the kitchen area where he eats. He will sit and wait for someone
to walk by and if we don't stop to feed him, bam!
If I bend down to talk to him, he's sweet.

I really just think the aggression stems from the hunger.
He was a 20lb. chubbie and is now 13 lbs.

I will look into the behavior modification for Pixie and the Prozac for myself ;-)
 
You might want to try a food ball or treat puzzle (just used freeze-dried meat treats instead of kibble). That way, when he wants food and it's not feeding time, he has to work a little bit for it and it'll keep him distracted for a while.
 
Just got done speaking with Pixies vet about his behavior.
Pixie went from IAMS hairball & weight control (high fiber food) to Fancy Feast.
The vet thinks that he is very hungry and not satisfied on the Fancy Feast.
I agree that is where the aggression is coming from.
However, I am now going to look into what foods I could feed that have a higher fiber content.
So back to food researching I guess.
Looking at the food chart it does not specifically list fiber content.
How do I know what is the best high fiber food without also having the carbs increase too much?
 
It might not be fiber that's missing from his diet, but it could be the type of fiber (too much plant and not enough animal). It could also be too little protein and too much fat. What varieties of FF is he eating? What is Pixie's ideal weight and how much and how often are you feeding him?
 
He mainly eats the Fancy Feast Savory Salmon or the Ocean Whitefish with Tuna
The IAMS had a 6.5% fiber content.
He is currently 13lbs. He eats 3 cans a day. 1 AMPS, 1 afternoon, 1 PMPS.....and maybe like a 1/4 can as a treat before bed
just so I can get that before bed reading in.

I am trying to access this list and cannot:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/DrLynneFoodList.pdf

Can I put Pixie on diet that would mix his old high fiber food with the fancy feast.....
Or maybe putting him on EVO dry mixed with FF wet???
I need to do something.
The vet said that he is fine feeding dry foods to diabetics.

Just when I thought I was getting a handle on things....ugh!
 
Have you tried Evo wet food? I find it keeps Niko filled up much longer than even Wellness (tried that?) and you can get both in the 12 oz cans. Both good quality cat food, better than FF.
 
Carol & Yoshi said:
Have you tried Evo wet food? I find it keeps Niko filled up much longer than even Wellness (tried that?) and you can get both in the 12 oz cans. Both good quality cat food, better than FF.
Click to expand...

My vet even suggested EVO so I think I will go tomorrow and pick some up.
I am still concerned with the fiber content in the wet vs. the dry and think I want to
do a combo....

I will start with just the wet and see how it goes before adding dry to the mix.
Is there a certain one you feed? Pixie has never been picky.
 
Most of us here use Dr. Lisa Pierson's food chart from catinfo.org since it's the most up-to-date. Is 13 pounds his ideal weight or does he need to gain/lose a bit? If it's his ideal weight, he should be eating around ~250 calories a day, so it looks like you're feeding him enough. Since he's not yet regulated, he'll definitely be wanting to eat more. I would see about increasing his protein first before increasing his fiber (fiber is not something cats normally need excess amounts of).

Long term, it's also generally not recommended to feed cats fish more than once or twice a week, which might be part of the problem.
 
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