What do I do with a psychotic cat?

[dantesmama]

We adopted a 6mo cat in January via Craigslist. She was very playful, as kittens are, and we assumed that as she got a bit older she would mellow out. Well . . . she hasn't. She's just gotten meaner. We've always treated her well, and the kids are good with her, but she attacks us out of nowhere. (And not gently or playfully; she does damage.) Seriously, I'll walk by her and she'll jump up and go after my leg. She's gone after the kids unprovoked. DP has woken up in the middle of the night with bloody scratches on his arm. Needless to say, this can't continue, especially with a new baby on the way.

But - what do I do with her? I can't imagine anybody wanting to adopt a cat like this, short of UAV's who would sell her for research or something. If I surrender her to the SPCA she'll be euthanized. As far as I know there aren't any no-kill shelters around here. We've asked all of our friends, family and aquaintances if they'd be willing to take her, to no avail. I don't know what to do - we can't keep her, but taking her to a shelter would be a death sentence. Before we do that, are there any other options?

[tinyblackdot]

We had a cat like that.

Has she been spayed?

We ended up giving her to a freind who lived in the country, to be a barn cat. She did runaway a couple of years later, but she lived very happily out there.

[SunShineSally]

I am not sure where you live but here we have a health food store and they have holistic/natural pet remedies I cannot remember the actual name of the remedy but it was to calm them and help with stress it works wonders on my one stressed cat. I would look in your health food store ours is in the pet section we have a feel rite but that is local i am not sure if all health food store have a pet section I know the one near my aunt doesn't.

I am pretty sure it is called Rescue Remedy for pets. It was about 12ish dollars over here may be cheaper where you live. Good luck if you cannot find it PM me and if you send me money I can send you some if you wanted to give it a try it really helped my cat a lot.

she may be stressed out or board?
or as the PP said if she is not spayed that may have something to do with it.\

[dantesmama]

Originally Posted by tinyblackdot

We had a cat like that.

Has she been spayed?

We ended up giving her to a freind who lived in the country, to be a barn cat. She did runaway a couple of years later, but she lived very happily out there.

Yes, she's been spayed. I wish I knew someone who lived in the country who could take her . . . I know her mother was a barn cat, and that's where she was born. It doesn't seem to be in her nature to be a housecat, yk?

Originally Posted by SunShineSally

I am not sure where you live but here we have a health food store and they have holistic/natural pet remedies I cannot remember the actual name of the remedy but it was to calm them and help with stress it works wonders on my one stressed cat. I would look in your health food store ours is in the pet section we have a feel rite but that is local i am not sure if all health food store have a pet section I know the one near my aunt doesn't.

I am pretty sure it is called Rescue Remedy for pets. It was about 12ish dollars over here may be cheaper where you live. Good luck if you cannot find it PM me and if you send me money I can send you some if you wanted to give it a try it really helped my cat a lot.

she may be stressed out or board?
or as the PP said if she is not spayed that may have something to do with it.\

Actually if I remember right from the Dec DDC, I live right by you! I'll check Feel Rite the next time I go. How long does the $12 bottle last?

Thanks for the replies!