Adopted an Adult - hissing, swatting, digging HELP

[WitchyWoman]

Did we cover what I should do when he charges or hisses aggressively?

For the hissing, I'd just say "no" in a firm but not loud voice. Immediately after he stops hissing and his body language tells you he has relaxed, throw him a treat once you find one he likes. In the meantime, say "good boy" in a warm and praising tone, continuing the praise when you give him treats. Never treat or praise when his body language or behavior indicates he is anything other than relaxed.

For the charging, try using a towel, blanket, or large piece of cardboard to mask your legs when you see him starting a charge or even when you're walking around your place and you think he may charge. He associates legs with something bad. Hold the towel or whatever on the side of your legs facing the cat. Say "no" firmly; praise and give him a treat those times you walk by and he doesn't charge. Seeing a solid wall, so to speak, instead of the legs that he associates with bad things, may stop the behavior. It will at least redirect the behavior onto something other than you. It's a technique I was taught to use with bobcat & cougar when I was a wildlife rehabilitator.

 

[Patti]

I agree with Deborah - say 'NO' firmly when he charges but don't back off, and don't try to stare him down. As for putting his teeth on your hand, I think he is giving you a warning that he is not ready for you to do whatever you were trying to do (pet him, etc.). The fact that he doesn't actually bite you or hurt you suggests that he already has some trust and respect for you.

Are you talking about your front door that he is scratching at? Is he scratching the door or the floor? If the floor you can put a plastic or rubber mat down, if the door there are hanging cat scratchers that you can put on the door knob to encourage appropriate scratching. Alternatively put a scratching post next to the door for him to use. You can put catnip on it to encourage him to use it rather than the door or floor.

As for the poofy tail - I most commonly see this when a Savannah is happy, however it can occur when they are afraid or angry as well. Again, look at the body language, if the head is down and/or the ears flat back against the head then he is not happy, but if the ears are up and he is animated then he is probably a happy kitty.

One last thing that I don't think was mentioned previously - when you are reading, read aloud so that he gets used to your voice. Read this forum, a book, whatever out loud. The more he hears your voice the more he will respond to it. Reserve your 'firm' voice for when he does something naughty. Work on one bad behavior at a time - I think as time goes on most of his unwanted behaviors - charging, hissing, teeth on the hand, scratching in inappropriate places etc. will all start to resolve.

 

[jungle boy]

What a beautiful boy! Just give him some time and I will bet that six months from now we will be having a TOTALLY different conversation! All these kitties are different, especially the higher generations. I think that he's doing great in the short period of time that you have had him. My F2 baby boy was TERRIFIED of us at first and now at the age of one and a half he allows me to carry him around the house purring like a motorboat for as long as I want or can (he weighs 23 lbs so my biceps do give out after awhile, LOL) And when I physically can't hold him anymore, I sit on the couch and he lies on my chest and lap purrin up a storm. BUT, it does take time to get this point (or any other point, lol) with some higher generation babies. He now enjoys being carried around and held MUCH, MUCH more than my DSH's and Maine Coons!!!
Just put in the work and good things will happen. No way to know exactly WHAT good things, but they WILL be good!

 

[NikkiA]

Welcome to SV cat chat, and congrats on your new family member Ziggy.
My f3 boy was very hissy and aggressive with his claws and teeth when he was young. Turned out, I was unintentionally scaring the heck out of him. Patti, Deb, becki, and several others here helped me to realize that my behavior towards him was the source of the problem- he was just a scared,confused little baby.
Once I stopped behaving in a manner that frightened him, he stopped being scared, and stopped biting and scratching. He still hisses from time to time, mostly to let us know he has reached his limits or he is frustrated by something, but overall is a happy, loving boy.
As others have said, let him go at his own pace. That was the most important thing for Jarvis and me.

 

[Trish Allearz]

So-- looking at your profile pic-- the cat was aggressive towards their child and yet they chose to rehome him into a place with a child? No offense, but even if your kid is superb with cats-- that doesn't seem like an ideal situation. Of course, maybe that cute kid is a nephew in your avatar or perhaps the cat just really does not care for the child he was raised with.

Who is the original breeder of this cat? I'd try contacting them for information/advice as well as using the forum for a great conduit for info.

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

And I have read a lot on this site, it just seemed like most of it was for kittens that didn't have previous behavioral issues.

Well, that may be because this isn't a common issue with Savannahs. It's just that cats of all breeds are individuals so some are going to need different approaches than others. And what worked with one F2 in that house obviously didn't work with the other. Some cats are simply more tolerant than others...and some are more reactive. It seems to me from what I've read that Ziggy is reactive. He's defensive and he's probably worried by the change in his life. He needs patience and space... most cats react very well to not being pushed to be a certain way...give them space and they will approach on their own.

I do rescue (I've run Savannah Rescue with others now for over 10 years) and so we do get some difficult cases. I was called once by a guy and went to his apartment. The growling and screaming started the moment he opened the door to me. He told me that was normal and that she would never come near us. So I suggested we sit on the floor in the kitchen and he should just tell me about his cat and her life with him. As he talked the cat came into the room and screamed at me some more. I ignored her and wouldn't look at her... and within half an hour she was in my lap screaming at me. She wasn't cured nor happy but she wasn't the monster he thought she was. Just she'd learned that strangers left her alone if she behaved that way and apparently originally his family and friends thought the way to tame her was to enforce holding... and she found being loud and scary kept them at a distance.

We've had cats over the years worse than you've described Ziggy, and what overwhelmingly works with them is time and patience... and love. But the love that allows them to decide on when and how they interact. And mostly they come around to being completely different cats.... it just can take more time for some than others. I can't say how long Ziggy will need, but it truly sounds to me like his posturing and hissing is defensive not aggressive wanting to harm you, and give him that space and he will come back in time to want to interact with you

 

[Kat Edge]

BTW, he is a gorgeous boy. If he is already curling up at your feet within the first couple of days, I would say that the prognosis for eventually having a well adjusted cat is good.

Thank you!

 

[Kat Edge]

So-- looking at your profile pic-- the cat was aggressive towards their child and yet they chose to rehome him into a place with a child? No offense, but even if your kid is superb with cats-- that doesn't seem like an ideal situation. Of course, maybe that cute kid is a nephew in your avatar or perhaps the cat just really does not care for the child he was raised with.

Who is the original breeder of this cat? I'd try contacting them for information/advice as well as using the forum for a great conduit for info.

LOL.. sorry, I can't help but laugh. No, no, no I don't have a child, that would make NO sense. I live alone in an apartment. The breeder has only said that this is a part of "transplanting" and only time will fix it.

 

[Kat Edge]

For the hissing, I'd just say "no" in a firm but not loud voice. Immediately after he stops hissing and his body language tells you he has relaxed, throw him a treat once you find one he likes. In the meantime, say "good boy" in a warm and praising tone, continuing the praise when you give him treats. Never treat or praise when his body language or behavior indicates he is anything other than relaxed.

For the charging, try using a towel, blanket, or large piece of cardboard to mask your legs when you see him starting a charge or even when you're walking around your place and you think he may charge. He associates legs with something bad. Hold the towel or whatever on the side of your legs facing the cat. Say "no" firmly; praise and give him a treat those times you walk by and he doesn't charge. Seeing a solid wall, so to speak, instead of the legs that he associates with bad things, may stop the behavior. It will at least redirect the behavior onto something other than you. It's a technique I was taught to use with bobcat & cougar when I was a wildlife rehabilitator.

Interestingly, anytime I am sitting down on the floor or my bed, he has no problem curling up right next to me. When I am walking around though, he becomes Zigister.. sinister, hostile.. he will hiss A LOT and swat at my legs many times, it's increasing in frequency. Pretty much any time I walk past him.

But like I said, literally as I am typing this, he is laying right next to me with his paws on my knee. So I guess I just need to figure out what is causing him to be so defensive..

 

[SV Dad]

ahhh... a clue! Motion.