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Juvenile Aggression
As
a kitten, his big head and round belly gave him a comical appearance, but
beneath his good looks lies the soul of a psychopath. I let him examine the
brush and left it on the couch for a few hours before attempting a cleaning
session, but my efforts were futile. After sniffing and batting a few times,
she ignored him, which she found promising since she didn't consider him a
threat. However, when I tried to wash her, she curled up in a ball and attacked
my hand with her sharp teeth and nails. I've made several attempts, but taking
care of a cat is a challenge when it won't let you touch its back, sides, or
belly. She is only allowed neck and head petting, so I gave up trying to bathe
her until she was older and calmed down.
The First Days of Care
He
kept his coat as clean as a kitten and never tangled. After she was about a
year old, I bought a softer brush that was kinder on her light coat. He didn't
attack me, but he kept trying to eat the brush. So I tried bribing, a classic
positive reinforcement, when he behaved well after a grooming session. I gave
it a treat when it stood still for more than a few seconds, and it seemed to
work. The following sessions were more productive; eventually, I was able to
brush 2/3 of his coat without getting hurt or frustrated.
Current Care
Sometimes
I think rewarding good behavior works really well. When I brush her fur or trim
her nails, she scratches and rubs and tries to rub her head against my neck. I
know scratching sounds more attractive than scratching and biting, but at least
when she attacked me, she usually stayed in the same place. She is not as
motivated about food as she was when she was younger, but she gets excited and
affectionate before eating. I don't give her treats after grooming sessions or
nails, but she always cuts them and continues to use manipulative love to convince
her that she is malnourished.
Fortunately,
Olga's fine coat doesn't require frequent brushing, and her sound
barrier-breaking tongue handles most of the daily maintenance. She only uses
violence after I cut her front claws and switch to her back claws. I usually
wait a minute or two before she screams and I try to punch her in the face. I
thought about buying a hockey mask and a Kevlar sleeve to protect myself, but
hydrogen peroxide and bandages are cheaper. Plus, she's so laid back sometimes,
and I love seeing my miniature panther in attack mode. This brings me back to
the days of her violent youth.