DurianJoe:

*I* assume way too much? Twice now you have implied that I am the sort who might hurt or kill someone else's pet. Well, you *might* be a terrorist or child molester, but without some reason to think so I would never seriously suggest such a thing.

I didn't accuse you of being an irresponsible pet owner... because I have no way of knowing if you are. I did accuse you of *promoting* irresponsible pet ownership because that's exactly what you're doing when you suggest that anyone should "get used to" other people's pets invading their property. I did not "rant" or overreact. I made a plea for cat owners to keep their cats off others' property. I did so because some posters were advocating as a "solution" that the LWs turn their problem cat into an outdoor cat.

AKA Smith:

I suppose I am the Anonymous of whom you speak? I posted exactly twice - at 12:28 and then at 5:01 in response to a very nasty post by DurianJoe. I also mentioned songbirds parenthetically, so I suppose that makes me a "song bird nut" as well as a "troll" according to you. And I am not the poster chickadee by the way.

Both wildlife experts and animal welfare advocates (like the Humane Society) agree that cats should be kept indoors. If you want to debate that, I suggest you contact all of these experts and explain to them how you know better than they do. www.nwf.org/nationalwildlife/article.cfm?articleId=768&issueId=61

Yes, native species can carry diseases. And, yes, native species prey on each other. Is your point that I have a double standard? I don't deny that. Native species are allowed on my property (within reason - I would try to keep poison ivy and rabid animals away). Other people's destructive and nonnative pets are not allowed on my property.

I never recommended the LWs kill their cat, much less repeated it like a mantra. (And a lot of people who *are* recommending putting the cat down are actually self-described cat owners and cat lovers.) I merely said they could put up with the cat OR put it down, but please don't put it outside. If I knew of a better solution for "curing" the cat than all the others that have been posted, I would have suggested it. All I know is that trying to make this cat into an outdoor cat, as a few posters recommended, is just about the worst solution anyone could come up with.

Beyond the environmental and humane reasons listed in the NWF article, there are other reasons I and others have given, such as children's safety. But go ahead and pretend it's all about people wanting to manicure their lawns with nail scissors. Then again, I can't say I would blame anyone who simply doesn't want your cat's poop all over their yard.

I too have taken in a furball of love and named him Henry. About three months after I had taken him him he became very agressive at night and in the morning. To the point of me getting no sleep and crying whenever I saw him.

I took a breathe, walked away from the sintuation and went online and did nothing but research. It saved my sanity and my buddy.

Animals are allot like children. They need to know who is alpha cat in the house! I bought Feliway from Petco and it has changed his attitude immensely. I also make time to play with him every morning and at night. And I'm not surprised he doesn't like other people. They probably stress him out.

Please don't give up and keep getting help. Also take time to take care of yourself. Animals can connect to all the new stressors in your life like the baby.

Just remember whatever you choose to do...do it with love.

Several years ago I inherited a Maine Coon cat with a huge attitude. He was already 8 years old, and used to the rules at his previous house. He didn't like being touched on the hind end or back legs, which we discovered when he sunk his teeth right through my husbands hand. He didn't want to hear it if you wanted him to move - for example get off your pillow at bedtime - and would growl in increasingly agitated tones and eventually bite if you tried to physically move him.

We did several things. We kept everything very calm in the house. Quiet activity, quiet voices, keeping everything in his routine very predictable and steady. His aggression came from nervousness, it seemed, so we didn't make heavy eye contact or grasp or hold him up off the ground. He would climb in our laps, but occasionally suddenly get hit with nervousness and start to growl - immediately we would set him quickly on the ground and ignore him.

We had no tolerance for "backtalk". It was our house, and he could do as he pleased, but when we said "down" off the bed/couch, etc. he was expected to politely move. One gentle request, followed by a squirt from the water bottle. Never any anger or shouting, just the gentle request.

And we practiced petting him all over, starting with the head, which he liked, and praising him for that. Then moving down the back a bit, with soothing talk. Each day we petted a little more, always stopping before he growled.

It took a year, but he gradually came to a) trust us not to harm him and b) be comfortable with our rules. By that point I could roll him on his back and brush his stomach, hind legs and tail. He was intelligent, cuddly, and fabulous, and came running when you called him.

So unless your cat has a mental illness, which is conceivable, I would consider whether it's possible your environment is chaotic or that he might have a nervous disposition, and that a very calm, gentle but strict approach might help. The people who suggested caging are right - a large dog crate, half covered with a cloth might make a safe space for him - some place he can retreat and be undisturbed, esp. if you have raucous visitors or children. If you do that, I would also make sure the crate is in a quiet place, so it is restful and zen-like for him.