My lovely Felix died back in November and I got a new boy, a rescue cat
called Maurice who's around 3 years old. We know his history and he's not
been abused, just the product of a broken marrieage. He's been pushed from
pillar to post, before finally settling with us. He settled in well with the
other 3, and I rang my friend at the cat rescue on boxing day to tell her
how well he was settling in and what a softie he was.

Well the past 2 weeks he has become very unpredictable, and twice in the
last week he has scratched and bitten me quite badly. After he did it last
night I rang my friend in tears, as I don't know what to do. I  yelled at
him when he did it, but then felt awful for yelling, but he can't be allowed
to scratch and bite like that.

He also has other strange behaviour developing. He lays on the floor and
crosses his front feet then kicks them with his back legs, and he sits quite
far back on his bottom and kicks himself under the chin. He's also started
attacking our girly cat, Millie, who is flighty at the best of times, but is
now not happy at all.

My friend suggested a few things to try, but wondered if anyone had any
ideas.

She said we had to ban catnip (I use it quite a lot on their toys and beds)
as in some cats it has the effect of making them like feral cats. She also
said let him play with his toys on his own. Both times he's attacked me,
it's been after we've been playing ball with him, and he's got himself a bit
wound up. Lastly she suggested that when I take the others for their
boosters next week I should take Maurice along too and get both his teeth
and anal glands checked.

Both times we've made friends again, and generally he's a friendly boy. I
read some other posts on here just now, and decided that after chastising
him, if he continues he'll go in the downstairs toilet (the slammer) for 10
minutes.

Any help appreciated.