My dad thinks my cat's possessed and wants me to get rid of it. Any advice?

Question

I have a large black tomcat called Morpheus, which I raised from three days old after his mother died. He's my own private miricle and I love him very much. Yet, he hates my father (who is a pastor). He hisses at him, has jumped at him, and my father accuses him of waking him up during his dreams. He has threatened me with even have him put down. I've been told it's probably my own animosity toward my father and the cat is reacting to it and attempting to protect me, but I thought I'd go for a wider range of opinions. Can anyone give a little advice?

Answer 1

Your dad needs to understand why the cat behaves the way it does. Maybe if he understands, he will be more accepting to you keeping the cat.

Hand raised kittens most of the time grow up being rather aggressive. The reason for this is, they don't have their natural mother there to teach them right from wrong. When we see a tiny little kitten doing something we don't think anything of it. The mother cat knows and disicplines them accordingly. If you've ever been around a mom and her litter you can see her take charge.

Now, you are the only "mother" this cat knows. So he is going to be more attached to you than anyone else. He also will protect you against anything. My mom had a hand raised kitten (from 1 day old) and the cat loved her, but no one else. I couldn't even walk in my mom's house without this cat going after me. I've heard of this happening with a lot of hand raised kittens.

The truth of the matter is, if this cat goes to a shelter it will more than likely hiss or scratch at the kennel personel, which will lead to the cat being deamed "un adoptable", forcing them to put him down.

What I can sugguest, since your dad hates this cat so much, is to try to keep the cat away from him. Is there any way you can put a litter box, his food and water in your bedroom and have the cat sleep with you at night? Maybe keep him down the basement when you are not home, or in your bedroom?

Answer 2

I'd be inclined to say the cat is picking up on the tensions between you and dad, and the fact that dad doesn't like him. There's probably been a couple incidents between dad and cat that has set Morpheus' mind against dad.
It's a bit rare to find a cat that protective to the point of making a physically agressive move but it does happen. My Siamese was protective enough with my baby to back a full grown man out of the nursery.He had tiptoed into the nursery without me alongside to peek at the sleeping baby. Both my lady Siamese and my male Siamese mix puffed up, and advanced growling, hissing and about to leap on him.
Tough call.And you didn't state your age which makes a difference in what you can do...... If you are still under dad's roof, a minor and subject to his authority it may be better to find Morpheus a new home rather than let dad kill him. If you are able and old enough to find new and safer lodgings for you and Morpheus, you may have to go that route.
There are times where a cat just has too big a conflict in personality with a person. Rare, but it does happen.
I worry more about you and dad not getting along. If it's that bad, you and dad need to get some counselling! Try having a good sit down talk about why the cat means alot to you. If you've been the cat's 'mother' he will be possesive of you, NOT possessed!!! Have the cat's food and litterbox moved to your room and pretty much have him live in your bedroom if dad can't tolerate him loose in the house. Dad is making a mistake by forcing you to 'get rid' of Morpheus. That is only going to really compound the problems between dad and child.

Answer 3

I cannot believe that a pastor would have a perfectly healthy animal put down!!! A companion animal is a huge responsibility, however, and everyone in the household should be in harmony regarding any animals that share the living space. If it is not possible to keep the two apart, I could only suggest that you first ask your dad to sit down and tell him exactly how you feel, and how much nurturing and bonding with the cat has meant to you. Ask your dad to make an effort to try to make friends with both you and your cat!!! If this can't be done, I would suggest you find a loving home for the cat where everyone in the home will love him and protect him. Perhaps you have a friend in church you can talk to and explain the situation so that they will allow you to visit the cat any time you like!! This is a tough situation, I know, but if everyone works together, it can be resolved......another last minute suggestion? Show your dad this Question/Answer!! If he sees you were upset enough to open it up to the world for advice, he may relax his animosity a bit? Good luck!

Answer 4

The cat probably senses that your father doesn't like him. As with children and many other animals, if someone like your father gives off "vibes" that he doesn't like the creature it will sense it and not like him in return.

With all due respect, most people who believe in God don't believe God's creatures are "possessed". Most people who believe in God don't believe in "putting down" animals. Most people who belileve in God wouldn't want to put their child through such anguish either.

Is there a way you can make a deal with your father that you'll keep the cat away from him (even if that means letting the cat stay in your room when it isn't outdoors, if it goes outdoors)? If, by any chance, you don't give the cat "people tuna" you may want to buy a few cans of the cheapest people tuna you can because cats seem to calm down if they eat that.

There's the chance your father has done something (or does things) to the cat that hurts that cat, and maybe that's why the cat acts as if its afraid of your father. There's obviously something going on if the cat doesn't do the same thing to you.

Most people who are awakened from sleep say they were awakened and not that they had their dreams interrupted. My question would be how does the cat wake him from his sleep? Does your father not shut a bedroom door or does the cat yell outside a door or what? There's probably a way to do something to stop the cat from waking your father up, and maybe then he won't resent the cat so much.

I know I shouldn't say this to someone young enough to live with his/her father, but your father isn't looking real good to me right now. I'm not a big fan of people who would even consider ending the life of one of God's creatures.

Good luck. Try to figure out a way to keep the cat away from father. The cat will get used to any new living arrangement, such as shutting the cat in your room with a litterbox (yuk, I know, but if you keep it clean it can work if you like the cat enough) when you aren't home or letting it stay in a garage or the basement when your father is around sometimes. If the cat is kept away from your father for a while it may forget if your father has yelled at (and scared it) or done worse to it, and feel secure enough not to lunge again.

Last week I lost my cat of fifteen years. The grief I've gone through is not something I would ever put on my own son or daughter if I had a choice. If the cat isn't sick it would be even more difficult for you. I think - since your father is a pastor - he ought to consider what Jesus would do rather than believe any creature is "possessed".

Answer 5

My mom has a cat like that named Cowboy. He is perfectly loveable towards my mom and I and behaves like a kitten for us, and always has plenty of kisses to share, however, he has an extreme dislike for my brother, my step dad, and my father, and anyone else that he sees as a "bad person". Nine times out of ten, he's been right on the bad person part.

One thing however, that could curb your cat's aggression towards your father, is to have him neutered. Sometimes, testostrone can play a big part in an animal's aggression levels.

Another thing to look at is how your father treats him, or has treated him in the past. Animals tend to remember how someone acts towards them.

One other thing that you could do, is to try confining him say...To your bedroom, and just keeping him away from your father. Your cat will do perfectly fine confined to that space as long as he has his litter box and plenty of food and water, although he might cry for a few days if he's not used to being confined.

My cat Wiwi has lived pretty much all her life in my bedroom, since she's an extremely skittish cat. She's five and she's terrified of going outside, she's very scared of strangers, and even though she knows my dad, she hardly ever comes out of my room when he is home.

Answer 6

Many times cats (and dogs) are a one person animal. They like only one person in the family. I really don't know what you could do except try to keep the cat away from your dad as much as possible. I think your dad is overreacting. If he would try to get along with the cat, eventually he may start to like your dad. As it is, I think the cat senses how your dad feels about him and reacts in a negative way. Of course your cat is not "possessed". Your dad is carrying it way too far.

Answer 7

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Answer 8

It sounds like you're in a really bad situation with your Dad. Cats pick up on tensions within your family and it seems he knows your Dad has been nasty to you...Your father really has a problem if he's so AUTHORITARIAN as to be lacking in compassion for you and Morpheus.

This is not the dark ages, and cats are nowhere near evil.

Answer 9

Yikes!!! Sounds like a mutual animosity society going on Do they have to interact? Your dad and the cat? I would simply keep them as far away from each other as possible. AND your dad should grow up.....its a cat after all.

Answer 10

All you have to do is find and old priest and a young priest. They will take care of the problem immediately. Make sure the cat is on a surface that is easily cleaned. Happy Halloween.