Hi folks it's me again...
Another urgent issue cropped up since last night, and I am in need of some advice from anyone with more experience in such issues!!
This is not a problem with my mild mannered Oliver, but a 2 year old female of my partner's children. (15 & 11). This cat in question, Mia, while tiny and delicate looking, has always been a ferocious little panther who is quick to anger and attack.
Last night her fierceness reached to a new height, she started a decisive assault on the 11 year old boy, biting on his legs and when he tried to escape she pursued him, the mother and sister tried to intervene and they were assaulted as well, the boy had to close himself in his room and Mia continued to growl at the closed door.
Today the cat seemed to have calmed herself but as soon as she saw the boy she started to growl.
From what the sister told us, the boy made some robot like gesture coming at Mia, and that freaked her out completely. (Perhaps it resembled the puffed up cat in the defensive position) We can never be exactly sure what really triggered this rage in Mia, but we do have witnessed how this boy badgered Oliver and wouldn't leave him in peace when we spent 2 weeks together on a holiday this past summer. He meant well, but in his childish overzealous, pushy manner, it was not at all pleasant to my poor kid. Oliver being Oliver all he did was cower, tolerate, and at the very most letting out some half hearted hisses which wouldn't have threatened anyone. I had to remind the boy repeatedly not to torment Oliver, but it kept falling on a deaf ear and he was at it again, and again.
So I am not surprised if the boy kept doing the same thing with Mia and she just lost her patience, however they have been living together for over 2 years and it seems rather strange that this hasn't happened much earlier if that is the case.
Now these two must be completely separated, and the mother is already thinking of giving Mia away. My suggestion would be as soon as Mia stops getting upset at the sight of the boy, they should start getting "reused" to each other by sharing the same space, and perhaps with some communications at distance, like "chatting", eye contacts and mild body languages, without the boy touching her, though it is difficult to monitor their progress as they live on the other side of the city.
Has anyone experienced such conflicts between a cat and a child? How one go about resolving this problem short of getting rid of the cat? Any input will be highly appreciated!!!
The attached pic is the duo in question in happier terms.