My Cat Attacks Strangers

[Sneaky2006]

I was wondering if this was normal. It is not a huge deal to me because I kinda feel safe, lol.
We had the pool man come in and use the bathroom last month and Snooky jumped from the floor to his chest and stuck on his shirt and made a horrible noise. I really feel like he is protecting us and the children I watch. He will bat at the kids legs as they walk by him but never uses his claws.
I just don't think visitors should have to bleed coming to my house unless they are taking my TV! lol
Also, last year when we went away for the weekend, my sister came over to watch the cats when she could and she had to carry around my burner covers from my stove to shield her legs from him attacking her. Granted she is not a stranger but he hasn't done this (to family) with us home.
Any cats I've ever known usually just hide when/if they don't want to be bothered. I just thought this was weird, none of the other cats do this.
Your thoughts?
Oh, BTW, I have been putting him behind closed doors when someone strange to him comes over.

[Lucky Rescue]

Has he always been like this, or is this something new? Has he ever attacked anyone in your household?

I have seen this kind of overt aggression before in tame housecats, but only once that I can recall. Of course, I've seen it often in feral cats, but that is understandable.

If this is something new, it could be a medical problem.

[Sneaky2006]

No, he has never attacked anyone who lives here or who is here all the time like the kids I babysit or their parents.
Only strangers and family that comes in the house while we are not home. That's why I'm thinking it is a protective thing.
We've had him for about 5 years, adopted from the HS. And he's been doing this for as long as I can remember. I never really thought anything of it because we are not away often and we don't have strangers in the house often either. Besides this problem he is very happy and very playful.
When you said about it being a medical problem I was thinking his UTIs but this was happening way before his first one of those. Or do you mean a worse medical problem?

[Lucky Rescue]

If he's always been like this, then it's just his personality.

I took in a big stray tomcat once. He was sweet and gentle, but HATED men, possibly for good reason.

If he even heard men talking outside my place, he would pace the hallway, growling like a dog. When I met my husband and brought him home, this cat loved him instantly, so of course I married that man!

Get an "Attack Cat" sign and hang it up!

p.s. Your cat isn't a Manx, is he? I've noticed that they can be VERY territorial towards people, other cats and dogs!

[Sneaky2006]

No, he's not a Manx.
I have noticed he is this way toward men more so than woman, except my husband. When he gets home from work Snooky totally forgets about me and his head is glued to my husband.
I'm lovin the sign idea, that way I won't feel so bad when he's on duty and doesn't like someone!

[Karin]

When I was a teenager my brother handed off a babysitting job to me...he said he was "just trying to help me get started". Ya, right! Turns out these people had an evil 20lb Maine Coon with a equally evil 10 year old boy. The parents new the cat was attack prone and would lock him the the master bathroom. (so evil, they had door locks)..well, the evil brat knew where the parents hid the keys and would let Cudjo Cat out when I was not looking.
This job did not last long. It's amazing I went into working with animals after that experince.

[anniebananie]

Years ago I had a cat that took a dislike to humans (not us) and at a yard sale we had he was hanging off the screen door (from inside) hissing and foaming fit to bust. He did like kids though, and was often returned from the High School near by where my daughters were, as he would wander into the classes. I don't think he ever bit anyone, but he really wanted to, you could tell. Freaky dotty cat he was, and no mistake.

[Rhonda Rae Gibs]

You have a smart cat dear. Hopefully this is normal behavior for Snooky and he is not ill. My Dinker Pots does the same thing, she is sooo feminine but for example, when the washer repairman came in he was afraid to go into the laundry room because she came down the stairs, her eyes became evil she brisstled up and growled like a dog at him. Try teaching snooky to do this on command, my cat learned this among other spoken commands. You are fortunate, what a character!