PETS -Why Does My Cat Hate His Mother With All His Heart?

Why does Sheldon hate my cat Shadow so?



Shadow
 



Sheldon
 

Note that they do look very much alike.  The one on the left is Shadow.  The one on the right is Sheldon.  Shadow is Sheldon's mother.  I adore Shadow.  I despise Sheldon.  Sheldon despises me.  Sheldon despises his mother.  Sheldon loves the dog.

It started one morning when I first noticed an object on my porch that resembled a triangle with two triangle ears on each side of the bottom triangle.  I said "Hi" and the object, a gray cat seen around the neighborhood, opened eyes wide that I acknowledged her presence.

Over the following couple of weeks I did the stupid....I began giving Shadow food.  Soon she was there every morning awaiting a meal.  Soon I opened the door to my house and invited her in, figuring she's a feral cat and probably won't accept my offer.  She sauntered in through the front door and in due course made herself at home.

I've never taken a feral cat into my home although through the years I've adopted many cats from the SPCA.  I am familiar with cats but I never had a cat hate me as much as Shadow's son.

Now after inviting Shadow in for a week or so she began to try and get back out.  I kept all exits closed but I forgot about the screen in the window.  Cats have claws.  Windows that have screens are easily escaped from by cats.  Shadow got out.  Shadow soon came home.  Shadow was pregnant.

Shadow gave birth to three kittens, two of which I gave away and one, Sheldon, I kept.  I've always been a believer in having more than one cat as they keep each other company.  I figure Shadow and her own son could live in my house their entire life.  My dog too was quite used to cats, I'd been recently widowed, the pets became my family. Sheldon, one would note, was born in this house and has never been outside.  Shadow became used to a house's comfort and never again ventured out.  I had both Shadow and Sheldon spayed and neutered.

Sheldon hated me from day one.  Sheldon despised his mother once the milk stopped flowing.

And so it is.  Shadow will come to me requesting some petting, wrapping herself around my ankles like cats do.  Only Sheldon, who NEVER comes to me for a petting, does not want his mother to get my attention.  Sometimes I hear cat screams that would wake the dead.

Every night before bed I give Shadow a long petting, which she adores.  But of late I notice Shadow doesn't come on the counter to join me for some strokes.  Instead she sits crouched down and hidden behind a chair.  I also note that Sheldon sits on the other side of the room, in direct sight line of the counter where Shadow usually gets her petting.  Once Shadow makes a move toward me Sheldon comes running across the room and chases her off.

I mean it's not like Sheldon wants to get a petting himself.  I'd happily pet Sheldon but he doesn't want anything to do with me except when I'm giving out food or treats.  Then he will often swipe my arm as it carries the food that Sheldon is demanding I give him his food, dammit.  Often he has claws extended and causes me to bleed.  And me on blood thinners.

I'd give Sheldon to anyone who would take him but I can't imagine anyone would.  The dog loves Sheldon so it's not like he has no company.

Why does Sheldon hate his mother and does anyone want a bossy, nasty cat that will run your life?

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