Well, you're thinking of euthanizing your cat, and don't want advice as to how to fix him, so the only thing for you to decide is how much can you take? Then, when you've decided enough is enough, hand him over to someone who is "objective" or has no attachment, and let them take the cat to the vet for final rites and "the end".

(as as a side, have you tried a light sedative for the cat?)

Well, I would try amitriptyline before putting the cat down. I had a cat once that some fool had dosed with LSD and made the cat psychotic, but the ami at least made the cat managable.

As to putting the cat down, it is pretty simple for the vet to do it, and you have to keep in mind that a Maine Coon is big enough that it could be a threat to small children if you turn it out, so in some ways you have to try and view this like you would a dangerous dog. You kill it, build a cattery and keep it there, or try drugs.

As to hating yourself, you own the pet. It is your responsibility to determine things like this, and there are other cats out there who are dying for lack of a home. If one cat stands in the way of survival for other cats, that cat must go.

Paula,

My advice is to drop him off at a shelter. I volunteer at ours. They will evaluate him as reabilitative or not. As cat lovers they will put him down if they deem him unrehabilitative. That way the decision does not rest on your conscience.

Please for the sake of the kitten separate them. I had an "evil" cat once. He hated men, attacked them. No need to put up with psychotic behavior when there are so so many "normal" cats out there needing homes. As one catlover to another, no one would blame you for getting him out of our house.

Best to you let us know what you decide

I forgot that option and I should know better, having done so myself for years. Good call.

I have 2 cats(used to have 5)They're fine with each other.We had found a kitten(near the road stuck with a tunafish can on it's head)so,we brought her home,my daughter was staying here at the time,temporarily)

I told her,after trying to find the owner that when she moved out,the kitten went with her.

My cats wanted no part of her.They were mean to her.So,in my case,even though my cats are fine with each other,bringing another,forget it.They're 6&7yrs old.

I wouldn't kill your cat.I'd do like suggestted,bring it to a shelter.Or put an ad in the paper.Maybe there's a person alone out there that would just like having the cat.

For sure,I wouldn't put it down.Six years for a cat is not old.Maybe your cat just needs a different environment.

Have you neutered him? That seems to help in some cases.

I have cousin that had her cat on Prozac for a while. It worked, but it was expensive and the cat didn't enjoy taking it...

Call me heartless (I don't care -- I'm heartless!) but to me the purpose of a pet is to be a pleasant companion. I have zero tolerance for a pet that I fear is going to hurt me or anyone else. (sometimes hurt or sick pets might misbehave, but there's a reason for it -- a psycho pet is another story)

If he was living in my home, I'd probably have already put him down.

Do you want to save this cat? Then do some research.

Take him to your vet... you take him to the vet EVERY YEAR, right??? OK, take him to the vet. Start with an exam. Talk to the vet about the wild cat problems you are having. Make sure there is nothing WRONG physically with your cat.

IMHO... This animal needs some special handling. I have one very much like this, but now she is normal, actually quite pleasant to be around. She is 12 now, and I adore her. I watched an animal psychologist on TV, or on the net somewhere. These people wrote in because they were having the same problems as I was. Turned out to be a touch-sensitive cat. Cats have neurons, receptors tied to each hair in their cat. They want to be touched, loved, but they can't STAND it, it HURTS them....

You can work with an animal with that condition to ease its way into being with people, and being touched by people. Also there are things taught by the mothers, if your cat was taken from its mother too young, it's a whole other set of psychological expectations and needs to deal with. Can be done, but you need to be dedicated to daily time spent on dealing with these issues.

By the way, do some research on behaviors related to Maine Coons. You might be surprised what you learn.