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Cat Care Site
Aggression
Aggression in cats is usually defensive and related to self protection. Early intervention is best, before the aggressive behaviour becomes a habit. Physical punishment will increase the cat's fear and anxiety, and may make the aggression worse. Recognizing the signs of aggression, then startling the cat without making physical contact is effective in treating aggression. Whenever possible, avoid situations that increase your cat's aggression. Food treats can be used to reward non-aggressive behaviour.
There are several types of aggression. These are explained in the table below. Your cat may show more than one type of aggression.
If your cat is aggressive, take him/her to a veterinarian for a physical examination. Painful conditions (arthritis, dental disease), central nervous system disorders and hyperthyroidism have been linked to aggression. In these cases, treating the underlying medical condition is likely to reduce or stop the aggressive behaviour.
Types Of Aggression
| Type Of Aggression | Overview | Signs Of Aggression |
|---|---|---|
| Fear Aggression | Defensive behaviour to unfamiliar things (people, animals, noises, vet visits) | Hissing, spitting, bares teeth, crouches low to ground, ears flattened, pupils dilated, fur stands on end |
| Intercat Aggression | Two cats fighting and hissing | Flattened ears, puffed-up hair, hissing, howling |
| Maternal Aggression | Mother cat hisses or growls if you approach her or the kittens | Hissing, growling |
| Pain-Induced Aggression | Cat dislikes being touched in painful areas and shows aggression to stop you handling him/her | Hissing, growling |
| Petting-Induced Aggression | Cat seeks out attention but attacks while being petted (bites hands, scratches) | Tensed body, flattened ears, lashing tail |
| Play Aggression | Biting and scratching behaviour of young cats and kittens, also stalking moving objects (hands, feet) | Tail lashes, ears flattened, pupils dilated, stalk and hide then jump out and attack as you walk past |
| Predatory Aggression | Normal instinctive desire to hunt prey | Hunting body postures, stalking, chasing, slinks around with head lowered, lunging or springing at prey |
| Redirected Aggression | Cat is aroused by one stimulus (bird outside) but aggression is redirected at someone else | Growls, paces, fur stands on end, tail swishes, pupils dilated |
| Status-Related Aggression | Cat growls or hisses when you try to move him/her off your bed, cat blocks doorways to seek attention | Growling, hissing, tail swishing, ears flattened, pupils dilated |
| Territorial Aggression | Cat defends it territory when a new cat is added to the house or when a resident cat returns home from vet | Swatting, chasing, attacking the new or returning cat |
Fear Aggression
Fear aggression is a defensive behaviour toward unfamiliar stimuli e.g. people, animals, noises or unpleasant experiences (trips to the veterinarian). An ordinarily nice cat may become very agitated when anyone new comes into the house and may attack visitors.
Signs Of Aggression:
- Hissing
- Spitting
- Open mouth to show teeth
- Crouches low to the ground
- Ears flat against the head
- Pupils (black part of the eye) are dilated
- Fur stands on end
- Arched back
Solutions:
1) Try to avoid situations that your cat is afraid of.
2) Attempt a gradual desensitization program. Expose the cat to stimuli at a safe distance away for short periods of time, then reward with food treats for non-aggressive behaviour. For example, if a cat has a fear of men, a man stands at a distance that does not trigger aggression. The cat gets a treat for calm behaviour. With each session the man moves closer. Gradually the cat learns to associate the man's presence with a tasty treat.
3) Do not console a cat with fear aggression. Kind words and petting communicates your approval of the inappropriate behaviour.
4) Tell visitors to ignore the cat. If visitors retreat or show fear in front of a fear aggressive cat, this teaches the cat that his/her behaviour can make unwanted visitors go away.
Intercat Aggression
Intercat aggression involves two cats fighting and hissing. It often occurs as one cat reaches social maturity at 2-4 years of age. It is usually seen in males due to hormone-driven competition for mates, but can occur between cats of any sex when territorial conflicts occur. In peaceful multicat households aggression may occur regardless of sex.
Signs Of Aggression:
- Flattened ears
- Puffed-up hair
- Hissing
- Howling
Solutions:
1) Neuter or spay all cats involved (due to the hormonal component).
2) Separate the cats with their own food, water and litter box whenever they are left alone. When they are supervised, reward peaceful interactions with tasty treats.
3) Startle them with a loud noise (shake a jar of coins) or squirt from a water gun when they behave aggressively.
Maternal Aggression
The queen (mother cat) gets very agitated and hisses if you approach her or the kittens. This form of aggression usually disappears as the kittens age.
Solutions:
1) Provide a low stress environment. Keep visitors to a minimum. Avoid approaching or handling the cat or kittens if maternal aggression is displayed.
2) If you must handle the cat, she can be muzzled or gently restrained. If the kittens need to be handled, try to entice the cat away with some tasty food.
Pain-Induced Aggression
A cat with pain-induced aggression dislikes being touched in painful areas and displays aggression in an attempt to stop you from handling him/her. Pain-induced aggression may also be associated with past trauma. For example, a cat whose tail once got caught in a door may continue to resent touching of the tail long after the pain has gone.
Solutions:
1) Resolving or alleviating pain is the best way to manage this type of aggression. Handle the cat as gently as possible, wear gloves if needed. Give him/her food treats so he/she associates your touch with a tasty reward.
2) If he/she acts aggressive while being handled, do not reward him/her with kind words or petting, this demonstrates that the aggressive behaviour is acceptable.
3) See your veterinarian for medications to help your cat cope with pain.
Petting-Induced Aggression
Cats with petting-induced aggression seek out attention, but while being petted they attack.
Signs Of Aggression:
- Tensed body
- Flattened ears
- Lashing tail
- Learn to recognize signs that are particular to your cat
Solutions:
1) Try holding or touching your cat only when he/she seeks you out. Avoid uninvited handling, physical punishment or picking your cat up while he/she is eating.
2) When petting your cat, don't use physical restraint because this may increase the cats anxiety levels.
3) Entice your cat onto your lap with a tasty treat and lightly pet him/her. Well before you detect warning signs of aggressive behaviour, place him/her on the floor with a treat to reward peaceful behaviour. Gradually increase the length of time you spend petting the cat and he/she will learn that calm interactions are followed by treats.
Play Aggression
The biting and scratching behaviour of play aggression is most commonly seen in young cats and kittens. Kittens that stalk moving objects (hands, feet) are also displaying play aggression. Play aggression is seen in kittens that were not raised with littermates or playmates. Kittens raised with their littermates learn to bite and scratch with reduced intensity. Play that is too rough causes pain to a playmate resulting in fighting back or play stops.
Signs Of Aggression:
- Tail lashes back and forth
- Ears flat against the head
- Pupils are dilated
- Cat stalks or hides, then jumps out and attacks you as you walk past
Solutions:
1) If the kitten hides under your bed and jumps at your feet, encouraging the kitten to play beforehand may reduce the likelihood of attack. You may need to prevent the kitten accessing his/her favourite stalking places to prevent this behaviour.
2) Noise deterrents may be used in the first few seconds of the onset of aggressive behaviour to startle the kitten. Do not physically punish the kitten. Even a small tap on the nose can lead to more aggressive behaviour.
3) If the kitten starts to play too rough, simply walk away. Ignoring the kitten teaches him/her that the consequence of rough play is no play.
4) With a play aggressive cat, all play objects should be at a distance from your hands so the kitten learns to play with toys not hands.
- Ping pong balls or aluminum foil balls for the kitten to chase, ball toys that deliver food when batted
- Climbing perches, scratching posts
- Fishing pole toys with feathers on the end or a feather wand
Predatory Aggression
This is the normal instinctive desire to hunt prey (which develops at 5 to 7 weeks of age) - stalking, chasing and attacking of rodents and birds. This behaviour becomes inappropriate when directed at humans or other pets and can be disturbing when directed toward wildlife.
Signs Of Aggression:
- Hunting body postures
- Slinks around with head lowered
- Twitching tail
- Lunging or springing at prey
Solutions:
1) If a cat shows predatory aggression toward indoor pets (gerbils, hamsters, pet birds) prevent the cat access to these animals. If you do not want your cat to hunt wildlife, keep him/her indoors.
2) Putting a bell on your cats collar will let you know of his/her whereabouts and can reduce sneak attacks on people. Be careful with infants and toddlers, who are especially vulnerable to predatory aggression.
Redirected Aggression
A cat may become aroused by one stimulus, but if another pet or person intervenes, the aggression may be redirected at them. For example, a cat may become stimulated by a bird outside the window, but the unsuspecting owner becomes the subject of the attack instead.
Signs Of Aggression:
- Growling
- Paces
- Fur stands on end
- Tail swishes from side to side
- Pupils are dilated
Solutions:
1) Avoid the cat until he/she is calm. Interaction can lead to injury and any attention, including punishment, may encourage the behaviour.
2) If the cat is aggressive, herd him/her into a quiet dark room for "time-out". Use a thick blanket or board to protect yourself from injury. Periodically enter the room and turn on the light. If the cat is still aggressive, turn the light off and leave. If the cat is calm, pet and praise him/her.
3) If the cat has exhibited redirected aggression towards another cat in the house, reintroduce the two cats slowly, once the aggressor has calmed down. Place the cats at opposite ends of the room and feed them. (If needed you can place each cat in a carrier to ensure their safety.) This will allow both cats to associate food with each others presence.
4) If the stimulus is an outdoor noise, smell or sight, block the cats exposure to the outside world (by putting blinds on windows). Discourage outdoor animals from coming near your house by installing motion-activated sprinklers, removing bird feeders and using well-sealed garbage containers.
5) You can interrupt redirected aggression between cats by immediately startling them with a water gun or by shaking a jar of coins.
Status-Related Aggression
Cats with status-induced aggression may growl or hiss when you try to move them off your bed, although they constantly seek your attention or they may block doorways or seek attention from their owner or another cat by biting or swatting them as they pass.
Signs Of Aggression:
- Growling
- Hissing
- Tail swishing
- Ears flattened
- Pupils dilated
Solutions:
1) Ignore the cats demands for play, food and attention. These rewards must only be given when the cat is relaxed. A relaxed cat holds his/her tail up, has normal sized pupils and does not swat.
2) Never physically punish the cat, even a tap on the nose may be viewed as a challenge and the cat may become more aggressive. The best reaction is to ignore the cat completely.
Territorial Aggression
Cats defend their territory when a new cat is added to the household, and even when a resident cat returns from a hospital stay bearing unfamiliar smells.
Signs Of Aggression:
- Swatting
- Chasing
- Attacking the new or returning cat
Solutions:
1) Ideally, prevent aggression occurring when first bringing home a new cat or kitten. If a new cat has already been introduced and the cats are fighting, the suggestions below should still be attempted.
- Confine the new cat to a room with litter, food and water. The two cats should be able to smell and hear each other through the closed door, but there should be no physical contact.
- After a few days, switch the positions of the cats. Allow your cat to investigate the smells of the newcomer, while the new cat explores the house. After they have had time to explore, switch them back.
- Place the cats at opposite ends of the same room, either in carriers or on leads and harnesses. Both cats should be fed so they learn to associate food with each others company. If the cats won't eat or seem anxious or aggressive, they are probably too close together. If they seem relaxed, move them closer together at the next feeding session.
- Release them from their carriers and feed them, still keeping them far apart. Monitor them for anxiety and aggression.
- This process can only proceed as quickly as your cats allow, and can take weeks or even months. Signs of anxiety or aggression indicate the introduction is progressing too quickly.
2) If territorial aggression still can not be controlled, your veterinarian may prescribe medication for both the aggressor and the victim. Medication is only part of the solution. It must be used in conjunction with slow introductions and consistent rewards for peaceful behaviour.
References
Aiello SE, The Merck Veterinary Manual, New Jersey: Merck & Co, 1998
Blood DC & Studdert VP, Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary, Great Britain: W.B. Saunders & Co, 1999
Carlson DG & Giffin JM, Cat Owners Home Veterinary Handbook, New York: Howell Book House, 1995
Tilley LP & Smith FWK, The Five Minute Veterinary Consult - Canine and Feline (2nd Edition), Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 2000
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