Causes of Cat Aggressive Behavior
97There may be several causes of cat aggression
Narrow down why your cat may have turned out aggressive
The most obvious physical causes of aggression in cats is pain. Having worked at an animal hospital, I have seen my fair share of aggressive cats. In many cases, the cats proved to be far more aggressive and damaging than dogs. As a veterinary assistant, you surelydo not want to deal with a very angry cat. Fortunately, special restraint techniques make treatment possible, sometimes requiring the help of others.
When it comes to aggression issues with cats, underlying physical or behavioral problmes must be addressed. There can be various causes and therefore, identifying the triggering factors may help ease and/or solve the aggressive issues all together.
Physical causes of Cat Aggression
- A non visible wound
Anytime your cat appears to be aggressive for no reason, a veterinarian visit is a must. Somewhere must be hurting and the cat may scratch or bite if handled improperly. The source of pain therefore must be investigated. Many times there isan open sore or an abscess not visible under the fur.
- Chronic conditions
Chronic conditions such as arthritis, dental disease or poor eyesight may cause cats to become grumpy and unwilling to be touched. Have a veterinarian screen your cat for any underlying health disorders. This applies in particular to elderly cats.
- Hyperthyroidism
Cats affected by this disorder may exhibit behavior changes along with increased drinking, increased urination, weight loss, vomiting and diarrhea. Behavior changes may consist of aggression, nervousness, and hyperactivity.
- Rippling skin disorder (Hyperesthesia)
This is a condition that is not very known. However, many cats seem to be affected. Affected cats will display an odd behavior: their skin on their back will twitch and the cat will run as if bothered by something. The cat may then turn around and try to bite or scratch its back. The cat's eyes may be dilated and the cat may vocalize disturbed. Upon petting these affected cats the skin on their back may twitch and they may turn aggressive.
- Rabies
If you encounter a stray cat that is aggressive ,stay away as it may have rabies. Consider rabies as well in unvaccinated cats that appear aggressive and that are kept outdoors in contact with wildlife. Should you encounter an aggressive stray cat, call animal control. They are best equipped to restrain such cats and evaluated for Rabies.
Psychological causes
- Redirected Aggression
This is a form of aggression caused by an overstimulated cat. This may occur when a cat sees out from a window another animal such as another cat or a dog and then suddenly attacks his owner or another pet. Such cats may be difficult to treat, many times requiring covering all windows and doors or placing the cat in a dark room to calm down.
- Unfamiliar scent aggression
Many times right after taking a cat to the animal hospital, owners would call us because their other cat at home would start attacking the sick cat. This is a common instance, and it is due to the fact that the cat left at home is disturbed by the other cat's smell. Many times this was solved by bringing both cats at the hospital when one was sick or by passing a scented towel on both cats so they both smelled the same.
- Rough playing aggression
Many times young cats and kittens may be thought to be aggressive while all they are doing is playing rough. A cat or kitten that attacks the owner's ankles is simply acting out of prey drive. In other words the owner's feet or ankles are thought to be prey and so the cat chases and scratches. Most cats seem to outgrow from this form of play aggression, however, a good remedy is to toss a toy at the cat upon stalking you in order to redirect his attention.
- Intolerance to being pet aggression
Some cats will tolerate being pet for a few minutes and then they will lash out when they get tired. In this case it is very important to anticipate his behavior by reading physical cues suggesting he is about to lash out.Before reaching his intolerance point immediately put the cat down and give a treat. Repeat by making the petting sessions longer.
- New mom aggression
Your sweet cat may turn into a lion once she has hada litter of kittens. Most new mom's aggression regresses as the kittens age. Try to keep her quiet and avoid disturbances. This is just a natural instinct to protect her babies.
- New cat aggression
You just adopted a new cat and your older cat will not tolerate the new arrival. Threatening growling and hissing takes place. This form of aggression usually regresses with time. Always make introductions slow and do not force the two to get along. Sooner than later with no pressure, the two will begin to accept each other.
As seen there may be a multitude of causes for aggression in cats. The best course of action is to have all medical causes ruled out firs,t and then deal with the behavioral issues.
Some helpful products to calm cats down
 | Create a state of security and familiarity to help your cat cope with a new environment. Just plug the Feliway Diffuser into any electrical socket. Amazon Price: $21.50 List Price: $34.99 |
 | Lavender-camomile collar calms and assures your kitten
Proven to modify behavior Amazon Price: $8.08 List Price: $12.00 |
 | Calming formula is recommended for pets exposed to increased environmental stressors. When pets can't adapt to stress it can lead to nervousness, hyperactivity, abnormal urine marking, excessive scratching, and destructive or aggressive behavior. Calming helps alleviate stress related behavior problems without affecting your pet's personality or energy level. Amazon Price: $2.94 List Price: $5.99 |
 | A calming support formula recommended for pets exposed to increased environmental stressors
Helps alleviate stress-related behavior problems without affecting your animal's personality or energy level
Can be used daily or when extra help to relax is needed Amazon Price: $8.79 List Price: $12.40 |
vote upvote downshareprintflag
- Useful (5)
- Funny
- Awesome (2)
- Beautiful
- Interesting (5)
CommentsLoading...
Seems like he is confusing your feet for a threat. I had a cat do this especially when wearing a certain type of shoes of when wearing different cloths. Indeed scaring him makes him worse because most likely he is attacking because he is afraid. Maybe you can try to spray him with a water bottle right away before he does this? After the first few tries he should be giving up and understand not to mess with you...
we have a crazy orange cat that is neurotic as it is and if he gets a whiff of our dog and sees another one of our cats he will attack the cat it's like 2+2=5 or something.
Sounds like a real full blown case of redirected aggression!
I am house sitting for my aunt and taking care of her cat for the week. It was originally fine with me around but has since become very hostile and aggressive, hissing and batting just went i walk near to it, im not even approaching it or paying attention to it. It is very scary and i have very limited experience with cats, what should i do to make the cat know that i am not a threat and am friend and have no intention of hurting it. Please help!!!
My 3 year old cat- Zeke was always very affectionate and happy. He purred constantly and had tons of energy. Right after we moved, we adopted cat #2- Delilah and ever since then Zeke has been ignoring me, hissing at me, growling, batting his paws etc.
Zeke generally doesn't mind Delilah unless I'm trying to pet him while she's near. It's very strange, but it seems as though he's just very jealous; when I pet Delilah, he tends to be creepishly standing in the corner of the room, staring. It has been almost 9 months since we've gotten Delilah, and Zeke's behavior is still crazy. I have only heard him purr twice in the last 9 months. Do you think there is more than just new cat aggression going on?
Cecci, try to toss treats or something the cat really likes every time you pass by, if you do this frequently enough the cat may start associating your walking by with good things
Adopting a new cat may totally put upside down the relationship a cat has had with its owner. It may be stressful and I have known of cats refusing to eat upon dealing with a newly adopted cat.However this seems to be going on for long. I would suggest a vet visit to rule out anything medically wrong. Perhaps this article may help shed some light on your situation>
Dear,
Please help. This cat entered my appartment two weeks ago, and just came to me sitting on the couch. I petted it a little and she was purring non stop. I went to sleep that night and she slept with me on my bed. She never left my appertment after that day and I kind of fell in love with her. My girlfriend who has experience with cats says she can't be older than a few months.
Two weeks later, she now has food, a litter bin which she started to use imediatley after I got it and toys to no end. Yet she still continiues to become more and more agressive. You should see my right arm...
It's probably all my fault having never had any pets, and mistaking her increasing agressiveness by too much energy and stimulating it by throwing her the toys.
I'm having trouble discipling her since I love her and want her to be happy and comfortable. What should I do?
Does this happen mainly when you are petting her?
I've taken my cat to a new vet since her original one was not available, he said she needed a few treatments for things like eye infection and worms in her tummy, I also asked to shave her but they had to tranquilize her in order to do so because she didn't allow them to touch her. the vet asked me to come the next day (today) so that shed regain her consciousness, I did, and just as soon as I entered the clinic he asked me if my cat was normally moody and doesn't like new people, then when he opened her cage she started growling and hissing and screaming loudly I almost couldn't believe it was my calm cat. She was shaved to zero and when he put her on the table she immediately came and sniffed my clothes and stuck to my side not letting go. When we were in the r on our way home, she couldn't stop jumping and growling and screaming inside her box which really scares me, now it's been around 8 hours and she's still staggering a bit and falls down every few steps, she was fighting with every object in the room and slamming herself against the walls which REALLY broke my heart to see that, i decided to leave her alone in the room after ive moved everything away from the room, I peeked through the door and found her sleeping in the middle of the room, my question is when's this aggressive behavior going to stop? It's really very strange as i never seen or heard my cat growl and hiss LIKE THAT.
plz help me I need her back and I'm very worried!
Sorry my reply comes late we are on different time zones, I am in Europe at this time. I am sure you are worried! Such drastic behavior changes can be scary and heart breaking indeed. My cat too took a long time to stop staggering after the anesthetic. Being a Persian she was shaved down as well and I must admit her behavior changed too after the shave down. She was shivering all the time and would sleep all day instead. I told my vet and he told me that cats feel odd without fur. I still think she was probably scared and cold
I think your cat needs some quiet time for a few days. Try to keep her in a quiet, dark place and let her relax. if possible. Some cats become really lethargic after the anesthesia while others react by becoming hyperactive and aggressive. It may just be a matter of time, keep her safe and monitor her every once in a while without interference much.
If it will make you feel better Alley Cat Allies claims: ''The cats will be groggy as they recover from anesthesia. The anesthesia could have hallucinogenic effects and cause some cats to overreact to normal stimulation or to become aggressive. The anesthesia will wear off after about four to 24 hours.''
Here is the link:
http://www.alleycat.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid
Best wishes!
Thank you so so so SO much for your time! My cat has been better since my last post! But Is still afraid of objects and jumps back when she gets closer to them such as chair legs and wires, is it because they shaved off her whiskers as well? So she cannot sense the distance between her face and the object? I carried her for a tour around the house so that she remembers and picks up the smell of it.
Mine is a Persian as well.
You really made me feel better! Thank you for the link as well, it's very informative!
Giving us some of your time really means A LOT!
You are very welcome~! Only time should tell if the jumping at objects is still due to the anesthetic or feeling odd without whiskers and hair. If you are really concerned pick up some Feliway (synthetic hormones that gives cats a sense of well being and familiarity) from you local pet store, it might help.
Happy you are feeling better, hope you Persian will be back shortly to her usual self. Cook her up something that smells real good in your kitchen (boiled chicken or boiled fish) so she feels more comfy and tempted to come out. Best wishes!
You are very welcome~! Only time should tell if the jumping at objects is still due to the anesthetic or feeling odd without whiskers and hair. If you are really concerned pick up some Feliway (synthetic hormones that gives cats a sense of well being and familiarity) from you local pet store, it might help.
Another helpful link:
http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:HJrleK71/pdfs/hope_postop_cats.pdf+cat+aggressive+anesthesia&hl=en&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESiL5rwEdgcJ0hkhUYs1wgmaWgtquFvFq2K-P0xHJgQNCwCXfhIDjT9-TZdWifQGh3jw0V5WS4mbjx51U4J0gDXPf1bf-tbRiQ_KApdLIwdXnwadERgSJXhDoDvAwARgWpjFAnVg&sig=AHIEtbSFL5jJ8JCwubAIiQCIqBNmJdREgA
Happy you are feeling better, hope your Persian will be back shortly to her usual self. If not, give your vet a call. In the mean while why not cook her up something that smells real good in your kitchen (boiled chicken or boiled fish) so she feels more comfy and tempted to come out. Best wishes!
You are very welcome~! Only time should tell if the jumping at objects is still due to the anesthetic or feeling odd without whiskers and hair. If you are really concerned pick up some Feliway (synthetic hormones that gives cats a sense of well being and familiarity) from you local pet store, it might help.
Happy you are feeling better, hope you Persian will be back shortly to her usual self. Cook her up something that smells real good in your kitchen (boiled chicken or boiled fish) so she feels more comfy and tempted to come out. Best wishes!
Another helpful link:
Hi,
My cat is anadorable cat, when i got her she was a klitten and since she was brought to my home she met dobbie, my dog. he is a small mix snouzer. they both got along great and they would even play along with each other, then about two months ago she started attacking him for no reason, now they cant be in the same room because she will attack him. What should I do? I love them both, they have been with me for about nine years and i dont want to get rid of them! please help!
Think of any possible changes that could have occurred. Did you take the dog away lately for a trip to the vet, to a boarding kennel or some where else? What triggered the first attack? It could be your cat is not feeling well and does not take well your dog's rambunctious energy. What happens exactly? Is your cat quiet and your dog is too exuberant and she asks the dog to leave her alone? If so provide your cat with some high furniture she can go to when she needs quiet. It could be that getting older she does no longer feel like playing with the dog or that the dog caused her pain. Could be she has a touch of arthritis? Does she start the attack or does the dog trigger it? Watch the dynamics carefully...
No, there hadn't been any changes. They both have lived with us for about six years now. Our dog isn't really that playful, when they would play around it was the cat that began the playing. One night our dog was undr the table and she was walking around the house when all of s sudden she attacked him. I tried seperating them, but she would do what she could to strike again. She was very aggrivated to the point that she bit me and scratched me severely. The dog has always left her alone, and especially after that event he trembles at the sight of her. We had to keep them in seperate rooms. It was all very unusual. Is there anything else you can think of?
Hmmm... sort of odd, I think the best bet is a vet visit. Being towards her senior years, anyhow she should have a yearly examination with blood work. Mention it to your vet and see if he thinks of any tests to run. Re-directed aggression is also a possibility, if she has access to windows and sees other animals. Best wishes!
Just been attacked by my loving 3year old cat. Just walking though the room and boom, claws out hissing and chasing after me and trying to attack me. I’m locked in a room right now and I mean I’ve lock the door because she knows how to open them. This is the second time this has happened. Everything was calm and she just went wild. any ideas what’s going on with her and how to calm her. I need help right away! Thanks!
Sounds like a case of redirected aggression but can also be something else going on. Somebody should find a safe way to close the cat in a dark room and allow her to relax for a few hours. Are you wearing always the same type of shoes when she does this? I have noticed my cat used to do it when I used to wear this special pair of slippers.
I adopted a Snowshoe Siamese-mix 2-1/2 weeks ago from a shelter. Because he developed a cold, I quarantined him from my other two cats for the two weeks recommended by my vet. At the end of that time he came down with conjunctivitis and is now quarantined a further two weeks. I've been giving him playtimes but, apart from those times, he refuses to come near me. When he first came home with me, he slept on the bed with me and came up to me but he seems to have a problem with biting. I first dealt with this by saying "Ouch! No!" and tapping his nose but he began getting an angry look in his eyes and would lift a paw to me and act like he wanted to bite again. I then started using a squirt bottle after saying "Ouch! No!" and would squirt him in the face a bit. He's still supposed to be receiving ointment in the eye but runs from me anytime he thinks I'm going to pick him up to give him medication. I really want to have a good bond with this cat and hope he'll be good with my two females. Can you suggest anything?
I meant to add to the above comment that, prior to coming to live with me, Leon was taken in off the streets by a woman with MS who became too ill to continue caring for him after she had him two years. He is now between 4-5 years. We don't know what his first years were like.
Try to give him tasty treats every time you need to medicate the eyes. He is new and comes from a shelter, I have known cats that took several weeks before they bonded to a new owner.. give it some time and play a lot with him.. best wishes!
My husband and I have 3 cats Stripes Deliah and Lily ( all female) We just moved into a new house and Stripes and Deliah are adjusting fine. Now lily on the other hand has become very aggressive now she is not usually an agressive cat but when she was 3 ( she is 8 now) there was a short time where she did become agressive with us that passed after we took her to the vet then a few days later went on vacation and left her alone for a week. Now back to the presant we have been able to get near her but then she decides to guard an area and will not let us get by this has been a problem since she has been "guarding" our bedroom. We have been able to chase her out but she goes into fight mode and attacks as she is leaving. We are at a lose as she is generally a very friendly cat ( except for one episode when she was 3).
Lock the bedroom and reclaim it as yours.. I am not sure what may be triggering this behavior but by not allowing access to this room you certainly will remove a lot of hassle..
I have two cats one is only just over a year and the other is 5 months. When i first brought the younger one home i had trouble with the older which is what i expected. After a couple of weeks they were getting along really well and the older one was even acting as a mother towards the younger one.
But for the past couple of weeks the older one has been quiet irritated by the younger one and it is slowly getting worse and sometimes even acts out towards me and the other members of my family. What do you thing is causing this erratic behavior?
we left on a mini vacation for a total of 3 days. our cat which i would consider to still be a kitten, (i don't know her exact age because that is my girlfriends thing) but she has been jumpy and a tad bit aggressive, the aggressive could be considered playful to some. she wraps her paws around the wrist and wants to nibble on your hand. also when doors a shut she whines a little. i know this all may sound normal but she didn't really do it before we left. she had plenty of food and water and i also left the radio on. any help would be great because again this is gonna sound stupid but...wait very stupid..but i watch a lot of ghost tv shows and it seems like the symptoms of an animal haunting...ugh. i know laugh it up, someone has to understand.
nothing is majorly wrong, shes not hurting anyone, its not out of control, it just weird me out and i wanna know if it is common for them to act like this after a few days alone.
thx in advance
Who was she left with for those three days? If she was left alone your absence may have upset her. She may be afraid of being left alone again, thus the whining when the door is shut-. The nibbling on the hands may be an equivalent of a ''love bite'', but can't say for sure without seeing her, here is a link, read under love bite:
http://www.healthypet.com/PetCare/PetCareArticle.a
Being left alone she may be making up time and getting stimulated more than usual when being pet.
She was left alone in the house, she had run of it. I thought it would be ok. I had left the radio on. I guess maybe 3 days is too much. It's just me and son that live there with her. She must of missed us? Thank you for the response and more are welcome.
I have 3 cats at home 2 boys and a girl. 2 days ago my boyfriend and I decided to buy another cat with her 2 kittens.The mom cat was very sweet. When we came home and introduce my new cat with the old once, the cat mom became agressive, she attacked my 3 cats.I don't have any idea why she became agressive, is she over protective because of her babies? or she doesnt like to be friends with my cats at home? I dont know what to do. I really felt bad because all my 6 cats including the 2 kittens are now in their cages. I cant let them walk around my room because I'm scared that the attack of cat mom will happen again and since I'm just renting,the space of my room has just a limited space. Please help me, I want them all to be friends and dont want them to put in a cage forever.please help me.Thanks!
Only time will tell if these cats will get along..give it some time, do not force interactions, as the kittens grow the mom should become less protective..as days go by they should get used to each other's presence, the first days are always the most critical..
thanks alexandry for the advice. I believe that they'll be friends soon.
Hello, I have a female cat here that is about 3 years old, she is now showing a lot of aggresion twoards one of my dogs (a female) and will lash out at people with out warning if u get too close. I have a friend that lives with me and will be attacked for no reason. I have a total of 2 dogs and 4 cats. The other 3 cats are about 1.5 years old, had them since they were born (there mother left them, ran away out side and have no idea were she is) and my 3 year old cat was a sister of the mother cat and took them as her own (after the kittens were about 8 weeks old is when hte mother cat ran away). We have no reason why she is aggresive. Also when she gets like this the other cats get upset and they all will hide in my back room (keep all the food and litter boxes back there away from dogs), i believe that is like there "safe room" from harm (and will attack any who go near). My 3 year old cat does not attack me but will others. I plan on taking here to the vet. and getting her checked out and getting her shots again and possibly declawed (is declawing a cat bad for a cat?). I kinda think it might be she feels threaten by one of my dogs and want to protect the other cats or something). I could really use some advise. Sorry that this post is so long =p Thank you for reading.
I think when a cat changes behavior out of the blue, there are chances an underlying medical problem may be behind it. She may feel more vulnerable and therefore is more defensive. Cats also can get stressed from a dog's boisterous behavior, and if the stress is too much to handle they will suffer from re-directed aggression (they basically attack anything in sight)I think the vet is your best bet to start so you can rule out medical causes and go from there...
Yeah I plan on taking her to the Vet. ASAP and get here fully checked out. Thank you for your advice, I'll let you know how it all turns out. =)
I have a 1 year old male cat not neutered. Sometimes he gets out of the house and goes into our back yard. When I went to get him from the back yard one day and picked him up he attacked me by digging his nails into my face and head and he bit my lip. He doesn't show signs of Rabies and he is usually a mild manured cat who purrs and cuddles with me all the time. I don't understand what could have happened. Right now he is in my basement and I am affraid to let him come up cause I don't want him to attack my children.
Sounds like he may have been startled by something and over reacted. If he was nervous in the first place, he may have felt 'overcharged'' and discharged his stress on you. Give him some time in a dark room and then try to let him out and see if he is back to norm. Best wishes
I have four cats, two male and two female. One of the males and one of the females just came to live with me and the other two cats about five months ago (all four had lived together prior to this, for about two and a half years. I got them all when they were kittens but due to an issue with moving I couldn't take all four with me at once) All four of them are four years old, fixed and have had their shots. I've had cats my whole life so I was expecting the first few weeks to be very tense while they all got used to one another. But now, the one male (who moved in five months ago) is being tormented daily by the two that always lived with me. He is very sweet and does nothing to provoke them. It has gotten so bad that he stopped using the litter box until I bought him his own. I've noticed the one female (who has been with me the whole time) is very aggressive towards him. If he is trying to eat at the food bowl she will attack him. It has gotten to the point that he will cautiously enter a room, look around for her and then run and jump onto the counters to avoid getting smacked by her. She has chased him into the bedroom while I was sleeping and he jumps onto the bed and countless times she has clawed my face, head or legs in an attempt to get him. She doesn't care to be held or pet, it just seems like his presence bothers her and infuriates her. But the female that came with him doesn't get the same treatment from the other two. They leave her alone.
Our dog (Shi Tzu mix) and cat have lived with us for over 5 yrs. Cats been with us for 7. We did have another dog (husky mix), who died 4 yrs ago.
Our cat will aproach the dog... snuggle up to her... then suddenly attack. Other times she simply hisses and attacks or pounces. She is neutered (They both are). Cat is an indoor cat, never allowed out. She's too fat to jump up to most of the windows... but I know we have mice in the walls (Live on a farm).
I know this is re-directed aggression, but nothing we've tried has helped, including separation or spraying. When we separate her... she scratches at the door, or the walls... and she still has claws. Any other ideas?
I have had a kitten for 5 years , very good natured , never hissed , nothing. Last night I stuubed my toe and yelled ouch and she ran up and attacked my arm, hissing and really clawed my arm. A few mins later she ran up from behind and attacked my other arm so bad her nail was stuck in my arm.
Now tonight AGAIN for no reason she ran up behind dug her nails in hissing me trying to bite me, very mean. I have no clue why she did this she has always been very loving any ideas pleaseee ?????
Sounds like you really got her scared and she got defensive. if she is really aroused try to keep her in a dark room to calm down. Try to toss some treats to her while walking before she attacks to stop this behavior in its tracks.
Just recently adopted a 2 year old female cat. My brother and sister came over to stay and she keeps hissing and attacking my brother although he has never touched her in a bad way, I was stroking her today and she attacked me! Her mother! I am thinking about giving her back but it has only been 2 days although nobody wants an evil nasty cat like this?!
I took in a stray what looks like a maine coon five years ago. He was very aggressive at first, picking a lot on my boy cat but leaving my girl cat pretty much alone. As time went on he dropped the machismo and they all pretty much got along...UNTIL I brought home Mojo the Terrible. Our house has been chaos for two years with wild boy Mojo. My vet said he'd grow out of it. NOT! So recently the Maine Coin is going nutty and viciously attacking the mild mannered other boy cat again for no apparent reason. It is getting so bad that fur is flying and the MaineCoon is drawing blood! Help! If it's misplaced aggression what can I do about it? Thank you so much.
I wished there was a solution for this, but often cats simply do not get along. I think management is your best friend, keep an eye on them while you are home and keep them separated when you are not, safety is your main concern. Redirected aggression does not usually last that long! sounds more like they are incompatible..
Hi please help! Due to a recent move I had to kennel my cat. Its been about four months and I visit him at least once every one to two weeks. Every time I visit he is alway happy to see me! The owner of the kennel (which is located on a ranch) have placed him in the barn house with his own cage and where she keeps her barn cats in their own cages as well. Well today I went to visit him. He was happy and meowing and happy that I let him out like I normally do to walk around a bit. He hissed a little at another cat in the room which he normally does and didnt think anything of it and started to organize his things in his cage and then I bent down and started to call out to him and then he just attacked me! He didnt bite just clawed at my feet and arm... I was wearing flip flops! He drew blood! I was actually scared of him. I dont think it was the shoes because prior to kenneling him he lived with me for over a year. He also lived with other cats, dogs, and children. But now Im ready to get a new place and going to take him home in a week. I had also noticed a decrease in play when I visit him. I was thinking of asking the owners to remove him from that area and put him back in the main boarding area ( again they only moved him out there because he had been there so long and to be around other cats). Do you think he will attack again? Im worried because I have two dogs to worry about also. One dog he had previously lived with and a new puppy. Thanks
It is very hard to say if this will continue at home. I am afraid it may since there would perhaps be too many changes. Give it time, keep him in a small room the first days to adjust and then gradually allow him the whole house. Going from a kennel back to home is a big change and can be overwhelming after time, I would keep the dogs away for the first week or so, best of wishes.
Hello! I need help. I recently adopted a kitten. He's probably around 8-10 weeks old and although originally hiding under the bed/dresser at every opportunity, it seemed as if he was slowly coming around. A week after I got him, he had a case of diarrhea and I've had to lock him in the bathroom for the last two days so he doesn't make a mess, but I'm extremely anxious to let him out again and try sit in there with him as much as I can. His vet appointment is tomorrow but, now he's become distant. Before, even when I first brought him home he would always purr and respond to me petting him. Now when I go try to play with him he shies away. Am I doing something wrong? What should I do differently?
Maybe something in the bathroom scared him off a bit and now he is a bit aloof. Hopefully once he feels better and can be kept in the remaining rooms he will come around again. Try to hand feed him and play with him a lot to better bond, best wishes!
Normally I and my fiance work 9-5 jobs and this week i have been home due to executing our wedding this weekend. My cat 2 year old tuxedo has shown heightened aggression towards me for the past three days. It usually just happens out of no where where he will start hissing/scratching/ and biting if he gets the chance. He has never been like this before except to our one cat sitting once when we were gone. Can the cat be pissed at me because I am home too much this week? He is so bad I had to get him outside or locked in a room.
After he comes in from being outside or in a room he will be fine for about 15-30 minutes and then does it again.
I've had my cat icky for about 2 1/2 years, and she has been the only animal in my life. I've been wanting another cat, so i adopted a kitten today. she is as sweet as can be. very affectionate and well mannered, and curious as any kitten is. But since I've brought the new kitten home, I cant get anywhere near my other cat. she hisses and spits at me. Im kinda afraid of her attacking me. I've tried giving her treats, even seperating her from the kitten with her own food and water. Shes never been one for alot of affection. Ive looked and looked at dozens of articles but cant seem to find one informing me of why my cat is acting this way towards me. I dont know what to do...
i have a 6 or 7 month old cat who i found outside my apartment complex about 3 month ago, i already gotten him fix...but he gets into everything...is there anything i can do to control him from getting into everything. he likes to play rough...im ok with that because he is a cat he is also a very loving cat as well.
We have a 5 y/o m/neuterd cat who has been increasingly aggro since hitting sexual maturity. He grew up with 2 of the 4 cats he attacks, and we have since added 3 dogs to our family. Have had him tested - he is not ill (vet suspects brain issue). He gets focused and we have to physically interviene. Fur flies everywhere. No one is happy except him!
He even attacks our dog that is sweet and submissive to him. This dog is 4x his size. We also have a 3.5lb chihuahua who s terrified of him that he attacks. We've tried playing, crating, re-intro.
We have lived in three home with him, we have one.cat tree for every cat and 6 litter boxes.
We feed preymodel raw, have since he was 1 1/2 (1 yr after aggro started).
Help!
Some cats do not do well in multi-cat and multi-dog households. I think he is simply stressed and acting defensively. It could very likely be the addition of the dogs made him feel stressed and reactive. He may feel better in a homed where he is the only cat or with other cats he may better get along with. Do you have a family member or friend that could keep him for a while so to see if he is still acting the same?
My family has a what i think full grown cat. He started hissing, growling, and meowing, only after meowing in a way that sounded like he was saying "Hello?". He then proceeded to hiss at me so i picked him up and took him to his food dish, thinking he was hungry, he looked at it, hissed at me, then meowed some more. My sister came in and he got into a sitting position and stared at the wall, then he layed down and continuously cleaned himself. What is wrong with my cat?
Hi We recently , adopted a cat that was going to be put down due to it killing other cats , its was in foster care. It is neutered and so we adopted it , problem is that this cat also attacks our dogs which are big animals , which we weren't told about , he is a lovable cat to us and the family except hates other animals . Scared he will scratch out my dogs eyes or hurt them as they are scared of him. He can be an only pet , however I don't want to give him back or they will put him down and I really love the cat.
I have a 9 year old male fixed maincoon cat. He is so aggresive all the time to my 5 month old kitten, myself and my family/friends. He growls,hisses, attacks everyone.. He seems to hate me the most. I really think he's acting out of fear. I really wish I had advice from someone who actually knew what they were talking about and could have a one on one discussion bout this, this is seriously getting way overboard. The shelters can't take him because #1 he's middle aged. #2 he hates kids, animals, everyone.. hellp
My area of specialty are dogs, but what I can say is that I really never met a really mean cat, most were acting out of fear or stress. You can try a Feliway plug-in which release pheromones which relieve stress, you should consult perhaps with a cat behaviorist or a vet who is very knowledgeable about cat behaviors. Some cats appear to not do well in homes where there is too much going on such as noises, kids moving fast, loud voices etc. Questions to ask are: What happens if you try to engage him in play? When exactly does he growl/hiss/attack? What seems to trigger his reactions? Again, for a serious discussion consult with a pro in cat behavior. Best wishes!
I've got two cats that are brother and sister. They've come from the same litter and when they were young they were inseparable. However over time the male has become more and more aggressive to his sister. It mainly happens about an hour before feeding time.
I've read that cats can get aggressive when they are hungry, so I assume its this and the easy solution is to feed them. However they're also both a bit overweight and I want to get them to a healthier size, so feeding them whenever he gets aggressive doesn't seem like a good solution. I also fear that when I feed him after he's aggressive that I'm rewarding bad behaviour.
Any suggestions?
Ive had my cat for 10 years and she was agressive when young but stopped but withing the pastfew nights shes had mood swings like one from being carring then the next night she threaton me by clawying the pillow that im sleeping on and almost bite me
Please help! My cat has always been a goofball & a bit aggressive. Lately he has been following us around &attacking us, attacking us while we sleep, scratching furniture(even with sctatching toys in every room) & won't tolerate being held or petted for over 30seconds! My arms are so scratched up, I look like I have been abused. Yelling, spraying with water & putting him in a separate room do not work;he enjoys water, and scratches flooring &doors if they are closed. I am going to have to resort to declawing or giving him away if this doesn't stop(neither of which I want to do.) My concern with declawing, besides the procedure itsself, that he also bites! Could he just be sick or is this a stage? He is around 2.
i recently lost one of my kittens and got a new one and he was been very aggressive to awards my other cats hissin when any thin went near it ,hen was only 3 months old and u couldnt touch him or he'd scartch u , i recently had to get rid of it as it was makin my cats uncountable , could this be down to his Beauvoir or somethin more serious
My 8 month old cat has started being aggreisve towards some kittens I am holding on to and they have been here sence they were born, she used play with them but lately she is being super aggreeisve hissing at them . What would cause this ranodom aggrission ?
Rachael and Justin, there is no way for me to tell what may be triggering such aggressive behaviors, my hub narrows down many causes have you read through them?
My 3 yr old indoor cat is becoming more and more aggressive (hissing, biting, swatting)- it appears to be redirected aggression - he is always staring out the window at birds, squirrels, cats, raccoons etc. Anyone who enters our house that has any animal scent on them gets hissed at. My question is - if we let him go outdoors (he has claws and is neutered)-would that help him release his aggression? My feeling is that his anxiety with only seeing the world through a window is making him paranoid and that if he encountered other animals he may better deal with their scent on people.
Please help me. I have two cats, one male, one female and 4 dogs. All are spayed or neutered. The male cat was rescued from a family when he was about 5 weeks old. They decided when he was 8 weeks to get rid of him, so I took him. He was a great little guy but decided that I was his property and stated humping my arm. I had him neutered when he was 6 months old per my vets recommendation. He doesn't hump me anymore but is becoming more and more aggressive - he zips through the house - beats up on the female cat, climbs up on top of my cabinets now, torments one of my huskies, which I am grateful that she only chases him and not tries to eat him. I am at wits end. He has been trying to get outside and has on a few occasions, but I manage to get him back inside. I now have to raise my shades or he pulls them down. I don't want to take him to a shelter as I know they will put him down. My groomer is kind enough to try to cut his nails as I am bloody from being his racetrack but that is one heck of a process. She even has to muzzle him and tape his feet. Help what can I do to calm him down, he is just about a year old now.
Carla, you make an interesting observation. I really though cannot give a straight answer as to what would happen. It could be he is exhibiting ''barrier frustration'' being unable to chase as he would normally do if allowed outdoors, but outdoors, once able to ''hunt'' I am afraid once back indoors the frustration may further increase, exacerbating the problem. It may perhaps help to provide a more enriching indoor environment while blocking views to the outdoors if access to windows makes him so reactive. There are more and more interactive toys for cats on the market worth checking out. The outdoors can be a dangerous place for a cat to be, especially a cat who has lived most of its life indoors. Best wishes!
Kathi, your cat may be stressed. Some cats have a hard time adjusting to homes with other pets. There are more and more cat behavior specialists and I think a consultation with one may be helpful, so they can observe your cat and assess the situation. It may be worth it to invest in one of those pheromone plug-ins such as Feliway. Best wishes!
Alexadry - thank you so much. I will got get the pheromone plug-in today. I really do love Shadow and hope I can get this figured out. He has always been a hyper little guy. I actually took him out last night and held him. He seemed calmer when I brought him back in. I cracked open the window in my bedroom and he just sat there smelling the fresh air. Broke my heart. Thank you again!
This may be premature, but I'm looking to smooth over a relationship between two of my cats that seems to be disrupted by the presence of a new cat. This new cat, about 6 months old, is a stray I took in and is currently confined to my downstairs bathroom. I know that my cats do not have the ability to understand that her presence is temporary (as I am in the process of finding someone to take her) but I am worried by one of my cat's behavior. Two of my three cats (male and female) are very good buddies and will play, groom, cuddle etc but now the male has become hostile towards the female, hissing and growling when she is near. He doesn't have a problem with me, which would make sense to me, but for some reason has redirected his anger/fear of this new cat at his buddy! I know she is a forgiver and will be fine when he gets over it, I'm just wondering if there's anything I can do so he isn't angry at her. It's just kind of strange to me that he is taking it out on her, almost treating her like he did when I first brought her home...just looking for some insight here. Thanks.
Perhaps some feliway pheromones in the plug-in version may come helpful. Sounds like he is stressed from this new cat's presence and he is taking it on his buddy indeed.
My daughter brought a kitty home a few days ago... I have the already so I told her to keep him in her room. He just walked right up to her on the way home from school. He looked to be about 6 months very thin and was half frozen. At times he is very calm and doesn't mind being petted or picked up, then he goes into attack mode... He is already using a litter box and seems content for the most. But I have a hard time making him calm down when he gets into play mode. Sometimes he plays gentle and the next he is drawing blood.. water does not phase him. What can I do? Please help
Sorry I meant I have three already. Typo
Try re-directing his play mode to something else that is not your hands. Like say he is starting to get to revved up? Toss a ball across the room or dangle a string and play with him. You want to make clear that hands and feet are not toys. He is not supposed to be playing with your hands. If he grabs your hands, it is best to go limp instead of pulling back which will make him more excited and may cause more damage since he may tear more into skin if he is biting, best wishes!
I have recently adopted a kitten that seems to have too much energy for me to tolerate successfully. This article gave some great insight about why my kitten is biting or scratching, attacking my feet and hands, and the aggressive reaction by my older cat.
I have a 9 month old neutered kitten and he's always been very playful, but sometimes it can turn into aggression. He can be calm and, then the next second he will start attacking me. I thought at first that he could just be over stimulated and needs a release of energy, but when I try to play with him with his toys he just isn't as interested in it as he is with attacking me. Should I try new toys or something? And how can I get him to relax after he attacks?
Try to redirect his prey drive with more interesting toys that move and stimulate him more. If he attacks you arm or hand, go limp, moving will only make him more excited. Re-direct his attention to toys. If he is too revved up, stop all attention and become extremely boring.
I brought a 1 year old male home lastnite..the owners didn't want him..he has never been outside in his life.he was very affectionate and purring away for the first hour.them I went outside and came back in and he turned into a monster growling hissing attacking really aggresive. But rubbing up my leg the same time..so I went to stroke him and he attacked me and started chasing Me round the house..its quite scary he is a big strong cat..now he's pacing the house meowing won't settle
Chris, has the owner ever had any problems with this cat? why was he getting rid of him? see if you can get a honest answer. If he never exhibited this behavior before consider he may be stressed from being in a new place with a new owner. You may want to try a pheromone plug-in from a pet store, best wishes~!
I work as a PCA (Personal Care Attendant) for an inhome health care company and one of my clients has had her cat for as long as I can remember ( been going to her house now for 2 years)... I have never had any problems with her cat but a couple days ago I was there, sitting in the recliner working on her bills, I dropped an envelope on the floor, reached down to get it and BAM.... her cat attacked me... there was no warning, no meowing, hissing, growling NOTHING.... She ripped into my arm, thank heavens i was still wearing my coat(she still got me really bad) i pushed her off and she started screaming and tried to lunge at me again.... what could make her act this way....
That's quite interesting, perhaps the envelope startled her or put her into prey drive. It sounds though as if she was defensive and felt threatened. If this was an isolated episode I would not worry to much about it.
In talking to my client she has said that her cat has been very aggressive towards several people in the last couple of months... this is the first attack, but she has been growling and meowing at others when they come in her house (not every time and not at everyone)In fact i was previously in her house that morning and things were fine... This cat has always been soooo friendly and loving
Whatever is causing these attacks it sounds like defensive aggression triggered by stress. A pheromone plug-in diffuser may help at times. Some cats do not do well with changes if there were any recent ones. Also, it is always a good idea to rule out any medical conditions that can cause such outbursts.
Hey,
My mom has a kitten maybe a few months old, she was given to my mom after being found in an abandoned house, all alone. When they got her she was very small, like the palm of your hand, and has extra thumbs on her front claws. Anywho, she is very aggressive, clawing, biting, hissing, GROWLING! I have never heard a cat growl. She has always been like that, they took her to the vet and she had worms, and they said that might be causing the aggresstiveness, but after they treated them and she is still the same way. She acts like that to my mom, dad, brothers, any guest. everyone. You can not pet her, you can not even go near her. Since I have been here the past week or so Ive tried feeding her during the day to see if maybe shes just hungry, and give her water. still shes crazy. We tried treats, and she takes the treat then bites you. Its kind of upsetting to me because my mom and daughter love the cat but shes so mean I dont want my daughter going near her, because she scratches and bites. Do you think the extra thumbs bother her at all? I mean shes a house cat do you think declawing her would benefit her any??
Having extra thumbs, your cat is ''polydactyl'', I do not think this may be linked to the aggression unless there are nails growing into the paw pads causing pain. Can you check for this or have a vet check his nails and pads? This can be very painful and cause stressful behaviors. If she checks out fine, the behavior can be stress related, any recent changes, new baby, new pet, new home? I would try some pheromones ''feliway'' and see if they have a calming effect. I would also have her undergo a thorough veterinary exam to rule out anything medical. At this age, a cat should be happy and playful, unless she underwent some horrible trauma or she is genetically prone to be this way. Was she this way when you first got her?
Our cat is very aggressive and seems to be challenging us all the time. She has been neutered which we thought would calm her down but it hasn't. She seeks attention constantly but we don't like giving it to her as she bites and scratches us. She doesn't respond to being told off, and we also have problems with her climbing on all the furniture and surfaces. Is she just bored? We have to lock her out when we have a child over as she might attack them.
Well Ive been in Florida since my mom got her, they got her right after they got thier new house, so I dont think that is the case, and no new memebers maybe guest but not perminent stayers. My older sister actually informed me that when they first got her my 11 year old brother rough housed with her like spun her around and then she would bat at him and thats how they "played" with each other, so maybe he tought her a rough playing, my mom swears it wasnt because of him but my sister swears it was. Also my sister says she was the sweetest kitten when they first got her...so I guess its really hard to say?
Cats need a like of environmental stimuli ie cat trees and other toys that make them feel stimulated mimicking prey. Most cats in household are bored. Look for some interactive toys for cats. Feliway plug in may help if she is stressed. If she bites when you pet her, try to get up suddenly and leave. Petting should be on your terms not hers.
Playing rough with a cat may stress a cat and cause them to engage in defensive behaviors which entail biting and scratching.
Thank you do much I will definitly get up with my mom to find some feliway plug ins, she wont really let you come near her to cuddle with her. She does have a scratching post, and my mom wants to get her one of the cat hotels where she can climb and sit in the cubbies. The other night we did find her to calm for a few mins she smelled my hand and then rubbed her head on my hand and let me pet her, and my mom and daughter she let them pet her today but it was for a couple mins. But she looked like she enjoyed the attention of them petting her. I will definitly look for the Feliway plug ins. Thanks for your help, and I will definitly keep in touch and let you know how shes turning out :)
Hey so we didnt get the feliway, but we did try a treat like chew for her. Its called PetNaturals, and its for "calming" as soon as we got it I gave her one, and my mom says she seemed loopy or doped up but I didnt see that at all. She seemed to me to be calm and she even became cuddley. Although she is only about 5 pounds or so the little chew is for 15 pounds...so we decided to only give it to her every other day and about 1/2 of one, just in case she was dopey lol. So yesterday my mom gave her half of one, and she was so cuddley she rubs her face on you feet and legs and she will walk into your lap, and shes like a completely different cat! She occationally puts her claws out but not like everytime, and I havent heard her growl like she was before! I am so happy I found this page and you gave me some advice because we would have never thought she was stressed out. :) Thank you so much!
Happy you are seeing improvements. I will need to look up that product, sounds interesting!
We have two cats, brother and sister (spayed and neutered). We have had them since they were kittens, they are now three.
They are house cats but the other day the boy cat somehow got looked out over night. In the morning we found him waiting by the front door. :-)
This happened two days ago, ever since the female cat has become VERY aggresive to him, hissing growing none stop . Why?
He may smell different. When many cats were hospitalized at our vets office upon coming home they were often greeted by unfriendly family members. It helps if both go out together or rubbing him with a blanket that smells like home again. Expect this to happen again if he goes out again.
Dear,
I saved our little angel and brought her home to my daughter. Her name became Brie. We have had her now 10 yrs or so, she is being treated for allergies now but now she is attacking our 2 small dogs. For no reason at all. Please help. Desperate doggie and cat lover
That it is odd, especially if she got along with your dogs for all this time. I would have your cat checked by a vet just to rule out anything medical. Were your dogs away for some time? like boarded, at the vet? could your dogs have hurt her ie stepped on her tail? A plug-in diffuser such as Feliway may help.
Hi, my cat is now about a year old. When she was a kitten I socialized her often...bringing her to my parents and taking her other places...she grew up around dogs...she was very playful and friendly...but once I moved into my own apartment when she about 6 months old, we visited my parents less and less....she hates going to the vet now.. She has no problem going into her cage..going in the car...but once we're at the vets or anywhere else besides home she growls and hisses and lashes out. She almost bit the vet. It really upsets me when she is agressive with me because I raised her from a baby and she is super spoiled. Anytime she is outside of our apartment in an unfamiliar area if I pick her up or pet her she turns around hisses and tries to bite...however once we walk right back in the apt shes completely fine. I just don't understand...I've been trying to get her used to new and strange places...cuz I feel like she only feels safe at home...and getting another pet is out of the question...( my friend stayed with me do a short period and brought her chihuahua and my cat was mean for weeks until a cpl weeks after she had left.) she is spayed and an only pet. Is this something she will grow out of? Or is there something else I can do?
Many cats are unfortunately this way and I have found that this is fear based. Because she is fearful she becomes very aroused and reactive to anything because she is in flight or fight mode. I am afraid it will take a great effort to change her as this behavior is reinforced since in her mind her lashing and growling has protected her in her mind. You can try taking her out on a frequent basis but without going to the vet. Make the outdoor visits brief and frequent. A feliway collar may be helpful for the first outings.If she gets better, take her on a leash to venture in the grass. However, many cats feel safe only home and this is hard to change. Best wishes!
My cat seems to be more aggressive lately. I don't know if it's because I went on vacation a couple of times this month or it's redirected aggression from staring out the window A LOT. I got home today from a 2 and 1/2 day vacation. She's attacked me 3 times. In fact, while I was reading this article's comments she chirped, walked over to me, rubbed her head on my phone and then tried to attack my arm. I didn't touch her and I stayed very still while she was standing on my lap. One time I woke up to her licking my face and without even moving or saying anything she bit my nose. She tends to pace the halls and make this weird meowing sound. The vet didn't offer any useful ideas. We play and I give her treats. Don't know what to do. Maybe the Feliway?
It may be triggered from you being away. Many cats attack other cats when one cat is taken to the vet and returns home. So I can see this happening to humans as well. You can try Feliway or a calming product known as "composure". It may eventually go away once you smell normal again and go back to your routine. Some cats get easily stressed by changes.
Please Help!! I have two cats, spay and neutered. My male has sent me to the hospital twice for severe bites. Most of the time he is a loving cat, but seems like at the beginning of spring every year, he acts like jekyll and hyde.
History- Picked up Lucy as a stray almost nine years ago, 7 weeks later went to SPCA and picked out the only cat that appeared her age and looked like a Desi. These two became our children. At the time we lived on the 8th floor, high-rise. We use to let them in the hallway and they thought that was such a thrill, They both had their annual vet visits/shots, etc, even though they were indoor. I always had cats and dogs growing up and we never went to the vet, that was for rich people, but I digress...I wanted my cats to experience nature and go outside. We found a nice four level with a deck as well a screened in porch. They only are out when I am out with them. One day another cat came around and I tried to contain my cat and get him back to the deck, when he took a four-tooth bite out of my leg at the crease, behind my knee. That was it...I stood perfectly still and he proceeded home. Last year my son moved back home and Desi appeared to be on his best behavior since he was afraid of my son, became clingy to me. My son moved out two months ago and the past three weeks have been hell to pay. I was getting into bed and Lucy above my head on her own pillow, Desi was lying on the other side of the bed when he awoke and attacked me in the fact. This really disturbed me, since he always sleeps on my legs and the night of the eclipse moon he walked up and down the bed between me and the window, sort of protecting me. Again, I digress to the situation - I wanted to let him have another chance and left the bedroom door open one night, in the AM he was in his usual spot but when I tried to get up he began to growl at me. Hasn't been in the room since.
Three weeks ago there were two raccoon's on the deck and he saw them and went wild. Attacked my Lucy and started his growling and hissing at me. it began to taper off but two weeks ago a cat came on the deck and after 15 minutes of territorial growling, stupid me let him out...two hours later I found him on the neighbors deck and carried him in...The following weekend we took him for his senior exam and explained our dilemma. He immediately growled at me upon entering our house and since then it's been a battle. I had these two so well trained that I could take them on the deck in the morning, have my coffee, then they would come in and I would feed them and get dressed and go to work. Let me mention that he has not wanted to do this routine since my son has left. I realize I am all over the place but this situation has got me stressed. The Vet put him on Reconcile with pill pockets, but after three days of that he stopped eating...on the 6th day I stopped the meds. The Vet want him back in, but I cannot get near him. Yesterday I let him out figuring that would be the cure, only he would not come back in and we had a battle, because I refuse to leave him out all night as there are fox and coyote out there. Lately I have to get the significant other to go grab him and ring him in, which is also a hassle. I am so upset and may have to have him put down as I cannot move about freely in my house and have to block out rooms, all of which I need access to...this cat just hates me and I do not know what else to do :/
I don't really think this cat hates you but is rather highly stressed. Did you try Feliway already? If sights of raccoon and other wild life arouse him he may be suffering from re-directed aggression, in this case, access to windows and the outdoors should be blocked. Try to consult with a certified applied animal behaviorist and see what your options are, best wishes.
Just adopted a new cat from the shelter, she is 4 years old and spayed. The first few days, she was entirely loving and sweet. I have another cat, 2 year old blind, neutered male. They only met briefly once, and the new one got scared and attacked. Since then, the little female has been a bit more aggressive. I am reluctant to return her to the shelter, out of fear that she will be put down due to the reasoning behind the return.
Just recently, I was petting her and she was all calm and sweet like she was originally, then all of a sudden, she went crazy and attacked.
Give her a bit of time and try your best to provide quiet surroundings (no guests, loud kids, and possibly keep the two cats separated until they get used to each other's smells and presence from another. A feliway plug-in may prove helpful in such a case. It is hard to say if this is a permanent problem (related to her genes, some cats can be weak-nerved by nature)or if this is a just a transient problem related to being in a new place. Only time will tell.
i think some of this advice is the stupidest i've heard!! you don't reward animals with treats when they attack people !! what school did you get your degree from ?? do some more research (maby own couple cats) before you give people advice thats gonna make the animals worse. you reward an animal with treats fro attacking & they will ALWAYS attack 2 get treats !!
Starr, it's called classical conditioning, it's scientifically based and it is untrue that it will reward aggression, this is a myth hard to debunk! My school of thought is from personal experience after training several dogs and cats this way. I will not start a lecture on this because it is not the easiest thing to understand unless you have a degree in behavior science. Read Dr Sophia Yin under section F in her article below and also read Ian Dunbar's take on classical conditioning, great reads!
We saved a 1 month old male cat from being killed. He is now a year and a half and is really very sweet cans he really loves oh two older cat (both female . ) of course the feeling is not always mutual but they'll tolerate his licking their heads. Problem is that when they try to move around the house he'll pounce on them and will really get them pinned to the ground. He's 15 lbs and is 2x their size. He's still sleeping in a separate room since there would be no way to sleep otherwise. As soon as one heads to the litter box he's all over them. And now he doesn't sleep through the night and starts pounding on his door at 3am. Just not sure what else to do to get done peace. I know he's just playing but I'm afraid one if the older cats is really going to get hurt. We introduced them very slowly for the first few months. Especially since he was so tiny. Did I wait too long to integrate them? I love them all but need some sleep!
Try to keep lots of interactive toys or access to windows available so they stay awake during most of the day. Cats are nocturnal by nature and you can prevent your cats from being too hyper at night by keeping them occupied during the day. one of my cats got into the habit of howling in the night and we now close him for the night in the bathroom and he now settles down because he knows the routine: time for bed!
Thanks for the quick answer. Our routine has changed recently as my husband used to be home during the day. Now we're both gone full days during the week. I'll think about some more active toys for him although I think he sees the other cats as his interactive toys!
Hi there,
I hope you can answer this for me, I have a 3 year old ( fairly big) orange tom cat.. up till recently ( we moved from a house, where Tyson was an outdoor cat, to an apartment, he's now indoors) he was the "coolest" cat EVER, loving... fun.. now he's not so cool, he meows like he's in heat, but its not long meows like a female?? it's just NON stop little meows like he wants food. He's humping blankets, anyone who sleeps on the futon ( including company) and my CHILD in his BED.. after he tries humping my child, he goes up to his neck and lays down like he's "subduing" him..he's always acting like he's scared ( the cat )I don't have the money right NOW to fix him, ( mind you I AM ) but what can I do in the meantime?
Try some Feliway plug ins; many cats do not do well with changes as this cause them significant stress being habitual animals. also look for a low-cost spay clinic, ask your shelter, there are places where males can be neutered for under $50.
Hi,
3 months ago I brought home a new female kitten. I already have a female cat who is around 6 years. When she was younger we had another cat, so i presumed she would eventually get used to a new one. However, she's still growling and hissing at it and us and we can barely ever pick her up anymore. I've been using a spray version of feliway, and sometimes it appears to work but not the majority of the time. The poor girl is very stressed out and I think she may be losing weight. I don't believe it's a medical issue since it only started when we got the new addition. And my cat gets REALLY stressed from the vets, so I want to try and calm her first. The kitten doesn't help matters since she's always chasing the elder around the house and trying to jump on her. We've tried to stop her from doing that but she wont cut it out. Is there anything else I can do? (We try and give the elder tons of attention but half the time she wont let us near her). Thanks for any help!
Sometimes certain combination do not work out. Usually, older cats growl and hiss to younger cats as a form of discipline but it generally stops at that. Since this kitten is persistent and still follows her despite her requests to be left alone, I see this as a problems, especially if you had the new kitten for more than a week and there is no improvement. Your older cat should have a place to go where she can be left alone. But her stress levels are quite high, so I really think this is not a good combination personality-wise. Normally, a kitten should back off... and normally an older cat should not be so stressed out by a kitten as to become aggressive towards you.
I have a male cat that sprayed and whined constantly. I just got him neutered a week ago. I notice he does not spray anymorebut still whines. Im worried he is lonely but he ia also so aggressive and that hasn't changed either. Does it take some time before some of these behaviors change?
It takes some time for the hormone to stop production- I would think about 3 weeks- but neutering will not solve behavior problems that are not associated with hormones. Marking reduces because it is hormonal-the cat does it to keep other male cats away- but aggression and whining may not stop unless they were due to females in heat nearby..
My cat not mean she just wants to be left alone unles she wants to be scratched then goes back to look out windows. she loves it when other cats come up on the porch.I just want to know is she mad at us. She is not mean at all she loves when when my 5 year old plays with her. I just need some advice or should i call the vet that fixed her.
If this is out of character see the vet, it could be she is not feeling well if she wants to be left alone.
I have cat who is 7 yrs he has gotten sooo nasty latley and I dont know why. We have to dogs, they leave him alone, but my cat will attack them, corner them. He hiss and growls whenever we walk by or my son. Its gotten to the point that i have to lock him up. Hes eating fine, drinking, and going to the bathroom fine.
If your cat was acting normal before, I would suggest excluding something medical, cats can get grumpy when they are not feeling well and they do not always show pain, because pain is a sign of weakness. It could also be something happened like your dogs smell different or something stressful is going on. Try some Feliway.
my cat had kittens 4.. beautiful babies.. anyway .. there around 3 and a half month or 4 months old.. and my friend brought one of her kittens over we thought they could play.. anyway.. we took the kitten away because she was hissing.. and being aggressive, now shes lashing out at her kittens.. and is constantly hissing, and attacking her own kittens.. what is the matter.. what should i do.. and is it normal, my vet said once the kittens start to grow, the mom starts to distance and this is normal but i dont belive that its normal for her to attack her kittens and hiss at them. (also they are not feeding of her anymore)
Get a pheromone plug-in such as Feliway. Sounds like this other kitten was perceived as an intruder and disrupted your cat's routine and perception of safety. If her aggression started just the day this new kitten was brought in your home, I doubt you mother cat is distancing your kittens, as your vet suggests. It sounds more like re-directed aggression and stress. Try the plug-in. It may also help to pass a towel on the mother cat and then rub the same towel on the kittens so they smell like her and she feels like every thing is back to normal, best wishes!
elsa felton 3 years ago
I have a male cat for two months, He is been neuter but his agressive behavior has not change. He watch me as I walk and then attack me bitting and scratching. If I try to scare him then he become more agrassive. He can jump as high as my head to attack. I don't know what to do.