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If your cat is biting or attacking you or other people, figuring out how to stop the aggression can seem daunting. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer because there are many different reasons for cat aggression. But the good news is that no matter the reason, cat aggression is treatable. The key is to find out what the underlying cause, or trigger, of the aggression is. That’s why we highly recommend consulting with a veterinarian or certified cat behaviorist.
However, in the meantime, there are ways to help the problem, they just take time, effort, and patience. Now, we’re going to answer the question: Why is my cat aggressive towards me? But first, we’d like to thank this post’s sponsor: Relievet.
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Signs of Aggression
Before solving any type of cat aggression, you first need to know what aggression in a cat looks like. When a cat is acting aggressive, some common signs are:
- Hissing
- Biting
- Swatting
- Growling
- Open Mouth
- Exposed Claws
- A Stiff Stance
An aggressive cat may also display:
- Flat Ears
- Tail Twitching
- A Puffed Tail
- Arched Back
- Flat Whiskers
If your cat shows any sign of aggression, it’s absolutely crucial for you to stay calm and collected. If you become aggressive yourself with screaming or pushing, you’ll only escalate the situation. Instead, slowly leave the room and wait for your cat to completely cool down. And no matter what, never punish your cat. Cats don’t understand the concept of punishment, making it completely ineffective. In fact, punishment would create more serious problems.
Another important point is that you should never just put up with it and hope for the best. For any behavioral problem, it’s always easiest to fix early on. However, before you can fix a problem, you have to know the specifics of the problem. Now, let’s go over the types of cat aggression that you might find yourself caught in.
Types of Cat Aggression
1. Play Aggression
This is one of the most common, if not the most common, types of cat aggression. Keep in mind that vigorous play in cats is normal. This is especially true in young cats, who have a lot of rambunctious energy. However, play aggression is usually the result of human owners encouraging that behavior as kittens. While it may be adorable to play “rough house” with a kitten, their little fangs will eventually become adult one-inch fangs that can do a lot of damage.
To prevent Play Aggression, never play rough with your cat. This is not to say that you shouldn’t play with your cat. In fact, quite the opposite. Oftentimes, the underlying problem in cats that like to play rough is excess energy or boredom. The best way to burn off that energy is playtime (A.K.A. “Play Therapy”)! Just keep it “nice play.”
2. Fear Aggression
Cats that display fear aggression do so when they feel threatened or trapped. Just as you do, your cat has a “flight or fight” reflex. Once they encounter a scary situation, if there’s nowhere to run, the only other option is to fight. In this case, your cat will show aggressive body language such as a lowered tail and body, displayed teeth, and hissing or growling. Usually, cats with fear aggression do not approach the target. But just like with any type of aggression, you should calmly walk away.
To prevent this behavior, Jackson Galaxy, cat behaviorist, recommends Play Therapy to help with the cat’s overall level of anxiety. It’s also important to properly socialize your cat by exposing them to other humans and pets in the home with positive reinforcement. While younger cats are easy to socialize, older cats can be socialized too. It might just take a little more time.
3. Redirected Aggression
This type of aggression can happen when an owner handles a cat that is excited or threatened by something unrelated to the owner. For example, while your cat is hanging out with you, they may notice a stray through a window. Since your cat is unable to go after the real target, they turn to the next handiest target. Often the innocent victim is you or or another pet in the home. The mere sight of the victim could trigger that upsetting memory in your cat all over again, leading to another unprovoked attack.
The only way to prevent Redirected Aggression is to remove or avoid the cause. So in this example, possible solutions would be pulling the window shade down or using deterrents to keep stray cats away from the window. If the issue is between two cats in the home, you should completely separate them and work on gradual reintroduction, as if the two had never met. Play Therapy may also help your cat release their frustration.
4. Petting-Induced Aggression
This type of aggression has one root cause: overstimulation. Like the name sounds, Petting-Induced Aggression is when a cat suddenly become aggressive while being petted. If your cat is experiencing this aggression, their “battery” may have become “over charged” from excessive stimulation. However, the Cornell Feline Health Center says that handling, bathing, grooming, and nail trimming can also cause this type of aggression.
The trick to preventing this behavior is to stop petting your cat before it starts. If you pay attention to your cat’s body language, the visual cues are often easy to spot. Usually, the most notable sign is dilated pupils, which is the widening or “blackening” of eyes. They may also display tail twitching and flat ears before becoming aggressive. To prevent this behavior, avoid petting your cat for excessive periods of time. You should also avoid uninvited petting or handling. Instead, have your cat be the one to initiate petting.
5. Intact Cat Aggression
In case you’re unfamiliar with the term, an intact cat is a cat that hasn’t been sprayed or neutered. Intact Cat Aggression is related to a few other cat aggressions. For one, an intact female might display Maternal Aggression, which is a normal behavior that happens when a mother defends her kittens. On the other hand, an intact male might experience Territorial Tomcat Aggression to establish and defend his territory. Intact males can also experience Sexual Aggression, where they will mount a person’s arm or ankle, grab the skin with their teeth, and you can fill in the blank for the rest.
Whether male or female, intact cats tend to be more aggressive and very territorial. As if the aggression isn’t serious enough, they are also more prone to spraying urine.
The only solution to these types of aggressions is to spay or neuter your cat, because sexual hormones are the cause. Spaying/neutering is also important because it reduces the risk of certain diseases and prevents unintended kittens. If cost is a concern, ask your local animal shelter if there are any low-cost spay/neuter clinic near you.
6. Pain-Induced Aggression
This form of aggression can be the response to a health problem. Cats are notorious for hiding pain, which is why it’s essential to schedule regular check-ups with your vet. After all, veterinarians are trained to spot subtle signs of pain that most people wouldn’t notice. Nonetheless, chronic pain can increase irritability, making the cat more aggressive. For example, if your cat suffers from arthritis, they might experience pain if you pick them up, causing them to lash out.
Pain-Induced Aggression can also be a response to a painful procedure. For example, if your cat is recovering from surgery, they may feel irritable until they’re fully healed. To solve this type of aggression, avoid pain triggers and consult with your vet about pain-relief options.
7. Noise-Induced Aggression
Perhaps the lesser known type of cat aggression is Noise-Induced Aggression, which is when a cat responds to certain sound frequencies with aggression. For example, the sound could be whistling, a baby crying, or another cat crying. As odd as this reaction may sound to us humans, note that cats have excellent hearing. While humans can hear frequencies of up to 20,000 Hz, cats can hear sounds up to 64,000 Hz. That’s about three times higher than humans.
To prevent Noise-Induced Aggression, avoid the trigger sounds whenever possible. In cases where it’s not possible to completely avoid the trigger, you may need to try to desensitize your cat to the noise. With this technique, you play the sound at a very low volume and if the cat remains calm, reward them with a treat. Over time, slowly increase the volume and continue to reward your cat as long as they remain calm and relaxed during the sound.
After learning about these types of aggression, you may be wondering how you can prevent aggression before it starts.
Prevent Aggression Before it Starts
Even if your cat has never been aggressive, you should still takes steps to prevent aggression from happening in the future. Jackson Galaxy explains that regular Play Therapy will prevent many behavior problems from developing in the first place. This is because playtime allows cats to get out all of their pent up energy. That’s why you should establish regular play sessions as soon as your cat enters the household.
However, it’s never too late to start. While younger cats tend to be more playful, older cats also enjoy playing. They might just need more motivation. Plus, most cats need at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, making playtime all the more necessary!
Final Thoughts
As you’ve learned by now, since there are several types of cat aggression, there are many reasons why your cat might be aggressive towards you. Sadly, many owners are tempted to give up their cats if they experience behavioral problems. But here at The Purring Journal, we firmly believe that adoption is for life. That’s why we can’t stress enough how important it is to speak with your veterinarian if your cat becomes aggressive. With time and patience, you can learn how to solve this problem.
Resources
https://www.aspcapetinsurance.com
Disclaimer: The Purring Journal is not in the medical field. This post is made for entertainment purposes only. Use the information presented in this article at your own risk. Always seek medical advice from licensed veterinarians.
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