Possible explanations include overstimulation and an attempt by the cat to control when the petting ends. Handling, bathing, grooming, and nail trimming can also cause this type of aggression. In many cases, the cat will demonstrate dilated pupils, tail lashing, and ears moved backward on the head before becoming aggressive.
To manage a cat with petting-induced aggression, owners should avoid uninvited handling or petting, any type of physical punishment or restraint, and attempts to pick up or interact with the cat while he is eating. Rewarding a cat with a food treat for allowing brief, light stroking without signs of aggression may also be helpful. Over time, owners can gradually increase the duration of stroking, but with any sign of aggression, the owner should stop the petting and begin a cooling down period with no physical contact.
It is particularly important to supervise cats that display this type of aggression when they are in the presence of young children, who often want to pet cats but miss the visual cues of impending aggression. Ideally, owners should prevent physical contact between small children and a cat with a history of petting-induced aggression.
Redirected Aggression When a cat is excited by a stimulus but cannot respond directly, the cat may redirect his aggression toward a human or another cat.
Common stimuli that trigger redirected aggression include loud noises, seeing an outdoor or stray cat through a window, or an altercation with another cat in the house. Sometimes, aggression may be redirected toward a human after an aggressive interaction between indoor cats.
The best way to prevent this type of aggression is to remove or avoid the stimuli, for example, by pulling down a window shade, using deterrents to keep stray cats away from the window, or by preventing aggressive interactions among indoor cats. Pain-Induced Aggression Cats that are in pain may act aggressively toward people or other pets in an attempt to avoid touch, movement, or certain activities that might worsen the pain.
Cats with osteoarthritis, for example, may resent having their joints touched or manipulated, and may hiss, bite, or scratch in response. Rarely, some cats may continue to act aggressively even after once-painful parts of their body have healed, presumably to avoid the pain they experienced previously. Status-Induced Aggression Cats may occasionally show signs of aggression toward people or other pets when they want to establish social dominance.
Cats that block doors with their bodies or swat at other cats as they pass may be demonstrating this type of behavior. The best way to address status-induced aggression is to ignore an offending cat completely. Attention, including play and food rewards, should be given only when an aggressive cat is relaxed.
A relaxed cat is not swatting or hissing, has normal sized pupils, ears held upright, and normal tail posture, with the tail held upward with no flicking, twitching, or hairs on end. Territorial Aggression Cats tend to establish and defend their territories.
They may show aggression toward newly introduced cats, and occasionally other animals or people, that encroach upon their established domain. In some cases, cats may even attack resident cats that were previously accepted but were away from the home, such as for a hospital stay.
This aggression commonly takes the form of swatting, chasing, and attacking the encroaching individual. The most important thing to keep in mind when dealing with territorial aggression is not to rush an introduction or reintroduction. New or returning cats should be confined to their own room with separate litter box, water, and food.
This step can be repeated daily for several days. The next step is to place the cats on opposite ends of the same room in carriers or on leashes with harnesses, so that they can see and smell each other but cannot interact.
Feed the cats so that they associate the positive experience of being fed with the presence of the other cat. Physical causes can then be ruled out or treated where necessary.
If the aggression caused injury to a person and the vet could not find a physical cause, then it may be decided at this stage to refer to a behaviour specialist. Here are some scenarios which explain some behaviours which are seen as aggressive. Kittens fight each other when they are young and engage in enthusiastic rough and tumble fights. These are always interrupted if they become a little too violent so that the kittens learn to inhibit their biting when playing.
Unfortunately, when humans attempt the same kind of games, using their hands, they often reinforce the highly excitable behaviour and encourage kittens to grow up, biting and scratching in the name of play with an intensity that can cause injury.
Play aggression is easily prevented by ensuring that human body parts never form part of any games with your cat. There are numerous toys on the market, many of which are attached to rods or sticks to enable easy manipulation from a distance.
Hands are then associated with gentle stroking, holding and feeding rather than predatory play. This will not teach your kitten new, acceptable ways to play. Many cats enjoy the sensation of being stroked since it is like being groomed by their mothers when they were tiny kittens. However, the adult cat has a strong instinctive survival mechanism and they can feel vulnerable to attack if they allow themselves to become too relaxed and comfortable.
They develop a sense of conflict between pleasure and potential danger and this can result in a sudden aggressive gesture to escape from the situation. Cats can often be seen running away a few steps and then stopping to groom their paw quickly as if they are rather embarrassed by the incident! Some cats will tolerate more stroking than others and this can be influenced by their experiences with humans when they were young kittens.
Any cat that displays this behaviour will provide strong signals beforehand to give you plenty of warning. For example, it will stop purring, visibly stiffen, start to thrash its tail from side to side and may even make a hissing sound.
If you stop stroking at the first sign you will probably not get bitten. Aggression can be used both offensively and defensively. When it is fear-based it is purely utilised as a survival strategy in circumstances when the cat feels vulnerable and in danger. Many cats deprived of early socialisation with humans will remain fearful in their presence and unwanted advances and attention can result in the use of aggression as a deterrent.
If the threat of aggression does not result in your withdrawal then, unfortunately, teeth and claws may then be employed to enable the cat to escape. There are occasions when it is possible for humans to become the victims of re-directed aggression in response to movement or touch. Owners often reassure their cats when they see them alarmed by the sight of another outside and pay the price as they become the victim of an attack. This emotional response can be so intense that all future contact with the owner can trigger a similar state of mind.
Your veterinarian will advise you if this occurs and refer you to a behaviour specialist. It is extremely distressing if a cat bites or scratches badly and when this happens the priority has to be safety and prevention of further injury.
Do not attempt to touch or approach the cat, particularly if it has remained highly aroused after the attack, e. Possible reasons include: Misguided Play Cats and kittens love to play, and they need to be taught what kind of play is acceptable and what kind is not. Fear When a cat is afraid or stressed out, they may attack just because they don't know what else to do.
You're the Prey Cats are hunters. Medical Issues If your typically docile cat is suddenly aggressive, there is a good chance that a medical issue is to blame. There Is Hope If you can pinpoint the cause of a cat suddenly attacking their owner, a resolution can often be found either on your own or with the help of a vet or animal behaviorist. Related Questions. Read More. Back to All Cat Questions. Have More Questions?
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