Many cat lovers have difficulty in understanding why their cats are friendly and content one minute, and then suddenly bite and scratch them the next. Cat aggression resulting in bites and scratches are divided into different categories.
These are the most common types of cat aggression.
- Play Aggression
Play aggression often occurs when an unsuspecting owner comes down the stairs, rounds a corner, or even moves under the bedcovers and the cat pounces resulting in scratches or bites.
- "Don't Pet Me Anymore" Aggression
Petting, which the cat was previously enjoying, becomes unpleasant and the cat bites which is a signal to stop petting.
- Fearful and Defensive Aggression
Fearful cats display body postures like crouching on the floor, ears back, tails tucked and sometimes rolling slightly sideways. Cats in this posture are not submissive and may attack.
What can you do to get help with cat aggression issues?
First you should check with your veterinarian to make sure there is no medical cause for the aggressive behavior.
Cat aggression problems will not go away by themselves. You could get in-home help from an animal-behavior specialist.
You should never attempt to handle a fearful or aggressive cat, and punishing the cat will not help and can make the problem worse. If the aggression is motivated by fear, punishment will make the cat more fearful and, therefore, more aggressive.
Cat Aggression
