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In the last week I have had 3 people who had similar issues with their cat being aggressive. Aggression in cats is not a laughing matter, and there is usually a reason why. So let’s take a look on what could cause aggression issues and what we can do to help rectify the problem.
In these situations the first place to look is for medical issues. There are a variety of conditions that could make your cat not feel well and possible become aggressive. Pain is one of them; a reason that has a tendency to be overlooked. If you cat has arthritis, he could be painful and his way of telling you is to suddenly lash out at you when you pet him.
Certain metabolic diseases also cause the normally affectionate cat to become irritable and aggressive. Hyperthyroidism can make cats feel very anxious and uncomfortable while diabetes can make their back legs painful. These metabolic changes may make cats more prone to attacking their human companions or other pets in the house.
Your veterinarian will want to know the history of what provoked your cat to have these sudden bouts of aggression or if they have been slowly progressing over time. A through physical exam will help determine if the issue is medical or behavioral. A variety of diagnostics such as x-rays and blood work may be recommended in order to provide a reason for the aggression.
If it is determined that the issue is behavioral, a very through history is essential. One of our behavioral papers; “The House Soiling” questionnaire can be helpful to pinpoint triggers to the odd behavior. With the use of smart phones, capturing a video of the behavior can be extremely helpful in showing your veterinarian in real time of what your cat is doing.
There are many reasons that a cat may be aggressive. Some may be playing with you as if you were another cat (this tends to be rough housing, especially with your hands). Some cats may have petting induced aggression (where your cat tells you that they are done with the petting session in a not so nice way). Some cats may have displaced aggression(where they take the aggression out on you if you are closest to them in the area). Most cats when they are afraid will run for cover and protection. Most cats do not attack unless they are cornered.
Recognizing normal cat behavior is very important although it can be very challenging to think like a cat. First direct eye contact can be very challenging, so do not stare at your cat. Eye contact is important for humans, but as we all know too much eye contact can be intimidating. Humans are not equipped to understand what too much eye contact for a cat is. When cats blink, it is a smile. Shushing (shhhhh….) cats can also be considered an act of aggression because they may view that as a hiss. Also directly hissing back at a cat is never recommended and can be considered a challenge for a fight.
Determining the trigger will be essential to changing our human behaviors, so behavioral modification is a cornerstone of helping establish a happy human-feline relationship.
There are many tools to help decrease aggression, but never forgetting the understanding the trigger is essential. There are foods with calming agents. Royal Canin has Calm diet and Hill’s has c/d Stress.
Feliway is a pheromone that can assist in making the atmosphere in the home more comfortable. There are some over the counter agents that can be helpful, such as Anixtane, Sentry’s Calming Collar and Rescue Remedy. In some situations, pharmaceuticals are necessary to help ease the aggression.
In order the help a situation that is out of hand, it is essential to work with your veterinarian to help determine a cause and start a plan to help restore a happy home.