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AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR IN CATS

NERVOUS AND AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR IN CATS

By Tess Thompson

Although the treatment of pet aggression may involve practically similar procedures, there are basic differences between dog aggression and feline aggression. One of the most common forms of feline aggressions is actually termed as play aggression. It is seen mostly in younger cats up to two years.

Cats learn feline behaviors during the weaning period. The mother cat and other older members of the litter play an important role in this natural learning process. It is during this period that they understand to play, stalk, kill prey and most of all, explore and investigate new objects.

This is also the time that they learn that they should not bite hard enough to hurt. Cats that have not had the opportunity to socialize enough during the early period are most likely to become more nervous and indulge in aggressive behaviors, much to the annoyance of the owners.

Inherently, a cat gets accustomed to new surroundings easily. However, generations of breeding friendly cats has resulted in the suppression of the inherent feral trait of caution. This has led to a lack of self confidence in cats. Like most animals, cats are also wary of unfamiliar noises. The daily whirring sound of a vacuum cleaner can also lead to nervousness and fearful hiding. Nervousness limits her natural tendency to investigate the disturbance and get familiar to the noise.

There is also a fair amount of similarity between the causes of aggressive dog behavior and feline aggressive behavior. However, a cat is likely to exhibit behavior that is different from those that are shown by aggressive dogs. Fear in dogs may lead to dog biting but a cat is more likely to run away or hide or avoid fearful situations. If a cat has been chased by a large dog, it learns to avoid large dogs and run away from them at all times. Some cats take fear to the extreme and simply stop going outdoors.

Most forms of feline aggression are reactive and cats usually desist from proactive aggression. A cat may attack an intruder to protect her territory or give vent to pent-up energy or redirect aggression towards the family if it is unable to prey on a bird that she sees through the window. A cat may try to attack an occasional intruder but unprovoked aggression, especially towards humans, is a much less common behavior in cats than dogs.

A cat that usually enjoys stoking can become aggressive if it is in pain. Most cats enjoy stoking but due to a certain underlying condition it may become aggressive and rush and try to attack. Many cats have rheumatic hips and do not like to be stroked in that area. Cat owners may become aware of this only from experience. If your cat has suddenly become aggressive, look for signs of an abscess or a wound. These need medical attention before you try to do anything about her aggression.

Sometimes too much petting makes cats feel as if they are being handled by a larger predator and instead of continuing to enjoy petting suddenly turns around and attacks your hand.

Cats usually feel safe in high places as it provides them with a safe vantage point to watch and feel secure. Cats also respond well to food rewards, which is a pretty effective way of treating a fear factor. A cat is basically a predator and her sharp claws can do enough harm to delicate human skin. In no circumstances, should aggression be encouraged in cats.

References:

http://cats.about.com/cs/behavioralissues/a/bite_scrat_2.htm
http://messybeast.com/nervous.htm