Sudden display of aggression in a cat. What is the reason and how to deal with it? Aggression in cats. What breeders are silent about

A cat may attack a person if it perceives him as a playmate or a source of danger. You should be engaged in raising the animal, provide the pet with a sufficient number of toys and a place to play. In order to prevent aggression from the cat, it is necessary to pay attention to destructive behavior in a timely manner and eliminate the causes that caused it. You should know which factors can cause a hostile reaction in a cat.

Why did the cat start to show aggression?

Often a person causes aggression in a pet, but does not attach any importance to this. For example, there are cats that react negatively to small children. If a cat hisses at the sight of a child, but he still continues to stroke and squeeze her, do not be surprised that in the end the matter will end in a conflict.

Aggression in an animal is always caused by the influence of certain factors. These may be the features of upbringing, the specifics of the breed, etc. You can correct the behavior of the animal by determining the origin of such behavior. The reasons why most often the cat attacks the owner:

1. 1. Cats with a complex character by nature. Siamese, Angora and Russian Blues are known for their difficult nature. They are very jealous, can choose only one owner for themselves and do not accept strangers, whether they are other people or animals. Siamese cats especially often show aggression, they can fiercely protect what belongs to them from strangers. They are unlikely to succumb to dressure. If such a cat lives with friends in the house, you need to behave with it very carefully, do not try to touch its toys, move the tray or rearrange the bed. At best, the pet will begin to hiss strongly and may scratch. In the worst case, the cat can tear everything it can reach with its claws. There are cases when people had to be hospitalized after the attack of a Siamese cat.
2. 2. Difficult past. Sometimes people pick up a kitten or an adult cat from the street and decide to keep it for themselves. If the previous owners beat the pet or mocked him, this leaves an indelible mark on the feline psyche and may not go away even after a long time of rehabilitation under normal conditions. The animal will perceive the person as a potential source of danger. The behavior of the cat in this case is unpredictable.
3. 3. Aggression of a cat during the appearance of offspring. This type of aggression is aimed at protecting kittens from danger. In the first weeks after breeding, females that have hatched react negatively to strangers and animals. At the same time, it is very difficult to scare away or drive away a cat that protects offspring. As soon as the kittens grow up to a month, the aggression will disappear on its own. Until this moment, it is better not to approach the cat with offspring and keep other pets and curious acquaintances away from it.
4. 4. Wrong accustoming to games. In some cases, the owners take the kitten into the house and use their own hands as a toy for him, because it looks very cute. Few people think about the fact that the animal is growing, its milk teeth are replaced by sharper and stronger ones, the paws become stronger. Therefore, a grip with claws will be very painful, there is a high risk of serious injury. If a kitten in childhood is used to throwing himself on his hands and feet, with age this habit will take root even more and it is quite difficult to get rid of it.
5. 5. Early weaning from the mother. This type of aggression is most common among foundlings, who are weaned from the female at an early age of two or even one month. Kittens find it difficult to adapt to the environment, they are tense with new owners and other animals, seeing them as a direct threat to themselves. This goes away with time, when the cat gets used to the environment and realizes that nothing threatens her.
6. 6. Redirecting aggression. It happens if you distract the cat from its direct rival. You can not interfere in the fight of street cats. Animals can attack an uninvited helper together. Even some time after the fight, the cat is on edge, attempts to interact with it can lead to an attack on a person.
7. 7. Overexcitement. This happens when a cat is under stress for a long time, but the owner does not notice it. The cause of dissatisfaction can be both touching the toys of the animal, and discomfort when touching certain parts of the body. Most often, cats do not like touching the stomach and armpits.
8. 8. Fight for territory. This form of aggression is most familiar to people who own multiple pets. The cat begins to behave aggressively if it claims to be the main role in the house, arranges a fight when another animal tries to touch its bowl or sleep on its couch. If there are no other animals in the house, the cat will begin to compete for a place under the sun and with the owners. Children are the most attacked, as they are the weakest members of the family or people previously unfamiliar to the cat. It is noticed that most often cats attack women, and cats attack men. Some people argue that neutering solves this, but there are cases where even a neutered animal has put up a fight to defend territory.
9. 9. Fear. This is a normal condition for a cat when she feels a threat to her life and health. Degrees of fright can range from mild to very severe. In total, there are four degrees of fear: mild, medium, severe and very severe. Light is rather transient, it caused a sharp change in the situation or a new animal in the house. The animal just restlessly walks around the room, sniffing corners and objects. Fear at this stage is stopped and does not bring devastating consequences. In the middle stage, the pet tends to shrink, turn into a lump in order to become smaller and not attract attention to itself. In a severe stage, the cat begins to attack the source of the threat. At this moment, you can’t touch her or try to calm her down, you need to remove the irritant if possible and leave the room yourself for a while. A very difficult stage is dangerous for the pet itself and for everyone around. The animal completely loses control over itself, its actions and behavior are unpredictable. It is strictly forbidden to touch and call the animal, it is necessary to throw a blanket over the cat and quickly leave the room. Do not enter until the animal is calm.

Ways to solve the problem

Pedigree cats, like cats with a difficult past, are not amenable to education. Aggression towards strangers and animals is considered a feature of their breed, which has been formed over a long time. Good Siamese are the exception rather than the rule. You need to think in advance whether the family can get along with such an animal and find an approach to its character. It is not recommended to take such a cat into a house with children.

Females with kittens are calm, but you should not disturb them for at least the first two weeks, so as not to ignite a conflict. By itself, the cat will not attack. If, when approaching a nest with kittens, the animal behaves restlessly, you need to slowly move back. In this case, it is necessary to show open palms and not turn your back to the cat. It is better to move on bent knees in order to appear shorter.

If two cats come across on the street that have entered into a fight between themselves or are close to it, it is better not to interfere and walk past. If your pet can suffer in a fight, you need to observe the behavior of the animals and find out which of them became the aggressor. It must be gently and firmly grasped by the scruff of the neck and held firmly for a while. In nature, cats show their superiority over their rival. In no case should you just pull the fighters apart or pour water on them, as this will irritate them even more. They may not forget about each other, and if they do, then both will switch to the one who tried to interfere with them.

It is necessary to carefully observe the behavior of the cat and learn to understand her signals that she tries to send to the owner when she does not like something. Hissing, meowing, purring, flattened ears, twitching tail and rearing coat are direct indicators that the animal does not like something and demands to be left alone. The reason for this is that the cat hurts the place that the owner touched, or she is simply not in the mood to perceive affection.

From childhood, an animal should be taught that the human body and furniture in the house are not a toy. To entertain your pet, you can buy balls, laser pointers or fur mice at the pet store. If there is a desire and free time, you can make a toy yourself at home. The right approach to raising a kitten during games will save not only the hands of the owner, but also the furniture in the apartment and the safety of the belongings of those who come to visit. The most common signs of a poorly bred animal are attempts to pounce on the owner, the habit of sharpening claws on furniture or interior items.

The struggle for territory is inevitable, especially in mature animals that have not undergone a sterilization procedure. They fight for their place to sleep, for a bowl of food and the attention of the owner. The only way to stop this is to show who is in charge in the house and keep a close eye on order. The cat should not throw itself at the owner if he decides to fix her tray or remove the bowl of half-eaten food. In no case should a cat be beaten hard for misconduct, then it will simply become embittered and begin to see the number one enemy in the owner. You can use a roll of newspaper and lightly pat the cat on the back, accompanying this with a voice command. In no case is it recommended to use your hands for spanking, because, as in the case of games, the animal will begin to bite and scratch them when trying to stroke it.

It is very difficult to calm a cat during attacks of fear, especially during the last stage. In the first two stages, this can be done if you caress the animal, show him your support, hug him. In the last two stages, only the complete isolation of the animal from the environment in a room or in a closed carrier will help, until the animal is completely calm. Isolation should last from twenty minutes to one hour.

Cats are very sensitive creatures with a subtle psychology, therefore their behavior is significantly influenced by external factors, especially such strong emotions as fear.

A cat that is afraid of something takes a characteristic pose - it tightly presses its ears to its head and takes them back, presses its head and body to the ground, tries to become more inconspicuous, in many cases the animal simply tries to run away.

If it does not run away, then it tries to defend itself. A cat that is ready for defense looks like this - it raises its paws and swings them, makes sounds like spitting, hisses, its hair stands on end (especially on the tail, head and back), its back arches and the animal moves sideways forward, so a cat tries to show his superiority (in terms of size as well), to intimidate the enemy.

It is fear in most cases that is the main cause of cat aggression. If your pet is shy, in no case should you provoke fear on purpose, you also need to ask friends and acquaintances to approach the animal slowly, not abruptly, and say affectionate words at the same time. Only in this way is neutralized possible aggression on his part.

If the cat is ready to attack, aggressively tuned, you can puff her with water from a spray bottle, this will cool her ardor. If an animal scratches a smooth surface out of hopelessness, it means that it has lost control over the situation. In this case, you need to put some kind of rug for the cat so that she can sharpen her claws on it, or wrap it in a warm cloth - this way the cat will calm down faster.

Another reason for cat aggression is territory defense. If several animals live in your house, especially if you are the owner of several cats who have reached puberty, they may begin to fight for leadership. To prevent this, introduce the cats correctly in the early days.

The animal that lived with you before should definitely receive more attention - so it does not feel threatened and does not become jealous. As a rule, cats that live together eat from the same bowls and use the same litter box, but this can lead to aggression. Cat utensils should be separated as soon as you notice that the animals defiantly avoid the litter box or fight at the bowls.

Different smells of animals can cause them to fight, so the manifestation of aggression of one pet to another can be reduced by bathing them with the same shampoo or spraying them with the same cologne.

Neutered cats tend to be less aggressive, even bitter enemies can be reconciled. But it is better to castrate animals at the age of seven months to 1 year, until they have acquired the habit of showing aggression and marking territory.

Often those who keep cats confuse their bites with aggression. Small kittens may bite you because their jaws itch (due to teething). Invite them to gnaw bones, but only those that they will not gnaw, or large pieces of meat. In no case do not give bones from small animals and birds, chicken bones, as kittens can chew them, which will lead to damage to the gastrointestinal tract.

Often, when the owner tries to stroke his pet, he may begin to bite, especially if you want to scratch the cat's tummy (the belly for cats is the most vulnerable spot, if the animal allows you to scratch the tummy, then it is subordinate to you, completely trusts you). However, this does not always mean that the cat is aggressive, most likely, your pet is simply not in the mood for communication at the moment, or she does not like your caress.

In no case should you beat cats that show aggression - this will only aggravate the situation. If possible, you need to eliminate the cause of aggression, cool the ardor of the animal with a stream of water.

The following method may also help. You have probably seen how cats behave during fights (waving their paws at each other, hissing) or mother cats with their children (beating them and holding them by the withers). You have to do it yourself - lightly shake the animal by the scruff of the neck, lightly tap it with your finger on the nose, imitate the waving of cats paws during a fight, hiss menacingly at it and be sure to look the cat in the eye, because the one who first looks away will “lose” - those are the cat's "rules". You must ensure that your pet looks away, he becomes somewhat confused, starts to wrinkle, may start to leave or lick himself - this all means that the animal has recognized you as a leader.

Any cat owner knows how unpleasant it is when a pet starts to hiss, or even scratch. Alas, cat owners often face aggression. Such behavior cannot be ignored, because it can lead to serious consequences.

If the cat has begun to behave aggressively, it is worth making sure that she has access to food, water and a toilet. You should also visit a veterinarian, since aggression often occurs due to endocrine disorders, dental problems and CNS lesions. Otherwise, it is worth studying the behavior of the fluffy in more detail.

Aggression directed at a person

Cats very often behave aggressively due to certain human actions. The cause may be fear, dissatisfaction, or predatory behavior.

If a kitten is not accustomed to human society from childhood, then an adult animal will be afraid of touching, which is fraught with aggression. The cat will learn that hissing and attacking helps keep the person at bay. To avoid this, do not punish your pet or try to calm him down.

Frustration is unmet need. In this case, the usually cute kitty periodically behaves like a cruel animal, but as soon as she calms down or gets what she wants, she turns into a cute fluffy.

When the cat does not have the opportunity to hunt, she begins to attack toys. Some pets flirt and begin to seriously react to the legs or hands of the owner. You should not play with a cat like that if you do not want to get injured or turn your pet into an aggressive predator.

Aggression directed at other cats

Between cats, aggression often occurs in such situations:

• competition for resources;
• the arrival of a new cat;
• the absence of one of the cats for some time.

In cats living in the neighborhood, aggressive behavior is explained by the appearance of a newcomer, as well as the presence of unneutered cats and cats that have entered estrus.

What to do?

As soon as the cat for the first time in all seriousness demonstrated teeth or claws, the following measures should be taken:

• stop reacting to the behavior of the pet;
• do not provoke the animal by playing with your fingers;
• isolate the aggressive cat;
• avoid situations that provoke aggression.

Unfortunately, cats often behave aggressively not because of their bad temper, but because of diseases or severe pain. It's hard to tell for sure if something is bothering your pet. If the above preventive measures do not help, you should visit a veterinarian. Moreover, in some cases, drug therapy will be required to help the animal get rid of fear or anxiety.

You can not specifically frighten those cats that are afraid of any rustle. With such an animal, you need to be treated very affectionately and gently. If the cat is ready to attack, it is worth directing a jet of water at it, this will help to avoid the attack. Some animals sometimes lose control. In this case, you should offer your pet a scratching post or wrap the fluffy in a warm towel. This will calm the cat and put her in a peaceful mood.

If there are several animals in the house, it is worth developing a whole strategy. A new animal needs to be kept in a separate room for several days so that the old-timer gets used to the smell. Of course, the new cat will also be uncomfortable, so it needs to be released for several hours, locking the second animal in one of the rooms. In addition, be sure to put a few bowls and trays.

Still can't handle cat aggression? Go to the vet. An experienced specialist will definitely help!

Aggression can be dangerous - not only for the victim, but also for the one who shows it. Since cats generally prefer to avoid confrontation, a show of aggression means they feel cornered.
In order to avoid a real physical collision, cats give a lot of signs to others. Using their body, they can communicate that they are, for example, much larger than they actually are, that they are a dangerous opponent and have simply been confused with an ordinary cat. And sometimes, on the contrary, they try to show that they do not pose a threat at all, that they are small, shrink into a ball and try to merge with the environment. When body language and other signals fail to stop the perceived threat, only then do cats resort to retaliatory aggressive behavior.
Cats are not aggressive just for the sake of aggression. There are various reasons behind aggressive behavior. You must determine the root cause of the behavior in order to work on correcting the problem.

The first and very important step in dealing with aggression, or any other change in your cat's behavior, is to see a veterinarian to rule out any underlying medical causes. This is a very important step that should not be skipped or you will only be torturing your cat by trying to correct her behavior while she is in pain or feeling unwell.
Aggression is a serious danger, because if it manifests itself, other animals or people can be seriously injured and something will have to be done about it anyway. Remember - first the veterinarian, then the animal behaviorist or your parenting efforts, in that order you need to work. By doing nothing, you will only aggravate the situation, because without understanding the reasons for the cat’s behavior, you can hold a grudge against her or even punish her physically, which will lead to aggravation of her condition.
Although there is one way to deal with an aggressive cat, to not deal with it at all - just leave it alone.
The following are some common causes of aggression:

Intraspecific aggression (directed from cat to cat)
This happens when two or more cats are at odds with each other. This may be the result of a meeting between two cats who have just seen each other in an open environment - cats that challenge each other for status or territory, or as a result of a person bringing a new cat into the environment of an existing cat, i.e. to themselves. home.
Intraspecific aggression can occur between unfamiliar cats or those that have previously been on good terms. In the case of peace and friendship between cats for a certain time, something can provoke sudden aggression. Intraspecific aggression can also be the result of redirected aggression. The method of dealing with this type of aggression will depend on the cause.

Redirected aggression.
This happens when a cat becomes aggressive because she has seen or heard some kind of stimulus that she cannot access to vent her aggression on it. A typical example is when a domestic cat sees an unfamiliar cat in the yard. She cannot get to a cat that is outside and engage in a battle with her for territory, then she attacks the closest pet or person to her, that is, the one to whom she has access .. although this creature is absolutely nothing to her didn't. She simply vents her aggression and irritability in this way. This type of aggression is very characteristic of easily excitable cats, for example, cats of oriental breeds.
Redirected aggression is easy to diagnose because you can never see the actual source of a cat's aggression, meaning cats start fighting out of the blue. A cat can remain reactive for quite a long time. Also, depending on the severity of the aggressive encounter, cats may remain hostile towards each other long after the initial episode.
Temporary safe separation of cats is usually the best way to avoid making the situation worse.

Aggression during petting.
This is the kind of aggression that comes out when you caress and stroke your cat. Many owners think that this aggression appears out of the blue, but in reality, the cat usually gives a lot of warning signs before the attack. The problem is that people don't always pay attention to cat signals until it's too late.
This type of aggression is shown when you pet your cat and she suddenly lashes out and either bites or scratches you. This can happen when you pet a cat where it doesn't like it, when it violates her personal space, or when the cat gets too excited from your caresses. It can also happen when you start petting areas of the cat's body that are not acceptable from a feline point of view.
Cats will usually give you signs before attacking, such as wagging their tail, wagging their tail, stopping purring, twitching their skin, changing body position, meowing, or twitching their ears.
To avoid petting aggression, pay attention to your cat's body and the signals it gives you to know its tolerance level so you can stay well below its tolerance limit.

Aggression caused by fear.
In principle, all types of aggression originate in fear. An aggressive cat is a cornered cat that doesn't feel supported and has no choice but to attack.
Veterinarians are the ones who often see cats in a state of aggression caused by fear. The cat lies on the examination table with its tail between its legs and curled up into a tight ball. She is terrified and tries to appear as small as possible. She asks to be left alone, but of course she can't be left alone during the veterinary examination. As a result, she feels like she has no chance of getting out except to strike.
If the fear is strong enough, the cat may also urinate, defecate, or spit out the contents of its anal glands.
If your cat is aggressive out of fear, you should not interact with her for a while, it is best to leave her alone and provide her with shelter and safety until she calms down or lowers her fear level. You also need to understand what triggers her fear.
Of course, not communicating with a shy cat forever is not an option, so in the future you will have to make a lot of efforts to socialize her and you need to do this very carefully.

Game related aggression.
It's not uncommon for an unsuspecting owner's ankle to become the victim of a cat's aggressive play. Often such situations occur when a small lonely kitten is found all alone in the middle of the street or when the kitten is taken from the litter too early (up to three months). Early weaning of kittens from the family can give rise to this type of aggression because kittens have been denied the social play that occurs during their growing up next to their mother and siblings.
This type of aggression is usually easy to fix with interactive toys. Never, REMEMBER, NEVER use your hands as toys! You must teach a cat that bites your hands or other body parts that this can lead to an abrupt end to a fun game.

Territorial aggression
This is one of the reasons for intraspecific aggression between cats. In the open world, territorial aggression is actually very common. It can range from hissing and assuming intimidating poses to all-out bloody war.
Territorial aggression can be directed at anyone - a person, a cat or a dog - although it is usually directed at other cats. Uncastrated animals of the same sex living in the same closed area will show territorial aggression in most cases. Therefore, it will be problematic to keep two sexually mature males in a small apartment, because this will most likely lead to a life in constant war mode.
Territorial aggression can also occur between long-time peaceful and loving cats when one of them returns from the vet and is covered in an unfamiliar scent. Cats use scent and scent to recognize members of their pride and when one of the cats returns and does not smell like the rest of the pride, she may become a victim of territorial aggression, she will simply be mistaken for a stranger. I know cases when cats also did not want to take back home one of the owners who came from a long business trip.
Dealing with this type of aggression will depend on the underlying reason that motivates your cats to fight for spheres of influence.

Aggression caused by pain.
This can happen if you stroke or touch your cat where it hurts, or if you inadvertently hurt your cat (for example, by stepping on its paw). This is just one of the many reasons why physical punishment is not an effective teaching method.
This type of aggression can occur if a child pulls on the cat's tail, or if the kitten is treated too roughly. You can also see this type of aggression in older cats who develop arthritis and get very hurt when they are not handled gently enough.

Unprovoked aggression
This is the kind of aggression that occurs for no reason that you or your veterinarian can determine. In this rare case, the cause is most likely a mental disorder. But before talking about such a serious cause of aggression in a cat, you need to make sure in many ways, and first of all in its hormonal background .. that the animal is castrated. Often redirected aggression is misdiagnosed as unprovoked aggression. Before diagnosing unprovoked aggression, it is important to rule out medical causes and all other possible causes of aggression.

maternal aggression
A mother cat may become aggressive if she feels her kittens are in danger. It may show aggression towards humans or other animals in the environment. It is best not to disturb the mother cat once again. Make sure she has a safe and secure place so she doesn't feel like her family is in danger. During the first two weeks of a kitten's life, communication with you and with other animals in the house should be limited, so that the mother is sure that no one threatens her babies.

Sudden fits of rage in previously calm and affectionate pets often lead the owners into a stupor, leaving the question of the reasons for the cardinal change in behavior in the cat. Before proceeding to the analysis of aggression in cats and the attitudes on which it is based, we will understand the basics of feline behavior.

It is difficult for a person to understand a cat when he is alert, hisses for no apparent reason, looks at the wall for a long time, without taking his eyes off. And how many fantastic theories have been invented on the topic that pets are in contact with the world of the dead, periodically communicating with ghosts, and it is difficult to count. One thing is clear: despite the fact that we see our pets every day, much of their behavior remains a deep mystery to us.

In general terms, the solution is quite simple. Cats remain predators regardless of whether they live in Siberian forests or in a two-room apartment. Predators have certain genetic "programs" - behavioral settings that the animal shows regardless of the circumstances. For example, shepherd dog puppies bite the owner's leg because their ancestors herded cattle in this way for generations.

Cat and man: friends or enemies?

If you think that by giving your pet a roof over his head and absolute security, you will save him from all anxieties, stresses and fears, then you are making a mistake. In the conditions of endless food supplies, a “self-cleaning” tray and an owner located near the pet, the cat does not stop fighting for survival.

It is difficult to give an unambiguous answer to the question of what relationship connects a cat and a person.

A common misconception is the belief that the cat sees in the owner a patron or a good friend. Depending on the circumstances, the pet may perceive you as a rival, a terrible pursuer, and even an enemy. In some cases, he may even claim patron status himself, bringing you dead mice and taking care of your diet.

It would be incorrect to deny the socialization of a cat that has been living side by side with a person for more than a century. Of course, the pet gets used to his owner, whom he sees every day. He remembers those family members who treat him better and has positive feelings for them in return. He perfectly recognizes strangers and, as a rule, is in no hurry to make contact with them.

However, if you discard the veil of sentimentality, then it will be easy to find that all the attachment of felines to the owner sometimes quickly evaporates if there is a chance to escape. Not in all situations, the pet takes advantage of this opportunity, but such escapes into the wild are by no means rare.

At the same time, the Internet is full of videos in which an enthusiastic pet runs to greet the owner who has come and throws himself on his neck with a rumbling. Isn't this proof of great love? Let's understand the contradictory feline behavior.

Features of cat aggression

It is well known that cats are not the type of animal that will show aggression for the sake of aggression itself. Even the most severe feline predators will prefer retreat in any confrontation. From this we can conclude that in most episodes, aggression is caused either by the owner himself, or by circumstances that disturb the cat.

At this point, confusion may arise. You gave your pet all the best, stroked, fed, carried it in your arms, and in response, it swings its claws. Plus, you're the one to blame. Where is the justice?

As already mentioned, each pet has certain behavioral patterns, certain reactions that it gives out to certain stimuli. If you seem potentially dangerous to him, the cat will forget about everything that you have done for him and turn on the instinct of self-preservation. For example, with a lack of shelter hidden from prying eyes, the cat may begin to experience stress and show increased aggression in seemingly safe conditions.

Manifestations of aggression

Let us dwell on the characteristic external manifestations of aggression, well known to all owners:

1. Convulsive twitching of the tail, tapping it on the floor.
2. Muscular twitching in the back.
3. Sudden change of posture, unnatural arching.
4. Acoustic alerts - loud meowing, hissing.
5. Enhanced stimulus avoidance.
6. Unexpected scratching of the legs under the table;
7. A sharp jump out of cover on a person.
8. Waving the front paws.

All these changes in the pet can be called signals that he gives to the owner before the attack. What for? To peacefully resolve the situation. In the event that the owner turns out to be sensitive and listens to the “message” of the pet, the cat’s aggression will gradually come to naught.

Advance warning of your displeasure is an essential feline trait.

It is important to remember that an attack of aggression never comes suddenly, out of context (with rare exceptions). In order for the cat to take action, the owner must skip a series of warnings. Sometimes it can be very difficult to understand what exactly the cat did not like. The following list of the most common "grievances" of a four-legged friend will help clear up the dilemma.

Intraspecific aggression

Sometimes we hear under the windows squeals of cats clinging to each other, ready to make any sacrifices to defeat the opponent. After such fights, doubts begin about the prevalence of peaceful solutions to the conflict over confrontation in felines. But not everything is so simple.

The rivalry between cats is not at all due to "harmfulness", but due to the realization of a number of instincts

The struggle of cats that find themselves in the same territory is directly related to the instinct of self-preservation. A defeated cat risks being expelled, left to its own devices. Why do these animals pull out each other's hair?

First, every fight is a matter of status. Being in the last positions in the hierarchy is more expensive for yourself. Secondly, the outcome of the collision will directly affect the future territory of the cat. In cat fights, the stakes are always high, and it doesn't matter if it's for a piece of forest for hunting or for a cozy corner by the stove. Territorial aggression can also manifest itself in relation to a stray cat, with which your pet is playing a tense game of “staring”.

By the way! In addition to direct collisions, animal aggression towards each other can manifest itself indirectly. For example, by marking the territory by spraying urine.

Reasons for aggression

Among the situations in which aggression occurs between cats within the same house, the following are most common:

• the appearance of a new pet in the family;
• competition for limited resources (food, resting place, owner's love, tray);
• a long absence of a previously familiar pet.

Reasons for confrontation can be very different - from the master's attention to your own tray

From this we can conclude that intraspecific aggression can occur both between unfamiliar animals and between animals that have lived under the same roof for years. Sometimes even a long absence of a pet is not necessary - cats who lived in perfect harmony can suddenly cling to each other for the owner.

What can the owner do?

In intraspecific skirmishes, the role of the host is minimal, therefore he can not always influence reconciliation. Collisions can escalate during periods of hormonal surges and pass by themselves.

In extreme cases of rejection, it makes sense to consider moving one of the pets to a safer place. It is also advised to take into account the size of your house and the distribution of active zones for each of the cats. The less space you have, the fewer pets you should have to avoid competition.

You can effectively reduce the level of aggression with the help of castration, after which it will be easier to calm the pet. However, for those who plan to raise a cat dynasty, this method is hardly suitable.

Redirected Aggression

This type of aggression is very difficult to recognize, since it requires a good knowledge of the nature of the pet and an analysis of its behavior. The meaning of redirected aggression is to move the reaction from a stimulus that is not available to the pet to an intermediary object that costs nothing to reach.

Many owners have noticed with what participation the cat watches the birds sitting on the branches and flying away. Sometimes the pet even makes typical hunting movements - swings its paw, bounces. It seems that he is all in the process of chasing ... imaginary birds. The window makes it impossible to realize the hunting instincts of the cat and leaves him in a state of frustration.

Often the reason for aggression is what is happening outside the window, whether it is a missed bird or an unbeaten neighbor's cat.

A similar scenario is also realized if your pet sees a cat in the yard with which he wants to settle scores. The need for detente does not disappear, and here, very opportunely, the owner turns up, in whose leg the four-legged friend clings. Such a "consolation prize" can be another animal in the house, and wallpaper, and sofa upholstery. In this situation, it is easy to see how territorial and redirected aggression are intertwined.

What can the owner do?

The only thing the owner can do is to understand and forgive his pet. Home conditions inevitably involve daily portions of "frustration", which cats put up with as much as possible.

What can we say, redirected aggression in a slightly modified form is also characteristic of humans. The very need for relaxation is extremely important - if the owner begins to respond with aggression to aggression, the cat will fall into a depressed state.

Important! Redirected aggression is most often confused with gratuitous aggression. The consequences of such promiscuity can be disappointing - up to the appointment of tranquilizers for the cat, which he does not need. Remember that cases of gratuitous aggression are very rare compared to redirected aggression.

Aggression during petting

One of the most mysterious types of aggression, noticed by all owners, is the aggression shown at the moment of the pet's real bliss. Here he sits on your lap, you comb him or stroke him behind the ear, the cat purrs and has a great time. But in the next seconds, his mood changes dramatically. He calms down, jumps up, hisses and strives to bite the owner who has come in peace.

From rumbling to attack - one step

The main difficulty of such incidents is that the cat will not say “enough” in human language. But if we try to take the place of a cat, we will easily understand that all petting is good in moderation. It is reasonable for the owner to ask himself the question: “Do I know this measure in relation to my pet?”.

Of course, there are no general guidelines or advice on when it is desirable to stop squeezing your pet. The need for tactile proximity in all animals is different. The simplest indicator that the cat has received everything it needs from you is the fading of the purr. But some pets do not purr at all, so this sign cannot be universal.

There may be several reasons for a sharp change in mood, but most often they can be divided into three groups, related to each other:

• the owner touched one of the "forbidden zones" on the cat's body, which no one is allowed to touch. The fact that not all parts of the cat's body are accessible to the owner has been ironically played up more than once. But even from comic sketches on this topic and from personal experience, one can conclude that “taboo”, as a rule, are paws, tail and (most often) the stomach;
• the owner did everything right, but did not show moderation. Too intense strokes can lead to overexcitation of the pet, which is physiologically assessed as something unpleasant. Such unpleasant moments can only be prevented by the owner’s understanding of the message “enough” from the cat’s side;
• the owner made no mistakes, but still got it. In rare cases, cats may have congenital tactile hypersensitivity, in which they themselves cannot calculate their “measure” of tenderness in advance.

Often, after a fit of anger, cats go to a secluded place and begin to bring beauty. Such behavior in scientific language is called "grooming" and aims to cope with aggression, redirecting it into a creative direction.

What can the owner do?

All breeds are individual, moreover, all cats are individual. The predisposition to weasels varies from one individual to another. It is up to you to listen to unambiguous hints that your cat has had enough of the attention given to him and does not ask for supplements.

Recognizing the cat's "no" will help the owner keep the arms and legs intact

Some breeds, for example, eastern ones, are more cool about manifestations of tenderness. Some cats can generally do without it and live in peace. The owner can only accept the fact that tenderness towards a pet is far from always a joy. The sooner you leave the myth about the cat as a purring touching lump, the easier it is to establish contact with your domesticated predator.

By the way! In the category of "touchy" you can safely write down the nature of wild cats, which are acquired by people who want to dilute their lives with exotics. These owners sometimes do not realize the difficulties that accompany life with the same animals. Forest, desert cats, manuls are not used to the human hand and do not feel the need for caresses. About the specifics of keeping wild and can be read on our portal.

Aggression based on fear

Every owner who once took a cat to the veterinarian has experienced symptoms of this type of aggression. The pet spreads its paws, shows fangs, hisses. At any opportunity, he strives to slip out of the hands of a specialist and hide in a safe place. In the worst cases, it flies around the office, sweeping away everything in its path. In the heat of passion, cats are capable of any miracles of acrobatics.

Similar behavioral attitudes can manifest themselves when meeting strangers, and when riding in a car or public transport. Aggression caused by a sense of fear is manifested in all cats, even the most sociable. But its severity and frequency of occurrence depends on the living conditions of the pet.

Prerequisites

The foundation on which the feeling of fear will be based in the future is laid at an early age. It is believed that the kitten must spend the first months (preferably three months) next to his mother in order to satisfy his need for security.

An early weaned kitten is more likely to have trust issues with anyone. This is especially true for kittens found on the street, who had to face fear, the threat of death and loneliness directly.

Wild or stray cats that have grown up without knowing human love are also at risk. Getting used to human hands happens to a kitten either in the first two months of life, or never happens. Of course, even adult cats gradually accept their permanent owners, but continue to treat them with great suspicion.

Reactive and preventive installations

If in domesticated cats, aggression is more rational (it is a response to annoying stimuli), then in conditionally “wild” cats, aggression becomes the basic mechanism of interaction. Every living being is fraught with potential danger for them. Summarizing, we can attribute manifestations of aggression to two fundamental behavioral attitudes:

• the rocket launcher involves the mobilization of the cat if necessary. Aggression is a response given to a cat's life-threatening stimulus;
• the preventive setting determines the behavior of the cat as a whole. Aggression as a learned scheme of communication with the enemy, which is everyone, regardless of the real degree of threat.

What can the owner do?

The best thing the owner can do in such emergency situations is not to do anything that he would like to do. Namely - you should not immediately try to calm and reason with the animal, take it in your arms. Fear is a strong affective state, therefore the best solution would be to allow the affect to take place and outlive itself.

The right decision in case of an affect that has gripped a cat is to wait it out in conditions that are comfortable for the pet.

The more active your calming actions are, the more reasons the cat will have to suspect the source of danger in you. Let the pet hide in any secluded place that he likes, and wait out all the panic manifestations there.

During acute fear attacks, you can help the animal by covering it with a box or wrapping it in a thick blanket to keep the irritant causing the acute reaction out of sight. In a box or under a cloth, the cat will feel protected and will recover faster, regaining strength after an adrenaline rush.

If possible, it is advised to avoid touching the cat at such moments - they will provoke an attack of aggression

Important! All your actions aimed at calming the cat should be as smooth and careful as possible. Any abrupt or awkward action can provoke a new aggressive outburst of the pet.

Gaming related aggression

Sometimes our pets begin to behave in the most bizarre way - they jump out of hiding and rush to the discouraged owner. Once the prankster has been spotted, he hurries out of sight again to repeat his triumphant attack.

Comparison of strength during the game is clearly not the prerogative of cats

In some cases, jumping out is accompanied by a harmless scratching of the host's legs, which does not leave wounds. But sometimes such antics can leave behind bloody marks on the owner who remains bewildered. Among the most harmless flirting, the following can be distinguished:

• gentle biting of the owner's legs or hands;
• quick run back and forth;
• light paw paw;
• attempts to jump to the hands of the owner.

It would seem that the pet was not scared, upset, worried about something. Didn't feel thirsty or hungry. On the contrary, the stereotyped actions were more like an abstract game of tag. But at a certain moment they were supplemented by excessive aggressiveness, which is not characteristic of the game.

To understand such behavior, one should again turn to the possible problematic childhood of a pet, in which the basics of its mental constitution are laid. Many of us have witnessed the touching games of kittens jumping on each other, biting their comrades by the tail and so on.

From the outside, all these actions look harmless, but their instinctive background leaves no doubt - we have young hunters in front of us. In the strict sense of the word, the relationship between kittens cannot be called a game. It would be more accurate to call it the preparatory phase, during which the assimilation of the elements of predatory behavior occurs, which is normally realized as they grow older. At the right moment, skills acquired during the "game" are redirected to loot.

If something goes wrong and for some reason the kitten is separated from its mother and its brothers and sisters, it fails to fix the boundary between the "game" and the full-fledged behavior of a predator. Cats that gain independence too early are literally “stuck in childhood,” unable to complete this stage correctly.

Remember that proper placement of boundaries between you and your pet is the key to a good relationship.

As a result, the owner gets what he gets - a syncretic game behavior, fraught with unrealized hunting attitudes. Since the pet does not feel the line between the first and second types of behavior, it can move from innocent flirting and foolishness to quite serious combat manipulations without noticing it. Hunting instincts sooner or later will make themselves felt at inopportune moments, unexpected for the cat himself, when he "flirts".

Usually, behind all flirting there is one goal - to attract the attention of the owner. But since the cat cannot spend its energy resources for its intended purpose, their excess can be expressed in the absence of a sense of proportion.

Video - British kitten games

What can the owner do?

Since a cat comes in peace by flirting with you, the best option is to satisfy his need for play. For such cases, it is desirable to have several toys in the house that serve as prey simulators.

They should be easy and safe to gnaw, throw, scratch with claws. In a word, you need to try to create conditions that are as close as possible to the conditions of hunting, which your pet lacks so much.

Important! Do not use your own arms or legs as bait while playing unless you want your pet to occasionally hunt parts of your body. The sooner the boundary between the cat and you is marked, the better it will be for your limbs.

maternal aggression

The behavior of a cat after childbirth can vary from absolute indifference to kittens to excessive alertness and outbursts of aggression towards anyone who comes close to her "nest". Even the owners will not escape the cat's righteous wrath if they violate the boundaries.

The postpartum period is full of worries and fears for new mothers - show them understanding

The reason for the changes that have occurred is the changed hormonal background of the pet. It should be borne in mind that the behavior of a cat can change both before and after childbirth. Before getting kittens, it is advisable for the owners to imagine what changes in life they will face.

Even during pregnancy, the cat will inspect the territory of your house for the successful location of the nest with future cubs. After their birth, the mother will protect this territory with all the frenzy that is in it. Therefore, it is not uncommon for the owners, having violated the “forbidden” boundaries, to find themselves under the gun of an aggressive mother, ready to make a sieve out of everyone who passes for an enemy.

This type of aggression in the vast majority of cases does not need correction. Through such sometimes excessive (in the opinion of a person) protection, the cat realizes its instinctive program, which combines the maternal instinct and the instinct of self-preservation.

To understand your pet's concerns, you need to go beyond thinking within four walls. We repeat: cats are predators, designed to live in not the easiest conditions. All those precautions that seem superfluous to a person allow cats to survive.

Of course, a fox, a wolf or a bird of prey will not sneak into the apartment to drag the kittens away. But this does not mean that the cat's instincts will undergo rapid changes in a safe environment. After the birth of kittens, your pet begins to selflessly fight for their life. Nothing can be done about it.

By the way! The cat may begin to attack the father of the family, seeing him as a threat. Such illogical, at first glance, behavior, unfortunately, is justified by cruel experience. In feline communities, adult cats often encroach on the life of kittens, which allows the cat to classify them as one of the most dangerous enemies.

What can the owner do?

The best thing an owner can do for a recently calved pet is to move away from her nest to a safe distance. Remember - if a cat feels that her kittens are not in danger, she will not resort to aggressive behavior. It is advisable to give the young family a separate room. If there is none, at least a separate corner.

It is often not recommended to call a cat, because it reacts sharply to extraneous sounds. It is enough to leave her food in a bowl and pet her occasionally without trying to be too intrusive. As the kittens grow older, the hormonal background of the mother cat will even out, and aggression will gradually subside until it disappears altogether.

Video - Implementation of maternal instincts

Aggression caused by pain

Our pets cannot show where they are hurting, which sometimes makes it difficult to identify the real reasons for their behavior change. Aggression associated with pain is easily confused with other types. It can be mistaken for an unreasonable “whim”, and for overexcitation during caresses.

Aggression in response to the pain caused can manifest itself both with a tail crushed by an inaccurate owner, and with dangerous diseases of the pet’s internal organs, which cannot be guessed without the help of a specialist.

By the way! Elderly cats should be especially careful. In old age, they may develop arthritis, which brings pain when careless handling of the pet.

Pain aggression can also be combined with the above types. For example, when brushing or stroking a cat, you notice that it changes from mercy to anger every time you touch a certain area of ​​​​its body. If this behavior is repeated many times, then you need to pay attention to it. You can also read about the most common ones on our portal. If a physical ailment is suspected, it is advisable to take the pet to the veterinarian for possible minor injuries or illnesses.

Aggression after sterilization

Anger attacks experienced by pets after sterilization are a special case of aggression caused by pain. Many owners mistakenly try to cheer up their pet with all sorts of games and treats, not realizing that after the operation, the best thing to do for the cat is to give it a rest.

Running for sedatives does not make any sense. As a rule, a change in the mood of a cat is associated with poor health. Withdrawal from anesthesia, the first days with a slowly healing wound - these conditions can hardly be called easy. Therefore, if you want to help your pet with medicines, then pay attention to painkillers.

The main task of the owner after the sterilization of the pet is to provide him with peace and painkillers.

Important! Feeding your pet during the first 24 hours after spaying is strongly discouraged. Enough to give him water to avoid dehydration.

Separately, one should dwell on the transfer of anesthesia by the pet, which leaves an imprint on the mental state of the pet. Some cats may not be able to tolerate the gas used during the operation, which only complicates the situation.

What can the owner do?

Everything is the same that they do with people who have undergone a complex operation. Give the pet peace and provide it with the necessary, but not intrusive attention. Remember that the anesthesia could affect the coordination of the pet, and do not leave him alone for a long time - the cat may accidentally hurt himself.

Treatment of aggression in cats

Raising the question of the treatment of his pet, the owner usually becomes a prisoner of a very dangerous prejudice. In general terms, it sounds like this: it is enough to take a prescription for some kind of tranquilizer and give it to the cat so that it is calm and docile.

As practice shows, the real need for medicines appears extremely rarely. At the same time, it is very easy to harm the nervous system of a cat with illiterate drug intervention. Since it is an impossible task to cover the range of medicines that “calm” pets within the framework of this article, we will focus on alternative, easier therapy regimens.

In their book Behavioral Medicine for Dogs and Cats, Horwitz and Mills provide a list of treatments that aren't as drastic as medication, but that do have a positive effect on the pet. Let's dwell on them.

Table 1. Methods for the treatment of aggression in a cat

conclusions

As you can see from the description of alternative methods, they all walk on the verge between real effectiveness and the placebo effect. Studies conducted on animals in different years did not show unambiguous results, therefore it is hardly advisable to advise any of the methods unambiguously.

It should be borne in mind that in different breeds "genetically programmed aggressiveness" manifests itself in different ways. In most cases, the best thing an owner can do is learn to live with their obstinate pet, getting used to the peculiarities of his behavior.

You can try anti-anxiety drugs and pheromones from time to time, but you should not expect a 100% result. In addition, the constant maintenance of a cat on tablets can give complications to the internal organs.

If you are just deciding on the choice of a pet that would be as easy to handle as possible, then below we provide a list of breeds that should be avoided.

Table 2. Cat breeds that are difficult to handle

Much in the character of a cat determines the character of the owner. You can search for the perfect pet indefinitely, but if you have frequent difficulties with taming a cat, it makes sense to look for the problem in yourself.

Of course, there are also mentally unstable cats, whose antics are self-destructive to endure. Below we provide a list of questions that should be answered by the owner before visiting the veterinarian.

In conclusion, it should be said that all breeds have their own specific nuances. What exactly your pet will be depends on the chosen system of relationships that you build in alliance with your four-legged friend.