All cat owners like to gently pet their cats while they are purring, but this moment of relaxation can turn into a nightmare when our cat suddenly attacks usand without warning scratches or bites us.
Most attacks occur while petting or playing with our cat, but some owners fear attacks from their cat even when they are sitting quietly watching TV or when they are sleeping, attacks and its severity varies greatly from case to case.
To solve this problem, the first thing is to understand the cause of these attacks. In this article on our site.com we are going to see the different reasons that explain why our cat attacks us.
Medical Assault
If your cat suddenly becomes aggressive, the first thing to do is take him to the vet to check that he doesn't have a he alth problem
Anger or a hormonal problem can cause aggressive behavior, but if the cause is a he alth problem, a very common cause is arthritis. Some cats with neurological problems can have sudden moments of very intense pain.
If your cat's physical exam by the vet doesn't isolate the problem, an X-ray may.
Gaming Assault
Cats are predators and it is something innate in them to perform play behaviors when they are puppies to train themselves to hunt real prey once adults. Indeed it is not uncommon to see a kitten attacking the feet or hands of its owner, and as cute as this type of behavior may seem, if it continues into adulthood it will be a problem.
Play attacks are frequent behaviors in young kittens and when they continue into adulthood it is because the cat “learned” this behaviour.
Frequently it is the cat's own owners who teach it to attack as a game When the cat is small they play with it by moving their hands or feet as if they were prey for the kitten to attack, because when a kitten does so it can seem funny and endearing. However, with this act we are teaching him a behavior that he will continue throughout adulthood, not out of spite but for fun and because he really believes that he can do it.
Another cause of playful attacks is Boredom Playing with our cat with objects designed for it instead of with our hands or feet is good. But if these play sessions are infrequent or if your cat spends her day getting bored indoors, the cat will be overexcited when they occur and may attack us for excess energy
Fear Assault
A fearful cat typically adopts a crouched position with its ears back and tail curled inward, tilting its body back to move away from the threat.
The frightened cat has three options: flee, freeze or attack. If a frightened cat has no escape and the "threat" is still present after a few seconds of immobilization, it is very likely to attack.
A cat that was not properly socialized when 4 to 12 weeks old may be fearful and suspicious of humans and exhibit this behaviour. But it can also happen with a well-socialized cat who is in a new environment, or with a stranger, or who is in the presence of a new frightening object such as a running hair dryer.
Territorial aggression
A cat can attack a human to defend a area of the house that it considers its own: the human is then considered a threat that could take away his territory
This type of aggression generally occurs towards strangers or people who do not usually come to the home much. Cats that exhibit this behavior usually urinate in the area they consider their territory to mark it. Find out how to prevent your cat from urinating in the house.
Dominance aggression
Some cats act towards their owners as if they were other cats and try to dominate them to be on top of them in thehousehold pecking order Cats begin to show subtle signs of aggression that may be misinterpreted by the owner at first with simple play, later the cat growls or hisses at its owners and may bite or scratch.
Dominant cats are also often very territorial, so dominance aggression can go hand in hand with territorial aggression.
Redirected aggression
Redirected aggression is a peculiar phenomenon in which a cat that is angry or stressed about something or someone does not attack the person or animal that is the cause of his anger butredirects its aggression towards its owner The tension due to the cat's anger can be held for a long time and it only attacks later.
The victim of the cat's attack has nothing to do with her anger, but later on seeing her victim again, the cat may remember her anger and attack her again.
Aggression because he doesn't want to be caressed anymore
A cat may attack you because it bothers you to pet it, it can be for two reasons:
- One cause is that this cat has not been properly socialized and does not understand the friendly intentions of a human petting it.
- The other cause is that he is simply not used to being pampered or is very sensitive and after a while he gets annoyed and attacks you out of irritation.
Maternal aggression
All cats that are mothers of puppies are very protective of them, and if they perceive a threat they can attack people or animals in which he normally trusts. This reaction is due to the cat's hormones and is most intense during the first week after delivery and then progressively decreases.
How to manage the situation
Each case is different and requires specific handling, now that you have read this article you can know why your cat attacks you and it will be easier to adapt your behavior to solve the situation.
The important thing is always to be patient with your cat and not put him in a situation of fear or stress that causes this type of aggressive reaction. You can use positive reinforcement, such as petting or a piece of cheese when your cat behaves well.
With patience and understanding the reasons for your cat's behavior you can help him improve his behavior.
