When it comes to confrontation, cats really prefer to avoid it. The possibility for escape is almost always a cat’s first choice. The reasons a cat may choose to display aggression are 1) he feels backed into a corner without any other choice, or, 2) he has learned from previous experience that the aggressive display works.
Example: Percy displays aggression to almost everyone who visits his owner’s home. He hisses, growls, and will even scratch. On closer inspection, it’s discovered that Percy is this way because his owner used to pick him up and hold him out for guests to pet. Percy didn’t have any opportunity to decide whether the visitor was someone he wanted to interact with or not. Cats are territorial and often need time to do a scent investigation before being touched or held. Percy wasn’t given any option and was always presented to the guest. Soon, Percy learned that the best way to avoid this was through a pre-emptive strike. Through behavior modification, Percy’s owner learned to allow Percy time to check out the guest from a distance. Percy was given treats whenever he stayed in the room and didn’t display aggression. Guests were instructed to avoid eye contact and to avoid petting him. This allowed Percy the freedom to come close and do a scent investigation so he could determine that there was no threat.
Another example: Lily is a female kitty who loves to sit in her owner’s lap. She enjoys being petted but after a while will turn around and bite her owner’s hand. This display of petting-induced aggression was happening because the owner wasn’t reading the early body language signals from the cat that indicated that she was reaching her tolerance point for physical contact. The owner was absent-mindedly petting the cat while watching TV or reading and so she didn’t notice signs such as tail lashing, skin twitching, ear position change, and cessation of purring. After giving enough warning signs, Lily felt she had no choice but to bite. To correct the problem, Lily’s owner learned to pet the cat for a limited time, well short of her tolerance point. She also paid attention to potential warning signals.
Since aggression can be scary for owners to deal with, and can be dangerous to both humans and cats, make sure you have your cat examined by the veterinarian whenever there is a change in behavior. He/she may also refer you to a certified behavior expert if the aggression problem is serious.
Be aware of the behavior triggers or cues, and you can, in many cases, alter the circumstances to allow your cat to feel less threatened. Never punish your cat for aggressive displays as that will only heighten his fear and will be counter-productive to any training attempts.
For more specifics on the various types of aggression,
refer to the book Starting from Scratch. Starting from Scratch
Pam Johnson-Bennett is a Certified Animal Behavior Consultant and owner of Cat Behavior Associates, LLC.
NOTE: Behavior problems are case-specific and can have underlying medical problems. If your cat is experiencing a change in behavior, contact your veterinarian. The information in this blog should not be used as a diagnosis or as a substitute for appropriate veterinary care.
