You love playing with your cat — what cat lover doesn’t? But sometimes, it can get out of control.
Your cat can behave aggressively, leaving you with injuries.
Want this to stop? Look at our tips on aggressive behavior.
When do cats start being aggressive?
Aggressive behavior in cats starts early on.
Basically, it can develop when they are kittens.
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The play they engage in is pivotal in telling whether their behavior turns aggressive.
The good news? Kittens are very lively and full of energy. They will want to play A LOT (yay!).
When they are little, you will be able to see them play with their brothers and sisters.
You’ll observe if their behavior is aggressive then.
Of course, it’s a lot harder to keep an eye on when you have lots of kittens to watch!
How can I tell if a kitten is aggressive?
You need to monitor their behavior. Watch if their playfulness crosses over to being aggressive.
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You’ll be able to tell if this happens because another cat (their siblings or their mother) usually gives a warning.
It’s the cat’s way of correcting them. They don’t like it either!
But kittens from the same family may tolerate it. This is when the mother cat steps in.
Cats stop unwanted behavior by:
• Hissing
• Growling
• Pawing the other cat
• Puffing up their back fur
How they stop the behavior depends on how severe the warning needs to be.
This is the way mother cats teach their kittens the correct conduct.
If they do this, aggressive behavior should not be an issue when you bring your little bundle of joy home.
Well, why are we talking about this then?
Because unfortunately, there are some exceptions.
Sometimes a mother cat will give birth to a large litter.
If she has to watch a lot of kittens, it is harder for her to see unwanted behavior.
These bad habits are then allowed to develop.
What do you do if this happens?
You have to be the mother cat. Look out for aggressive behavior.
If you see it, you have to stop it immediately.
Is it so bad if my cat is aggressive?
A kitten is basically a tiny ball of fur. It curls up and purrs on your lap.
How could THAT ever be dangerous?
You’ll want to play with your kitten.
The natural thing to do is play with them with your hands. But this isn’t recommended.
It sends the message to your kitten that it’s okay if they scratch or bite you.
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You unconsciously enforce the behavior.
Even if you’re okay with it, other people might not be.
You might have children that could get hurt.
When friends come over, your kitten will scratch and bite them too.
It’s all fun and games for him. But other people might not see it that way.
You need to sort the behavior out before it gets to that. Don’t worry, we’re here to help!
What do I do if I notice my cat is being aggressive?
If your cat is aggressive, you can try a lot of things to resolve the behavior. You can:
• Use the pet corrector (follow the link for more information)
• Buy your cat a toy to take their energy out on. You can find plenty of these in a pet shop or over the internet. There are literally hundreds to choose from. Dangling toys are the best though because it’s part of your cat’s instinct to hunt. You can have them chase and eventually ‘kill’ it.
• Clap your hands loudly
• Spray your cat with water
• Use a stern ‘no’ when they show unwanted behavior. It’s similar to how you would tell dogs off. But cats aren’t dogs (who knows, right?). They’re unlikely to listen. You can try this technique, but make sure to be firm.
These techniques should get the correct message across.
They’re focused on distracting your cat. He won’t like this dis-traction and realize the behavior that caused it isn’t worth continuing.
Is there anything I shouldn’t do?
Do NOT punish them. Don’t do things like isolating them, flick-ing, or hitting them.
They don’t understand the behavior is bad. Punishing them will only cause the problem to get worse.
What do I need to remember?
Aggression in your cat isn’t their fault. Be patient.
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Give them lots of love and understanding, and eventually, the issue will disappear.
If your cat is aggressive, follow the techniques above.
Try each one and see what works best. Eventually, this behavior will stop.
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If you’re really worried, you can talk to a vet about the best way to approach it.
If you’ve tried any techniques, let us know how it went in the comments below!
