What To Do If Your Cat Is Aggressive | Print |  E-mail
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Written by Virginia Sutherland   
Thursday, 08 May 2008
Cats are usually viewed as relatively peaceful creatures. Most people assume that if a cat is given food, water, and a suitable place to rest then it will remain docile and loving toward its owners while also displaying the usual feline independence.
by VirginiaSutherland


Cats are usually viewed as relatively peaceful creatures. Most people assume that if a cat is given food, water, and a suitable place to rest then it will remain docile and loving toward its owners while also displaying the usual feline independence.

Not all cats are wired this way. Individual cats have varying personalities, just like people do. While one cat might be cuddly and laid back, another cat might be so high strung that the owners miss out on sleep at night because the cat is constantly bouncing off the walls. As long as the personality quirks of each cat are acceptable to the owners, there isn't a problem about differing personalities among cats.

The one personality trait that most cat owners aren't willing to deal with, however, is aggressive tendencies within cats. Dogs can sometimes get away with aggressive personalities because some owners actually want a dog that is mean and able to scare people away. Cats, on the other hand, are generally brought into a home in order to protect the family. For this reason, aggressiveness is not really a trait that most cat owners look for.

Aggressive cats can be quite dangerous. Although cats don't have the ability to do as much damage as some other animals can, cats are agile and quick and can inflict great pain in a quick moment and then disappear. An aggressive cat around young children and babies is a highly dangerous situation, because babies don't know how to defend themselves against an attack from a cat. An attack from an aggressive cat, for example, can permanently scar a child's face.

While some cats may have natural tendencies to be aggressive, most often cats become aggressive due to some form of abuse. Cats that have been tormented by a sadistic past owner may well become aggressive as a form of self defense.

What should you do if your cat is aggressive? First, get some books about cat behavior. Learn to see the signs if kitty is getting agitated. Cats will give off signs that will give you time to back off. Feliway is a product used to calm anxious cats and to lower aggression. Also be gentle and demonstrate tenderness towards your cat so she learns to trust you, and include some quality playing time to increase your bond.

It may be that your cat is just aggressive by nature, or is acting aggressive due to a dog in the house, or young children. while aggression is most often due to fear, it can not always be trained away. If your cat is a risk for young children or babies, it may be best for all involved to find your cat a home with no children.

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Learn more about felines: Cat Travel Cages and Out Door Cat Houses and much more interesting stuff about felines, by Virginia Sutherland



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