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Aggression is a
serious and dangerous behaviour problem for cat owners. There are many
different types of aggression. Making a diagnosis, determining the
prognosis (the chances of safe and effective correction) and developing
an appropriate treatment plan are usually best handled with a veterinary
behaviourist. In some cases medical conditions can contribute to
aggression. Before a behaviour consultation your cat must have a
thorough physical examination and blood tests to rule out organ
dysfunction. To treat aggression, it is necessary to determine which
type of aggression your cat displays; fear, territorial, parental, play,
redirected, predatory, petting-induced, pain-induced, social status,
medical or learned. Also determine in what circumstances the pet is
aggressive and whether the aggression is toward family members,
strangers, other pets in the household, or strange pets. Keeping a
diary can be particularly useful. More than one form of aggression may
be exhibited. Behaviour modification techniques and/or changes to the
pet’s environment will be necessary to correct most aggressive
problems. Drug therapy can be a useful part of treatment for some forms
of aggression.
Fear aggression: what is it and how
is it diagnosed?
Fear aggression
arises when a cat is exposed to people, other animals, places or stimuli
(e.g. noises) that the cat is unfamiliar with, or to situations
previously associated with an unpleasant experience. Although many cats
may retreat when fearful, those that are on their own territory or are
prevented from retreating because they are cornered, are more likely to
fight. If the stimulus (person or animal) retreats or the pet is harmed
or further frightened in any way (e.g. a fight, punishment), the fear is
likely to be further aggravated. In addition people or animals that do
not approach in a calm, confident or friendly manner are more likely to
be met with a fearful response. Fear aggression toward family members
might arise out of punishment or other unpleasant experience associated
with them. Many cases of fear aggression are seen as combinations or
complicating factors of other forms of aggression (territorial,
maternal, redirected, etc.). Fearful body postures in conjunction with
aggression are diagnostic of fear aggression. Behavior therapy perhaps
in combination with drug therapy can be used to treat most cases of fear
aggression. (See our handout on Fear in cats – fear of people, other
animals and places).
Play aggression: what is it and how
is it diagnosed?
Play aggression
is commonly shown by young cats toward people or other pets in the
family. Overly rambunctious play along with grabbing, stalking,
pouncing, nipping or biting of people or their clothing are common signs
of play aggression. Although it is a normal behavior it can lead to
injuries. If handled incorrectly it could lead to more serious forms of
aggression as your cat matures. Play aggression in cats is covered in a
separate handout.
Territorial aggression: what is it
and how can it be treated?
Territorial
aggression can be exhibited toward people or other animals (usually
other cats) that approach or reside on the pet’s property. Territorial
aggression can occur towards cats outside of the home, but also towards
cats that live in the household. This may be with the addition of
another cat, or when resident cats reach social maturity at 1-2 years of
age. Since the person or other animal entering the property may also be
causing fear or anxiety, territorial aggression often occurs in
conjunction with fear aggression. Treatment is covered in a separate
handout entitled Aggression territorial – introducing a new cat to the
household.
Predatory aggression: what is it and
how can it be treated?
Predation is the
instinctive desire to chase and hunt prey. Predatory behaviors include
stalking, chasing, attacking, and ingestion of prey animals, but may
occasionally be directed at people or other pets. Although the desire
to chase can be reduced by using desensitizing and counter-conditioning
in the presence of the stimuli (see our handout Behavior modification –
reducing fear and anxiety – desensitization, counter-conditioning and
flooding), this is a very dangerous form of aggression, which must be
prevented. If the behavior is directed toward small pets in the home,
confining those pets to a room where the cat does not have access is
best. If the behavior is directed to animals outside, then keeping the
cat indoors is a solution. Predatory aggression may be part of play
aggression in young cats.
Pain-induced aggression: what is it
and how can it be treated?
Pain-induced
aggression is usually elicited by handling or contact that elicits pain
or discomfort. However, even if your cat is not exhibiting pain,
certain medical conditions (endocrine imbalances, organ disease, etc.)
may make the pet more irritable and prone to aggression. Fear and
anxiety further compound many of these cases. Once your cat learns that
aggression is successful at removing the stimulus, aggression may recur
when similar situations arise in the future, whether or not the pain is
still present. Treatment requires first that the medical or painful
condition be resolved. Next, identify the types of handling and
situations that have led to aggression in the past. With
desensitization and counter-conditioning (handout on Behavior
modification – reducing fear and anxiety – desensitization,
counter-conditioning and flooding), your cat can slowly and gradually be
accustomed to accept and enjoy these situations. Once the cat learns
that there is no further discomfort associated with the handling, and
that there may be rewards, the problem should resolve.
Maternal aggression: what is it and
how can it be treated?
Maternal
aggression is directed toward people or other animals that approach the
queen with her kittens. With desensitization, counterconditioning, good
control and highly motivating rewards, it may be possible to train your
cat to accept handling of the kittens. Once the kittens are weaned,
spaying should be considered to prevent recurrence.
Redirected aggression: what is it
and how can it be treated?
Aggression that
is directed toward a person or pet that did not initially evoke the
aggression is classified as redirected. This is likely to occur when
the cat is aroused and a person or other pet intervenes or approaches.
Cats that are highly aroused must be avoided. Since redirected
aggression arises out of other forms of aggression, it is important to
identify and treat the initial cause of aggression (e.g. fear,
territorial, other animals outside), or to prevent the problem by
avoiding exposure. See our handout Feline aggression – redirected
aggression.
Petting induced aggression: what is
it and how can it be treated?
Some cats bite
while being petted. Some cats are intolerant of all handling, but most
cats with petting aggression accept a certain amount of petting but then
become highly agitated and attack when they have had enough. This can
be difficult to understand since many of these cats seek attention and
at the outset seem to enjoy physical contact from the owner. It seems
that these cats have a certain threshold for the amount of physical
interaction that they can tolerate. Although the aggression may be a
specific form that arises from arousal related to petting, fear and
social status may also play a role. First, identify and avoid responses
that might increase your cat’s fear or anxiety (e.g. punishment,
uninvited approaches and handling) and make all handling experiences
positive. When handling, physical restraint must be avoided as cats
that are placed in a position where they feel constrained or unable to
escape might become aggressive. The cat that assumes a leadership role
in relationship to a family member may bite or attack that person, while
avoiding aggression to a person who is more “dominant” in the
relationship. (For diagnosis and treatment of social status aggression
see below).
In order to
resolve petting induced aggression, make sure that the initiation and
termination of petting is under your control. In addition your cat
needs to learn that petting is not associated with excessive restraint
or anything unpleasant but rather with rewards. Do not approach,
confront, or lift your cat, unless it approaches for affection. At this
point call the cat onto your lap (perhaps with a command, or bell), and
begin light stroking without any physical restraint. After a brief
session put the cat on the floor and give a reward such as food, play,
or a catnip toy. At each subsequent session, when the cat is ready for
affection, call the cat onto your lap, and pat or stroke a little longer
before putting the cat down and providing the reward. Be aware that as
you approach the limit of your cat’s tolerance of petting, anxiety and
aggression will recur. This limit can often be evidenced by a change in
the cat’s demeanour. Usually the cat will begin to rapidly move the
tail back and forth, the pupils may dilate and the ears go back, or the
cat may begin to lick or act agitated. Try and stay below this
threshold and cease petting before the cat becomes anxious. Although
shaping may greatly increase the number and length of petting sessions
your cat will accept and enjoy, you will need to learn and accept your
cat’s limitations.
Social status aggression: what is it
and how is it treated?
Information on
the social structure and relationship between cats is continually being
updated with new research. Cats do maintain social relationships when
living in groups leading to the speculation that some form of social
structure also exists. Social structures are often maintained with
aggressive displays and actions. Some cats may display aggression
toward their owners or other cats when displaying assertiveness. This
type of aggression is infrequently described in the veterinary
literature but is a consideration in those cats that bite or attack
their owners or other cats in order to control a situation. Since cats
are now known to be a social species, it is not surprising that some
cats will assert their authority or leadership, when challenged by a
subordinate cat or family member in the home. Social status aggression
in most cases is a complicating factor of other forms of aggression.
Assertive displays, soliciting attention through attacks or biting,
aggression during petting, attempts to control the environment by
blocking access to doorways or refusing to be moved from sleeping areas,
stalking family members, and threats or aggression to owners when
walking or passing by the cat, may be displays of social status. A
diagnosis of social status aggression is also a strong consideration
when the cat attacks family members that have not assumed a position of
control and leadership but does not threaten those that have good
control.
Attaining
leadership over assertive cats must be accomplished without physical
force and confrontation, as this would lead to fear and retaliation.
Take control of all rewards, and teach the cat that obedient and
compliant behavior is the only way to earn them. By teaching a cat that
each play session, treat, or piece of food must be earned from its
“owners”, the cat will learn that the owner is in control of all
resources and all that is positive. Conversely, the cat must learn that
its demands or attempts to control resources (attention getting
behavior, play or food soliciting behavior) must never be rewarded. An
observant owner should be able to determine when a cat is ready and
desiring food, treats, affection or play. This is usually a cat that
looks relaxed, tail up and pupils normal size. Using a command or
audible signal such as a bell, the cat can be trained to come to the
owner and receive these rewards. Once the cat learns to come or
approach on command or signal, the desired behavior (e.g. petting) can
then be shaped by gradually making the task more difficult at each
training session. (See petting aggression above for details).
Demanding, assertive, or any other forms of undesirable behavior should
never be physically punished. Inattention or walking out of the room
often works best, but if this is not possible an immediate disruption
with a can of compressed air, water pistol, or air horn, should quickly
deter the behavior without causing fear of the owner. Another way to
ensure immediate control without the need for direct contact is to fit
your cat with a harness, and attach a long leash when you are at home
and supervising.
Learned aggression: what is it and
how can it be treated?
Learning is an
important component of most types of aggression. Whenever a cat learns
that aggression is successful at removing the stimulus, the behavior is
further reinforced. Some forms of aggression are inadvertently rewarded
by owners who, in an attempt to calm the pet and reduce aggression,
actually encourage the behavior with patting or verbal reassurances.
Pets that are threatened or punished for aggressive displays may become
even more aggressive each time the situation recurs.
Treatment with
flooding is intended to teach the pet that the stimulus is not
associated with any harm and that aggression will not successfully
remove the stimulus. With desensitization and counter-conditioning, the
cat is not only taught that the stimulus is safe, but that it is
associated with a reward. (See handout on Behavior Modification –
reducing fear and anxiety – desensitization, counter-conditioning and
flooding).
What are some of the other causes of
aggression?
Aggression
associated with medical disorders may arise at any age, may have a
relatively sudden onset and may not fit any feline species typical
behavior. Some medical conditions can, on their own, cause aggression,
but in many cases a combination of behavioral factors and medical
problems cause the pet to pass a certain threshold at which aggression
is displayed. Infectious agents such as rabies, hormonal imbalances
such as hyperthyroidism, psychomotor epilepsy, neoplasia, and a variety
of genetic and metabolic disorders can cause or predispose a cat to
aggression. Painful conditions such as dental disease, or arthritis,
and medical conditions causing fever, fatigue or sensory loss might
increase the pet’s irritability.
In rare
circumstances, aggression has no identifiable etiology (idiopathic) and
no particular stimuli that initiate the aggressive displays. There may
be a genetic propensity to aggression.
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