How to Deal With Aggression in Cats?
Cats in general are wonderful creatures who add joy and companionship to our lives. But in some cases, they can also become aggressive. Here is where most first-time cat owners might struggle to manage their feline.
If you are also a new cat owner experiencing a similar situation like this, here is a guide on why cats get aggressive and also learn ways to deal with it effectively.
Why Do Cats Get Aggressive?
If you feel that your cat has become aggressive all of a sudden, look for some potential causes. If there aren’t any obvious causes for your cat’s strange behaviour, take them to the vet who will discern any underlying health issues. Once your vet has checked them and hasn’t found anything, you may now start thinking about other reasons for aggression in your cats.
Here are some of those most possible reasons,
- Presence of Fellow Cats
Cats get highly intimidated by the presence of other cats. This is mainly because of territorial competition, lack of socialization or when they feel that their privacy is being invaded. When these things happen to a cat, they are bound to become aggressive. If your house has multiple cats, consider training them, and socializing them with fellow pets regularly.
- Feeling Threatened
Cats will certainly act out if they are feeling threatened. This can often happen when your cat doesn’t have a space of their own and is not able to relax. All cat owners should consider giving their cats some alone time every day to help them unwind. Places like cat perch and cat shelves help a lot in giving the privacy your beloved felines need.
Fear is something that triggers aggression in cats quickly. It can happen because of a stranger, animal, object or a sound. If your cat is in fear, they will go into defensive mode quickly and some of its signs are a crouching stance, tucked tails, flattened ears, dilated pupils etc. When they get aggressive, they will hiss, bite, swat, scratch etc.
How to Calm an Aggressive Cat?
- Calm & Gentle Response
Cats are highly sensitive animals who will get scared by yelling and scolding. Doing so will only aggravate their behaviour problems, causing a lot of additional damage. Give a calm and gentle response to them when they become aggressive, and you have already solved half of the problem.
- Give Engaging Toys
Highly active cats need good mental stimulation regularly. When they are not given enough physical and mental, stress can creep up on them, which may turn into aggression. Provide them with some entertaining dog toys which will keep them engaged and physically active as well.
- Try Calming Aids
Calming aids play a significant role in soothing aggression in cats. For instance, a herb like catnip gives a euphoric buzz to the cats followed by a period of blissful relaxation. This is an ideal method to ease the tension in your cats and is particularly useful when you see your cat exhibiting aggressiveness.
- Reduce Noise
Some cats can react aggressively if they hear specific sounds like, a baby crying or the sound of fellow cats. To prevent this, cat owners can desensitize their felines to the sounds with regular exposure to humans, and make them socialize with other pets as well.
In a Nutshell,
You have seen why cats sometimes get aggressive and also learnt some highly useful ways in which you can deal with it effectively. Remember that cats are sensitive animals who need your love and care too. Give them lots of love and praise and you will have only very few behavioural issues from them, if any.