Cats
In this week’s behaviour focus post, Cats Protection Behaviour Manager Nicky Trevorrow explains why cats can suddenly attack.
Sometimes when I fuss my cat they seem to be enjoying it then suddenly attack me! Why?
Many people experience this with their cats and find it very confusing or upsetting as the cat appears to have asked for a fuss, only to then find that the cat shows ‘random’ aggressive behaviour. As we’ve seen in previous behaviour focus blog posts, cats don’t behave randomly or do things out of the blue, even if we can’t see a logical explanation. We need to look at things from the cat’s perspective, which can be very different to our own.
To be stroked by a human is not a natural behaviour for a cat to accept (they learn interactions with people during the kitten socialisation period) and some cats are more naturally reactive than others. This can also be directly related to the amount of human interaction the cat has had during the key sensitive period of two to seven weeks of age. The more positive interaction carried out during this time, the more likely the kitten will be well adjusted to everyday life and human interactions.
Your cat may need to be able to feel more secure with physical attention. Sit quietly with them when you won't be interrupted and keep very calm. Keep interactions very short and stop before the cat reacts. Some cats don’t appreciate long cuddles and lots of stroking, and would prefer to spend time playing and running around so games and play are a better way of spending time with these kinds of cats than cuddles. Try not to provoke a reaction – stop stroking when you notice twitching or backwards-facing ears, dilated pupils or sudden tensing. Reward the cat with a tiny titbit and praise for behaving in a relaxed way and then leave them alone. Never punish the cat, including verbal and physical punishment – this will only encourage further aggressive behaviour, especially if the cat has an underlying anxiety.
Cats can get quite stimulated or excited when they are playing or in ‘hunting mode’, and it is generally not advisable to touch any cat in this state. Even when touching a calm, relaxed cat, there are many places on the body that are quite vulnerable or sensitive and as a general rule, many cats don’t like to be touched in these places. The vulnerable or sensitive areas include:
All cats are individuals so some cats may seem to tolerate or in some cases, even appear to like be touched in some of these areas. However, as a general rule, cats don’t tend to be like being touched in these areas. It is a common misconception that cats that roll on to their backs and expose their belly want it to be touched. This behaviour is often seen after a period of separation and is used as a greeting. When cats do this they are communicating that they feel relaxed in the person’s presence, enough to expose such a vulnerable area. The best way to address this behaviour is to verbally acknowledge the cat’s greeting, which is all the cat needs. For a cat that is resting on the floor with their belly exposed, if someone really wanted to stroke the cat, I would recommend only stroking the head, or if you know the cat well, you may be able to stroke their neck and back too. In general cats like quite brief, low intensity interactions that are quite frequent. When cats greet each other in the same social group, it tends to be a brief head rub. Unfortunately, humans are the opposite! Our interactions are generally less frequent, but high intensity and prolonged. This is often another source of confusion.
In this video, I talk a bit more about this:
If the cat has bitten or scratched anyone, where the bite or scratch breaks the skin or causes bleeding, then medical advice should be sought without delay. A course of antibiotics may be required. It is important to immediately clean the site whether the skin has been broken or not:
Even if the skin is unbroken, if the person experiences fever or headaches, together with localised swelling, redness, and pain soon after the bite, then medical advice should be sought urgently.
If you are experiencing a behavioural problem with your cat, then firstly get your cat health checked by your vet and then get a referral to a qualified behaviourist such as the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors.
- Behaviour Focus: Inappropriate Play
In this week’s behaviour focus post, Cats Protection Behaviour Manager Nicky Trevorrow explains why a cat may show misdirected predatory play behaviour. Why does my cat attack people’s legs when they walk past? If you've read any of my other...
- Behaviour Focus: Social Groups
In this week’s behaviour focus post, Cats Protection Behaviour Manager Nicky Trevorrow explains how to recognise feline social groups. My cats are very close – they’re good friends but every now and then one attacks the other. Why is this? ...
- Behaviour Focus: Litter Trays
In this week’s behaviour focus post, Cats Protection Behaviour Manager Nicky Trevorrow discusses why cats may not use their litter tray. Why does my cat poo/wee on the furnishings in my house rather than in their litter tray? It’s clean! This is the...
- ‘why Is My Cat Aggressive?’ And Other Cat Behaviour Faqs
In our most recent live Facebook Q&A session, Cats Protection Behaviour Manager Nicky Trevorrow answered a range of questions about cat behaviour. It’s important that if you notice any change in your cat’s behaviour, you get them checked by a...
- ‘why Does My Cat Meow?’ And Other Cat Behaviour Faqs
Last year we hosted an online Q&A session with Cats Protection’s Behaviour Manager Nicky Trevorrow. It was so popular that we decided to bring them back! Earlier this week we hosted a live Q&A session on our Facebook page with Nicky answering...
Cats
Behaviour focus: when cats attack
In this week’s behaviour focus post, Cats Protection Behaviour Manager Nicky Trevorrow explains why cats can suddenly attack.
Sometimes when I fuss my cat they seem to be enjoying it then suddenly attack me! Why?
Many people experience this with their cats and find it very confusing or upsetting as the cat appears to have asked for a fuss, only to then find that the cat shows ‘random’ aggressive behaviour. As we’ve seen in previous behaviour focus blog posts, cats don’t behave randomly or do things out of the blue, even if we can’t see a logical explanation. We need to look at things from the cat’s perspective, which can be very different to our own.
 |
| Photo by Adam Heath via flickr |
Your cat may need to be able to feel more secure with physical attention. Sit quietly with them when you won't be interrupted and keep very calm. Keep interactions very short and stop before the cat reacts. Some cats don’t appreciate long cuddles and lots of stroking, and would prefer to spend time playing and running around so games and play are a better way of spending time with these kinds of cats than cuddles. Try not to provoke a reaction – stop stroking when you notice twitching or backwards-facing ears, dilated pupils or sudden tensing. Reward the cat with a tiny titbit and praise for behaving in a relaxed way and then leave them alone. Never punish the cat, including verbal and physical punishment – this will only encourage further aggressive behaviour, especially if the cat has an underlying anxiety.
 |
| Photo by Michael Broad via flickr |
Sensitive areas
As with any behavioural change, it is crucial to rule out medical problems, especially pain. Remember that cats are the masters of disguise when they are in pain so it can be really tricky to tell. If your vet says your cat doesn’t have any medical reasons that would cause him or her to be aggressive while being picked up or stroked, then here are a few behavioural tips with interacting with cats.Cats can get quite stimulated or excited when they are playing or in ‘hunting mode’, and it is generally not advisable to touch any cat in this state. Even when touching a calm, relaxed cat, there are many places on the body that are quite vulnerable or sensitive and as a general rule, many cats don’t like to be touched in these places. The vulnerable or sensitive areas include:
- Belly (which for some cats can include their sides and chest too)
- Paws
- Under legs (ie armpits)
- Legs (‘trousers’ or back legs)
- Stroking the fur against the normal direction
- Bottom half of back (particularly if stiff or painful)
- Base of tail (cats are divided on this area though!)
- Genital area
All cats are individuals so some cats may seem to tolerate or in some cases, even appear to like be touched in some of these areas. However, as a general rule, cats don’t tend to be like being touched in these areas. It is a common misconception that cats that roll on to their backs and expose their belly want it to be touched. This behaviour is often seen after a period of separation and is used as a greeting. When cats do this they are communicating that they feel relaxed in the person’s presence, enough to expose such a vulnerable area. The best way to address this behaviour is to verbally acknowledge the cat’s greeting, which is all the cat needs. For a cat that is resting on the floor with their belly exposed, if someone really wanted to stroke the cat, I would recommend only stroking the head, or if you know the cat well, you may be able to stroke their neck and back too. In general cats like quite brief, low intensity interactions that are quite frequent. When cats greet each other in the same social group, it tends to be a brief head rub. Unfortunately, humans are the opposite! Our interactions are generally less frequent, but high intensity and prolonged. This is often another source of confusion.
In this video, I talk a bit more about this:
If the cat has bitten or scratched anyone, where the bite or scratch breaks the skin or causes bleeding, then medical advice should be sought without delay. A course of antibiotics may be required. It is important to immediately clean the site whether the skin has been broken or not:
- Clean the area for at least five minutes with a soapy solution under a free-flowing tap
- Gently clean around the wound with a brush or cloth but do not scrub as this will cause bruising
- Cover the wound with a loose dressing to prevent further contamination
- Once the wound has been cleaned, apply pressure to stop the bleeding
Even if the skin is unbroken, if the person experiences fever or headaches, together with localised swelling, redness, and pain soon after the bite, then medical advice should be sought urgently.
If you are experiencing a behavioural problem with your cat, then firstly get your cat health checked by your vet and then get a referral to a qualified behaviourist such as the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors.
- Behaviour Focus: Inappropriate Play
In this week’s behaviour focus post, Cats Protection Behaviour Manager Nicky Trevorrow explains why a cat may show misdirected predatory play behaviour. Why does my cat attack people’s legs when they walk past? If you've read any of my other...
- Behaviour Focus: Social Groups
In this week’s behaviour focus post, Cats Protection Behaviour Manager Nicky Trevorrow explains how to recognise feline social groups. My cats are very close – they’re good friends but every now and then one attacks the other. Why is this? ...
- Behaviour Focus: Litter Trays
In this week’s behaviour focus post, Cats Protection Behaviour Manager Nicky Trevorrow discusses why cats may not use their litter tray. Why does my cat poo/wee on the furnishings in my house rather than in their litter tray? It’s clean! This is the...
- ‘why Is My Cat Aggressive?’ And Other Cat Behaviour Faqs
In our most recent live Facebook Q&A session, Cats Protection Behaviour Manager Nicky Trevorrow answered a range of questions about cat behaviour. It’s important that if you notice any change in your cat’s behaviour, you get them checked by a...
- ‘why Does My Cat Meow?’ And Other Cat Behaviour Faqs
Last year we hosted an online Q&A session with Cats Protection’s Behaviour Manager Nicky Trevorrow. It was so popular that we decided to bring them back! Earlier this week we hosted a live Q&A session on our Facebook page with Nicky answering...