Please see our article, Finding Professional Behavior Help, to locate a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB or ACAAB) or board-certified veterinary behaviorist (Dip ACVB) in your area for guidance. Play for kittens is instinctive practice for hunting and fighting survival skills. 1. Drag feathers with a wand. A rule of thumb is to not touch, attempt to reassure, or punish cats showing these postures! This behavior can range from cats who hiss and avoid the target of their hostility to cats who full on attack their target. Body postures will usually be defensive. Cat-on-cat fights are usually the result of redirected aggression, play aggression, or fear aggression: The majority of the time, the fighting involves intact same-sex cats and worsens during mating season—90 percent of instances of inter-cat aggression can be decreased or prevented by spaying or neutering cats before their first birthday. Cats that never learn to temper these responses because they were abandoned or taken from their litters too soon may play aggressively with humans, and people can be injured. If appropriate, she can also help you decide when your cat’s quality of life is too poor or when the risks of living with your cat are too high and euthanasia is warranted. Maternal aggression can occur when a mother cat (called the queen) with her kittens is approached by people or other animals whom she perceives as a threat. Typical body postures associated with fearful or defensive aggression are a combination of defensive signals (such as crouching, flattening the ears, tucking the tail, leaning away or rolling onto the side, and pupil dilation) and aggressive signals (such as hissing and spitting, piloerection, growling, swatting, biting and scratching). Often, these cats are the only cat in the household. Play-motivated aggressive behaviors are common in young, active cats less than two years of age, and in cats that live in one-cat households who don’t have enough mental and physical stimulation. Some cats take a slow and steady approach in their stalking, while others immediately and aggressively give chase. Cats need an outlet for their energy and predatory instincts, so daily vigorous play sessions of 15-20 minutes or more are helpful. Attack cats can cause harm to people, and this behavior must be controlled. They can also cause cat scratch fever, a usually benign but potentially serious infectious disease that causes flu-like symptoms. Most play aggression involves young cats (less than 3 years old) weaned at an early age or hand-raised and bottle-fed. With play aggression, you typically won't hear any hissing or growling and although the bites or scratches hurt, the cat's face won't look as if he's fighting for his life. in kitten / adolescent. There are many forms of aggressive behaviour observed in cats, such as playful, fearful and defensive, territorial, hierarchical (or social), petting, redirected aggression and idiopathic (cause not known). Ask-a-Vet is not manned by the staff or owners of CatHealth.com, and the advice given should not delay or replace a visit to your veterinarian. Cats stalk, chase, sneak, pounce, swat, kick, scratch, ambush, attack and bite each otherall in good fun. In addition to acute painful conditions, cats with orthopedic problems, thyroid abnormality, adrenal dysfunction, cognitive dysfunction, neurological disorders and sensory deficits can show increased irritability and aggression. Feline aggression is threatening behavior towards another cat, human or other animals. Separate their resources. Play aggression (or dominance aggression?) This type of aggression is more common in males than females. Play/Predatory aggression in cats involves their normal hunting and killing behaviors. They sit or stand stiffly, their hackles up, and stare at each other. It can be so subtle, in fact, that cat parents don’t notice it. Knowing how to stop play aggression in kittens is one of the surest ways to ensure a calm, harmonious household in the future. It is almost gone by the time most cats are around 1 year of age but may persist a while longer in others. Aggression while playing. If your cat likes to watch out the windows, you may have seen him become focused, twitch the end of his tail and move his mouth to make a strange chattering sound. This will only encourage inappropriate play and play aggression. Their ears are swiveled backward, and they often growl, hiss and howl loudly. The behavior normally decreases as the cat approaches adulthood but in some cases it will continue into adulthood. And when it’s not, it’s often treatable. Fear aggression can occur when a cat perceives a threat, and it escalates if he can’t escape. Despite the playful intentions of a cat, however, when such play is directed toward people or becomes overly rambunctious, it can cause injury to people or damage household items. Aggression between household cats is more subtle and complex than the conflicts between two outdoor toms. They have five potential weapons (their teeth and all four clawed paws) compared to a dogs’ sole weapon of his or her mouth. Consult with your veterinarian for specific advice on modifying this behavior. In time, play aggression will diminish and will eventually disappear. By providing my mobile number, I agree to receive periodic text messages from the ASPCA. The degree to which individual cats learn to inhibit their rough play varies, and those who were orphaned or weaned early might never have learned to temper their play behavior. Initially, a bot will ask questions to determine the general nature of your concern. This could be directed at people or other animals in the house, and, while the cat is not trying to hurt or threaten, he may in fact cause unintentional harm. If theyre playing, its reciprocal. Then, you will be transferred to a human. Animals of many species strive to expel or keep out other individuals from their territory, and cats are no exception. Cats can bite and inflict severe lacerations, which are painful and can easily become infected. If he’s successful, he’ll deliver a killing bite that all cat species use—he’ll bite the prey at the back of the neck to sever the spinal cord. So when you’re playing, the best game plan is a short burst of time, then let them simmer down, then bring them up to a boil again (and so-on). 5. A redirected attack occurs only if an agitated cat is approached or there’s someone close by. 3. She turns on her side as you rub her belly, and she kneads her paws in contentment. Separate their resources. So therefore, much pouncing, grabbing, kicking and biting is involved in cat play. Redirected aggression occurs when a cat cannot take its frustration out on an aggressor, so attacks the owner or other pets. Cat: Play Aggression For more information call 1.415.554.3030 or visit us online at sfspca.org Page 1 of 3 Contrary to popular belief, play aggression can occur in a cat of any age. It is not uncommon for cats to suddenly bite while being petted. Hands are then associated with gentle stroking, holding and feeding rather than predatory play. totally indoor cats. The age of onset of predatory play behavior is 5 weeks. Yes, you can help a sad cat! Cat enrichment ideas If you consider all the reasons why cats behave aggressively, you can determine what motivates your cat to do so and identify what he might gain from his behavior. If it is predatory or play aggression, then giving your cat plenty of toys to “attack” should do the trick. One reason for this reaction can be over petting and the bite is the cat’s signal that he has had enough. Knowing how to stop play aggression in kittens is one of the surest ways to ensure a calm, harmonious household in the future. Repetitive contact can cause arousal, excitement, pain and even static electricity in a cat’s fur. Sue and Sam greeted me at the door while Steve played with Zach in the living room. Play aggression is common in kittens and cats under two years of age. For fear aggression, the best way to avoid it is by avoiding the situation that the cat is afraid of. Aggressive responses seen in pet cats are closely related to the natural behaviour of the species and are a normal part of predation, play and social conflict. How to prevent and correct play aggression. Geriatric cats can suffer from confusion and insecurity, which could prompt aggressive behavior. What happened to turn your mild-mannered cat into Cujo? So even a well-socialized, normally docile cat can lash out when he’s hurt, when someone tries to touch a painful part of him (for example, to medicate his infected ears), or when he’s in pain and he anticipates being handled because someone is approaching him. Feline play aggression takes several forms that include biting and scratching. Cats may be aggressive for many reasons. This type of aggression is predatory in nature and is commonly seen among littermates. The aggressor cat postures, and the recipient makes himself look smaller and may break away to avoid the aggressor. These behaviors in cats range from minor to severe scratching and biting. Although cat aggression is sometimes taken less seriously than dog aggressionperhaps because cats are smaller and dont pursue people to bite themaggressive cats can be formidable. Play for kittens is instinctive practice for hunting and fighting survival skills. The term “play” aggression can be deceiving, as this type of aggression can sometimes be intense. This is why it’s never a good idea to break up a cat fight or approach an agitated cat showing defensive or offensive aggression postures.Some common triggers for redirected aggression are: Some cats enjoy being petted, held, carried and even hugged. Intact males are particularly prone to aggressive behavior. If theyre playing, its reciprocal. Aggression toward unfamiliar cats can be related to fear or to protection of its perceived territory. It’s more often directed and other cats, but it can be directed toward people, too. They may be described as "vicious," but their motivation is play-predatory behavior toward a moving object, most often the hands, feet, legs, or ankles of a family member. What can I do about this? Cat Behavior. Often the kitten or cat waits around corners or under furniture until someone approaches. by Margaret Schill. Every time a cat becomes aggressive, it learns that this reaction may help it cope with the situation, thus reinforcing the problem. I watched as Steve roughhoused with the kitten, rolling him on his back, teasing him, and roughing up his fur. Desensitization is a way to gradually teach a cat to tolerate a situation by carefully exposing it to the situation in small steps. Your cat might feel the same way: what started out feeling good is now irritating, and he wants you to stop. In many cats, their play becomes too aggressive because their human companions encouraged that behavior when they were kittens. A terrified cat will respond with body language that’s obvious to an … Cats that are about to engage in play aggression will often thrash their tails back and forth, have their ears pinned to the tip of their head, and have dilated pupils. This may happen if the cat did not have positive interactions with a variety of people during the key socialization period from 3-16 weeks of age. Often the best way to deal with a defensively aggressive cat is to simply avoid him until he calms down. Certain medications can alter mood and affect your cat’s susceptibility to aggression. Petting-induced aggression occurs when a cat suddenly feels irritated by being petted, nips or lightly bites the person petting him, and then jumps up and runs off. Under stimulation, an excess of unused energy, and lack of appropriate opportunities for play can lead to play-related aggression. Cats with play aggression can target other cats, dogs, or even people in the household. Now your cat should be tired-out. The man changed his tactics, hiding his hand under a newspaper, encouraging Zack to stalk and attack his moving fingers. Their ears are typically forward in play, their claws may be out but they dont cause damage, and their bodies lean forward not back. Often, these cats are the only cat in the household. Fights between cats rarely result in fatalities, but they can lead to infections and result in considerable veterinary expenses for cat parents. Aggression is among the most common behavioral issues seen in cats. 1. First, keep a journal of occurrences, including time of day and location. A qualified professional can take a complete behavior history, develop a treatment plan customized for your cat and coach you through its implementation. Steve let out a yel… It is not uncommon for cats to suddenly bite while being petted. When cats do this, it’s because they’ve detected prey that they’d like to hunt. Most cats specialize in rodents, such as mice and voles, but a few become good at killing birds. Reduce competition between the cats by providing multiple, identical food bowls, beds and litter boxes in different areas of your house. Rough-housing with bare hands is almost irresistible when kittens are small. Some merely tolerate these activities with their owners, or they like being petted but not carried. Although play is usually more common in kittens, it may persist through adulthood, especially in cats under … Play aggression. In most cases the behavior is completely natural and appropriate, though it’s undeniably the case that its manifestation(s) may at times interfere with the peaceable workings of a normal human household. Determining the answers to these questions can clarify the circumstances that trigger your cat’s aggressive reaction and provide insight into why he’s behaving this way. All rights reserved.The ASPCA is a 501(c)(3) non-for-profit organization. Aggression is complicated and refers to a variety of behaviors that are triggered for different reasons under diverse circumstances. Conclusion. Don’t ever use toys that involve using your hand (or any other body part) as an object of play, since you could encourage aggressive behavior by teaching your cat that it is permissible to play with (i.e., attack) your hands. Living It Up It is up to a cat’s human family to engage the cat in interactive play … These provide both physical and mental stimulation, thus keeping your cat busy, entertained and calm – the result being less bites and scratches for you. In other words, divert the cat’s interest to something that appears to be alive (to the cat, anyway) but won’t be hurt by that fast flurry of teeth and nails. Cats stalk, chase, sneak, pounce, swat, kick, scratch, ambush, attack and bite each otherall in good fun. What was going on during the half-hour or so leading up to the incident? 4. Ingrid Johnson on May 17, 2014. Cats vary in how much they will tolerate being petted or held. Play and Predatory Aggression in Cats My cat's play is starting to lead to injuries. As frustrating as it can be towards their human companions, play aggression is quite normal in kittens. The term “play aggression” can be deceiving, as this type of aggression can sometimes be extremely intense, Understanding what cats are communicating through their body language is essential for cat parents. Many experts don’t classify predation as aggression because its purpose is to obtain food—unlike other types of aggression, which are responses to conflict. One cat might eventually slowly leave, or one or both of them might attack. When a cat detects potential prey, his predatory sequence of behaviors starts with silent stalking, watching and waiting for the perfect moment to strike (his rear end might wobble from side to side and his tail might twitch). Vigorous play in cats is part of normal cat behaviour. Both male and female cats are territorial, but males may defend larger territories than females. 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