Dealing With Fear And Aggression In Cats

Mild fear may be overcome by the owner. A timid cat needs a safe, quiet place to retreat to, such as a covered bed. Avoid forcing your attentions on the cat, wait for it to approach you.

Always move slowly, speak to it softly and evenly and keep strangers or strange situations at bay until it has become more confident. It is important to identify the cause of a cat’s fear so that you can deal with it.

This may not always be easy, unless it is obvious, a one off visit to the vet, for example. There may be an ongoing situation, such as mild teasing behavior by a child, or a persistent noise or confinement.

Once the cause is established, it must be removed and the cat’s confidence regained. It may be that you can persuade the cat to overcome its fears.

Cats have a highly developed flight response and when faced with any threatening situation, such as being trapped in a carrier or a car, their immediate reaction is to try to get away.

You may be able to control this with soothing words or by gradually making the cat realize it need not be afraid by exposing it little and often to the situation. After an initial shock reaction, cats often settle down in catteries or veterinary hospitals after about 48 hours.

If they are handled, however gently, during that time, they may associate the handling with the initial fear and bridle every time anyone approaches to feed them.

Left alone, the usually calm down and soon start to make overtures to the very people that they hated the day before. If a cat that is normally calm and well behaved suddenly starts to scratch and bite, it may be ill, bored or frightened, and the underlying cause should be addressed.

It is important to train a kitten from the beginning that aggressive behavior is unacceptable, even in play. A firm no, immediate cessation of play, and a light tap in the nose whenever it bites or scratches should eventually correct this behavior.

Do remember that a cat likes its independence, and if you impose your attentions on it when it does not want them, for example, if it is asleep, it may react instinctively by attacking you.