Tabbytudes Cat Behavior Column - May 2003

May 2003

Dear Readers,

This past month you kept my in-box filled with questions. I'm delighted TabbyTudes is so popular, but discouraged that I don't have more time to reply individually-some questions will have to wait until next month. Since most of your letters dealt with kitty aggression, this month's column addresses how to understand and deal with that issue. I've chosen one letter to feature, but my response should also answer other readers' aggression concerns. I also offer some insight and advice for owners of "amorous" kitties, escape artists, and talk about unusual scratching targets. Don't overlook the Tabby Tip at the end of the column to read about a surprising trigger of aggression. If you don't see the answer to your burning question, and can't wait for the next column, you're sure to find lots more information in my books.

Purrs,
Amy

Letter of the Month: My Cat Attacked Me

Hi,

My cat attacked me with a vengeance. There were two cats fighting just below the window. I was in the window with my cat and the window was up, the screen was in the window. One of the cats screamed and I yelled so they would maybe run. The next thing I remember was blood all over me. My cat that loved me so much was attacking me. It was so scary. I had gashes in my head and all over my face and hands. Luckily my husband was home and threw a sheet over him. It took a while but he finally calmed down. Now I am afraid of him. I can tell he is suffering emotionally. I love him so much and I feel like I have lost my baby.

I was getting a little concerned because he was getting aggressive in the mornings to get me out of bed. After this happened, I started putting him in a big kennel cage at night. I am afraid this will harm him more emotionally as he's not used to it. I do have it where he can see me as I sleep. He's never alone in a room. I don't want to find him a home, as I am afraid it could happen to someone else. And I don't want to put him to sleep. I don't know what to do.

We live in the country and there are lots of cats from the woods around here. He's a stray I rescued as a baby. Any advice would be appreciated.

Donna

Amy Shojai's Reply:

Hi Donna,

First of all, I am terribly sorry you and your cat friend went through this experience. Cat bites and scratches are very serious and I hope you received proper medical care.

Feline aggression is a very serious issue that's difficult to "diagnose" and try to fix over the Internet, because there can be so many causes and variables involved. I've chosen your letter because it appears to have a pretty clear-cut trigger-that is, the other cats within sight/hearing/smelling range, but no way for your kitty to reach them.

Donna, I feel confident that your cat really didn't mean to attack his favorite human. You were the victim of "displacement/redirected aggression." Kitty simply became aroused by the presence of the other fighting cats. When unable to vent emotions toward the true instigator, cats typically lash out at the nearest target. You just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The same thing happens with people when we've had a bad day at work and the boss has yelled at us-we sure can't yell back, so we come home and instead snap at the kids or a spouse for the tiniest reason.

Incidentally, your husband did exactly the right thing. Tossing a blanket or sheet over the upset cat blocks out the sight of the target and gives kitty time to cool his jets. Aroused cats need up to two hours to calm down after such an attack, so the best thing you can do is leave them alone. When lots of strays are part of the mix, stay alert to what's happening outside and give your cat his space-don't talk to him, don't touch him-when he's agitated.

Until you rebuild some of your lost trust in each other, alternative sleeping arrangements are a practical solution. Cats easily "read" how we feel about them, and your nervousness around the cat feeds his own nervousness. It will take time for you both to calm down. You can help your cat with the pheromone product, Feliway, which mimics the calming scent of the cat's cheek glands. Feliway comes as a spray and as a plug-in. Try spraying all the windows to take the edge off any stray cat sightings.

There are other common triggers of feline aggression. Most cats are very scent-related and a person smelling of dog, or a strong perfume or cologne, could tie kitty's tail in a knot. In households where children come and go a great deal-spending time in Mom's house, and then weekends at Dad's-they may not smell enough like the cat to remain familiar. A bit of Feliway spritzed on pants cuffs or ankles might help ease that transition.

Cat-on-cat aggression can sometimes be resolved by making both cats smell alike. I've talked about the "vanilla trick" before. Dab vanilla extract or your favorite perfume under the chin and at the base of the tail of each animal. Voila! Suddenly the interloper-kitty smells familiar and is no longer a threat.