Aggressive Cat....

[Minnie_Mom]

My cat has attacked my Gram (twice). She's been acting weird since the whole medicine issue (She's been afraid and mean after giving her liquid medicine by way of mouth. Both times my Gram was just petting her. What do I do to stop/manage this behavior? I'm worried that it'll keep happening. I don't want my Gram to be in danger because of my cat's behavior.

 

[Kieka]

What was the medicine for and how long ago was it? How old is the cat in question?

Cats can be overstimulated by petting fairly easily. Stress and changes can make a cat more easily overstimulated then they were before. They can also change their level of acceptable petting throughout their lives as situations change and they grow older. Overstimulation is not the same as aggression, although it is a common misconception. Overstimulation in cats is usually triggered by petting and is a reaction to what the cat sees as too much in that moment for them to handle.

Some cats might bite harder or draw blood when warning signs aren't observed. Common warning signs include skin ripples, ears going back, tail twitching or swishing, dilated pupils or low growl. Some cats do get oversimulated simply by being touched in places they don't like. I used to tell a neighbor when she visited to never touch my cat below the neck because he would bite her. I even made a sign for her with the no pet zone marked over a picture of him. She didn't believe me because he loves head scratches and rolled so she thought that meant pet the belly. I did warn her.

In your grams case, it would be wise to watch interactions and make sure she is paying attention to the cats cues. If needed, tell her to just not pet the cat until it has relaxed more from the medicine incident. You can also institute regular play times and keep some toys around the house. When you notice your cat getting overstimulated you can take out some toys to redirect the anxiety onto toys. Try to follow any play time with treats or a meal so that your cat gets the natural relaxation from a successful hunt that lead to food and will be followed by a nap.

You can also work on desensitization with your cat. Learn the cues so that you can tell where your cats limit is before overstimulation occurs. Push your cat right to that point and then back off, give a treat when your cat relaxes. The whole process should be second from when you get the warnings until you back off and give a treat. I actually work with my cat who is easily overstimulated because I need him to be handled by my vet and myself for medical reasons when its needed. Having a cat you can't take to a vet or can't handle being touched to check for injury is not ideal. What I do is if I notice my boy is getting overstimulated while petting, I give him one or two final full body strokes down his back (which he hates anything below the neck). Then I pat his head, tell him good boy and give him a treat. When I started I could only get halfway down his back in a single stroke before he tried to bite me. Over time I have slowly increased the petting down his back. He does still bite me but its only enough for him to say enough, light pressure and release. And he knows if he goes light, I stop the behavior and I give him a treat, but if he goes hard he gets scolded which he absolutely hates and he doesn't get a treat (which is probably the greater punishment). Yes, he is very much food driven and I take full advantage with freeze dried treats. I also pick him up occasionally and hold him just until her protests so that I can pick him up when needed (again, treat after carrying because I want to associate a thing he doesn't like with something he does like).

Bottom line, its not aggression. Your cat is stressed and right now the petting is too much. Your cat is stopping your grams the only way they know is effective, biting. Your grams either needs to be more aware or stop petting for now. If it is more then just when petting then institute regular play time to work out the energy and frustration.

 

[Minnie_Mom]

Thank you, so much! My kitten is an 8 month female

 

[Kieka]

At that age, definitely make sure you have regular play sessions with food after. That will trigger all the instincts to relax after the food portion (hunt, catch, eat, sleep cycle). I was doing play before work, after work, and before bed with meals after each when my cats were that age. Get the energy out so petting doesn't trigger overstimulation as easily.

 

[Minnie_Mom]

Thank you, I have never had a kitten before. I grew up with cats but we always adopted them when they were at least a year so I have been navigating new territory and the last time I had a cat was nearly 20 years ago so I'm a bit rusty with cat behavior but most things came back after I spent time with my cat and did some googling.

 

[Roxabelle]

I read somewhere years ago that cats can go through a more aggressive stage around 7-9 months, which fits the age of your kitty! I was literally Googling 'Why does my cat hate me?!' and I could only pick him up in gardening gloves.

It could be after the medicine that you need to build trust with her, which may take time and patience. I doubt she's ready to just be a lap cat straight away, especially if she is a kitten! Kittens are actual, tangible balls of chaos and fury with claws and teeth. But they are soooooo cute!

You could try Feliway or something similar to help calm her down. Talk in a soothing voice, take her lead and watch for behaviour change signals so you stop before she decides to let you know with her claws... All of those worked for me with my last two kittens.

If Sinclair gets a bit bitey I leave her alone and turn my back to her. I never scold or shout, never spray with water. Just leave her alone and walk away and she quickly calms down. Definitley plenty of play when she's in a playful mood!