Understanding Feline Aggressive Behavior: Causes and So

Every veterinarian knows that avoiding a cat's wrath is far preferable to engaging in a battle with it when it's angry. Therefore, when petting a cat, it's best to do so gently and with minimal physical restraint. If a cat's temper flares, it's wise to give it some time to calm down before intervening. Alternatively, if immediate intervention is necessary, the use of tranquilizers or complete physical restraint may be the best course of action.

Cat Aggression Types

Like other species, there are several different ways to categorize aggressive behavior. One method describes aggression as instrumental (a means to an end), fearinduced, territorial, sexual, irritable, maternal, or predatory. This classification is typically used to discuss various types of animal aggression, focusing on the purpose rather than the function. Additionally, aggression can be categorized as: petinduced, paininduced, and idiopathic (of unknown cause).

Another classification system divides aggression into emotional and predatory types. The former refers to an increase in emotional intensity, while the latter refers to relatively emotionless predatory behavior, such as hunting to obtain prey. Emotional aggressive behaviors can be further divided into offensive and defensive types. Offensive behaviors involve attacking another animal to achieve some "selfish" goal, while defensive attacks are acts of selfprotection in response to perceived or real threats.

Body Language Associated with a Cat's Aggressive Behavior

1. Ears forward or to the sides

2. Pupils appearing like slits or slightly rounded

3. A body posture where the hindquarters are higher than the shoulders

4. Eyes fixed on a target, with the head moving slightly from side to side

5. A lowpitched growl

6. A tail that is horizontal or vertical, with the tip moving from side to side

Body Language Associated with a Cat's Defensive Aggressive Behavior

1. Ears pressed tightly against the head, facing backward

2. Dilated pupils

3. Standing hair on end—cat's fur stands up, making it look like a puffedup object, especially its tail, which appears fluffy

4. A curled body posture or an arched back

5. The tail curled below or to the side

6. Threatening with open mouth, hissing, and spitting

7. Claws extended, ready for action

Body Language Associated with a Cat's Predatory Aggressive Behavior

1. Little to no emotional change, with intense focus

2. Hunting and tracking behavior

3. Crouching before leaping

4. Using paws to grab and bite

Aggression is a natural behavior in cats, essential for the survival of their wild ancestors. While cats have long been considered solitary animals, recent research has shown that they can live in true societies and some can even become leaders or "alpha" cats. To achieve this status, they must possess a certain degree of assertiveness and physical strength.

This type of cat may use emotional aggression to "tool" for certain assets and privileges. At home, this type of aggression is known as "petinduced aggression," and it can sometimes target gentle owners. This aggressive behavior, known as "dominance alpha cat syndrome," involves occupying the owner's resources, such as food, toys, or resting areas, as a way to gain attention.

Other forms of offensive aggression include territorial aggression (defending a defined territory), maternal aggression (protecting offspring), and sexual aggression (fights between male cats over mates). Defensive, or fearinduced, aggression is another common form of attack, often occurring in cats that were not properly socialized with other cats or humans during their development or those with a history of negative interactions with others.

Many people believe that predatory aggression should not be considered a true type of cat aggression because it does not involve social or selfdefense aspects and is not associated with significant emotional changes. From a cat's perspective, it is merely a means of feeding. However, if you define aggression as any physical behavior that causes harm or death to another, predatory aggression does indeed qualify as a form of aggression. In the wild, predatory aggression is divided into desire and completion stages.

The desire stage includes hunting, tracking, and capturing prey, while the completion stage involves only consuming the prey. When kittens exhibit predatory behavior, they may pounce on people's hands or moving feet. In older cats, predatory aggression may transfer to moving toys or manifest as a desire for fish tanks, birdcages, or birds flying outside the window. In such cases, the cat's chin may tremble slightly, and its tail may swing back and forth in anticipation.

Lastly, some pathological forms of aggression can mimic any or all of the aforementioned types. Pathological aggression may occur in response to trivial stimuli outside of the environment or in an exaggerated form. Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), partial seizures, infections, and malnutrition are some conditions that can lead to pathological aggression. Before implementing any behavior modification strategies, it is essential to consult a veterinarian to rule out any medical causes of the aggressive behavior.