Aggression
is a serious and dangerous behavior
problem for cat owners. There
are many different types of
aggression. Making a diagnosis,
determining the prognosis (the
chances of safe and effective
correction) and developing an
appropriate treatment plan are
usually best handled by a veterinary
behaviorist. In some cases medical
conditions can contribute to
aggression. Before a behavior
consultation your cat must have
a thorough physical examination
and blood tests to rule out
organ dysfunction.
To treat
aggression, it is necessary
to determine which type of aggression
your cat displays; fear, territorial,
parental, play, redirected,
predatory, petting-induced,
pain-induced, social status,
medical or learned. Also determine
in what circumstances the pet
is aggressive and whether the
aggression is toward family
members, strangers, other pets
in the household, or strange
pets. Keeping a diary can be
particularly useful. More than
one form of aggression may be exhibited.
Behavior modification techniques
and/or changes to the pet's
environment will be necessary
to correct most aggressive problems.
Drug therapy can be a useful
part of treatment for some forms
of aggression.
Fear
aggression: what is it and how
is it diagnosed?
Fear
aggression arises when a cat
is exposed to people, other
animals, places or stimuli (e.g.
noises) that the cat is unfamiliar
with, or to situations previously
associated with an unpleasant
experience. Although many cats
may retreat when fearful, those
that are on their own territory
or are prevented from retreating
because they are cornered are
more likely to fight. If the
stimulus (person or animal)
retreats or the pet is harmed
or further frightened in any
way (e.g. a fight, punishment),
the fear is likely to be further
aggravated and the fearful behavior
is reinforced. In addition people
or animals that do not approach
in a calm, confident or friendly
manner are more likely to be
met with a fearful response.
Fear aggression toward family
members might arise out of punishment
or other unpleasant experiences
associated with them. Many cases
of fear aggression are seen
as combinations or complicating
factors of other forms of aggression
(territorial, maternal, redirected,
etc.). Fearful body postures
in conjunction with aggression
are diagnostic of fear aggression.
Behavior therapy perhaps in
combination with drug therapy
can be used to treat most cases
of fear aggression. (See our
handout on ‘Fear in cats').
Play
aggression: what is it and how
is it diagnosed?
Play
aggression is commonly shown
by young cats toward people
or other pets in the family.
Overly rambunctious play along
with grabbing, stalking, pouncing,
nipping or biting of people
or their clothing are common
signs of play aggression. Although
it is a normal behavior it can
lead to injuries. If handled
incorrectly it could lead to
more serious forms of aggression
as your cat matures. Play aggression
in cats is covered in a separate
handout.
Territorial
aggression: what is it and how
can it be treated?
Territorial
aggression can be exhibited
toward people or other animals
(usually other cats) that approach
or reside on the pet's
property. Territorial aggression
can occur towards cats outside
of the home, but also towards
cats that live in the household.
This may be with the addition
of another cat, or when resident
cats reach social maturity at
1-2 years of age. Since the
person or other animal entering
the property may also be causing
fear or anxiety, territorial
aggression often occurs in conjunction
with fear aggression. Treatment
is covered in a separate handout
entitled ‘Aggression territorial'.
Predatory
behavior: what is it and how
can it be treated?
Predation
is the instinctive desire to
chase and hunt prey. Predatory
behaviors include stalking,
chasing, attacking, and ingestion
of prey animals, but may occasionally
be directed at people or other
pets. Although the desire to
chase can be reduced by using
desensitization and counter-conditioning
in the presence of the stimuli
(see our handout ‘Behavior
modification desensitization,
counter-conditioning and flooding'),
this can be dangerous behavior,
which is best prevented. If
the behavior is directed toward
small pets in the home, confining
those pets to a room where the
cat does not have access is
best. If the behavior is directed
to animals outside, then keeping
the cat indoors is a solution.
Predatory behavior toward family
members may be a form of play
aggression for some cats.
Pain-induced
and irritable aggression: what
is it and how can it be treated?
Pain-induced
aggression is usually elicited
by handling or contact that
elicits pain or discomfort.
However, even if your cat is
not exhibiting pain, certain
medical conditions (endocrine
imbalances, organ disease, etc.)
may make the pet more irritable
and prone to aggression. Fear
and anxiety further compound
many of these cases. Once your
cat learns that aggression is
successful at removing the stimulus,
aggression may recur when similar
situations arise in the future,
whether or not the pain is still
present. Treatment requires
first that the medical or painful
condition be resolved. Next,
identify the types of handling
and situations that have led
to aggression in the past. With
desensitization and counter-conditioning
(see our handout on ‘Behavior
modification desensitization,
counter-conditioning and flooding'),
your cat can slowly and gradually
be accustomed to accept and
enjoy these situations. Once
the cat learns that there is
no further discomfort associated
with the handling, and that
there may be rewards, the problem
should resolve.
Maternal
aggression: what is it and how
can it be treated?
Maternal
aggression is directed toward
people or other animals that
approach the queen with her
kittens. With desensitization,
counter-conditioning, good control
and highly motivating rewards,
it may be possible to train
your cat to accept handling
of the kittens. Once the kittens
are weaned, spaying should be
considered to prevent recurrence.
Redirected
aggression: what is it and how
can it be treated?
Aggression
that is directed toward a person
or pet that did not initially
evoke the aggression is classified
as redirected. This is likely
to occur when the cat is aroused
and a person or other pet intervenes
or approaches. Cats that are
highly aroused must be avoided.
Since redirected aggression
arises out of other forms of
aggression, it is important
to identify and treat the initial
cause of aggression (e.g. fear,
territorial, other animals outside),
or to prevent the problem by
avoiding exposure. See our handout
'Redirected aggression'.
Petting
induced aggression: what is
it and how can it be treated?
Some
cats bite while being petted.
Some cats are intolerant of
all handling, but most cats
with petting aggression accept
a certain amount of petting
but then become highly agitated
and attack when they have had
enough. This can be difficult
to understand since many of
these cats seek attention and
at the outset seem to enjoy
physical contact from the owner.
It seems that these cats have
a certain threshold for the
amount of physical interaction
that they can tolerate. Although
the aggression may be a specific
form that arises from arousal
related to petting, fear and
social status may also play
a role. First, identify and
avoid responses that might increase
your cat's fear or anxiety
(e.g. punishment, uninvited
approaches and handling) and
make all handling experiences
positive. When handling, physical
restraint must be avoided as
cats that are placed in a position
where they feel constrained
or unable to escape might become
aggressive. The cat that assumes
a leadership role in relationship
to a family member may bite
or attack that person, while
avoiding aggression to a person
who is more "dominant"
in the relationship. (For diagnosis
and treatment of social status
aggression see below).
In
order to resolve petting induced
aggression, make sure that the
initiation and termination of
petting is under your control.
In addition, your cat needs
to learn that petting is not
associated with excessive restraint
or anything unpleasant but rather
with rewards. Do not approach,
confront, or lift your cat,
unless it approaches for affection.
At this point call the cat onto
your lap (perhaps with a command,
or bell), and begin light stroking
without any physical restraint.
After a brief session put the
cat on the floor and give a
reward such as food, play, or
a catnip toy. At each subsequent
session, when the cat is ready
for affection, call the cat
onto your lap, and pat or stroke
a little longer before putting
the cat down and providing the
reward. Be aware that as you
approach the limit of your cat's
tolerance of petting, anxiety
and aggression will recur. This
limit can often be evidenced
by a change in the cat's
demeanor. Usually the cat will
begin to rapidly move the tail
back and forth, the pupils may
dilate and the ears go back,
or the cat may begin to lick
or act agitated. Try and stay
below this threshold and cease
petting before the cat becomes
anxious. Although shaping may
greatly increase the number
and length of petting sessions
your cat will accept and enjoy,
you will need to learn and accept
your cat's limitations.
Social
status aggression: what is it
and how is it treated
Information
on the social structure and
relationship between cats is
continually being updated with
new research. Cats do maintain
social relationships when living
in groups leading to the speculation
that some form of social structure
also exists. Social structures
in groups are often maintained
with aggressive displays and
actions. Some cats may display
aggression toward their owners
or other cats when displaying
assertiveness. This type of
aggression is infrequently described
in the veterinary literature
but is a consideration in those
cats that bite or attack their
owners or other cats in order
to control a situation. Since
cats are now known to be a social
species, it is not surprising
that some cats will assert themselves
when challenged by a subordinate
cat or family member in the
home. Social status aggression
in most cases is a complicating
factor of other forms of aggression.
Assertive displays, soliciting
attention through attacks or
biting, aggression during petting,
attempts to control the environment
by blocking access to doorways
or refusing to be moved from
sleeping areas, stalking family
members, and threats or aggression
to owners when walking or passing
by the cat, may be displays
of social status. A diagnosis
of social status aggression
is also a strong consideration
when the cat attacks family
members that have not assumed
a position of control and leadership
but does not threaten those
that have good control.
Attaining
leadership over assertive cats
must be accomplished without
physical force and confrontation,
as this would lead to fear and
retaliation.
Take control of
all rewards, and teach the cat
that obedient and compliant
behavior is the only way to
earn them. A few basic training
commands using food reward training
techniques can go a long way
in gaining control over some
cats. By teaching a cat that
each play session, treat, or
piece of food must be earned
from its "owners",
the cat will learn that the
owner is in control of all resources
and all that is positive. Conversely,
the cat must learn that its
demands or attempts to control
resources (attention getting
behavior, play or food soliciting
behavior) must never be rewarded.
An observant owner should be
able to determine when a cat
is ready and desiring food,
treats, affection or play. This
is usually a cat that looks
relaxed, tail up and pupils
normal size. Using a command
or audible signal such as a
bell, the cat can be trained
to come to the owner and receive
these rewards. Once the cat
learns to come or approach on
command or signal, the desired
behavior (e.g. petting) can
then be shaped by gradually
making the task more difficult
at each training session. (See
petting aggression above for
details). Demanding, assertive,
or any other forms of undesirable
behavior should never be physically
punished. Inattention or walking
out of the room often works
best, but if this is not possible
an immediate disruption with
a can of compressed air, water
pistol, or air horn, should
quickly deter the behavior without
causing fear of the owner. Another
way to ensure immediate control
without the need for direct
contact is to fit your cat with
a harness, and attach a long
leash when you are at home and
supervising.
Learned
aggression: what is it and how
can it be treated?
Learning
is an important component of
most types of aggression. Whenever
a cat learns that aggression
is successful at removing the
stimulus, the behavior is further
reinforced. Some forms of aggression
are inadvertently rewarded by
owners who, in an attempt to
calm the pet and reduce aggression,
actually encourage the behavior
with patting or verbal reassurances.
Pets that are threatened or
punished for aggressive displays
may become even more aggressive
each time the situation recurs
especially if that stops the
threatening behavior.
Treatment
with flooding is intended to
teach the pet that the stimulus
is not associated with any harm
and that aggression will not
successfully remove the stimulus.
With desensitization and counter-conditioning,
the cat is not only taught that
the stimulus is safe, but that
it is associated with a reward.
(See handout on ‘Behavior
Modification desensitization,
counter-conditioning and flooding').
What
are some of the other causes
of aggression?
Aggression
associated with medical disorders
may arise at any age, may have
a relatively sudden onset and
may not fit any feline species
typical behavior. Some medical
conditions can, on their own,
cause aggression, but in many
cases a combination of behavioral
factors and medical problems
cause the pet to pass a certain
threshold at which aggression
is displayed. Infectious agents
such as rabies, hormonal imbalances
such as hyperthyroidism, psychomotor
epilepsy, neoplasia, and a variety
of genetic and metabolic disorders
can cause or predispose a cat
to aggression. Painful conditions
such as dental disease, or arthritis,
and medical conditions causing
fever, fatigue or sensory loss
might increase the pet's
irritability.
This client
information sheet is based on
material written by Debra Horwitz,
DVM, DACVB and
Gary Landsberg, DVM, DACVB.
© Copyright 2002 Lifelearn
Inc. Used with permission under
license. March 11, 2004. |