{"id":6323,"date":"2022-09-30T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-30T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hartz-v2.local7\/dealing-with-aggressive-cats\/"},"modified":"2023-02-24T15:18:27","modified_gmt":"2023-02-24T15:18:27","slug":"dealing-with-aggressive-cats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hartz.com\/en-ca\/dealing-with-aggressive-cats\/","title":{"rendered":"Dealing With Aggressive Cats"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Aggressive

When your cat acts out, first find out the reason behind the aggressive behavior to understand and resolve it.<\/p><\/div>\n

It\u2019s never fun to have to share your home with an aggressive cat. Your aggressive cat\u2019s behavior can cause stress, damage your relationship, and even cause serious harm to you or your other pets. Aggressive cat behavior that is a quality-of-life concern to you is equally a quality-of-life concern for your cat.<\/p>\n

Reasons Behind Aggressive Cat Behavior<\/h3>\n

Your cat is not acting aggressively because he just wants to be a jerk. There is always a reason behind the behavior. The first thing you should ask yourself is, \u201cWhat\u2019s the function?\u201d What is the reason behind your aggressive cat\u2019s behavior? Why are they acting this way? If you know the function, you can begin to understand where your cat is coming from and how to resolve the aggression.<\/p>\n

Pain and Illness<\/h4>\n

Pain and illness are the number one reasons that your once friendly cat may suddenly become irritable and aggressive. In the case of any sudden behavior change,<\/a> a trip to the veterinarian should be your first priority.<\/p>\n

If you're very familiar with your cat and he's started showing signs of aggression for seemingly no reason, don't assume that he's misbehaving or has suddenly changed his personality. His aggression could stem from a health issue, so you'll want to visit the veterinarian as soon as possible to ensure that he's healthy. Once you have ruled out a medical issue, then you can move forward to determine other causes.<\/p>\n

Avoid Punishment<\/h3>\n

Punishment is never the answer for aggressive cat behavior. Your cat will not understand why he\u2019s being smacked or squirted with water. All punishment accomplishes is harming your relationship with your cat. It does not teach him what you want from him, and does not address the root of the problem.<\/p>\n

Likely, if your cat is showing aggressive behavior, he is scared, anxious, or stressed. You need to show him that he is safe and that he can trust you, and this is not accomplished with punishment.<\/p>\n

Context is Key<\/h3>\n
\"Aggressive

Prolonged petting or touching can be a trigger for many cats.<\/p><\/div>\n

What is happening before your cat swats or hisses? What happens during, and after? These are referred to as the \u201cABCs\u201d of behavior: antecedent, behavior, consequence<\/strong>. They can help address the function of the behavior.<\/p>\n