Defensive aggression occurs when the cat perceives
itself to be under a threat from which it cannot escape. This type of
aggression may be recognized by the typical body postures which
accompany it: crouching, flattening of the ears against the head,
hissing & spitting, piloerection (hair standing up). These are all
signals to the other animal or person that further approach is likely to
lead to a defensive attack. The defensively aggressive cat only attacks
when approached, it does not seek out the source of the threat or pursue
it if it withdraws.
The best way to deal with a defensively aggressive cat
is to avoid the cat until it calms down. You should not try to comfort
the cat by approaching it or picking it up. The cat should be left alone
until it relaxes enough to eat, play, or show affectionate behavior. In
some cases, several hours or more are required for the cat to settle
down. The person who is injured by the defensively aggressive cat is one
who did not heed the cat's warning signals. Children are often the
victims & should be taught to recognize the pertinent body language and
to respect the directive to "back off!".
Some cats exhibit this type of aggression toward
strangers who visit the home. If the cat has grown up with limited
experience with people other than the owners, it is more likely to fear
visitors. It is also possible for a cat to adopt this attitude toward
strangers if it was at one time mistreated or teased & therefore will be
distrustful of anyone who is not "family".
To help a cat overcome its fear of strangers, it will be
necessary to employ the time-tested principles of desensitization &
counterconditioning. Recruit cat-loving friends to come over on a
regular basis. It is important to minimize any behaviors that would
frighten the cat (eg., loud voices & quick movements) & at the same time
encourage a nonfearful behavior in the cat (eg., eating or playing). Ask
your cat-friendly acquaintances to sit on the couch or even better, on
the floor after entering your home. Give them your cat's favorite food
treats which for training purposes, will only be offered by guests, not
the family. If the cat will not approach the visitor, it can be tossed
to him. A toy attached to a long fishing pole is another way to win over
a reluctant puss. When Kitty begins to connect good times & good food
with people who come through the door, the hissing will be replaced with
purring. Patience & persistence, as always, pay off.
Source: [email protected]
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