Aggression is a fairly common behavior problem in cats. There are various forms of aggression. Triggers and targets can vary widely, which can make identifying and correcting the problem challenging for cat parents.Continue Reading
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Ask the Cat Behaviorist with Dr. Marci Koski: Aggression after Vet Visit, Biting Cats, and More
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Dr. Marci Koski is a certified Feline Behavior and Training Professional who received specialized and advanced certificates in Feline Training and Behavior from the Animal Behavior Institute. While Marci has been passionate about all animals and their welfare, cats have always had a special place in her heart. In fact, Marci can’t remember a time when she’s been without at least one cat in her life. She currently relies on her five-member support staff to maintain the feline duties of her household.
Marci’s own company, Feline Behavior Solutions, focuses on keeping cats in homes, and from being abandoned to streets or shelters as the result of treatable behavior issues. Continue Reading
Ask the Cat Behaviorist with Dr. Marci Koski: Spraying Cat, High Energy Tortie, Redirected Aggression, Cat Obsessed with Bread, and More
Dr. Marci Koski is a certified Feline Behavior and Training Professional who received specialized and advanced certificates in Feline Training and Behavior from the Animal Behavior Institute. While Marci has been passionate about all animals and their welfare, cats have always had a special place in her heart. In fact, Marci can’t remember a time when she’s been without at least one cat in her life. She currently relies on her five-member support staff to maintain the feline duties of her household.Continue Reading
Play Aggression in Cats: How to Prevent and Correct It
Cats need to play. Play is vitally important to a cat’s mental and physical health, and it’s especially important for indoor cats. Even though cats may sleep up to 16 hours a day, when they’re awake, they need stimulation, and the best way to accomplish this is with play. In the wild, when lions, tigers, and other wild cats aren’t sleeping, they’re either hunting or teaching their young to hunt. And play is nothing more than channeling your domestic tiger’s hunting instinct into play.Continue Reading
Study Suggests Link Between Feline Aggression and Certain Coat Colors
A new study at the University of California Davis suggests that there may be a link between feline aggression and certain coat colors. Lead researcher Dr. Liz Stelow and her team looked at data from 1,274 anonymous cat caretakers who answered an online survey about their cats’ behavior.Continue Reading
Non-Recognition Aggression in Cats: A Case of Forgotten Identity
Your two cats are best friends. They play together, groom each other, and sleep curled up with each other. Then one day, you take one to the vet’s for a check up. When you return from the clinic, instead of receiving a warm welcome, the cat who stayed home hisses and attacks the other cat. Your two former best friends have turned into sworn enemies, and your formerly peaceful home has turned into a battle zone.
Aggression between cats is always a distressing problem for the cats and the humans involved. Whether it’s play aggression, petting aggression, or redirected aggression, dealing with feline aggression is stressful and requires commitment, staying power, and the help of experts such as your veterinarian and/or a feline behaviorist.
The cause of on-recognition aggression is not entirely clear, and the bad news is that it’s not easily fixed.Continue Reading
Redirected Aggression in Cats: Recognition & Treatment
We recently covered petting aggression and play aggression in cats. Today, I’d like to address one other form of feline aggression, and it’s one that can be very frightening, as well as damaging, for cat guardians. This form of aggression is called redirected aggression, and it happens when a cat is agitated by an animal, event, or person it can’t get at. Unable to lash out at the perceived threat, the cat turns to the nearest victim. This may be another cat or pet in the household, or it may be the cat’s humans. These attacks happen seemingly out of the blue, and they can be fairly damaging to the victim.
Redirected aggression is not unique to cats. The human equivalent is the man who gets so angry he wants to punch someone, and ends up punching a wall instead.Continue Reading
Petting Aggression in Cats: Why Cats Bite the Hand They Love
Written by Harry Shubin
This stuff always seems to come in clusters. I spent some time counseling the first foster about why his cat was biting him. I spent even more time counseling the second foster. Then I worked with the adopter who had the same issue. It finally took Jackson Galaxy’s My Cat From Hell on Animal Planet doing an episode where every cat bit his or her person, for me to see the, ah, cat scratches on the wall. Or bites on my arm.
Why does my cat attack me?
I can’t tell you how often I hear “why does my cat attack me?” Let’s start with full disclosure – I have a cat with “petting aggression.” “Aggression” isn’t really the right word, though that’s what it’s generally called. It’s not really aggressive – nor is it mean, nor is the intent to actually hurt someone.Continue Reading
Why Won’t My Cat Stop Staring at Me? Common Reasons & What to Do
If you’ve ever owned a cat, you’ve probably noticed them staring at you unwaveringly at some point or another. Cats are unique creatures with several unique behaviors, so their staring isn’t surprising in the least.
We don’t know exactly why cats stare, but there are many different theories. You can rest assured that most staring is normal. However, there are some underlying illnesses that can cause excessive staring, like neurological problems.
Let’s look deeper into why your cat may be looking at you and when you might want to be concerned.
Can Cats Tell When You’re Pregnant? What to Expect
Pregnancy can be one of the most joyful, stressful, and disruptive times of a person’s life. In all the excitement, it might take you a little while to notice your cat acting strangely. Once you do, you might wonder, can a cat tell when you’re pregnant?
While cats probably don’t recognize the specific condition of pregnancy, they may be able to tell that there’s something different about you. Some cats, like the mellow kitty I owned before my daughter was born, take these changes in stride and simply enjoy snuggling in all the comfy new baby gear. Other cats may display obvious behavior changes.
In this article, you’ll learn some specifics about how cats may be able to tell you’re pregnant and ways to help prepare them for the new baby.
Can Cats Wear Harnesses All the Time? Tips to Keep Your Cat Safe
The question of whether cats can wear harnesses all the time is a common one among cat owners. While harnesses can be useful in certain situations, it is generally not recommended to have a cat wear a harness all the time.
Let’s explore the reasons why it is not advisable to have cats wear harnesses all the time, as well as the potential risks associated with constant harness use. I will also provide some alternative options for cat owners who want to keep their pets safe and secure. You want your cat to be happy and healthy, and so do I!