Selv om våre firbeinte venner er kjærlige og forsiktige mesteparten av tiden, kan de av og til være i dårlig humør, akkurat som oss, og aggresjon er det nest vanligste atferdsproblemet hos katter, etter uønsket urinering.
Siden katter er utviklet for å være rovdyr på toppen av næringskjeden, er aggresjon en integrert del av atferden. Katter bruker aggresjon til mange formål, som å fange og drepe et bytte, forsvare seg og territoriet sitt, og å jage vekk rivaliserende katter.
Forhåpentligvis kommer ikke katten til å vise aggresjon mot deg hjemme, men hvis det skjer, er det flere ting du kan gjøre for å forstå og løse eventuelle problemer.
Why is my cat aggressive?
If your cat is being aggressive, you need to ask why. Are they fearful or anxious about something? Are they in pain? Are they defending their territory? Are they simply playing too boisterously and not keeping their teeth and claws in check? Or does it seem that they’re pursuing you as if you’re their prey?
There are many reasons why cats demonstrate aggressive behaviour, and most of them are normal, if not inappropriate for a home environment.
Det er alltid en god idé å få katten sjekket hos veterinæren hvis den har blitt aggressiv, bare for å utelukke at oppførselen ikke kommer av smerte eller ubehag. Smerteindusert aggresjon er vanlig, så hvis veterinæren kan gjøre katten mer komfortabel, vil den sannsynligvis bli mye mindre irritabel.
It’s always a good idea to get your cat checked over by a vet if they have become aggressive, just to make sure their behaviour isn’t the result of pain or discomfort. Pain-induced aggression is common, so if your vet can make your cat more comfortable they’ll probably be a lot less irritable.
What to do if your cat bites you
Although it may be a shock, try to keep calm if you’re scratched or bitten by your aggressive cat, as shouting, sudden movements and physical retaliation will only scare your cat, and make them less likely to accept fuss in the future.
Dette kan forståelig nok være lite hyggelig, fordi det kan virke som om katten ikke liker deg, men dette er ikke tilfelle. Denne formen for aggresjon betyr vanligvis at katten er forvirret og opplever at den har to ulike identiteter, både som kjæledyr og ensomt rovdyr som må passe på seg selv, derfor slår den instinktivt ut.
Inappropriate predatory targets
During play time it’s common for your cat to view whatever they’re playing with as ‘prey’, so never play with only your bare hands or you may be pounced on and scratched. Instead, use a fishing rod-style toy or a remote-controlled toy to play with your pet at a safe distance.
Det er vanlig at den omdirigerer aggressiviteten sin til deg hvis du skulle røre katten eller forstyrre den når den er i denne tilstanden, da den kanskje ikke oppfatter at det er deg og tror det er objektet den har jaktet på. Å snakke med betryggende stemme før du nærmer deg, kan hjelpe med å få katten ut av den fokuserte tilstanden.
Stand still, be silent and don’t react. If you do nothing, your cat will lose interest. If you suspect they’re about to pounce on you, divert their attention by rolling a toy across the room for them to chase.
Sometimes, your cat will seem to become fixated on another object, such as the sight of a rival cat or a bird through the window, and you can clearly see from their body language that they’ve gone into ‘predator mode’. It’s common for them to redirect an aggressive response to you if you happen to touch or disturb them when they’re in this state, as they may not realise it’s you, and not the object they’ve been tracking. Talking to them in a reassuring voice before approaching them can help snap them out of their focused state, or try rolling a ball of paper past them to distract them safely.
Aggression to other cats at home
Cats can be quite solitary creatures, but they will usually get along quite happily with their feline family members. Many cats are very affectionate and loving with each other, while others will learn to tolerate each other and leave one another alone, providing they have enough space. But if their living area is too cramped, squabbles can erupt more often.
Imidlertid har katter, i likhet med mennesker, mange ulike personlighetstrekk, og noen katter liker simpelthen ikke å dele hjemmet sitt med andre katter, eller de misliker en spesiell katt. I disse tilfellene kan råd fra en atferdskonsulent være nyttig, men noen ganger er omplassering av en av kattene det tryggeste og beste alternativet.
However, just as there are all kinds of personalities in the human world, there are many different personalities in your pet’s world too, and some cats simply don’t like sharing their home with others, or will take a dislike to a particular single cat. In these cases, the advice of a behaviourist can be helpful, although sometimes re-homing one of the cats is the safest and fairest option to all of them.
Take time and care in introducing new cats to the house, and never tell off or punish your existing cat if they’re not particularly welcoming to begin with, as this can lead to further negative associations. Give them time and space to get used to their new feline housemate, and seek help from your vet or a feline behaviourist if necessary.
Aggression to neighbourhood cats
Aggression to neighbourhood cats is most commonly seen in unneutered male cats, who can be very territorial and competitive. Luckily, the vast majority of neutered cats live together quite happily, or at least tolerate each other! They’ll try to avoid physical contact as much as possible, preferring posturing and meowing threats at each other, before eventually reaching a time-sharing agreement for favourite areas to explore.
In urban areas, however, where space is at a premium, cats can come to blows while they wait to use the same space. In this instance, try talking to your neighbours to see if you can arrange to let your cats out at different times, so they’re less likely to cross paths. It’s also a good idea to let your cats out only after they’ve been fed, so they’ll be more lethargic and contented.
Purina Editorial Team
