Cat Behavior Problems Aggression

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Cat Behavior Problems Aggression

Cat Behavior Problems Aggression

What To Do About Cat Behavior Problems?My Cat has always been a bit..odd, but lately his Behavior has been worrying. He'll jump up on a person's lap, but if they move or talk he'll growl at them and hiss, seeming very angry. He occasionally gets very scared and vocal around people, hissing and running away, and, again, acting angry. We're worried that the Behavior may escalate into aggression, since he's so odd and unpredictable. Nobody who's met him would describe him as 'nice.' He just acts crazy. We adopted him as a kitten, and have taken proper care of him. Why does he act like this towards people? [ Read More ]

Cat Behavior Problem??Hiiiii. I have a year old Siamese Mix. (mostly siamese). Most times she is very lovey. Loves being petted, talked to, etc... (lovey dovey) and then on a turn of a dime she can be almost hateful, don't pet, don't bother me ( a snake). I was just wondering for sure, is this typical Behavior of a cat? She has always been this way since she was a Kitten, from get go. Would having her spayed help her Aggression or Persona any at all???? Which I plan on getting done soon but was just wondering if I can put hopes on it helping her persona. She is puzzling me. Any help will be appreciated. Thank you, and God bless. Basically I was just wondering if this is Natural Behavior of a cat? and if others had housecats like this too. God bless ya. [ Read More ]

What Is The Biggest Problem Related To Pets In Society?We humans live in close contact with dogs, cats and several other species of companion animals. Living in close contact with ANYONE can occassionally result in problems... Behavior Problems (aggression, chronic barking, fear) or in management issues. What do you think is the problem that most badly needs a solution in terms of animals living among us? [ Read More ]

Need Specific Advice On New Aggressive Cat?About a month ago, I adopted a female fixed 9 year old Cat into an all-female multi-cat household. I found out that this new kitty grew up in a household where there were no other pets. She has been kept mostly separated in my bedroom becuase I noticed extreme fear and Aggression in her. I have tried to introduce the cats slowly to each other over the past month - by exchaging bedding, litter box, through the cracks under the door, with treats in each other's presence, etc. But the new kitty is still very aggressive towards the resident cats. The mere sight or smell of them - even now after more than a month - she screams and hisses like nothing I've ever seen or heard before. I noticed that when I try to let the resident cats into the bedroom she is mostly confined in, she is aggressive towards them. She goes to lunge at them - it appears to me as if she has now become protective of that room as her territory. When I let her out, she claims a space, and lunges at the others - as if to claim the entire house as her territory. I usually squirt some water on her before the situation gets out of hand - I don't want anybody hurt. But I don't want to have to squirt water on her everytime she is in the presence of the other cats. I feel that that is going to make her negatively associate with the resident cats. My resident cats run out of her way, out of fear, and crouch under the table or something. I don't like seeing them this way at all. I need very specific concrete advice on how I should deal with this situation - it looks like the new Cat wants to exert power over the resident cats, and the resident cats are displaying fear and insecurity in their own home! How should I deal with this situation? who should be let out where, etc. If there's anybody out there who is a vet or someone who specializes in Cat Behavior problems, please advise. Some details - when I go to pet her in the presence of other cats, she gets aggressive toards me. I have also tried to introduce them to each toher via screen doors - she is so aggressive that she claws and lunges at the screen door when any of my resident cats pass by. [ Read More ]

Why Does My Cat Show Aggression Towards Me?We got this Cat about a year ago when he was just a kitten and he has been acting increasingly aggresive towards myself (I'm a male) and doesn't act like this towards my girlfriend. The Cat will run up and jump on me and start biting my legs, if I push him away or even run, he does it even more almost like it antagonizes him. He also does this move where he arches his back and stands side ways to try and intimidate me. I have never seen a Cat be this bold, he constantly reminds me that he isn't scared of me in the least. The weird thing about my cats Behavior is he doesn't act like this all the time. Overall he is a friendly and loving cat, even towards me. I really don't see any of my actions that provoke this behavior. What can I do to help solve this problem? [ Read More ]

How Do Is Fix This Behavior? (Aggression).?So we HAD 5 dogs, 10 cats, 5 rats, and 2 rabbits. All lived harmoniously in the household besides my one spunky Cat Chance who just absolutely loved (and still does) to watch my rats run throughout the cage. (Not in a friendly watching way). Well then we acquired a small pom mix through no choice of our own and she has disrupted the mellow flow. She has food Aggression (not towards people only the other dogs)-she'll just growl over that but the biggest problem involves my rats and rabbits. She is so upset by any other animal going near their cages that she will outright attack them-she doesn't care whether they are the cats or the dogs that are much larger then she is. Her obsession has been kind of stressful in another way as well. It is upsetting to some of my dogs, annoying to others, and trouble for our chow mix. She (chow mix) is the kind of dog that isn't aggressive but will fight back when provoked by another dog (although she has the most docile personality with my 2 year old out of all the dogs, it is strange). I just don't know how to stop the behavior. She is a great dog besides this one hang up but our house isn't large enough to do a whole lot of separating and what not so we need to actually stop the aggression. We don't want to get rid of her but we want to go back to everyone getting along great! [ Read More ]

Rescue Greyhound Aggression Problems, Plz Nice Answers Only?I tried to ask this before about my dog, but some people tended to think I'm unfit and that I need to give away my dog. I tried to ask a question to get help and all i got was b*tched at. So here goes again. I have a 3yr old male greyhound who is suddenly developing Aggression issues. I have another dog and Cat who behave just fine thank you. the grey is scared of the Cat and leaves her alone. But recently he has been growling at my other dog and at us. I took him to visit my dad, and let him run outside in the fenced yard, he tried to attack through the fence the neighbors dog who did nothing to him. He growled at my dads dog as well. He usually got along with other dogs VERY well and was very peaceful towards other dogs and humans. now i dont trust him at all. He is unpredicatble. I've had him for 6 months now and just recently this Behavior has shown up. I've been a member of a grey fun run group and i am afraid this may have set off his aggressive behavior. cuz he is around cuz he has been around these other greys now. We are not mean to him, but we do set rules for him. We do not yell or hit him. I crate him, but only when we are gone. but there is usually always someone here. and he is not left alone for too long. when he growls i tell him to lay down, which he knows on command. I do this to make him in a submissive position to say I am boss. I make the other dog come over to him to show dominance over him, so he wont growl. But he still does. we show him plenty of love and i am thinking we show too much, or at least at the wrong times. i have never heard of an aggressive greyhound before. and i dont know what his problem is. i treat him just like i do my other dog. and my other dog is perfectly well behaved and couldnt ask for a better dog. he obeys and will NOT poop or pee in the house. he hasnt in the 5 years i've had him. Why does my greyhound do this? and why wont he obey and stop being aggressive? [ Read More ]

Cat Aggression And Dominance?I have a one year old cat, and I’m fairly sure that he despises me. While I was walking through the house, the Cat would suddenly pounce on the back of my leg, attempting to make me buckle. At first I dismissed it as play, but then as he grew, he started biting and scratching at the littlest touch. Oddly, none of this Behavior is expressed toward my Dad, and very little of it affects my Mom. We got him fixed young, because we thought that might be the problem. Now, of all the ironic things for that to cause, he constantly attempts to hump my arm. A few months ago, even before this humping, he became extremely aggressive about the food I have in my room. Only toward me, though. If I have something, and he gets a hold of it, then he growls and hisses at me as I try to get it away from him. My Mom can walk in, though, and this Behavior stops and he allows her to take the food without fuss. What have I done to this cat? [ Read More ]

Uncertain If My Dog Has A Food Aggression Problem?I have a 6 month old Siberian Husky. For as long as we've had him he has always exhibited this same Behavior around the food bowl: We make the dog sit while we are preparing his food and stop all activity if he moves until he sits again. We place the bowl on the ground and make him wait for our command for him to begin eating from the bowl. While he is eating we will pet him gently and he will inevitably let out a low growl that will sometimes escalate to a bark. If he does this we will move him away from the bowl and make him sit and wait for permission to approach the bowl again. He will normally continue this same Behavior despite this correction. We have moved his feeding to different locations, fed him while leashed to more quickly correct him, pretended to eat from the bowl at intervals during the feeding, and fed him from our laps making him stop from time to time and wait for the reintroduction of the food. I understand that Huskies are 'low' talkers and I wonder if the noises he makes while eating are just a part of his feeding frenzy and not an actual indication of food Aggression or guarding food. He is not possessive of bones or toys and is generally pretty sweet. We have cats and there have been times they have approached him while eating and he pays them no attention. This is becoming a source of real frustration mainly due to the fact that I am unsure if my dog even has a real Behavior problem. Should I be concerned with this Behavior or is he simply making noises while 'pigging out'? To respond to one of the comments: we touch him primarily for the reasons you've stated. I'd rather he be used to being touched in case someone accidentally encounters his while eating or we need to approach him. Wanted to add that we've hand fed and placed treats in his bowl throughout the eating process. [ Read More ]

What Are Your Responses To This Article?'...death from Behavior Problems is the leading cause of pet mortality.' by Nicholas Dodman, Director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine and author of the books The Dog Who Loved Too Much and The Cat Who Cried for Help. When we think of pets, we tend to conjure up warm and friendly images: new puppies cavorting together, kittens playing with a ball of twine, a parakeet sitting on its owner's finger singing sweet nothings into its owner's ear, a faithful Retriever at its master's side. It's this warm and fuzzy side of pet ownership, plus the unconditional companionship that pets provide, that helps forge the strong bond that often exists between people and their pets. Unfortunately, though, there's another side to pet ownership that we don't hear so much about; what happens when pets do not live up to our expectations of them and the bond between the owner and the pet weakens or completely breaks down. Behavior Problems are almost invariably the reason behind this rift. Some owners simply suffer the adversity and soldier on. Others would seek help but do not know where to find it. Yet another group surrenders their pet to the local shelter or pound on the off chance that it will be adopted. This solves their problem with the pet -- but not the pet's problem -- and no one learns from the experience. There is an old Swedish proverb that says, 'Some people make the same mistake a thousand times and call it experience.' That certainly applies here, as some of the same owners simply obtain another pet and repeat the cycle of ignorance. Many of the pets brought to shelters are surrendered there because of Behavior Problems that their owners believe to be permanent. Approximately 70 percent of these animals end up being 'put to sleep,' making death from Behavior Problems the leading cause of pet mortality, ahead of trauma and disease. It is estimated that between five and 10 million dogs and cats come to an untimely end in the nation's shelters and pounds each year - a veritable holocaust. To put these figures into perspective, at least three times as many dogs are destroyed annually because of Behavior Problems as die of cancer, another leading cause of death. With dogs and cats, the Problems range from Aggression and house soiling to fear and anxiety-based conditions, including various compulsive behaviors. A similar spectrum of conditions plagues small mammals, birds and even reptiles, although figures on the morbidity and mortality that these Problems cause in these species is presently lacking. So what causes these Problems and what can be done about them? The cause, I am afraid to say, in one way or another is us, the pet owners and pet breeders. Many of the Problems we experience with our pets are normal species-typical behaviors that are inconvenient for us or occur in an inappropriate setting, such as urine marking or furniture scratching in cats. Other Problems are exaggerated versions of normal behaviors that have been accentuated by indiscriminate breeding practices. A final group of Behavior Problems is inadvertently engineered by us. We often do not appreciate or understand the importance of environmental and social experiences on the development of behavior, or we interact inappropriately with our pets, sending incorrect signals of leadership and understanding. For example, a dog growls and snaps at a stranger. Its owner, in an attempt to calm the dog, pets the dog and speaks soothingly to it. The dog, however, interprets this petting and soothing as praise, thereby reinforcing its aggressive behavior. Fortunately, it is often not too late to intervene and rectify at least the majority of these problems. A little understanding goes an awfully long way. To understand what behaviors to expect from a particular type of pet, what drives these behaviors, and how to re-direct them resolves many of the species-typical Behavior problems. It is also helpful to attend to the pet's psychological and physical needs through attention to exercise, diet, and various environmental factors. Communication with the pet can be enhanced through modern non-confrontational training. Attention to species specific behavioral needs (such as a bloodhound's need to sniff or a sheep dog's need to herd) is a must. In addition, specific Behavior modification practices can be of enormous value, in some cases augmented by targeted pharmacological therapies when genuine psychological Problems are involved. Medical causes of Behavior Problems are becoming better understood and these Problems must be diagnosed and treated appropriately if other strategies are to be successful. The bottom line is that now, at last, something can be done to correct most Behavior problems. A new breed of veterinary and non-veterinary specialist has emerged to help advance the science of animal Behavior studies and to educate others in the art. A number of referral centers have opened up in private practice and in academia. The clinical services they provide can and do help in dealing with hard-to-treat Behavior problems. No longer is there no place to turn. There are very reasonable alternatives to euthanasia that are likely to meet with success, whatever species is involved. It is quite foreseeable that within a few years the currently overwhelming dilemma of animal Behavior management will come under control - and not a moment too soon. The cavalry has arrived! [ Read More ]

Cats Sudden Aggression Towards Female Kitten?I have a two year old Cat and her two 12 week old kittens, one male and one female. Both kittens are weened and no longer sleeping by their mother. I adopted them from another home six weeks ago and have had no Problems with hostility or Aggression between them. Then yesterday the mother Cat aggressively attacked the female kitten. We have since separated the mother Cat from the kittens but she has twice escaped the separation and attacks the female kitten. She does not show any Aggression towards the male kitten. I have taken both cats to vet and neither has any injuries that the vet could find that would cause this sudden Behavior change. Does anyone have any ideas what could cause this or what I can do to help try to alliviate the aggression? [ Read More ]

My Cats Display Aggression?Ok, this is going to be a little long My first Cat was Tommy, i got him when he was thirteen weeks old. I got my second cat, Nala a month later and shes the same age as Tommy. Soon after, Tommy and Nala became mates and had a still born kitten. Nala had to go under immediate operation to remove her uterus, so she can't produce kittens, and she is also spayed. Tommy was as well neutered, because he was spraying too much in his litter box. But after neutering him, the spraying problem still did not go away. I got my third cat, simba, a male, a year later, he was...1 year old or something and neutered. i dont remember. Tommy is the nicest Cat on the planet. he never hisses at a new cat, or shows any aggression. He tries to befriend them as soon as possible, so this was how it was with tommy and simba. they had no enmity. tommy, of course, was older but he was never territorial or anything. after simba's arrival, he kind of stole nala away from tommy. nala and tommy didnt play anymore like they used to. whenever tommy tried to play with her, she would meow, it kind of sounded like a warning meow, and she would run away. only simba and nala played with eachother. and whenever tommy tried to play with simba, simba usually was kind of scared of tommy when he playfully stalked him. simba wud run under the bed and tommy would sit there, meowing and waiting for him to come out. i always saw it as play fighting, and i was sure it was at that time, because tommy was never aggressive. so now its been 4 years since ive had all of them, and their relationships were fine. it was like they were a real family. until february 2009. i started noticing more Aggression in simba and tommy's playing behavior. when tommy pounced on him, he would screech more than meow. i never gave much thought to it, until my mom brought it to my attention. for two or three days, i also noticed a spray of pee which formed into a 1 inch puddle in the bathtub. i know that it's tommy's because simba doesnt have the habit of spraying. so then i started to think that the problem tommy had was territory. but after all of these years why would tommy choose to fight for territory now? i thought they were like brothers. recently, whenever tommy pounces on simba, they get into a BIG Cat fight. rolling around, growling, hissing, scratching... but tommy doesnt hiss or growl. its only simba. i know that tommy scratches and bites simba more than just playfully because ive found scratches on both of them which had turned into scabs. ive also noticed this killer expression tommy has on whenever hes stalking simba. before i was in doubt but now i really think tommy is reacting with aggression. only one of them can be in a room. if tommy is out, then simba seeks perching on the top of my kithcen cabinets, which is near the ceiling. and whenever tommy is sleeping in the closet (which is for the whole day) simba can freely roam the house. also, what i think is cute is that whenever simba and tommy get into a fight, nala hisses and growls and attacks both of them. it looks like shes trying to stop them. but is that also a problem? what can u make of this situation and how do i stop this aggression?? oh, also i spray tommy with water whenever hes stalking simba. but that's not working. i appreciate all answers. thnx! [ Read More ]

How Can I Ease My Dogs Severe Food Aggression Towards Other Animals?I have a 10 year old Rottweiler (named Belle), and she has had some food Aggression Problems that have spiraled out of control recently. She has started racing after her dish whenever a Cat (and I have 6) walks by, will chase after one of them while she is eating, and sometimes even attempts to bite them. I'm worried she will hurt one of my cats, or my other dog who is only a 12lb chihuahua/beagle mix. She also has Aggression Problems with my other dog, often blocking the dish and not letting her eat. In fact, sometimes she even tries to block me from her dish! I always tell her no in a firm voice, and make her lie down in another room, when she does any of these behaviors, but she continues to act out. What can I do to end her Aggression before she lashes out and hurts one of my other pets? [ Read More ]

Need Help W/Feeding PetAlive Granules To A Cat?I adopted a second Cat a few months ago. He was a problem Cat that had nowhere left to go but being put down by the local shelters. (I call him my backdoor Cat because one of the shelters took him out the backdoor to a private rescue that does rehab for certain unadoptable cats.) They weren't successful. Through a mutual acquaintance, he made his way to me as his final destination before his final destination. I took my time and introduced him properly, vetted him, have eliminated his aggressive biting and scratching (people) behaviors through consistent redirection (yes, I'm freakin exhausted here, lol). He's really bonded with me...follows me everywhere, snuggles, makes biscuits, takes showers with me, let's me trim his nails without having to hold him, etc. We've come a long way. He still has these occasional fits of craziness with my older Cat though, also adopted (12 years ago). My vet recommended pharmaceuticals after the new guy shattered my glass table, but I've opted to try PetAlive Aggression formula granules first. The granules are microscopic balls that stick to your fingers no matter how dry they are, and they scatter and roll everywhere. I now have 1/2 a bottle or approximately 1,000,000 granules of this stuff all over my kitchen floor from trying to feed them to him. Has anyone ever used this stuff on a Cat and how in the world do you get the pinch in their mouth? Yes, I've scruffed. I've tried the burrito wrap with a towel. I've run out of ideas. My other Cat takes his small pinch of pet calm with no problems. He's a bengal. Approximately 3 yo. Neutered. Give me good suggestions to try, please. I'm thinking along the lines of a pill-pusher concept but something that would hold these microscopic balls????? [ Read More ]

Cat Behavior Problems Aggression