Cat dominance

Question
Hi,
I have a 7 year old tabby cat that I adopted when he was a kitten.  I live alone so the cat is by himself all day while I am at work.  Generally, he is a very affectionate, needy cat who loves company.  I have a niece who is 4 years old and a nephew who is 1.  Whenever they come to my place the cat is okay until they start to play, he gets very nervous and tries to stay out their way.  However, when the kids are playing with each other or with another adult, Darby (the cat) gets very nervous.  If there is a pillow fight over someone is getting tickled, Darby will come and attack the person whom he perceives is attacking. He will even bite me if he thinks that i am hurting the kids.  I am very worried about this behavior, what can I do?  Thank you.
deborah

Answer
Hi Deborah,

This is actually more of a common occurrence than people realize.  I find this behavior more commonly in dogs, but it does occur in cats as well.  Basically you have a low energy cat who gets nervous around excitement, and in an effort to quell the excitement, she attacks the person/animal she believes is causing it.  Unfortunately this is not something to be trained out of; this is an instinctual behavior part of your cats temperament.  The best advice I can give you is to ensure the play while in YOUR home is calm or lock her in a bedroom during playtime.  This is nothing you should punish or scold for; this is just her trying to keep her environment in a manner in which she is accustomed and comfortable.  Now if she had been overly socialized as a kitten and around this type of play daily she would be less inclined to become so nervous around it, but that being said, it has become who she is.  Next time they come over, just set her up in a bedroom with her litter box and some toys and be sure to let her out and play with her once everything is calm afterwards.  Have a great week!

Best regards,

Holly Martin
Cat Care/Behavior Specialist
Texas A&M Universit