How to Deal With an Aggressive Cat

How to Deal With an Aggressive Cat. Aggression in cats stems from several factors. As predators, cats enjoy stalking and striking at objects, including people. Cats can also react to fearful or stressful situations by biting. An aggressive cat can inflict serious injury on family members and pets, so you must address the cause of this behavior at once.

Step 1

Socialize cats early and often. Expose young cats to people of all ages as well as to other cats and dogs if you think you may ever want another pet. The older the cat, the longer the socializing process takes.

Step 2

Allow cats to enact their predatory instincts during acceptable play. Cats love to hunt and pounce on objects. If you think it's cute to encourage your cat to attack your wiggling toes under a blanket, you're teaching him that aggression is OK. Substitute toys for toes.

Step 3

Learn your cat's threshold for petting. Some cats enjoy an hour of stroking. Some cats become over stimulated after five minutes. Honor your cat's threshold and stop petting before the cat gets irritated.

Step 4

Let cats approach new people and animals on their own terms. You must not force a cat to accept the petting of a person she's afraid of. This encourages fear biting.

Step 5

Use shaping techniques to encourage an aggressive cat to accept touching and grooming. First, offer the cat a treat when he's in the same room with the person. Then give a treat each subsequent time the cat allows more interaction with the person, until the cat permits touching.

Step 6

Rule out medical problems that can cause aggression. All sorts of feline problems from constipation to an abscessed tooth can cause cats to be grumpy.

Step 7

Spay or neuter your cat. Intact cats are more territorial and aggressive than altered cats.