The sudden aggressiveness of some felines is often one of the main problems in living together at home. This may even lead to the abandonment of the cat as the person feels overwhelmed by the situation.
Aggression by a feline, whether towards a human or another animal, always responds to a cause, no matter how sudden the attack may be. Environmental, hormonal or psychological factors, as well as the health of the kitten, play a determining role in the causes of aggression.
It is essential that the person knows what can cause a sudden aggression of your cat? In order to better understand your pet and find a solution for the benefit of the animal and those who live with him.
Causes of aggression by cats
The reasons behind sudden attacks, as well as a clear discomfort on the part of the feline, respond to several factors that may or may not be related to each other.
Aggression may be due to health problems, fear or stress, stubbornness, dominance, territoriality, maternal protection, play or even as an act of redirected energy. There is a wide range of reasons among them that can trigger aggression in cats:
Health-related aggression:
Cats are animals with a disturbing tendency to hide symptoms of illness or injury. This causes them to aggravate and affect their interaction with the environment, since the discomfort leads them to react aggressively. This is mostly seen in cats suffering from arthritis, infections, contusions or neurological diseases.
Aggression due to fear or stress:
If the cat is in a situation where it feels threatened, deprived of mobility or with a great deal of stress and anxiety on top of it, sudden aggression may occur. This is usually the second most common cause of sudden attacks in cats because there are so many elements that can cause them fear or stress.
Aggression due to obstinacy:
This may occur during play, petting or intense interest from another animal or person. Cats can be very easily irritated, so it is not uncommon for some cats to react aggressively when they have been stubborn about being petted.
Dominance and territoriality:
Cats like to have control over their environment, resulting in territorial animals that will defend what is theirs if necessary. Or they will assert themselves over other animals to secure their domain, usually using aggression to achieve their ends. This includes aggression due to hormonal or mating causes.
Maternal protective aggression:
Sudden attacks by female cats with young respond entirely to the natural protection of a mother. They will not hesitate to react aggressively if any person or animal is dangerous to their puppies.
Gambling aggression:
This can be due to two reasons, an inadequate education of the cat when it was small or a slip of the animal due to agitation during play. It usually occurs in cats that are accustomed to playing with people’s hands and feet, without a clear limit.
Redirected aggression:
When the cat is unsettled by something it cannot interact with directly, such as a squirrel on the other side of the window, it accumulates energy that it needs to release. This often results in an unfortunate scratch to an unsuspecting person or animal in the home.
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