Dr. Karen Sueda

What Cat Lovers are Asking this Week…

• Q:

  I have been living with cats my entire life and have never had a problem with one like I have now. I wrote to you before (about six-eight weeks ago) and followed what you said and it has not helped. My cat is currently 5 months old and he has been neutered already. The problem is that for some unknown reason, he tends to attack me. I will be just sitting with him petting him and all of a sudden he will just flip over and bite and scratch my arm severely. I am at the end of my leash with this cat. I play with him regularly with his toys and pet and treat him as soothing as I can, but he just keeps doing it and I am starting to worry. He doesn't bite anyone else. My daughter and my nephew visit often and he has never attacked one of them the way he does me. I am beginning to worry that I may have to put him down for my own safety. I really love him and do not want to loose him, but I don't know what to do about his behavior. PLEASE HELP!

  A:

  I’m sorry to hear that the general suggestions you received have not prevented your kitten from suddenly biting or scratching you when you pet him. For any treatment plan to be successful, we first have to determine WHY your kitten behaves this way. There are several possible causes, but the two that immediately spring to mind based on your description are play-related aggression and petting-related aggression.

  Play-related aggression is often exhibited by young cats that have an over-abundance of energy and view their owners as playmates. These cats typically do not hiss or growl and exhibit playful body language when they bite and scratch. They may view hands as “toys”. For instance, cats with play-related aggression may grab their owner’s hands with their front paws and bite them while “bunny kicking” them with their back legs. They may have learned this behavior if they were encouraged to pounce on moving hands as kittens or if people “teased” them by waggling fingers in front of their faces. Cats with play-related aggression do not intend to cause injury. However, some cats lack bite-inhibition and have not learned to retract their claws when they play. These cats can inflict serious damage to people.

  Cats with petting-related aggression may tolerate physical interaction (petting, stroking) for a short amount of time before deciding that they have “had enough”. They become aggressive to stop the petting. These cats may show subtle signs of irritation while their owner pets them. These include the tail swishing back and forth, ears turning back or flattening, tense body or quickly turning and licking themselves or the hand that’s stroking them a few times. If petting continues, the cat turns and may bite or scratch the owner.

  If your cat is injuring you and you are considering putting him down, I STRONGLY recommend that you talk to your vet and also schedule an appointment with a behaviorist. Your local vet can rule out medical causes for the behavior (e.g. pain, skin problems, flea allergies, neurological diseases) as well as recommend a veterinary or non-veterinary behaviorist in your area. Obtaining a complete, detailed history and observing how you and your cat interact are necessary to make a diagnosis and to formulate a specific treatment plan. The behaviorist may recommend:

  • How to interpret your cat’s body language (e.g. watch for dilated pupils and the other signs listed above; stop petting him when you start to see these).
  • Specific ways to avoid aggressive behavior (e.g. not petting your cat for more than a few seconds before standing up and walking away or tossing a toy for him to play with so he moves away from you).
  • Mental and physical enrichment (e.g. using wand-type toys to play with him at arm’s length, offering him puzzle toys to mentally stimulate him, scheduling 10-15 minute play sessions at least four or five times a day, determining whether allowing him to play with another young cat may help)
  • Desensitization and counter-conditioning exercises (e.g. petting him once and then rewarding him with a treat or play with a toy; gradually increasing the duration of the petting as he tolerates longer bouts).

  To find a veterinary behaviorist or a veterinarian with a special interest in behavior in your area, visit the websites: www.dacvb.org and www.avsabonline.org.

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• Q:

  We have some stray cats in the neighborhood and I have been feeding them. I would love to keep them, but I can't. Do you think that I should do this? I know they get used to the food, and then it is hard to stop and they can get pesty. Sometimes we hear cat yowling at night and loud meowing - why do cats do that?

  A:

  It’s great that you want to help out the stray cats in your neighborhood, but feeding them may not be the best way to do this. Providing a food source may encourage cats that would otherwise not cross paths to congregate and interact. Since cats are territorial, this may result in cat fights and urine marking around your home and yard. Diseases like Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) are spread when cats fight since the virus enters the blood stream through scratches and bite wounds. Similarly, the higher the density of cats in the area, the more likely it is for other diseases and parasites to spread. This is not only dangerous to the stray cats, but also to your cats or your neighbor’s cats if they are allowed outdoors. Even seeing strays through the window, hearing them fight or smelling their scent may stress indoor-only cats, resulting in behavior problems such as urine marking, fearful or aggressive behavior or redirected aggression. Finally, when cats congregate, there is the opportunity for males and females to get together to mate and contribute to pet overpopulation. The yowling you hear at may be the sexual caterwauling of male cats while the meowing may be the calling of females in heat.

  It would be wonderful if you could provide a loving home to the strays you are currently feeding, but I understand and respect that you can’t at this time. Rather than feeding them, consider contacting your local humane society, animal care and control or feral cat alliance group. They may be able to help you carefully trap the stray cats so they can be spayed/neutered, receive a vet exam and health care and possibly be adopted out.

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• Q:

  My cat, Kat, is always laying in my bed and always staying in my room, she hardly ever leaves. I also live with my brother and sister, but she never seems to take any interest in there rooms. Does she just have a closer bond with me, or what is it? A curious owner.

  A:

  You’re right – Kat may have a much closer bond with you than your brother and sister. She may feel most safe and comfortable in your room; especially if you tend to spend a lot of time there yourself. Your room probably contains her food, water, litter box, scratching post, toys, etc. Kat may be perfectly content staying near these “comforts of home.”
  
  If Kat is happy and healthy (i.e. she’s not staying in your room because she’s ill or has trouble moving), she’s not fearful of your brother or sister and you’re not concerned that that she doesn’t venture into the rest of the house, then there isn’t anything to worry about. However, if you’re concerned, I’d suggest having her veterinarian examine her to make sure there isn’t anything physically wrong with her. If she’s healthy, watch her behavior and interaction with people closely. Is she shy and does she tend to avoid interacting with your brother, sister or visitors? If so, ask other people to play with her or feed her to help get her out of her shell. Is she frightened of household noises or other pets? Whenever she sees or hears them, give her lots of attention, play with her and offer her a special treat. It may help to place her food bowl closer to the door of your room and gradually (over weeks) move it inch by inch out into the rest of the house to encourage exploration.

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