How do I stop my cat from being so aggressive?

Question

My 18-month-old spayed female cat has always been very aggressive - biting me (but not my husband) and guests. She bites hard and repeatedly. At other times, she can be very sweet aned affectionate. She was never abused, but was taken out of her litter at six weeks. Why is she like this, and how can we change this behavior?

Answer 1

Has she been checked by a vet? Cats are very good at hiding illness and if she doesn't feel well that would also explain why she's short-tempered sometimes.

If you can rule out any health issues, when she bites, are you fussing her or playing with her?

All cats have different tolerance levels for being petted and for some, biting is their way of letting you know when they've had enough. Sometimes their level of tolerance will improve with age and patience.

Ideally kittens should remain with their mother until they are at least eight weeks old. During this time not only do they become emotionally independent of the mother, but they also learn the rules of cat etiquette. Kittens spend a lot of time playing rough with their brother and sisters. It's the ideal way for them to learn first hand from another cat, just how much biting and scratching hurts. Did you play rough games with her when she was a kitten or use your hands instead of toys? Sometimes they get over excited when playing and simply don't realise how rough they're getting and because we continue to play, they think that we enjoy it as much as they do. Ensure you always use toys that don't involve direct contact with your hands, like those attached to a piece of string at the end of a wand stick. If she bites during play, gently scruff her neck and tell her "no". If she persists in being rough, then stop play and walk away from her. She will quickly learn that this is unacceptable behaviour.

Is she allowed outside at all? She's still a young cat and probably has a lot of energy that needs burning off. If she's a strictly indoor cat, would you consider adopting a companion cat for her? This would give her someone to focus her energies on and would also teach her first hand, just how much biting does hurt. My female kitten used to be very feisty and scratched a lot, until I adopted a younger cat for her to play with. I've posted a link that advises how to select the most suitable companion for your cat and how to introduce them.

http://www.tulsa-animalshelter.org/tips/intro%20cat.htm

Good luck.

Answer 2

Release your cat at the first sign it has had enough petting. Some signs that you are approaching the limits of the cat’s tolerance are restlessness, tail twitching, flattened ears, twitching ears and a tendency to move its head toward your hand. One can attempt to deprogram these cats by feeding them a tasty treat just before you think they might attack.

Answer 3

Maybe you should take her to the vet. Or you could try getting some kitty toys to keep her occupied. Or maybe she just doesn't like you. Like my cat hates my sister, but loves me.