I have a cat who attacks me when I scream or yell at her?

Question

If I yell at her in a certain way - maybe when I am VERY angry at her for something she did - or if I scream out in pain - for example when I burned my hand on a pan, she will jump on me and dig her nails into my skin and growl. She has done this since she was a kitten, but when she was little, she just "play bit" me nothing that actually hurt. Now she has ripped my skin up so much that I have scars. My husband said to get rid of her before she does serious damage to me or someone else, She has never done this to anyone but me. Has anyone else had this happen or know of someone? What makes her do this?? I would appreciate some feedback . Thanks.

Answer 1

A spray bottle if fine if you catch the cat misbehaving in action, but it won't do any good if she is already in the attack mode. Whether you yell or not, your cat shouldn't be attracting you, and it's not going to get any better. Get your cat de-clawed then you can scream all you want. It's your house, your life and you are the cat's caretaker so you have every right to get upset when the cat misbehaves! If you don't want to have it declawed, then I would listen to your husband and get rid of it because your safety is at risk.

Answer 2

If you deal with your cat by screaming and yelling, she views you as unstable, and quite possibly a threat. Your behavior is perceived no differently than if you were an attacking dog.

The biggest mistake people make with cats is teasing them with their hands and encouraging cats to bite when they are young. It may be cute or amusing while they're little - but not when they're full grown.

If your cat only does this to you - it's your behavior that needs to be modified. You need to get a grip, if you're going to have animals. Or children, for that matter. No child, person or animal responds well to this behavior.

No more screaming, no more yelling, no more acting like an unstable menace.

When bitten, you should try responding like a mother cat. Tell the cat NO in a firm, but calm voice, while holding the cat by it's scuff. Don't lift the cat by the scruff, unless supporting the back end, too.

Give the cat space and respect. When she's out of control, give her a time out in a private room. When you let her out, do not acknowledge her...or baby her. She's a cat, not a human. You need to establish dominance, without using fear or pain.

There are a few things that you need. A nail trimmer (for pets). You should trim her nails every week. This will keep them dull, and will make her less dangerous. And please don't say that you CAN'T - because you can. I've never met a cat that I couldn't trim - even completely wild ferals. Use a blanket or heavy towel to wrap her, clip the tips, and avoid the pink area. You should have Styptic to stop bleeding, just in case you trim too much.

Get a squirt gun. This is the best way to correct bad behavior. I tell my cats NO. If they don't stop what they're doing - they get a squirt. Eventually I didn't need the squirt gun anymore...just the word NO. I use the squirt gun to keep the cats from trying to get out, out of my plants, off the curtains and stopped them from scratching the furniture. When they learned to use a scratching post, they were rewarded with catnip.

Do your best to understand cat behavior, and how your actions are creating her reactions. Change yourself, and you can change your relationship with your cat.

Answer 3

Redirected aggression is a possibility. She hears you scream, gets scared and attacks. You may not be yelling at her (Which, if you do, I believe does more harm than good for you and your cat's relationship, there are other methods of punishment that work much better) but she sees it as a threat and is on the defence. Cat's don't act out of revenge or pure meaness. It is most likely fear and anxiety.

A good book to read on this is "The Cat Who Cried for Help" by Dr. Nicholas Dodman. It has a very pharmaceutical slant, however, it is very informative on aggression and gives some good advice.

Answer 4

The best thing you can do is cut down the yelling as much as possible. If your cat does something naughty, the best way to punish it would be to say 'No' sternly and firmly. It will only make your cat more timid and more likely to do this if all you do is yell. I understand if you hurt yourself and scream, but just don't do it to punish your cat. If you want to find out how to stop your cat doing this, I would suggest contacting an experienced cat handler or trainer and ask their opinion.

Hope I helped! :) Good luck.

Answer 5

Screaming and/or yelling at a cat is not an effective means of communicating your displeasure with their actions. She probably sees it as aggression on your part, which it is if you're disciplining her, and she's telling you she doesn't like it. If you yell and scream about a lot of things in life, most people are considerate enough not to say anything but the cat has no problem letting you know it doesn't approve of your outbursts. I can get my cat to guard me and threaten to attack whoever's near simply by yelling "help me, help me" or if someone raises their voice to me my cat will run in and guard me as well. Cats are capable of distinguishing emotion and tone of voice so stop yelling.

Answer 6

Would YOU want to be screamed and yelled at all the time? Or, perhaps you were as a child, and this is why you're doing this to your cat. You're making a total nervous wreck out of her, not to mention--just about bursting her ear drums. There are MANY other ways of disciplining a cat when they do things that you don't want them doing. The good ol' water pistol or spray bottle is usually the best--screaming, yelling and hitting are the WORST! Get a grip!

Answer 7

Quit screaming at her. Clearly you are scaring her, and she's reacting out of fear. There is no breed of cat that learns proper behavior through being yelled at. It's a "fight or flight" situation. She's either going to attack or run and hide, and her way is to attack. She's done this since she was a kitten, so it's not due to a sudden pain or illness. You need to be adult about this and learn to remain calm around your cat.

Answer 8

Shouting at a cat will frighten it. The cat has two choices - fight or flee. She must think that if she fights you she'll win. The only solution is not to shout at her. Make her do what you want in other ways - gently pick her up and move her to where you want her to be. .
If you need to show displeasure do it with signs and, again, move her away from what sh'es been doing but don't cuddle her. Cuddle her when you want to or when she's done something you like.
She'll soon get used to being handled and will eventually enjoy it; cats are very tactile creatures

Answer 9

Some cats are nice cats, and some can be a little aggressive. It could either be the cat's personality or its instinct. I know that some cats are also bothered by loud noises and sudden movements and will feel threatened. I would cut down on the yelling, because you shouldn't get mad at your cat for everything she does. However, I would still be very firm with your cat and get a spray bottle to spray her when she tries to claw you. My parents used to have a cat though who would hide behind doors and claw you to death when you walked by! You can also get the cat declawed, which most people find very helpful when dealing an aggressive cat. Keep in mind that she is an animal and she goes by instinct. Good luck!

Answer 10

However it started, it is now a habit. You yell or scream, she becomes very upset and directs that fear at you. Cats (and other animals including people) redirect aggression when they become very aroused.

She now has a habit of taking out her fear on you so you need to either get her to be calm or redirect her aggression at something like a toy. You can get her to be calmer and more confident by playing with her and petting her in a calm manner.

If she is generally more calm, well exercised and has something to do then she can handle stress better.

Answer 11

Hi. I would take your cat to your local vet and have her examined. She may be in pain herself and the screaming is getting on her nerves too.
The vet would be able to give you medication to calm her down if this is necessary.
She may also just be responsing to the"noise level". Cats like quiet just like people.
I have never known any cat to "attack" without being provoked, or on a steroid medication.
Please seek medical attention for both your sakes.
Good luck and hope you and kitty are both feeling better soon. Blessings, Patti

Owned cats for over 50 years.