Mary Allen
There are many forms of aggression. They usually come as a surprise to us and we feel helpless. However, aggressive behavior is neither malicious nor insidious but is usually triggered by stress, fear, or wrong reactions.
However, help cannot be achieved with psychotropic drugs, because these only suppress the problem. In extreme cases, they give those involved a break to breathe and think, but they can be used in the longer term, e.g. B. Valium cause liver damage.
The cause often lies in exceeding the individual distance, both between humans and cats as well as between the four-legged friends. Whether it’s a solo tiger or a member of a group, the habitat always consists of a common territory and areas where visitors are received – this is called social distance – or which the cat claims for itself. Boundaries overlap and are crossed, but sometimes tolerance can be pushed to the limit by various triggers.
Group Problems
Territorial disputes are among the most common causes of aggression in clans and are possible at any time, even after years of peaceful coexistence. It remains undisputed that the cause for discrepancies multiplies the larger the clan is/becomes.
Often we don’t even know it, but in every group, there is a boss (usually a female), a kind of upper-middle-class, and followers. The pariah, who is on the lowest social level (by no means always a castrato), is usually expelled from the territory in nature. This is not feasible in a domestic community, which is why the person who is so outlawed must then, e.g. B. content with the crumbs in the food bowl, or the use of the litter box becomes a gauntlet, which is why she sometimes pees next to or even in the sleeping place. Then at the latest, we will notice the discrepancy. If there are repeated shifts in the ranking of the “people”, this would be an indication of a less harmonizing group or that the human being is obviously not the “upper cat” …
Big Boss
But we should. Not only because we alone (should) have the perspective in crisis situations to intervene as a mediator, but because we can just as unexpectedly slip down the hierarchy in an unrecognized extreme situation. Incidentally, this also applies to a human-cat duo, because the rise to an alpha animal is easy to exercise even for a cat that is not ambitious in this respect, for example, if we simply accept everything that comes to mind out of warm-hearted, sensitive good faith or simple ignorance. If we only come out on top when the limit is blatantly exceeded, the cat won’t understand because it doesn’t see the connection. In any case, such a cat is no fool, so it can be persuaded to enter into a gentleman’s agreement.
What Should I Do?
Unfortunately, there are different situations like sand on the sea, which is why only food for thought is possible here – see also “The scared cat”. Beatings are absolutely taboo. You can also find many tips under “Upbringing”.
- Pain reflex: “Sudden” aggression indicates this, for example when we unexpectedly get a slap with our paws, because injuries, toothache, or other sources of inflammation (e.g. kidneys) often only come to light when we stroke our pet.
- If the play partner is attacked because he smells like a veterinarian: Place the basket in a closed room and after a while spread a uniform smell (pheromone spray, brewer’s yeast) in the fur of both animals. If they are busy cleaning, open the connecting door. However, an anesthetized cat must be “fully there” beforehand. The trick can also help newcomers.
- Aggressiveness in “assaults” is based on unpleasant experiences, for example, relentlessly holding on or pulling up the poor creature by the paws or by the scruff of the neck. If the cat doesn’t want to stay in your arms, you can practice this: pick it up with both hands and put it down immediately after a kiss, praise it, stroke it. Grow it out slowly and patiently, and put it down whenever it starts to twitch.
Tough Nut – Alpha Syndrome
“Conflict stroking” such as scratching and biting with loving attention shows that the docile owner is not even aware of his subordination: Not every cat and every human can live in an equal partnership. The foundation is usually laid early when we offer the kitten fingers or hands as toys.
- Never withdraw your hand while claws/teeth are still in it, the little one will only bite harder. Gently slide the “prey” hand in the opposite direction, the claws will disengage, the hand will go deeper into the throat and it will open the bit. Then you stand up without a word and leave them on the left.
- Use the same key sound each time she wants to scratch or bite, e.g. B. an “Ow” in a high voice, and immediately leave the room without further reaction. She will learn both the meaning of the word and the context, namely that this game is undesirable and will be punished with ignorance. This additionally confirms your rank as the top cat.
- If every petting attempt is punished with injuries, let kitty stew, even if she begs for it. After that, start with a single swipe and gradually increase the affection, but stop immediately if you suspect an attack.
Some cats also “only” get excited by being stroked intensively, which they cannot otherwise reduce. In such cases, a game such as a feather rod redirects pent-up energy to acceptable prey and restores social consensus. The same applies to ambushes.