Curb Cat Aggression

Change the Aggressive Way Your Cat Plays

In the previous article (Angry Cat - click here to read) we looked at why cat aggression can get out of hand.

Assuming you’ve had your vet give your cat a thorough check-up, then it’s time to start having fun again.

Time To Play

“Wait a minute. You actually want me to play with this angry cat?”

Well, if you’ve ruled out illness or deep seated psychosis…then, yes!

You can retrain your cat to play in a way that is fun for both of you.

At the moment she is looking for the reward of the adrenalin rush, the attack and the excellent reaction she gets from you.

This has to stop immediately. From this moment on she will no longer get the pleasure of this activity. You will need to be firm in your actions and resolve and remain consistent.

You may need to amour yourself. No, I’m not kidding. I know how sharp those claws are. It would take superhuman nerves to ignore a swipe of those little beauties.

So, wear heavy denim jeans, boots, a long sleeved shirt, a jacket and gloves. I’ve heard of people adding a motor bike helmet, but that one’s optional.

• Rule No 1: You are not going to slap your cat or use any form of physical punishment. This will could hurt her, make her permanently frightened of you or encourage her to attack more stealthily.
• Rule No 2: You are in charge of when to play. Any attack or attempt to play started by your cat should be ignored completely until it is play time. You cannot be manipulated. You are the dominant leader in the relationship.
• Rule No 3: Set a play time. This can be hard if you work full time, but you’ll need to make a real effort to sort out this horrible cat aggression. Even 10 minutes twice a day is fine.

• Rule No 4: Use objects other than your hand to play with her. Never use your hand for anything other than stroking, and as your cat is prone to aggression NEVER stroke her tummy. It’s her most vulnerable spot and will be defended with vigor (even if she did seem to offer it up to you).

  Use a wand with a string and feather attached. Don’t just sit on the lounge and wave it at her. Get up and move around so she has to chase, run, pounce and stalk. See if you can get her out of breath.

• Rule No 5: If she goes for your hand instead of the wand, immediately stop playing. Walk away and ignore her. If she’s calm and not attacking you or trying to initiate a game, then you can be the boss and start another short play session.

The Best Cat Toys

You can’t play with your cat all day, so make sure she has access to a good range of toys to keep herself occupied.

For house cats, toys are mandatory.

Here are some ideas:

• Ping pong balls
• Scrunched balls of paper
• An obstacle course of cardboard boxes
• Paper bags
• Rope or heavy string hanging from a doorway
• Scratching posts
• Rolls of wool
• Toy mice

Make a play area for your cat to climb and explore. Use cardboard boxes in a variety of sizes. Cut out doorways and windows. Fasten them securely into a cityscape complete with bridges, ramps and tunnels. Hide dry food containers in amongst it all so she has to search it out.

Make up a high perch on a shelf or top of a cupboard. Make sure it’s somewhere she can to safely. It is instinctive cat behavior to be up high looking down.

A Final Word On Cat Aggression

Cat aggression during play is a very real problem. It takes the fun out of your relationship with your cat. Use the tips above and you will begin to see an improvement in your cat behavior.

This is just the start, of course, so to get a full solution I recommend that you take a look at Complete Cat Training.

Train a cat? Sure. If you’re putting the advice above into practice then you are already doing it!

Complete Cat Training will help you to modify your cat behavior so that you can really enjoy her company.

Read more about Complete Cat Training here…

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