Reading time: 2 – 4 minutes
Most view cats as docile, peaceful and quiet creatures. It is an assumption by many that as long as a cat has a good place to rest, has clean drinking water, and food that it is all that is needed to create a docile, loving, yet independent cat.
But not all cats have the laid back couch potato meditative zen type of style. Some cats are constantly going at 160 mph. Fast, agile, interested, investigating, and bouncing off the walls, keeping their owners awake at night by leaping across the bed or attacking toes under the blanket. Cats are as different to each others as humans are. As long as the personality style is acceptable by the owner there is no problem.
There is one trait though that most people are not happy with and that is an aggressive tendency within the cat. While dogs can get away with being somewhat aggressive due to their “protecting the home” status, aggressiveness in a cat is not a desired quality.
Cats that are aggressive can cause quite a bit if damage. While they are small and can’t inflict the type of bite a large dog can, their speed and agility can cause damage very quickly.
Some cats are aggressive by nature, but other cats become aggressive after dealing with abusive owners or other unfortunate situations. It’s no wonder that a cat dealing with a sadistic owner would become aggressive, no matter what its natural demeanor once was. Some people refer to aggressive cats as “feral,” but this isn’t entirely accurate because an aggressive cat might be quite domesticated in terms of using a litter box and eating from a bowl. By the same token, not every undomesticated cat is aggressive.
So what should you do if your cat is aggressive? You may be able to work out some of the issues with your cat by demonstrating tenderness and making the cat feel as comfortable around you as possible. You should also make sure that your cat has ample opportunity for getting plenty of exercise, because if your cat is starved for some activity it may culminate into aggressive behavior.
It may be that your cat is just aggressive by nature, or is acting aggressive due to a dog in the house, or young children. while aggression is most often due to fear, it can not always be trained away. If your cat is a risk for young children or babies, it may be best for all involved to find your cat a home with no children.
