Do Cats Suddenly Attack Their Owners?: Does it make sense that cats can be rubbing up on you one minute and biting your hand the next? According to Smartly Pet, it does—and for several reasons.
Cats Suddenly Attack
Today, we’ll explore the reasons why cats suddenly attack / turn aggressive. Whether the cause is misguided play, dominant behavior, fear, or an illness, there’s usually something that can be done about it.
How Often Do Cat Attacks Happen?
Severe cat attacks aren’t all that unusual. That’s because, as domesticated as cats may seem, they still possess that feral gene. This holds true for their canine counterparts, as well.
Both animals can display signs of imminent aggression that are often overlooked or ignored by caretakers. So, while aggression is common, it doesn’t occur nearly as much as injury-causing aggression.
Reasons Your Cat Attacks You
Cats attacks may not be as devastating as large canine attacks, but they can be painful and scarring, both mentally and physically. That said, they mustn’t be ignored. What you first need to do is find out where the behavior stems from. These could include the following:
1. Fear
Most cat aggression usually stems from fear. Being afraid stresses a cat out and makes them attack people and other animals. They usually don’t do this on purpose; they’re simply out of sorts.
You can help your little feline friend deal with fear by giving them access to a safe space. This could be anything from a barely used shed in your yard to a mostly empty supply closet in your garage. If their fear seems to be bordering on the extreme, you may need to consult a vet.
2. Illness
Unusual aggression in typically docile cats can be a sign of a health issue. Sometimes, when a cat is sick and in pain, he or she can attack you. When it looks like this could be the cause of the behavior, schedule a visit to the vet as soon as possible.
3. Misconceived Play
Cats chase each other around the house, pounce on each other, and fight over toys. In other words: they love to play. Still, they have to learn the difference between unacceptable and acceptable play. That way, they won’t mistake biting or scratching too hard for playing.
One way to contain a cat’s excitement and keep them from hurting you during play is by giving them lots of toys. Also, keep in mind that cats get bored easily, so you want to update their pile with a new toy from time to time.
4. Hunting Instinct
It’s a cat’s instinct to hunt. Although they might not normally see you as their prey, some situations can be an exception.
One is when they’re looking to practice their stalking and pouncing skills on you. You could be walking around the house minding your own business and get attacked out of nowhere. Granted, it won’t be a real attack, but it will be a painful one involving several bloody scratches on your calf.
Switching your cat’s focus on toys instead of your legs is a great way to discourage this behavior. You can have the cat chase around the dot from a laser pointer or play hunt with a toy mouse or insect.
5. Territorial Behavior
The presence of an intruder, usually in the form of another cat, can be enough to get our feline friends to revert to their baser instincts. Another cat showing up can sometimes stress your pets out and cause them to become aggressive. This aggression towards an animal infringing on their territory can be taken out on you, or more specifically, your hand, as you try to pet them.
6. Maternal Instinct
Kittens can trigger a mother cat’s aggression. You may have been responsible for raising your feline companion and giving her a home, but that’s going to be far from her mind when you try to pet her as she’s nursing her kittens. You can convey that you mean no harm as much as you like, but some kitten’s mothers just won’t have it.
7. Pain
Your cat could be biting or scratching you because he or she is in pain. The explanation could be as simple as that. That’s perfectly understandable since even we are prone to lashing out at others when we feel discomfort. Sure, we don’t tend to cause a bloody mess, but still, we get where our feline friend is coming from.
As for where their pain is coming from, you might have to consult a vet regarding that.
8. Overstimulation
Petting can sometimes overstimulate a cat’s senses and cause discomfort. This leads to cats biting whoever’s petting them. Some signs that your petting is causing agitation are body position changing, loud meowing, skin quivering, and tail swatting.
9. Seemingly No Reason
Cats may attack you for seemingly no reason at all. While this happens rarely, it can be difficult to diagnose when it does.
Signs Your Cat Is About to Get Aggressive
Cat attacks happen more often than they should because many owners fail to recognize the signs of impending aggression in felines.
The Defensive Posture
A frightened cat can assume the submissive or defensive posture, which entails:
- Erect fur
- Dilated pupils
- Inward-tucked tail
- Crouching position
- Hissing and spitting
- Flattened and pointed-back ears
- Not facing the opponent head-on
The Offensive Posture
When a cat takes this position, that tells you it’s about to attack. Avoid a cat that shows the following signs:
- Faces the opponent head-on
- Tail straight and pointing downward
- Fur standing up
- Steps forward
- Looks opponent straight in the eye
- Growls
- Upright-pointed ears
What You Should Do About Cat Attacks
If your Cats Suddenly Attack , Consulting the vet seems to be the most apparent solution for problems involving cat attacks. After all, cats don’t talk to us if anything is wrong; they just get aggressive. That’s how they communicate.
This is why it’s exceedingly vital to be attuned to feline mannerisms that hint at imminent aggression. Being aware of the signs allows you and the rest of the household to avoid going near your cat as you deal with the issue.
