Controlling Your Cat's Aggressive Nature With Appropriate Cat Training

Cats are an interesting animal that must be given respect. You cannot force a cat to comply with your rules like other animals and in fact trying to do so will yield in aggressive cat behavior. If a cat thinks it is cornered or you are trying to force it to do something it doesn't want to do, it will either run away or go into a defensive position (if it thinks it cannot get away). You don't want to touch or try to pick up a frightened cat, that would be a mistake you will regret with painful cuts that will ensue when the cat starts to slice you with his claws both hands and feet.

A cat demands respect and there are ways to give it such respect while still demanding that the cat behaves a certain way. You have to approach a cat with diplomacy and tact. A cat that respects you and has a rapport with you tends to listen better but you will have to make the cat think that it's decisions are his (or her) own. You can find manuals on cat training that will show you a glimpse into the cat world, the cat psychology, so you understand the foundation of how a cat acts and reacts.

Knowing what works and what will become counter productive is key to training a cat to behave. Often a cat becomes aggressive due to being abused in the past, or people scaring it. Cats have a good memory and associate behavior of other people to new people until it has a chance to get to know the new people and realize they mean it no harm. Aggressive behavior is not always there to prove dominance or testosterone, it is more often than not a protective mechanism and it can be deactivated by simply respecting the cats space and giving him a chance to come around.

Patience is a virtue in this situation but you can not just ignore the cat and expect it to come around completely on its own. You want to communicate with the cat, place desirable food close to him but do not chase him into the pantry or force him to come out. Patience and time are needed and putting yourself in front of the cat from a distance will forge a relationship with the cat. In time the cat will come to trust you and will build a relationship with you.

Just because the cat is laying down right in front of you doesn't necessarily mean it wants or will let you pet it yet. Moving in close slowly like putting your hand near him and gauging his reaction is essential. Once he lets you pet him pet him for a moment then draw back slowly increasing the time you pet him each time. Once a cat fully trusts you then there are additional ways to train him to behave in your space.

Cats can be a territorial lot and often do not take kindly to strangers, animal or human, intruding on their turf. In multi cat environments, there is often a dominate feline that simply will not tolerate other cats. Competition for things like attention and physical space can exacerbate the problem. Territoriality aside, aggressive or destructive behavior in cats can be more than just a nuisance.

While in college, I worked as maintenance person for a large luxury apartment complex. It was not uncommon to enter a tenants apartment while no one was home. One morning, with a repair order in hand, I went to fix a dishwasher. No sooner did I get in the door than a cat confronted me. With teeth bared and hissing up a storm, this cat was not about to let me get to the kitchen. Every time I would attempt to walk around the cat, he would lunge at me. The dishwasher would have to wait.

The tenant had a hard time believing that her precious tabby would act that way. She became a believer when I returned, and was confronted again by her attack cat.

Like their humans, pets react to stress in different ways. The sources of stress can vary from loneliness and neglect to a physical ailment. Cats are not immune to physiological and physiological problems some of which may be beyond the control of the owner. Abused animals are under enormous stress and can act out in very inappropriate ways. Clawing the furniture, spraying and aggressiveness can be symptoms of bigger problem beyond just a case of bad kitty syndrome.

As for pet cats, the problem of aggressive behavior can be compounded by how the owner responds. As a long time cat owner, I have received conflicting advice on how to handle a wayward kitty. Subjecting a pet cat to the same type of aversion discipline used with dogs is said by some experts to be ineffective. Others think that a cat simply cannot be trained. My own experience is that cats are creatures of habit and behavior modification usually involves breaking the cycle of habit.

Like pet dogs, pet cats can get bored. Maintaining an ample supply of toys and other amusements gives the cat something else to do besides clawing the couch. Scratching comes natural to a cat as they attempt to keep their claws sharp. This is a throwback to their feral instincts and also helps the cat to mark its territory.

One obvious way to keep clawing damage to a minimum is to keep the claws trimmed. Some cats did not seem to mind the process while others may put up a struggle. If your cat struggles or otherwise resists do not risk injury to yourself or your cat. Consult a professional pet groomer or veterinary professional.

Behaviors such as spraying and defecating in areas other than the litter box can be symptomatic of physical illness. Assuming that the litter box is clean and well maintained, spraying and other inappropriate urination can be a sign of a urinary tract infection. Spraying is also a way for male and female cats to mark territory. Likewise, defecating outside the litter box can be symptomatic of an intestinal worm infestation.

Only your veterinary professional can determine if a physical ailment is to blame and it is important for you cat to have a thorough examination.

Pet cats can be a finicky lot, very independent and with their own personality quirks. The important thing to remember is that under that façade of independence lies an animal that is dependent on us for love, care attention. Behaviors can be our cats way of talking to us. As responsible pets owners, we have a responsibility to listen.