| Most cats are not aggressive towards people, but | | | | re-directed aggression, i.e. the cat attacks the |
| if you have one that is, it can be a nightmare. Cat | | | | owner when it cannot get at its intended target - |
| bites and scratches are not normally as harmful | | | | another cat it can see or smell.Cats play status |
| as those from a dog, but it's still not very nice | | | | games rather more rarely than dogs, but on |
| being attacked by a cat as an adult, and even | | | | occasions you will get an animal that thinks it's |
| worse if you're a child.Although aggressive cats | | | | Top Cat and indulges in behavior where it |
| are nowhere near as common as aggressive | | | | challenges the owner to prove it wrong. |
| dogs, there are still more than 20,000 cases of | | | | Professional help is needed from a cat behavior |
| cat-scratch disease in the United States annually. | | | | specialist to sort this out before it escalates out |
| If you are bitten or scratched by a cat, it's | | | | of control.Some do's and don'ts to help control cat |
| important to clean the wounds with an antiseptic | | | | aggression:Have the cat looked over by a vet for |
| solution as soon as possible.So, why exactly do | | | | signs of illness or injury.Scale down the amount of |
| cats turn aggressive and attack people? Well, | | | | physical contact with the cat.When it goes into |
| there are several reasons:A cat in pain can tend | | | | 'attack mode,' startle the cat with a loud noise |
| to lash out. If a normally good-natured cat | | | | etc. as a diversionary tactic.Play with the cat 'at |
| suddenly strikes out at you for no reason, take it | | | | arms length' by using e.g. a toy on a string held |
| to a vet and have it checked out for illness or | | | | away from the body.It may be necessary to |
| injury.A fearful cat can be dangerous. A mature | | | | confine the cat to a cage, particularly if a young |
| cat that was never properly socialized when | | | | child is at risk.Don't make prolonged eye contact, |
| younger, or a cat that has been mistreated at | | | | always look away from the cat's eyes after a |
| some time in its life, can lash out through | | | | few seconds.Don't use physical punishment. This |
| fear.Some cats may start to direct the kind of | | | | will only make the cat more aggressive.Chris |
| stalking behavior normally reserved for prey, at | | | | Curtis developed Bakersfield Pets Photo Gallery as |
| an owners hands or feet. This can be particularly | | | | a place to showcase photos of his family's |
| disturbing if it gets directed at small | | | | beloved cats. |
| children.Sometimes an owner can be the victim of | | | | |