Cats can be very loving and placid pets that fit in well to family environments, but they can also be complex creatures that have a very strong predatory instinct, and a sedentary domestic lifestyle can often leave them with surplus energy. Cats can also become depressed and anxious, and this can lead them to misbehaving, either by being aggressive or by scratching furniture and urinating around the house.

Biting and Scratching

Cats often react to environmental or emotional pressures, and if they feel vulnerable due to illness or injury or feel threatened in any other way they can assume a natural self-defence of scratching and biting. Cats can also confuse owners by being aggressive for no reasons. This can often be a result of severe feelings of insecurity, such as strangers in the house, loud noises (building works, music etc) or moving home, and cats can also pick up on tension from other members in the house which can make them very anxious and confused. Cats can also get jealous of new pets or even new human members to the household, and this can make them feel neglected and lonely, which can also result in aggressive behaviour.

Most often cats that are not normally aggressive will give a ‘warning shot’, by scratching just once or twice before backing off, or by nipping rather than biting, which hurts but does not break the skin. If you persist in trying to interact with your cat past this point then they take more serious action by biting or scratching more severely, so take note of the warning and back off until your cat has calmed down and feels less threatened.

To help avoid aggression it is important that you never neglect your cat, and set some time aside every day to give them your undivided attention, either by playing a few games with them or by giving them a thorough groom. Feed your cat with different foods to keep their interest, as a momentous diet can also make them depressed and bored, and also make sure you have a proper cat bed so that they have a safe place to retreat to if visitors turn up or loud noises are going on in the house.

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