My rescue cat is aggressive. How do I stop biting and build trust?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If he is attacking you and not trying to play then he should be confined, you should always keep him up to date on Rabies, and you should discuss behavior modification drugs with your Vet, like prozac. I would get it in a liquid form you can put in his food. I would purchase feliway diffusers for around the house, one should go in his room. You can play with him but as soon as he gets over stimulated you need to stop and walk away. If he starts to get aggressive and is coming towards you squirt him with a water bottle. It is inappropriate behavior for a cat to attack you and injury you that badly. You need to strongly consider if this is the kind of relationship you want from a pet. This may not be an easy thing to break him of. I hope this helps and i wish you the very best!

It's hard to know why pets develop certain behaviors. It's possible he thinks this is some sort of game. Try to identify any type of a pattern so you can predict what is going to do. You may certainly try distracting him as soon as you notice the rough behavior. Try to direct him to play in a different fashion. It's possible he is bored and so is inventing his own games. Try meeting his instinctual needs and providing some new stimulation. Here is a great article about cat's instinctual needs: https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-every-cat-needs-a-place-to-climb/ Use a Feliway diffuser, set aside 30 minutes a day for vigorous play (really get him moving) and/or switch the food to Royal Canin Calm. Try feeding him out of a food puzzle. Hide food for him to find. Provide a stand or resting place by a window so he can look outside. You may also try clicker training him for positive behavior. Here is a link about training cats: https://www.petcoach.co/article/can-i-train-my-cat/ Most cats response best to combination therapy. The veterinarian can also prescribe medications which can help with bad behaviors. He should also be neutered because the testosterone can make pets more aggressive. Feeding meat will not cause aggression. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hello! It sounds like you're already off to a great start by leaving him alone when he gets too rough- many people don't know to do that! I love the product Feliway for anxious or grumpy kitties. It's a natural feline pheromone that helps to calm cats. It comes in plug-ins, sprays, and collar forms, so whichever works best for your situation. I also like to get people to feed their cats outside of bowls if they can. Cats are natural hunters, and making them work for their food is great mental exercise for them. Putting part or all of his food into different toys so that he has to spend time working for it is excellent exercise for the body and brain and may help with some pent up energy and aggression problems. I hope that's helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Sometimes this behavior can be related to boredom, anxiety or a desire to play roughly. There are a few things you can do which may help. Try enriching his environment. Here is a great article about cat's instinctual needs: https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-every-cat-needs-a-place-to-climb/ Use a Feliway diffuser, set aside 30 minutes a day for vigorous play and/or switch the food to Royal Canin Calm. During the play time, if he seems like he wants to play rough, try to encourage him to wrestle with a stuffed animal. You may also try feeding him from a food puzzle and/or hiding food around the house for him to find. Most cats response best to combination therapy. The veterinarian can also prescribe medications which can help with behavior. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Unfortunately it sounds like you've adopted a cat that was still a bit feral, and it may take a bit of training to resolve this. Get her to sit with you, give her petting and attention and some very high-value food rewards (bits of canned tuna, a tiny lick of anchovy paste) or maybe some brushing or playtime as long as she allows the petting without biting. As soon as she starts biting, withdraw the attention, and leave her where she is. Keep doing this, and eventually she'll get the message that good behavior is rewarded.

It sounds like Ivan may be getting a bit overstimulated when being pet. This can happen in some cats, and others may also "bite" as a way of showing affection if they weren't taught not to as kittens. Stopping the petting as you are doing is a great thing to do already. You may also want to stop sooner than a bite if you see things such as a tail flicking back and forth, ears going flat, body stiffening, etc as these are all signs he is starting to become overstimulated. Interaction with a toy instead of petting, giving treats, or just petting "safe" areas such as the head or chin may also help you share affection without it getting to the point of biting.

Always play with a toy, never with your hand. When he starts to get too wound up then I would put him in a dark room with no interaction for 30 minutes or so until he calms down. It will take repitition and time but eventually he will learn to not be as aggressive. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.