My tortie cat is aggressive when touched, calm at vet. What to do?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Cats are finicky creatures. If Kekr is eating, jumping around like a young cat should and not vomiting then I don't think you should worry. Most cats really only like to be scratched around the head, unless you find the rare "dog" like cat that like belly and back scratches. Just like people cats come in a variety of personalities. I recommend leaving her be when she has these moments of being grumpy. I hope this helps!

The first thing I would do for now is put Attila in a room by herself with a litter box, food and water bowls, comfortable resting places, etc. and leave her alone for the next few days apart from coming in briefly to refill her food and water and change her litter. When cats become upset and aggressive like this, for whatever reason, it can take up to a week for them to fully calm down and return to normal - until then, it's best to leave her completely alone and give her plenty of space. Some cats can have serious aggression issues that are triggered by a strange or scary noise, an unusual smell, or anything else that startles them. It's possible that Attila may have had a scary dream that frightened her, or she could be painful due to a pinched nerve, arthritis, or some other issue that may have been aggravated by petting. If she calms down over the next few days and things return to normal with no further problems, you may not need to do anything else. If she is still acting aggressive a week from now, or if this becomes a recurring problem for her in the future, I would strongly recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist - he/she can evaluate Attila in person and help you determine what may be triggering these episodes, and will also give you some specific suggestions for managing her when this happens. Prescription medication is helpful for some cats with aggression issues, so this is something that could be discussed also. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Olive is a kitten do they are more active and reactive to touch (thinking it is play). But yes, that is normal cat behavior to touching. ALL cats do not like to be hugged and I would refrain from doing that because she may become aggressive or more reactive to you if you continue to do things she doesn't like. Only touch her where she likes being touched (head, neck) and stop when she shows signs of irritation (tail flicking, opening her mouth, ears twitch or turn back, turns to look at you). Give her treats during petting to teach her good things happen during this time. Games that kittens enjoy: laser pointers, toy mice to bat around, feathers on a long stick, cat trees, window ledges near bird feeders. https://www.petco.com/category/cat/cat-toys/cat-teasers-and-wands https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/cat/cat-toys/petstages-tower-of-tracks-cat-toy https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/cat/cat-toys/leaps-and-bounds-fuzzy-mice-cat-toys-with-catnip https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/cat/cat-toys/catit-senses-20-cat-digger-cat-toy

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 sounds like Cali is exhibiting signs of stress in her home environment. There are many things that you can do to help alleviate stress and help her feel better. I would advise seeing your veterinarian to rule out any medical causes for her behaviour first, and also make sure her environmental needs are being met. Cats need at least one litterbox per cat plus one extra to help reduce stress associated with the litterbox. They should be placed in separate rooms, away from the food and water bowls, must be scooped at least daily (preferably multiple times a day)and washed out at least weekly with a mild soap, followed by thorough rinsing. Cats need a lot of space to explore, but keeping them indoors is much safer than letting them outside, due to the risk of injury from cars, wildlife, other animals, etc. The key is providing space (particularly vertical space for clinimbg, such as cat trees, ledges, and the like) inside the home. Visit http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=T&C=33&S=2 and https://indoorpet.osu.edu// for tips on stress reduction. Also look into Feliway, a synthetic pheromone that is available in a diffuser and spray form that promotes calm feelings in cats http://www.feliway.com.

I am sorry to hear about Memphis. Sometimes cats will react to a stressful situation by transferring their frustration/aggression to those nearby. I would be sure your kitty has a safe area at home where he feels like he can hide/get away if wanted and he can easily access his food/water/ and litterbox for the next few days. I would consider picking up a Feliway pheremone diffuser such as this one which releases pheremones which can be calming to anxious kitties. I would also consider a calming supplement such as Composure or Zylkene. Your vet may carry these or you can order them online or find them in some petstores https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetri-science-composure-feline-bite-sized-chews

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Brett. She is a beautiful girl! I'm wondering if the move has caused this change in behavior. Moving is very stressful for a cat, and that can lead to aggression. I'd try using Feliway diffusers around the home. These release calming pheromones that can help relax her. I'd pair that with a Sentry calming collar. This will release calming pheromones when in contact with her skin. If this doesn't help, then I'd have her seen by a vet for a health check. I hope this helps!