My cat attacks me and my children. How can I get her behavioral help?

The first thing I would suggest is to have Cleo checked out by your veterinarian. Certain medical conditions including hyperthyroidism can cause aggression of this nature. If a medical cause is ruled out and this is a behavioral issue, you can try to use a Feliway diffuser or collar to help keep Cleo calm when she is around you. You may also want to consider consulting with a veterinary behaviorist. You can find one in your area on www.dacvb.org

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

It would be hard to give a specific answer without more information. If your cat is being aggressive toward other cats, separating them and making sure each cat has access to their own food, water, litter, etc can help reduce tension. If your cat is being aggressive toward you, a good first step is a trip to the vet as pain or illness can sometimes cause behavioral changes in cats. If Chester checks out healthy, speaking with a veterinary behaviorist may be helpful in figuring out what is going on, and working on a combination training/medication plan to help reduce the behavior. https://www.dacvb.org/page/about

Random aggressive behavior can sometimes indicate pain or an underlying health issue so a good first step would be to schedule a vet visit for Espn. It is also getting to summertime in the US, and if she is unspayed her hormones could be getting her ready to go into heat and thus changing her behavior as well. Spaying can help this. If she checks out healthy, then looking for signs of stress around the house such as other pets, new people, etc can help you pinpoint any triggers setting off her behavior. A calming pheromone collar or plug in can also help reduce stress in addition to making sure she has access to food, water, litter and bedding without being bothered by pets or people. If the behavior continues even with a health check and changes, then seeking out a trainer or veterinary behaviorist in your area is a good next step as they can help formulate a more tailored treatment and training plan.

That is very unusual and sounds scary! There could be a few reasons for this behavior. Sometimes there could be pain or a medical condition causing a change in behavior. Since Oscar can't talk and tell you what is happening, I recommend to have him examined by the veterinarian to be safe. Sometimes this behavior is related to the stress of seeing another cat outside. For some cats, this causes frustration and they can then exhibit bullying type behavior to other pets or people within the house. If the veterinarian thinks this is behavioral, there are a few things you can do. Try enriching the 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 (really get him moving) and/or switch the food to Royal Canin Calm. If he is the only cat in the household, you may try feeding him out of a food puzzle. Hide food for him to find. Do not use these last two mentioned options if you have other cats. 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/ Wash all windows and doorway exteriors where a cat may be spraying outside. Try to drive out the cat if possible. You may also need to block the window where you think Oscar may be viewing the cat most frequently. Most cats response best to combination therapy. The veterinarian can also prescribe medications which can help with aggression/stress. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

You can consider re-homing him if that is what you would like to do. Your other option is to take him to the vet and speak to them about getting him some behavioral modification medication that he can take daily which will hopefully calm him. You should also try some Feliway diffusers and some environmental enrichment for him. ( https://www.feliway.com/us/Products/FELIWAY-CLASSIC-Diffuser ) ( thedrakecenter.com/materials/environmental-enrichment-indoor-cats ) ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AejmrLa_Cs4 )

I would make sure Lulu has toys to get her energy out, a place for her to hide and a place for her to climb. Is this new? If it is, has anything changed in her environment that could make her upset? If this is not new then I would consult with a behaviorist if these suggestions do not help. You can also consult with your veterinarian to see if medication is an option. If this is not a good fit and she continues to attack I would talk to rescues about rehoming her and if they feel it is an option after accessing her. Is she indoor? or indoor outdoor? If just indoor I would consider letting her outside. As a veterinarian I do not like when cats go outside because they are more prone to disease and animal bite wounds and being hit by a car. The reason I suggest this is because she may be happier going outside. Take this suggestion with caution as she can easily get sick, get hit by a car or get in a fight which would result in veterinary care. If you do this I would discuss getting the Feline Leukemia vaccination, making sure her other vaccinations like rabies is up to date and performing routine fecals and dewormings on her. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.