Why is my cat suddenly aggressive when I pet him? Pain or distress?

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

The best way to know if there is a medical issue causing pain is to have Kit examined by the veterinarian. Sometimes back pain or fleas can make a cat reactive. Some cats also will exhibiting petting related aggression: https://www.petcoach.co/article/petting-related-aggression-in-cats/ I hope this provides some guidance. Please feel free to post any additional questions.

Aging related issues in senior pets can sometimes cause the symptoms you are seeing, as well as underlying illness or even pain from issues such as arthritis. A good first step would be to bring Pete to your vet for a senior checkup, which may include additional tests such as bloodwork or X-rays, to rule out any health issues that could be causing the behavior changes. Senior pets can also get dementia and other issues much like people can. If he checks out healthy, speaking with a trainer or veterinary behaviorist in your area may also be beneficial as they may be better able to assess and address the issue in person.

Since it sounds like this is a recent behavior change for Zora, I would be very suspicious that she may have an underlying medical problem causing her aggressive behavior. There are a number of common problems in older cats that can cause behavior changes like this, including hyperthyroidism, chronic kidney disease, or even pain from arthritis. I would recommend taking Zora to the vet for an exam when you are able to - he/she can do blood work if needed to check for these issues. If a problem is found, it's likely that it can be treated with medication to make her more comfortable and hopefully improve her mood as well :)

Sorry you are having some troubles with Monster! I recommend that you take him to your vet for a senior blood panel. They can check his thyroid as well. Hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid gland) is not uncommon in older cats and can lead to behavioral changes, more vocalization, eating more, acting odd. Get him in for bloodwork when you can! Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

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.