How can I stop my cat from getting aggressive when we end walks?

While he may be curious about the outdoors, it sounds as though walks may be quite stressful for him. You might try some other ways to enrich his environment. Many cats enjoy window perches where they can view the outdoors. Catwalks, [hammocks](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/catastrophicreations-deluxe-cat-playplace-hammocks ) or wall perches inside also give them an interesting new perspective on their surroundings. [Interactive toys](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/petstages-catnip-chase-track-cat-toy) and [scratching posts](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/category/cat/cat-toys/cat-scratcher-toys) are also very helpful in keeping a cat's environment interesting and keeping them content. If Leo is acting this way on walks, I would not continue to take him outside. It's not worth the stress to either of you. I think you can find a number of other ways to keep him happy and occupied inside! Thanks for asking PetCoach!

Aggression is complicated and I recommend to have him neutered and to work with a behaviorist. If this appear more play related, 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. 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/ I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hello! There are definitely things you can do to help modify this behavior! I would recommend starting by watching some dog training videos- the user Kikopup on youtube is a good one. Good dog trainers will always focus on positive reinforcement. Beware of dog trainers that claim to use dominance or punishment for training, as these methods can do more harm than good. Start by training Ali to sit and stay for a treat. On walks, have her periodically sit on command. You may need to bring REALLY good treats to bribe her at first! Eventually, you can have Ali sit and look at you every time you walk past a cat. This breaks the cycle of chasing behavior, and over time, she will learn to not pull on the lead and become more focused. This is how I trained my cat-reactive dog to go on walks, and it took a couple of months of dedication, but he doesn't even notice cats anymore! I hope this is 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 the new cat is likely causing stress and this is a common feeling reaction to stress. She may not want to go outside as long as that other cat is around. It may be difficult to keep the other cat out of your area unless you want to purchase or build a fence. There are fences available that have curvature to the top that make it difficult for a cat to climb over. There are some things you can do at home that can help to manage her stress. Set aside 30 minutes a day for a vigorous play. Use a pheromone diffuser. There is a special prescription food made by Royal Canin called calm which may help. Use food puzzles. Give environmental enrichment. Lastly, your veterinarian has medications which can help as well. Many cats require a combination of therapies. Best of luck.

It sounds like Snowy may need to see a veterinarian to determine if she needs behavior modification medication if she is stressed out by the other cats. She may also benefit from calming treats or products such as Feliway.

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!