My unneutered cat is charging my face. Why is he doing this suddenly?

It may be a hormonal problem so the first thing you should do is have him neutered. Your cat may also be redirected his aggression on to you. Redirected aggression occurs when a cat experiences something that is over-stimulating or highly arousing or something that causes fear and the cat redirects their frustration, aggression onto whoever is closest. Sometimes it can be another cat or animal outside that is causing the problem. You could also try a Feliway diffuser/spray and/or Soliquin chews and see if that helps.

That is unusual behavior so he may be irritable from being in pain. Outdoor unneutered male cats often fight and he may have an injury you can’t see which is painful. I recommend confining him to another room until he calms down so no one else gets injured, and see if he is eating normally. If this behavior continues please take him in for an exam to check for a wound or area of pain. In addition I would consider neutering him also. Neutered male cats seldom fight, they are more docile and less aggressive. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Timmy.

Cats can have very complex behavior and many things can cause stress or anxiety which can alter this behavior. If he is not neutered yet, this can also contribute to Poos’ stress. I recommend to have him neutered as this may help significantly. Otherwise many things can cause stress such as a change in the living environment, work schedule or being able to see other cats outside. Things you can do to help relieve stress in general are to set up a 30 minute play sessions for vigorous exercise and providing a climbing area such as cat shelves or a tall cat tree. There is a food called Calm made by Royal Canin which can help and a Feliway diffuser may also be beneficial. You will likely need to institute several of these methods. If he seems to be in distress or uncomfortable, have Poos examined by the veterinarian for a urinary tract infection or other causes of illness. There are also medications available that can help cats to deal with stress. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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.

Hi and thank you for your post on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! These can be common behaviors in male cats that are not neutered. I would recommend neutering him soon to help decrease these behaviors a bit. In addition, neutering him will help lessen the risks of cancers later in life as well as help decrease the feral cat population.

From the behaviours you are describing it sounds very likely linked to the fact that Manny isn't neutered yet. He is reaching sexual maturity and the hormones in his body are alerting his behaviour. After he is neutered it will take a little time but these behaviours should diminish. In the meantime try a few of these re direction and distraction techniques: Feliway diffuser Interactive games like fetch and laser chase Food puzzles

You should have him checked, or rechecked, by your veterinarian. Neutering typically does not result in more aggressive behavior. Additionally, any sudden behavioral change can be due to illness or injury. Once medical causes have been ruled out, you can focus on behavioral issues. Consider a pheromone product, such as Feliway Spray or plug in diffusers, to help decrease anxiety or aggression. Provide additional litterboxes, bowls, toys and bedding to prevent resource protection. You may have to separate them for a week or two then gradually reintroduce them while employing the measures described above.