If your cat attacks you, punishing him physically or by yelling at him is very bad and will only make the situation worse. So how do I react when my cat attacks me? I explain everything in this article so that you can react well and especially stop these attacks.
How reacts when my cat attacks me: Immediate solutions
If your cat attacks you, there are several reasons that can push him there, I will come to this later so that the problem is corrected at the root and that he no longer reproduces this behavior. But obviously, you already need to put in place immediate solutions. For this here is what to do.
First of all, as I told you in the preamble, it is vital that your cat can stop by correcting the problem at the root, but for immediate results, start with the following things:
- Ignore it: This is sometimes enough to calm your cat when he is restless and when he is still very young. Ignorance is the best response to a cat’s wrongdoing and is a mainstay of cat training.
- Put him in a separate room: He will understand even better, but avoid rooms that are too small, because your cat hates it and he can develop anxiety disorders at a young age. Lock him up for a quarter of an hour no more so as not to be too severe either.
- Tell him a firm NO : Without yelling, but mark your authority so that he doesn’t start again. You must always make him understand that you are not available to him, otherwise he will take on a long series of bad habits.
- Diffuse an anti-stress spray: It will act on the cat’s pheromones in depth to calm it in a few seconds and is very useful in cases where your cat has problems with aggression or is under a lot of stress.
Treat root causes
The causes can be many, so make sure that your cat can have his problem fixed at the base. For this, here is everything that causes your cat to attack you, with for each how to recognize it and how to solve the problem easily and definitively.
He has too much energy
Young cats have boundless energy and are battery-powered. So if you see him fidgeting all the time, make sure he can exercise. You can first spend some play time with him when you get home.
But if that’s not enough, make sure he can have fun on his own while you’re away. Interactive toys and a cat wheel will allow him to have fun on his own during the day. If it’s safe, you can also let him go outside or let him out at night.
He is hungry
If he attacks you, he may be hungry, in which case he will meow and approach his food area. A cat should be fed regularly in small portions. But if he is very aggressive, do not give in immediately to make him understand to stop. And do not forget that a cat should eat less but at regular intervals in small quantities with a part of wet food and kibble, at the rate of one third and two thirds.
He is hurt
A cat in pain will often express its pain aggressively, especially if you have touched the painful spot. So if your cat shows signs of weakness, make sure it can be cured.
Wait a bit and he’ll understand that he doesn’t have to go through all the fuss to get his food and water.
If he is over 10 years old, a quick visit to the vet is recommended to avoid any risk of the situation worsening. A cat that shows abnormal signs of lack of energy or aggression probably has something wrong with it if its behavior happens instantly.
You can also feel your cat to see if a particular place is causing him to attack you, the injury may be internal and all the more dangerous, so take him to the vet if he ever seems to be in deep pain and he shows signs of weakness, such as difficulty moving.
He is hyperactive
Some cats are interactive, they tumble like possessed, drop everything, never get tired, nibble , scratch, throw themselves on anything that moves without ever stopping. In this case, a behaviorist is advised to treat the problem at the root. You can also spray him with an anti-stress spray to channel him when his overflowing energy overflows.
He wants to play
Cats often want to play when you come home, especially if he is young and you come home he may start attacking to play. So if he wants some play, make him understand with authority but without attacking him or yelling at him, that there are limits not to be exceeded.
And when he calms down, go play with him so he can understand that calmness is the best way to initiate play with you.
He is in heat
A cat in heat is very aggressive, especially if it does not have access to the outside, so have it sterilized because in periods of heat, it will be very aggressive and will attack you viciously. So if your cat is very aggressive and unneutered, look no further.
Having him sterilized will calm him down and even if he has access to the outside, it is preferable to do so, because the life expectancy of uncastrated cats is much lower.
He is sick
A cat that is sick can attack you out of nervousness, it can also use you to pass the pain, especially if it has oral dental problems, take a good look if it seems to be sick.
If so, adapt his environment to his disease (warm water, hot and humid food) and ensure that he is treated if nothing changes quickly.
He was badly weaned
A cat that has been badly weaned has not been properly educated for life, especially if weaned early. So if your cat is showing strange behaviors that should no longer be happening at his age, he was probably weaned too early.
But there is still time to learn good habits, in particular by going to see a behaviorist who can help him get better and behave normally.
He is jealous
If your cat is jealous, he will lash out at you or ignore you. Here, your cat attacks you to make you understand that the new animal or arrival is not welcome. So make him understand that nothing will change between you.
If it’s a new animal that has arrived, make sure they spend time with you at the same time by going slowly so that they tame serenely. You can diffuse bach flowers so that they can tame each other more naturally.
For a new arrival like a new spouse, associating your cat with something positive with him, for example giving him food, you will be sure that your cat appreciates it because he will associate his smell with something positive.
He protects his territory
Your cat protects its territory if it senses it being attacked. In this case, your cat may believe that you are too close to it, especially its litter box or its bowl. If so, make sure that his corner is in a quieter place so that he feels good there.
Cats always need a calm and personal corner to feel good there. They refuse to share it except with their reach.
Special cases
Special cases concern many cats, here are the most common of them and how to react to them so that your cat stops its attacks:
It attacks a specific part of the body
In this case, the game is probably the cause, your cat may for example attack your feet or attack your hands, which can make him think of prey and excite his natural predatory instincts when you play together.
He attacks another animal
In this case, territoriality is at stake and you will have to leave them a personal corner each. Also, make sure that your cat can tame the new one by going gradually and having a good time with both of them.
He is attacking someone in particular
If your cat is attacking someone in particular, it may be a newcomer that they will also need to tame and your cat will also need to get used to. Cats are sometimes very jealous and possessive, especially those who are not neutered.
How to react when a cat attacks? The final word
If your cat attacks you when you are not doing anything in particular, look for the reason because there is a very specific reason and you can act well, in the meantime isolate it or ignore it so that it stops immediately.