Usually when we see a cat it is not immediately spontaneous to associate it with an animal that frightens us or is aggressive. Most of the time we meet stray cats we always try to stay away for fear of getting scratches, while on the other hand there are rare cases where stray cats are aggressive cats are usually more scared cats. The cat is the calmest animal par excellence that exists and is able to instill calm even in human beings. It is used for many pet therapy projects, but sometimes it is always good to educate and keep in mind that it is a predatory animal. When we find an angry cat in front of us it is usually because they have had a frightened or fearful reaction to something strange or frightening, such as a dog. Knowing how to minimize the fear of our cat or stray ones will help us to live better towards them. Here are explained the steps to calm our cat and make him return to the state of calm.
Recognize the signs of aggression and restore calm in our cat
The first thing to do will be to consider the reasons that lead your cat to get angry: the most frequent cause of anger is fear. A frightened and fearful cat will almost certainly tend to attack especially if it is a wild and stray cat. In the ranking of things that scare cats we could find strangers entering the house. Yes, even the cat is a territorial animal, especially cats that are not used to the presence of other people, when they meet, they will not have positive reactions but will tend to take refuge in different strategic points of the house or even to attack guests.
We always try to educate the people we will host in the house to approach the cat, for example if there are children we should tell them not to pull their tails or run after them. We try to make our guests socialize with the cat, perhaps through the use of tidbits or small games. We also remember that it is always better to let our cat vent at least half an hour before the arrival of the guests.
The signs of cat fear and anger are:
- Hair bristled from head to tail
- Dilated pupils.
- Fix yourself (this attitude precedes an attack).
- Look away (fear).
- Mustache stiff and carried back.
- Ears flat against the head.
- Hunched body posture.
- Growl.
- Retract your lips and blow.
When we notice these attitudes such as the straight hair, the low ears and the cat that will stare at us, we know with certainty that it is about to attack us and that they are signs of anger but in reality they are dictated by fear for this cat that behaves in this way will be very stressed and he will want to escape from this dangerous situation. Looking for signs of redirected aggression is a great way to figure out which object or person the cat will vent its anger on even if the source is of a completely different nature.
Always pay attention to the bites the cat will give you while playing. It is always not recommended to play with the kitten and the adult cat with our hands because the cat will associate our body parts as points where he can play and attack us. If you notice your cat playing aggressively use a dangling toy like a ball attached to a string and let him play with that. We must learn to distinguish which are the signs of fear from signs of aggression induced by caressing many cats when they are stroked use not very nice methods to tell us to stop.
We will find this attitude especially in kittens that have not had their mothers and that have been weaned by humans, have not learned what socialization with other puppies is and do not know how to manage violence and biting. Never punish the cat who uses these methods. If you notice that the cat becomes aggressive, it begins to ignore it or at the most by taking it by the scruff they move to another room in the house trying to get it off you.
Calming an aggressive or nervous cat
The first thing to do when we find ourselves in front of an aggressive or angry cat we will surely have to move away from him to avoid being bitten or injured. Get protective clothing and cover the animal with a blanket to try to calm it down. They are not long-lasting measures, but they will certainly be of immediate intervention. Always keep a spray of plain water with you that you can use in cases where the cat is very angry and will try to attack you. The best thing to do will certainly be to leave room for our cat to calm down. We must absolutely move away and if possible get out of the room where the animal is. Leave the cat alone for 10-20 minutes to allow him to calm down. Even if we bring a frightened cat inside the house for the first time, we will have to behave in the same way and that is to try to leave them their spaces, make ourselves as small as possible and give them time. Relax your body and calm your tone of voice.
Offer him a safe place, usually, cats like to stop in high places in the house to keep the situation under control. Always let the cat come to you. If you want to approach your cat to pet him, perhaps use treats or appetizing food. Maybe give him some blankets or some toys with your scent so that he can acclimate to your presence. Give it time, remember that with cats it takes patience.
Seeing a veterinarian will also be helpful in finding out any physical pain your cat has and which then escalates into anger due to the pain.
If you notice that the cat has a certain dislike towards a person, start by letting him or her come home, maybe make him stay in a room that will allow the cat to hear his own voice. Try to make this person interact with the cat, perhaps through games or the use of food. It will help your cat tremendously to associate this person with positive reinforcement.
