I have three cats who’ve brought much joy to my life.  I’ve had cats nearly all my life, but only females until little Rascal moved in in October. Rascal is a young neutered male (under a year old).  He’s very sweet, very active, but exhibits aggressive behavior toward my two spayed middle-aged females.  He jumps on their backs, sometimes licks, sometimes bites their neck and ears.  Needless to say, they don’t find this much fun and have resorted to spending much of their time under the bed, under tables or chairs where he can’t jump on them.  Clapping my hands to startle him doesn’t work, neither does a spray bottle with water.  He likes water and tries to play with the spray.

He exhibited this behavior when he first came into my house at three months and still exhibits the behavior after being neutered three weeks ago.  I don’t know if he’ll outgrow it.  Right now, I spend a lot of time ‘breaking up’ attacks and I shut him in a spare bedroom at night so the other two cats can have a little ‘down’ time.  Any suggestions on why he does this and what I can do to minimize or stop this behavior?  He gets a generous amount of attention already and gets the same treats at the same time as the two females.  He spent the first three months of his life in a home where his favorite playmate was a thirty-pound black lab puppy.  Does this have something to do with his aggression?

- Bonnie Pega

Response from Marie Tripton, Behavior Helpline Manager at the Richmond SPCA:

Thanks for looking out for your older kitties and trying to help your younger fella become a more polite kitty citizen.  The aggressive behavior you describe could be contributed to by a few factors, two of which are—hormones and play style.  You are probably quite accurate in concluding that his lab puppy playmate helped teach him that rough play is ok—not intentionally, of course, but kids do learn from kids.  I’m also assuming that the neck and ear biting does not involve punctures or blood.  Hormones could also be contributing to this particular behavior, since neck and ear biting is often involved in sexual activity between cats.  You were wise to get him neutered, and it may be that his hormones have still not settled after the surgery.  Whatever the cause, it sounds like Rascal needs a little reigning in. 
Consider your home like Disneyland to Rascal—with no waiting lines.  He’s the one who would run to the roller coaster, stand up on it and say, “Hey, Mom!  Look at me.  No Hands!“  You’re going to have to take him back to the entrance gate and start this process over.  I would stick with using the spare bedroom as his “home base.“  This is where he will spend the majority of his time for the next few weeks at least.  Make the room a pleasant, enjoyable place for him to rest.  Provide toys, a scratching post, a litter box, a bed, water.  You can even feed him in the room if you’d like.  And do spend lots of time grooming him, and helping him learn to play with appropriate toys.  The Comfort Zone air diffuser can be an effective calming tool as well. 
Then each day you can “introduce” him to a new room of the house.  Include brief, strictly supervised time with the other cats in the house.  Let the other cats run if they choose to, but do not let him pursue.  You may want to consider a cat leash and harness as an aid.  Your goal is to try to distract him, or otherwise occupy him, BEFORE he decides to chase.  If you wait until AFTER the chase and then punish him, he will still experience the “thrill” of the chase.  Look for body signals like large pupils, flat ears, twitching tail, flat body posture and use his favorite toy or a tossed treat to distract him from chasing the cats.  Sequester him in a different room at times, so his kitty housemates can explore “his” room without the risk of a surprise attack. 
It is very important not to rush this introduction process.  Better that he learn to be a pleasant housemate in time, than hinder your progress by rushing.

Post Your Comments:

Commenting is not available in this weblog entry.