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Aggression towards us and agitation
Species: cat | Category: behaviour | Submitted: 01-Mar-07 11:22PM | viewed 2262 times
Q Sally asks about Max (cat - European stray, M) (age 8 years, 6 months):
Our cat Max has recently started to get very agitated and threatening if we do things like sweep the terrace. He is very vocal generally but lately seems disoriented and agitated. It is almost as if he doesn't recognise us any more. I notice that he seems to be sniffing almost every thing he sees on the floor. We haven't yet taken him to the vet but she gave me some Kalm Aid to give him which does at least relieve whatever stress he is under. Nothing has changed in our circumstances and he seems to be eating, drinking, defecating etc. normally and interacting with out other cat Sam. It is just in relation to us that he seems strange.
Q Samantha says: The first thing to do is to get Max checked over by your vet just in case their is an underlying medical problem. You mention that Max seems "disoriented and agitated". These signs can be caused by problems such as metabolic or neurological diseases. If you take your cat to the vet and nothing medical is found then you can start thinking about behavioural techniques. Try to avoid the situations which tend to provoke Max such as sweeping the terrace since this will provoke the aggression which is a behaviour you want to avoid. Next you need to try to find out what type of aggression Max is showing. Cats can exhibit play aggression (playful situations) fear aggression - (cats have crouching posture, ears back, fearful facial expression etc), predatory aggression, petting induced aggression, assertive aggression, and pain induced aggression. Although it is impossible to make a definitive diagnosis over the internet I would be most concerned about medical problems which cause confusion leading to fear aggression or painful conditions such as arthritis which lead to pain induced aggression. Get him checked by your vet then you might need the help of a good animal behaviourist in your area since these problems need ongoing support. You could also try Feliway which is a spray or diffuser of artificial feline pheromone which can calm cats and make them feel more relaxed and less anxious. You spray it around the house or use the plug in diffuser. This is available from most vets. You are welcome to get back to me about Max once you have had him checked over by your vet. I hope this helps.

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