Managing aggressive behavior in cats.
Aggressive behavior in cats can cause serious injuries and pose challenges for cat owners, veterinarians, shelter staff, and sometimes other cats or animals in the household. Nonpredatory, defensive-range aggressive behavior in a cat is characterized by piloerection, flattened ears, back arching, dilated pupils, vocalization, claw use, and biting. Aggression towards humans and conspecifics often happens at a high risk of injuries.
In the literature, multiple attempts have been made to classify feline aggression. Here are some examples:
· Inter-cat aggression.
· Human-cat aggression.
· Fear-based aggression.
· Maternal aggression.
· Pain-induced aggression.
· Play aggression.
· Redirected aggression
· Non-recognition aggression.
From these various examples, we can see that context matters. It is more important to observe behavior, describe it, and take notes on when it happens, where it happens, and what occurred before it happened than to label it.
The adaptive value or evolutionary drivers of nonpredatory aggression in cats have not been researched well. In humans, anger is the emotional trigger for reactive aggression; however, the mechanism underlying this phenomenon has not been studied in other species. Cats are both prey and predator animals, and they are solitary hunters. We can assume that nonpredatory aggression is a trait in cats geared towards survival in their environment and a defense mechanism triggered by external stimuli signaling a threat or danger.
Aggression in cats may arise from competition for resources, self-defense, territoriality, maternal instinct, or reproductive drive. Like many other mammals, a cat’s defense against a predator typically involves escape rather than fighting, provided an escape route is available
Aggressive behavior in cats originates from two primary pathways: predatory attack behavior and defensive rage behavior. Distinct brain regions are accountable for these two types of responses. Cats have a poorly developed neocortex and a more developed limbic system than dogs.
Environmental stimuli that elicit aggression are detected by specialized receptors and sent to the brain.
Aggressive behavior may stem from feelings of anger, fear, or pain. For a rat, emotion and olfaction are almost identical, as the limbic system primarily receives its information through olfaction rather than vision. This has not been researched well in cats, but it is known that cats are susceptible to scent.
GABA is a naturally occurring brain neurotransmitter known to reduce the excitability of neurons in the brain. In a cat’s brain, GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) acts as a neurotransmitter and regulates a cat’s nervous system and state of calmness. A preappointment dose of gabapentin decreases signs of stress during transportation and veterinary examination.
Anxiety, fear, stress, and pain are correlated with aggressive behavior in cats, and gabapentin is known to have an anxiolytic and sedative effect on humans, dogs, and cats.
Stress can lead to unwanted behaviors in cats, such as house soiling or aggression toward the owner. Fear and anxiety can lead to aggression in cats. Cats with an insecure relationship with their owners had lower oxytocin levels in their saliva and were more prone to behavioral issues. The results suggest a correlation between cat well-being and oxytocin levels; however, further research is needed to confirm these findings.
Loud noises and the presence of other cats can contribute to stress, which is a key factor in cat aggression. Multiple intervention strategies require exploration to reduce cat stress levels and, therefore, aggressive behavior. Stress and compromised welfare in cats can lead to behavioral changes and social interactions characterized by aggression towards humans or other cats.
Aggression acts as a coping mechanism for stress. Options are evaluated for cat welfare in shelters and acknowledge the efforts and research related to housing, enrichment, environmental stimuli, and human interaction.
It is kitten season, and many kittens end up in shelters and rescues. We may never know about their start in life. However, it is well established that stressful early life experiences profoundly impact humans and animals later in life. These individuals may develop disorders, including anxiety and stress disorders, as this period is crucial for healthy brain development. Maternal presence is essential and regulates stress response.
Recommendations:
Aggressive behavior between socialized individuals is a means of communication and a symptom for chronic or acute stress in non-human animals. Different types of aggression are a cat’s way of communicating displeasure, fear, and attack readiness. Ethologists, veterinarians, and behavior analysts have made several attempts to classify non-predatory aggressive behavior in cats.
Current recommendations for managing aggressive behavior in cats often highlight the use of synthetic pheromones. Pheromone cues can aggressively stimulate mammals of the same species and are detected by the vomeronasal organ, which may trigger aggressive behavior. We all know how important scent swapping is during cat introductions. Unfortunately, to this day, the effectiveness of synthetic pheromones has not been demonstrated in a controlled, double-blind research study without conflict of interest.
Other methods include flooding, scruffing, restraining, and offering food or treats. Restraining a prey species triggers its central nervous system (CNS) into a fight-or-flight response, often leading to aggressive behavior. The sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic (PNS) central nervous systems inhibit each other. Therefore, a fearful and aroused cat is not interested in treats or food. Once the sympathetic nervous system is activated, it typically cannot be calmed down with food.
These current strategies overlook the underlying behavioral mechanisms of a prey and predator species when danger is anticipated, the mutual inhibition of the sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic (PNS) central nervous systems, and how nonpredatory aggression in cats relates to the individual cats’ stress and fear levels.
Therefore, it would be beneficial to focus on preventing arousal, avoiding trigger stacking, and thoroughly observing a cat's body language to prevent aggressive behavior in cats.
Some recommendations that I believe are not explored enough include:
Discuss medical intervention with your veterinarian.
Observe and keep your cat's stress level under the threshold. Knowledge of body language is a must, and remember tails talk!
Play and enrichment are excellent techniques to build confidence and counter stress.
Remember, we often don’t know what happened to the cat before it came into your home. Early life stress in kittens can lead to behavioral problems in adult cats. Be patient and focus on positive associations.
Fear is likely the main underlying factor contributing to this behavior, making it essential to focus on avoiding fear learning, early-life stress, and trauma in the life of kittens.
Non-recognition aggression is a unique issue in felines that has not been observed in other species and is poorly researched. Separating the cats for a few days or bringing them together to the vet can help. In many cases, there is more to it than the scent component.
In many instances of nonpredatory aggression, the underlying causes are stress or fear. We can assume a genetic component to the aggressive behavior. However, it remains unknown how much aggression toward humans is impacted by genetics, how the environment, and the role of proper socialization triggers it.
In cats, the more effective strategy is to prevent nonpredatory aggression rather than managing it after it occurs.
References:
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