Did you know that aggressive behavior toward people can be an important sign of stress in cats? Identifying what can trigger a cat’s aggressive behavior is the first step towards addressing the problem appropriately.

Many pet cats display play aggression, an undesirable behavior that many cat parents unknowingly reinforce. If your cat displays the behavior you may have created the stimulus by allowing your pet to play with your fingers. This can send a wrong message that it is alright your cat to bite, nip, or swipe at your fingers. The behavior may also be displayed by kittens that have been separated prematurely from the rest of the litter and have not learned social manners from their mother.

To protect hands and fingers from injury, play with your cat using a fishing pole toy in order to put a safe distance between your pet’s teeth and your fingers. This type of toy can also encourage your pet to engage in natural hunting behavior without causing any harm.

Consult your vet Bowmanville, ON if you have any concerns about your pet’s behavior.