When you choose to share your home with a cat, you may run into a few conflicts. However, there is a problem if your cat scratches or bites people. Try to understand why your cat is lashing out. You may corner your cat or push her to interact beyond the level of her patience or interest. Sometimes you might need to back off. Learn your cat’s body language so you know when she is irritated and about to attack. There will probably be yowling, a tense posture and tail wagging. Stress can cause your cat to lash out in situations that didn’t normally bother her. This includes new family members or pets, houseguests or even construction works. Excessive crabbiness could also be a symptom of illness so if you can’t easily identify why your cat is lashing out, make an appointment with your Ashburn, VA vet for evaluation and treatment.