Introduction

• Intolerant behavior directed towards humans.
• Can be directed towards members of the household or strangers.
• Feline aggression towards people should not be underestimated, cats can do a great deal of damage with claws and teeth.
• Young children and elderly people with frail skin are particularly at risk.
• Cause: various.
• Signs: can vary in intensity from hissing and spitting to inflicting physical injury.
• Treatment: varies according to cause.

Pathogenesis

Etiology

• The aggression is often a natural defense reaction which is inappropriate either in its intensity or its context.
• Fear is often implicated and may stem from lack of appropriate socialization and habituation as well as from specific traumatic experiences.
• There is often a learned component to the behavior.
• The aggression is the result of a number of interacting factors including the genotype, phenotype, neurophysiology and hormonal status of the cat and factors from the environment.

Petting and biting syndrome

• The aggression in these cases is believed to be linked to a conflict between adult characteristics and perpetuated juvenile characteristics.

Misdirected predation

• Lack of opportunity to engage in normal feline behavior. This sort of aggression can also occur as a result of inappropriate learning where kittens are encouraged to play with peoples' hands and feet.

Frustration-related aggression

• Often associated with hand rearing where kittens do not learn to cope with frustration.

Fear-related aggression

• Very common in cats who have not been socialized and habituated adequately before seven weeks of age Lack of appropriate socialization and/or habituation.

Redirected aggression

• The aggression may have a variety of etiologies unrelated to the person who attacked - the person is simply an available target.

Predisposing factors

General

Petting and biting syndrome

• Lack of appropriate types of handling from 2-7 weeks of age. Kittens need to learn to tolerate restraint and close handling.

Misdirected predation

• Lack of opportunity to engage in normal feline behavior. Inappropriate play with peoples' hands and feet.

Frustration-related aggression

• Hand rearing.

Fear-related aggression

• Lack of socialization and habituation from 2-7 weeks of age, previous traumatic experiences involving people, lack of opportunity to escape from threatening situations.

Redirected aggression

• Lack of access to the original trigger for the aggressive response.

Pathophysiology

• There are various potential causes of cat to human aggression.

Diagnosis

Treatment

Prevention

Outcomes