How to calm an aggressive cat

We all have our characters and personalities, whether for humans or for animals.Ā However, there is a difference between being strong and having a tendency to be aggressive.Ā According to some studies, aggressiveness is the second most common feline behavior disorder.

No worries, however.Ā This disorder can beĀ corrected and improvedĀ but requires a great challenge in terms of patience and knowledge on the subject.Ā The first thing is to learn to calm your aggressive cat to prevent the situation from escalating.

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If your cat responds to you in aggressive ways, continue reading this article from Planet Animal where we show you the techniques to use toĀ calm an aggressive cat.

How to calm a cat?

To calm a cat, you must:

  1. Review your behavior and attitude
  2. Divert your aggressive energy
  3. Create a calm and pleasant atmosphere
  4. Put yourself in his place
  5. Donā€™t forget you like it

In the rest of our article, we will take the time to explain how to calm a cat by detailing these 5 points.

Why is my cat aggressive?

Your cat can be aggressive for a variety of reasons.Ā Observe it during its daily life and assess if it is anĀ isolated behavior or if it follows a certain path or model.Ā If this behavior persists and lasts, it is necessary to consult a veterinarian or a behavioral professional for answers and determine a strategy to improve his attitude in the long term.

If your cat, generally calm and not aggressive, reacts violently, this is probably due to the following causes:

  • The cat protects its territory or protects itself because it feels threatened and afraid.Ā In this specific case, it is advisable to respect the space and privacy of the cat and restore their confidence by offering them treats, caresses, or affection.
  • It can be the way the cat uses to express discomfort or pain.Ā It is also common that the cat becomes hostile before being sick and when being injured.
  • Containment, loneliness, boredom can also be the source of hostility and aggression in cats.

Letā€™s see how to calm a cat or how to de-stress a cat!

Review your behavior and attitude

How to de-stress a cat?Ā In some cases, when the cat acts violently or aggressively towards us, we tend to move our hands suddenly to protect ourselves and prevent it from hurting us.Ā However, this attitude encourages the cat to persist in its attitude.Ā Indeed, the cat interprets our reaction as being a stimulation to continue in its attitude.

So what should I do if this happens?

First, try to stay calm.Ā Spread your hands very gently, without sudden movement and then answer with a non-authoritarian.Ā Repeat this no as many times as necessary, until the cat makes the connection between the three behaviors: aggression ā€“ separation ā€“ correction.

On the other hand, it may be that inadvertently, we disturb the tranquility of the cat when he sleeps for example, or force and pushes him to an uncomfortable situation which pushes him to react violently. It should not be forgotten that the cat is a living being which has its own personality and its own language. Sniffing or scratching is often the way the cat expresses the request to leave it alone.

Learning to communicate with your cat and respecting their privacy and tranquility are good ways of knowing how to calm an aggressive cat.

Deflect its aggressive energy

Another technique which could be very effective consists of not giving importance to aggressive behaviors and diverting this aggressive energy.

Distracting an aggressive cat from its own aggression can be an effective and positive way.Ā In other words, when the cat begins to have a violent and aggressive attitude, it is advisable to redirect its attentionĀ to itsĀ favoriteĀ toyĀ for example.Ā Give him this toy and you will see how his eyes and attention will disperse.

The other option is to wet your fingers and sparkle your aggressive cat with a little water.Ā However, one must be careful and firm with this kind of solution because the cat can consider them as provocations and can exacerbate its attitude. You should know that the majority of cats react only if they feel threatened or provoked.

In addition, cats like to play with the sheets.Ā Try to throw a sheet at him and make him fall on it.Ā Your pet will feel distant from all sources of tension by taking it as a game.

Another technique to divert your catā€™s aggressive attitude is to use its favorite food or treats because its attention will be diverted by the taste and smell of the food.Ā Open a food can and the smell will calm the cat.Ā Leave the food in a container and leave it.Ā It is necessary to give time and space to your aggressive cat.

A quiet atmosphere

Never test your catā€™s tolerance level. Instead, offer him space where he can escape and feel calm and relaxed when he feels bad or affected. Give him time too. Our advice is not to insist if his body language tells you that this is not the time to interact with him.

In other words, donā€™t try to give him more love than he wants to receive. Also, dim the room light to calm his emotions and stay away for 15 to minutes. It will also allow you to relax and adopt an adequate body language.

Put yourself in his place

Cats are very sensitive animals and their reactions depend in part on our body language and our attitude.Ā When the cat becomes restless and aggressive, do not stand in front of it while waiting for something to change.

It is by adopting this posture that your catĀ feels threatenedĀ because it sees there an authoritarian attitude and not a figure of justice.

If you are not in danger in front of your cat, try to lie down or sit on a chair, descend to its level and call cat names politely. Feel free to make yourself small like your pet.

Aggressive cat: I love you anyway

Accepting with patience that your cat can adapt violent attitudes from time to time is the best way to successfully calm him down. Because you should know that the cat, being an animal, cannot agree with everything all the time.Ā The goal here is to minimize the level of violence and avoid reaching extreme levels of aggression.Ā For example,Ā you should never punish your catĀ if he is aggressive, as this will exacerbate his attitude and increase his fear and anxiety.

Know that cats are not violent because it makes them happy, they are because they feel threatened and it is their means of expressing their anxious state vis-a-vis this threat.

The best way to calm a cat is to detect the cause which pushes him to be violent and toĀ eliminate the source of this state.

Matka Eve
Matka Eve
Matka Eve is a Tech enthusiast, writer, wife, and mother. She is from Poland, currently living in Austin, TX. She holds a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Sussex and has spent the majority of her career working small businesses in London.
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