My cat got aggressive after a toy startled her. How to prevent it?

The first thing I would do for now is put Attila in a room by herself with a litter box, food and water bowls, comfortable resting places, etc. and leave her alone for the next few days apart from coming in briefly to refill her food and water and change her litter. When cats become upset and aggressive like this, for whatever reason, it can take up to a week for them to fully calm down and return to normal - until then, it's best to leave her completely alone and give her plenty of space. Some cats can have serious aggression issues that are triggered by a strange or scary noise, an unusual smell, or anything else that startles them. It's possible that Attila may have had a scary dream that frightened her, or she could be painful due to a pinched nerve, arthritis, or some other issue that may have been aggravated by petting. If she calms down over the next few days and things return to normal with no further problems, you may not need to do anything else. If she is still acting aggressive a week from now, or if this becomes a recurring problem for her in the future, I would strongly recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist - he/she can evaluate Attila in person and help you determine what may be triggering these episodes, and will also give you some specific suggestions for managing her when this happens. Prescription medication is helpful for some cats with aggression issues, so this is something that could be discussed also. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

Hello. The biggest problem is trying to identify or understand what set Daisy off. Perhaps an odor or sound, or she may have sensed another cat outdoors that frightened her. Since it can be difficult to know, the best thing to do is be proactive. I would immediately purchase a couple of Feliway room diffusers & put them in the room the incident occurred, & any other rooms Daisy frequents. Feliway emits a cat appeasing pheromone which can calm a nervous kitty. You can buy these online or at most pet retailers. Start with this along with a good physical exam by your veterinarian. It is possible that she could have an underlying condition like arthritis or even a urinary tract infection that caused her significant pain. Hopefully, this will never happen again. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Since Offa misbehaves with this particular toy I would avoid giving it to him altogether. Also, rubber bands are frequently the cause of intestinal blockages in cats, which requires surgery and can be life threatening. Because of the dangerous potential I would recommend you stop allowing him to play with them at all.

It sounds like Molly may be reacting to your other cat even though it is not in the room. This can be scary since it is usually uninhibited aggression. You have to do what is necessary to stay safe (spraying with water or covering her with a towel) but keep in mind that punishment can make the situation worse by causing fear. If you don't already have pheromone diffusers like Feliway in the house I would definitely recommend getting some, and I think it sounds like you need a second litter box for awhile. You may want to consider talking to a behaviorist to try to determine how your cats can live together - your veterinarian should be able to give you some names. Here is some information about aggression in cats: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/common-cat-behavior-issues/aggression-cats

Unfortunately the new cat is likely causing stress and this is a common feeling reaction to stress. She may not want to go outside as long as that other cat is around. It may be difficult to keep the other cat out of your area unless you want to purchase or build a fence. There are fences available that have curvature to the top that make it difficult for a cat to climb over. There are some things you can do at home that can help to manage her stress. Set aside 30 minutes a day for a vigorous play. Use a pheromone diffuser. There is a special prescription food made by Royal Canin called calm which may help. Use food puzzles. Give environmental enrichment. Lastly, your veterinarian has medications which can help as well. Many cats require a combination of therapies. Best of luck.

A sudden change in behavior may have, at its root, injury or infection. Ideally, Rostom should be physically examined by your veterinarian to diagnose and treat any medical causes for his sudden aggression. Neutering him should be strongly considered as testosterone can be a driving force behind aggressive behaviors. Once medical causes have been ruled out, you can address behavioral concerns such as stress or anxiety. A pheromone product, such as Feliway Spray or plug in diffusers, may help decrease any aggression or anxiety. A gradual desensitization to loud noises can also be done to lessen Rostom's response to them.

I agree! What you may be seeing is redirected aggression. The angry cat couldn't get to the source of its anger (the outside animal), so it projected it onto the other cat. I would separate the cats, and slowly reintroduce them to each other. Take the cat who is aggressive, and put her in her own room with her own food, water, and litter box. Keep the door closed, and for a few days, feed them both treats on other side of door so they associate each other's smell with a good experience. Then let the other cat in the aggressive cat's room while the aggressive cat is in a cat carrier. They can smell each other, but not be in contact. If either becomes upset or show signs of aggression, remove the second cat from the room, and try again later. Praise them when they interact appropriately. When they are interacting well with each other through the carrier, you can let the aggressive cat out of her room, and see how she interacts with the other cat. Praise them when they interact appropriately, and separate them with any sign of aggression or upset. I would get a cat tree with lots of shelves to give the cats vertical space to get away from each other. I would keep the cat in her room when you go out until they are comfortable with each other. I hope this helps!