Behavioural disorders in domestic felines, particularly aggression, are a significant problem for both the animals and their owners. Aggression in cats can take many forms. It can be triggered by a multitude of environmental, physiological and psychological factors.
Predatory behaviour
Predatory behaviour is natural in cats. It is not an aggressive disorder. However, without good interspecific socialisation, it can become problematic. The cat could attack other domestic animals. It could also attack unrecognised humans. This includes babies, four-legged children and elderly people with walking sticks. Faced with this situation, intervention is necessary despite the poor prospects of recovery.
Only broad interspecific socialisation can prevent these behaviours. It should be noted that some aggressive predation-related disorders occur in stressful situations or during tiger syndrome, but will not be detailed here to avoid any confusion with normal predatory behaviour.
Gambling-related aggression
Aggression linked to anxiety in a confined environment and that associated with maladaptive play behaviour manifest themselves differently but share common roots linked to stress and poor upbringing.
Confined environment anxiety is defined by intermittent, predominantly crepuscular aggression targeting the owners’ extremities. This condition emerges in hypo-stimulating environments, where the lack of activity leads the cat to direct its boredom and hunting instinct towards its owners. Cats deprived of outdoor access or adequate stimulation are particularly at risk.
As for aggression during play, this is the result of inadequate play training, where the cat does not control its strength, clawing and biting excessively. This is often observed in kittens without a regulating adult figure, brought up too permissively by their owners. This form of aggression can worsen into HSHA syndrome, marked by a loss of control over all behaviours, making the prognosis rather bleak.
Territorial disorder
Territorial aggression and cohabitation anxiety are two forms of behaviour in cats that require a clear distinction for better understanding.
Territorial aggression is provoked by the unauthorised intrusion of an “intruder” into the cat’s territory, with a prevalence in males defending a larger territory than females. This aggression can also be triggered by changes in the domestic environment, such as the arrival of a new person or animal. The behavioural sequence includes offensive and defensive postures, leading to an attack if the intruder does not retreat, and ending with a drive away from the territory.
Cohabitation anxiety is triggered by territorial disputes between cats. This often happens when a new cat arrives or if the hierarchy changes. Fights break out, which is normal. But if the owner acts badly, this can make the situation worse. His intervention can block the creation of new territorial rules, thus increasing the cats’ anxiety. Three stages have been identified, ranging from distancing to obnubilation, with increasing consequences for the cats’ well-being.
Aggression through irritation
Three forms of aggression due to irritation have been identified:aggression due to pain,aggression due to intolerance to contact (“petting-biting” syndrome) and aggression due to hunger (“tiger syndrome”).
Pain-related aggression results from a reduction in tolerance to contact in a suffering cat. Neurophysiologically, substance P and interleukins establish a link between pain and aggression. Painful handling can condition the cat to react aggressively to avoid interaction, leading to the instrumentalisation of aggressive behaviour. Pain treatment is essential to limit this phenomenon.
The “petted and bitten” syndrome reflects an intolerance to contact. The cat, initially receptive to being stroked, develops a sudden aggressive reaction. Several factors may be involved: tactile tolerance threshold reached, startled awakening or stop signal to interrupt an interaction deemed excessive.
Tiger syndrome, associated with hunger, manifests itself in predatory attacks in the twilight hours and irritation when preparing meals. An unsuitable diet encourages this aggression. The introduction of controlled access to food significantly improves behaviour.
Fear-related aggression
Fear aggression is manifested by violent reactions in cats when they find themselves in a situation perceived as threatening, with no possibility of escape. Cats with a history of phobias, deprivation syndrome or anxiety are more susceptible to this type of aggression. However, even a well-socialised cat can react aggressively out of fear to an aversive event.
During the threat phase, the cat shows neurovegetative signs such as salivation, mydriasis and vocalisations, adopting a defensive posture characterised by a lateral decubitus position and ears laid back. If the stress persists, the resulting attack is violent and uncontrolled, often leading to deep wounds. Following the attack, the cat tries to retreat.
Redirected aggression
Redirected aggression occurs when a cat attacks a target by substitution. This happens when the real stimulus, visual, auditory or olfactory, is inaccessible. For example, a cat that cannot reach another animal behind glass will instead attack a nearby target, such as its owner. This type of aggression, common in adult males, includes territorial or fear-related conflicts between males.
Owners may find sudden aggression disconcerting, especially as there may be a long delay between the initial stimulus and the attack. It is crucial to recognise the early signs of agitation and hypervigilance to avoid initiating risky contact. After an attack, or in the absence of a target, the cat may calm down and resume normal activities, signalling that safe contact is once again possible.
Hormonal status
Aggression linked to hormonal status encompasses two main manifestations:aggression between males and maternal aggression.
Male-to-male aggression often occurs in the presence of a female in oestrus, involving behaviour ranging from intimidation to actual fighting. The males adopt specific aggressive postures, glaring at each other and vocalizing intensely, which can evolve into direct confrontation if neither backs down.
Maternal aggression is characterised by the defensive reactions of mother cats aimed at protecting their litter from possible danger. Unlike males, who may attack kittens, females are mainly threatening, adopting a “defensive-offensive” posture. This behaviour is directly linked to the hormonal status of the lactating female and generally disappears when the kittens are weaned.
Dysthymia
Aggression and dysthymia in cats result in mood disorders. They alternate between “hyper” phases of hyperactivity and irritability, and “hypo ” phases of depression. Several factors can cause dysthymia. These include hormonal imbalances, developmental disorders, emotional problems and brain damage. The Abyssinian breed appears to be more predisposed to these disorders. The pathogenesis suggests hyperexcitability of the nuclei of the limbic system.
Clinically, dysthymia manifests itself in two forms: unipolar, alternating hyperactivity and normality without a depressive phase, and bipolar, with cycles of hyperactivity and depression. The “hyper” phases are characterised by intense agitation, impulsivity and increased aggression. In contrast, ‘hypo’ phases reflect depressive symptoms. The onset of attacks can be signalled by a “crazy look”, marked by intense mydriasis.
Instrumentalised aggression
Instrumental aggression describes a situation where the cat uses aggression to escape a constraint or an unpleasant situation. Each success reinforces the aggressive behaviour.
The typical behavioural sequence of aggression is divided into three phases: “appetitive” (threat), “consummatory” (scratching and biting) and “appeasement ” (end of attack). When an aversive stimulus is regularly neutralised by aggression, the cat associates the latter with the cessation of discomfort. In this way, stimulus avoidance becomes a reinforcer, solidifying learning via operant conditioning.
Gradually, the appeasement phase shortens until it disappears, eliminating the “stop signal”. The absence of this phase allows the attacks to continue. Subsequently, the “appetitive ” phase also diminishes, leaving the bite as the only reaction. Eventually, the behavioural sequence is totally altered, with no regulation, and the behaviour becomes “rigidified”.
