Owners may feel the behavior happens suddenly, but cats usually show subtle warning signs first through body language. Their cat will be calmly lying next to them, then suddenly pounce upon the owner’s hand or foot.

The behavior exhibited in these situations is typically referred to as “aggressive,” however, in most instances, the behavior is related to normal playful behavior and not due to actual anger towards the owner.

The key to distinguishing between typical play aggression and problem-oriented behavior is understanding what constitutes each. Understanding this allows owners to avoid unnecessary fear or potential for injury, particularly if children or additional pets are living within the home.

What Is Play Aggression?

Aggression during play is directly related to a cat’s need to hunt. Hunting and catching prey were crucial to the survival of cats while they lived outdoors in the wild. Although many domestic cats are fed regularly and housed indoors, they still retain the ability to exhibit hunting behaviors.

As a cat plays, the cat exhibits behaviors that mimic those exhibited when stalking, pursuing, and capturing prey. During these types of behaviors the cat may assume a low position (crouched), move back-and-forth using its hind legs, and finally spring forward in pursuit.

During play with toys, grasping is acceptable. However, if this type of aggressive behavior is displayed toward human hands, feet, ankles or other pets, it becomes problematic.

Kittens demonstrate this type of behavior when learning about coordination of movement and developing social boundaries.

Why Cats Target People

There are times when play aggression occurs without intention. One of the most common reasons is when you use your hands as “toys” while they were still kittens. At first this might seem harmless but what it does is teach the cat that your human skin is fair game.

Boredom also plays a big part in why some cats will seek out something to chase. Some cats get bored with no physical and/or mental stimulation and go looking for anything that moves (blankets, feet etc.) under the blanket or even just your hand going past theirs. In the eyes of the cat, everything moving is like its prey.

Finally, there are those cats who simply cannot take much stimulation. When petting goes past their comfort zone it can turn into biting/swatting. Again, this isn’t playful in the way we normally think about it, but it looks like it and so often is misinterpreted.

How to tell the Difference Between Play and Anger?

Not all bites and swats are created equal. Observe how they hold themselves (body language) and you’ll see some key differences. Playful animals tend to be very obvious because they display:

•       Ears forward

•       Calmly focused

•       Pauses between bites

Aggressive animals show:

•       Ears down (flat)

•       Pupils dilated

•       They Growl

•       Defensive posture

When a cat exhibits play aggression, it will generally stop as soon as they lose interest or gets tired. If, however, a cat gets aggressive due to feeling threatened or trapped, it may continue.

The Impact of Early Socialization

Kittens that grow-up socializing with their siblings learn important limitations through play. When one kitten bites too aggressively, the sibling will react and teach them boundaries. As such, kittens that do not receive this type of socialization may not understand the same level of self-control as those that did.

As such, some adult cats appear to “over-react” when engaged in play. It does not mean that the cat intends to act aggressively; however, it means that the adult cat has no prior knowledge on how to manage their behavior appropriately.

Managing Play Aggression

Redirect the aggressive behavior. Cats will always respond better to positive redirection (providing alternative behaviors) than punishment (negative responses).

Provide Appropriate Outlets

Offer interactive toys that provide a “prey” type experience to allow your cat to engage in their natural hunting instincts without causing damage. Examples include wand-type toys that provide distance between you and your cat’s mouth as well as encourage your cat to continue engaging.

Avoid Reinforcing the Behavior

Removing your hand from your cat’s view by pulling back quickly on occasion may cause your cat to become even more excited to chase. By remaining stationary and slowly backing away, you can help to dissipate your cat’s enthusiasm.

Watch for Early Signs

As your cat’s tail starts to move rapidly from side-to-side or the muscles throughout your cat’s body begin to tighten, your cat may be approaching a threshold where they could become easily overwhelmed and may exhibit extreme aggression. If you recognize these signals early enough, you can stop interacting before things escalate further.

Set Consistent Boundaries

If your cat bites you during play, simply stepping away from the play session provides an unmistakable message to your cat that this biting behavior will end the interaction. Consistency is far more effective than punishment. Calmly ending the interaction teaches better boundaries than force.

When Play Becomes a Concern

While play aggression in cats is quite common, there are several forms of play aggression that may be indicative of an underlying issue.

Examples of play aggression that could be problematic for your cat include: frequently unprovoked attacks on humans, bites resulting in lacerations to your skin, if your cat appears more aggressive in its interactions with you, or if your cat escalates in aggression over time as opposed to continuing to decrease.

Summary

Cats’ aggressive behaviors are almost always an expression of their instincts as opposed to being indicative of a cat having a “difficult” personality. The real problem arises when we try to take those instinctive behaviors and channel them into acceptable behaviors, while simultaneously creating a system of clearly defined boundaries for our cat.

Once you understand why your cat is behaving aggressively, once you recognize the early warning signs, and respond appropriately with calmness, you can start to make progress on managing that behavior. As time goes by, your cat will learn new ways to interact with people and things gently; this creates a much safer and more predictable relationship for both parties involved.