Redirected Aggression in Cats: Causes and Managing Sudden Attacks
๐จ Check first
Never touch or pick up with bare hands a cat that is in a panic, fur on end, hissing and screaming, to try to calm them. You can be bitten deeply on the face or wrist, a serious injury that can mean a trip to the hospital.
๐ The answer in 3 seconds
- Redirected aggression is when a cat driven into extreme excitement or fear (by watching for a stray cat outside the window, or by a loud noise such as thunder or something dropped) cannot reach the real cause, and in its stress mistakes the owner or a housemate cat who happens to be nearby for an enemy and attacks in earnest.
- Once a cat flips into this state, it takes several hours to a full day for the adrenaline in the brain to settle. During that time, the cat cannot recognize even a beloved owner.
- The only correct response is to use a thick blanket or a cardboard shield to isolate the cat alone in a room, darken the room, and leave the cat completely alone without going near until they have fully calmed down (a cool-down).
๐ Flowchart
- Step 1If your cat suddenly growls with fur on end, do not make eye contact or raise your voice. Back away slowly, using a cushion or a large bath towel as a shield, and move to another room (or isolate the cat in one room).
- Step 2Close the curtains in the cat's room to make it dim, leave only water and a litter box, and keep the door shut for at least 6 hours to half a day, leaving the cat alone.
- Step 3When your cat meows in their usual sweet voice through the door or acts like they want a treat, the cool-down is complete. To prevent it from happening again, cover the lower half of ground-floor windows where stray cats can be seen with privacy film (frosted window film) to block the view.
โญ Step-by-step fix
Step 1 ยท What you can do at home right now
If your cat suddenly growls with fur on end, do not make eye contact or raise your voice. Back away slowly, using a cushion or a large bath towel as a shield, and move to another room (or isolate the cat in one room).
Step 2
Close the curtains in the cat's room to make it dim, leave only water and a litter box, and keep the door shut for at least 6 hours to half a day, leaving the cat alone.
Step 3
When your cat meows in their usual sweet voice through the door or acts like they want a treat, the cool-down is complete. To prevent it from happening again, cover the lower half of ground-floor windows where stray cats can be seen with privacy film (frosted window film) to block the view.
โ Never do this
- Reaching out to an excited cat while saying "What's wrong? Calm down!"
- Stepping in between with bare hands when a housemate cat is being attacked (always drop a thick blanket over them from above, or push a cushion between them to separate them).
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