Tag: aggressivecats

Fear or Sedation at the Vet?

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Acute severe stress triggers the body’s “fight-or-flight response”. Your heart beats faster, your blood pressure increases and you breathe harder. Your muscles become tense, you may feel nauseous. Wild animals can actually die of stress during capture and relocation as a result of a condition known as “capture myopathy”. Muscles are damaged as the animal struggles to escape; the damaged muscle releases toxic substances into the bloodstream, causing kidney failure, high temperatures and sometimes death or a subsequent deterioration in health (Reference 1).

While few cats have been documented as suffering from “capture myopathy”, restraining a struggling, terrified cat for a procedure at the vet clinic has a potential to cause physical as well as emotional damage.  If pre-visit medications aren’t enough, the cat owner has a choice: fear or sedation at the vet?

Fear or sedation at the vet?

Sedation can be a gift for a fearful and/or fractious cat. Sedation can (Reference 2):

  • provide comfort and analgesia while reducing anxiety and stress
  • prevent injury to veterinary staff
  • promote a better hospital experience for cats undergoing minor procedures

When properly done, sedation can be a safe procedure for most cats. On the other hand, general anesthesia may be more appropriate for cats with neurological problems, cardiac or respiratory disorders (Reference 2).

sedation vs general anesthesia

Sedation is similar to general anesthesia: the drugs used can cause unconsciousness, amnesia and loss of protective reflexes such as gagging and swallowing (if possible, the cat is fasted prior to the procedure). The risks to the sedated cat are similar to those encountered by the anesthetized cat: the most common issues are cardiovascular and respiratory (Reference 2).  

Sedation is chosen for minor procedures where the cat will be only be under the effects of sedative drugs for a short time. A cat may be sedated to acquire blood and urine samples, have x-rays of painful limbs, or have an abscess flushed and stitched up. In such brief procedures, typically an airway is not established with an endotracheal tube nor is an intravenous catheter placed. The goal is to finish the necessary tasks and wake the cat up, returning them to a normal physiologic state as soon as possible.

Good practice dictates that the veterinary team be prepared to transition to general anesthesia if necessary, providing oxygen, intubating the cat and placing an intravenous catheter for fluid therapy if needed.

Monitoring (Reference 2) during sedation is not as comprehensive as that of general anesthesia due to time constraints. An abbreviated protocol follows the cat’s physiologic status.

  • monitor depth of sedation – eye blink reflex
  • measuring oxygen saturation in the blood (pulse oximetry)
  • measuring pulse rate and blood pressure

Comfort and Pain Relief

Sedation protocols for cats are typically a combination of a pain medication (usually an opioid) and a sedative. The combination of the two drugs produces a greater sedative effect compared with either drug given alone. Lower doses of the drugs can be used when they are given together (Reference 2), reducing adverse cardiac and respiratory side effects.

The drugs can given intramuscularly (IM) or intravenously (IV) depending on the drug combination. IM protocols are popular because is often easier to give a frightened, struggling cat an injection in the muscle compared with trying to inject drugs in a vein.

Pre-visit medications can be an adjunct to the sedation procedure, reducing the dose of sedative drugs needed and making administration of these drugs less stressful.

recovery

A warm, dark, quiet area allows cats waking up from sedation or anesthesia to be monitored to ensure a smooth recovery. Additional pain medication may be administered and food may be offered if appropriate.

returning home

  • Watch your cat closely once they are home. Consider confining them to a room with all their resources so that they can safely settle back into the home environment and routine. Be sure to check in on them until the effects of the sedative drugs have worn off.
  • Cats identify each other by smell. In multi-cat homes, a cat returning from the vet clinic has picked up the smell of the hospital and may be “shunned” by their housemates. Keeping the returning cat separate from their housemates followed by a reintroduction is appropriate here.
  • See “Aggression Between Cats After a Vet Visit”

 

The choice: Fear or Sedation at the Vet?
In cats with fractious temperaments or showing fearful behavior, sedation can replace moments of sheer terror with a better hospital experience. Gone is the struggle, muscle tension, and fear associated with full-body restraint. The gift of sedation can help cats live longer and healthier lives due to better veterinary care.

references

  1. Breed D, Meyer LCR, Steyl JCA, Goddard A, Burroughs R, Kohn TA. Conserving wildlife in a changing world: Understanding capture myopathy-a malignant outcome of stress during capture and translocation. Conserv Physiol. 2019 Jul 5;7(1):coz027. doi: 10.1093/conphys/coz027. PMID: 31304016; PMCID: PMC6612673.
  2. Simon BT, Steagall PV. Feline procedural sedation and analgesia: When, why and how. J Feline Med Surg. 2020 Nov;22(11):1029-1045. doi: 10.1177/1098612X20965830. PMID: 33100168; PMCID: PMC10814218.

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Tactics to Make the Vet Visit Better for Cats

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6
A relaxed, calm cat approaches a veterinary staff member.

Veterinary medicine has markedly improved for companion animals – we recognize that cats and dogs experience pain and suffering, which in turn affects their quality of life. Routine checkups, vaccinations,  and dental cleanings reduce disease and improve the health and welfare of our pets.

Cats are becoming members of the family and not just valued mousers.  There is a trend away from brute force handling of cats to “get it (blood sample, vaccination) done” to trying to make the vet visit better for cats, avoiding fear and arousal as much as possible.

make the vet visit better for cats

Some of the programs in place to help veterinary staff address the feline patient include:

  • Cat Friendly Practice (Reference 1)
  • Fear Free Program (Reference 2)
  • Low-Stress Handling (Reference 3)

All of these initiatives have the same goal – to deliver medical care to animals without the complications of fear and arousal. We want to avoid the trauma that can result from an unpleasant or frightening event. We want to avoid overwhelming an animal’s ability to cope and triggering survival mechanisms such as fight, freeze or flight.

How can we make the vet visit better for cats? When they arrive at the veterinary clinic, the cat has been taken out of his home environment and transported to a strange place – it smells of other animals, many of whom are afraid; it may be cold and noisy. The cat is most likely scared and anxious, not knowing what will happen next.

How we handle cats in the veterinary hospital has direct consequences on the cat’s welfare. To reduce stress and bad memories, we start with a quiet exam room and an assessment of how kitty is doing today.

the behavior traffic light – Go? Caution? stop!

green – go?

  • The “green” cat is relaxed and may approach veterinary staff.
  • Handling may include petting if the cat solicits it.
  • Exam can be in the cat’s carrier, on the owner’s lap, or wherever the cat is comfortable.
  • Restraint is minimal – handling focuses on stabilizing the cat.
  • Food/toys may be used to distract the cat and keep them happy.

yellow – caution?

  • The “yellow” cat shows early signs of anxiety or fear – they are tense, ears flattened, the tail may be tucked under.
  • Handling may include a towel to give the cat a place to hide and feel more secure.
  • Position or location may change as needed to gain the cat’s cooperation (see “Preparing for the Cat Friendly Exam”).
  • The visit should be prioritized, with the exam number one on the list.
  • Optional procedures like a nail trim may be put off for another day.

Some cats will freeze and seem easy to handle but they are fearful and may “explode” with aggression.

red – stop!

  • A “red” cat may hiss, growl, bite or swat at someone trying to handle them.
  • They actively resist handling.
  • These cats are fearful and defensive and may try to hide.
  • Handling should be stopped immediately to avoid injury to the cat or the handler.
  • If the cat calms down after a break, a limited exam can be attempted.
  • Sedation or anesthesia will be recommended instead of force for urgent procedures.

Can “stop” make the vet visit better for cats?

It is important to realize that the cat learns from traumatic handling. They are likely to repeat the same behavior in a similar situation; they will associate the room, the people, the type of touch with the traumatic experience.  “STOP” allows us to do a “reset” to that point before things started to go wrong and try to make the vet visit better for cats.

Sedation

Sedative drugs cause a state of calmness or sleepiness. Sedating cats who are fractious or fearful allow us to provide them with pain relief and reduce their anxiety and stress, while performing diagnostics and minor procedures.

In urgent cases, sedation is an option for the “red” cat who does not have a history of health issues, or if a limited exam is possible and does not present any red flags.

In non-urgent situations, the owner may consider trying pre-visit medication for a repeat visit, with the option of sedation if needed. 

What are the risks of sedation? These questions will be answered in the next post.

references

  1. Cat Friendly Practice ® Program. © Copyright 2012 – 2025 International Cat Care and Feline Veterinary Medical Association. https://catvets.com/cat-friendly/cfp/. Viewed 9/2025
  2. Fear Free®. © 2025 Fear Free. All rights reserved. https://www.fearfree.com/. Viewed 9/2025
  3. Dr. Sophia Yin’s Low-Stress Handling. ©2025 Veterinary Information Network. All rights reserved https://cattledogpublishing.com/ Viewed 9/2025

 

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Dealing with Anxiety and Misbehavior in Your Cat

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Sometimes when your cat behaves “badly”, you are able to address what triggers the misbehavior and life goes back to “normal”: you add a new litter box and the house-soiling stops; you start taking your “bully” cat for walks on a leash and everyone settles back down again. Problem solved!

Other times, you feel you’ve taken care of what triggers the misbehavior but your cat continues to, say, pee in the bathtub. And in still other instances, you can’t eliminate the stressors triggering the behavior, and the behavior persists. For example, you just don’t have the finances to get a bigger house but you don’t want to re-home any of the cats.

Anxiety and misbehavior in your cat

When your cat is stressed, he can become anxious and fearful. Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress and helps the cat respond to perceived danger.  One way your cat may let you know she is anxious and fearful, is by “misbehaving”.  She may avoid her litter box and or hide and strike out at you when you try to pick her up.

Your vet might recommend a behavior modification plan and an anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) medication to deal with the anxiety and misbehavior in your cat.  Behavior modification aims to give the cat a way to cope with the stress that is giving rise to the “misbehavior”.   Anxiolytics reduce your cat’s anxiety and put him in a positive emotional state, making him more receptive to behavior modification.

Fluoxetine: Rx for anxiety

Let’s take a look at Fluoxetine, a medication that is frequently prescribed by veterinarians to treat anxiety.

In human circles, fluoxetine is more commonly known by the brand name Prozac.  It is a “selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor” (SSRI).
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, a chemical that carries “messages” between neurons. Neurotransmitters are typically reabsorbed in the neuron once the “messaging” is done but SSRI’s keep serotonin from being reabsorbed, resulting in more serotonin being available to carry messages between neurons. Serotonin is thought to regulate mood, digestion, and sleep among other metabolic processes (see SSRIs mayoclinic.org).

Your cat should be calmer and less anxious when taking fluoxetine.

House-soiling and aggression toward people are two of the more common behavioral problems in cats. Let’s take a quick look at two cases where  fluoxetine and behavior modification helped manage feline anxiety and misbehavior.

Susie, a 13 year old female cat

Problem Behavior: House-soiling in variety of locations with chronic diarrhea

When Susie was 11 years old, her feline house-mate passed away and her owner adopted a younger cat. Susie began pooping outside the box. After most of a year, the owner felt the cats got along OK but house-soiling and diarrhea continued. The owner found Susie “aloof” and difficult to handle. Susie was surrendered to a veterinary clinic when she was 13 years old.

A Plan for Susie

Medical plan: treat the diarrhea

Behavioral plan:

  • Desensitize Susie to interacting with people
  • Gradually introduce Susie to the other cats in the clinic

Susie’s Timeline:

  • Susie is surrendered to the vet clinic in  mid-May 2021. She is fearful and reluctant to interact with people and other cats and is placed in a “room of her own”.
  • In early July, Susie begins taking a steroid medication and also starts fluoxetine. The diarrhea starts to resolve in the next few weeks.
  • By early September, Susie is becoming less fearful and is interested in coming out of her room. She starts to accept being handled by the clinic staff.  She is not pooping outside the litter box as much.
  • In November, Susie starts having supervised visitations with staff and other cats outside her room.
  • By next March, Susie is able to be out unsupervised in the clinic during working hours.  House-soiling is better – she poops right next to the litter box and not in random locations.

Susie had a long history of house-soiling. Treatment of her medical problem and reducing her anxiety has improved her quality of life. She remains on a low dose of fluoxetine which helps her cope with the stress of interacting with strange people and cats that come to the vet clinic.

Gus, 3 year old male feral cat

Problem Behavior: Aggression toward people

Gus was an intact male cat that was trapped in a live trap. He is positive for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and was not eligible to be released after being neutered.

Behavior modification plan for Gus:

  • Desensitization to people
  • Clicker training for appropriate social behaviors toward people

Gus’s Timeline:

  • Early March 2019: Gus is trapped with a live trap
  • March 5: Gus is neutered. Gus is fearful, fighting and biting when handled.
  • Late March: Gus starts taking fluoxetine, to reduce anxiety and misbehavior.  He takes the daily fluoxetine tablet in a treat. At first the drug makes him sleepy but this passes in a few weeks and he is exposed to a variety of people.
  • Clicker and leash training begin in early June.  He learns simple commands to sit, follow a target on a stick, wear a harness and allow humans to pick him up.
  • Gus is adopted in early August. Owner continues clicker training and outdoor walks.
  • Gus is weaned off fluoxetine by the end of November, after 7 months of drug therapy. He tolerates people and no longer tries to bite them.

Anxiolytics combined with behavior modification can help you deal with anxiety and misbehavior in your cat.  In some cases, a cat can be weaned off the medication while in others, continuing to give a low dose helps when the stressors causing the misbehavior cannot be eliminated.

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Out of nowhere? Redirected Aggression in Your Cat

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

cats fighting due to frustrationYou are sitting by the window, engrossed in your latest murder mystery. You don’t notice that neighborhood tabby outside your window but your cat does and goes into full battle mode, hissing and striking at the window. You look up and jump, as your cat turns and strikes out at you. She looks like a miniature saber tooth tiger! Alarmed, you throw your glass of water at her as you beat a hasty retreat.

This is an example of what we call redirected aggression. Something happens that frustrates or frightens a cat, and the cat strikes out at whomever is closest. The cat cannot strike out at the cause of the arousal – it may be out of reach or too risky to confront. In this case, the tabby cat is out of reach but you are not!

People can find themselves in a similar situation. Say you get criticism from your supervisor. You can’t retaliate – it could effect your work evaluation. So, instead, you “take out” your frustration and anger on the assistant helping you, directing some snarky comments at her.

Avoiding Redirected Aggression in your cat

As Benjamin Franklin observed, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Be aware of situations that could trigger redirected aggression in your cat or any cat. Redirected aggression can damage the cat-owner bond if either the owner or cat is hurt. Redirected aggression can wreak havoc on the fragile harmony of a multi-cat household.

things that can Trigger Redirected Aggression in your cat

  • presence of another cat
  • high-pitched or loud noises
  • visitors in the house
  • a dog
  • an unusual odor
  • being outdoors unexpectedly

Your cat may feel he must defend his territory against strange cats, visitors to the house and dogs. He may scratch or bite when you intervene to move him to a safe place.

Strange odors, say smoke from a wildfire burning nearby, and loud noises can instill fear in your cat and he starts fighting with his housemate.

Being outdoors unexpectedly can be terrifying to the indoor-only cat and she may vent her fear on her would-be rescuer using her teeth and claws.

These are all situations where a cat may strike out and attack an “innocent” bystander because the cat is aroused or frightened.

Watch your cat’s body language for aggression: hair standing on end, growling, hissing? Staring at other cats, dogs, people? Is she blocking another cat from areas in the house? Stalking another cat?

Removing the Triggers for Redirected Aggression in Your Cat

Outdoor cats:

  • Discourage them coming into the yard using a motion activated sprinkler.
  • If you have a fence around your yard, cat proof it .
  • Install privacy film on windows where your cat may see outdoor cats.
  • Place scratching posts by doors and windows and allow your cat to mark his territory by scratching

Loud noises: If a loud noise scares your cat, let her hide and calm down before handling her. Once calm, try to entice her with a tasty snack or a wand toy. Wait for her to approach you.

Visitors: Advise visitors to leave the cat alone unless she comes over to greet them.

Dogs: Keep dogs separate from the cats using a baby gate or other barrier until you introduce them, one cat at a time.

Odors: You may need to separate cats and put them in quiet rooms until the odor dissipates or the cats acclimate to it. (In the case of wildfires, you may wish to have the carriers out and ready to go. Having the cats in smaller rooms will make it easier to kennel them up if you need to evacuate).

Being outdoors unexpectedly:

  • Your indoor cat escapes and you find her hiding under the steps. Avoid trying to pull her out.
  • Instead, arm yourself with patience and tasty food.
  • Get her cat carrier and cover it with a towel (making it appear dark and safe). It may take a little time but there is a good chance she will choose the safety of the carrier over the “great outdoors”.

If you have trained your cat to come when called, call her periodically – give her time to get over her fright and let her training kick in. And having her carrier with you can help you get her back indoors.

Redirected aggression in your cat is a consequence of an emotional state.  He may be ready to fight, frustrated or fearful and he vents these emotions on whomever is close because he cannot reach what’s triggering the emotion or he cannot flee the situation.

Join The Feline Purrspective next week for “Redirected Aggression in Your Cat – When It Becomes a Problem”.

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Managing The Indoor Cat Fight

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6
Aggression between Cats
Two cats engage in a spat while waiting to be fed.

In spite of our best efforts, things can go wrong and our cats confront each other aggressively. You may have adopted a new cat and he escapes the room you are keeping him in while introducing him to your resident cats. Something may startle the cats, say an outdoor cat comes to the window and one cat attacks a housemate in a bout of redirected aggression. Separation is the immediate solution to these unplanned events.

Indoor Cat Fights vs outdoors

There is nothing as dramatic as a cat fight. Two cats face off, fur standing on end, yowling and spitting. Often, one cat may slowly move away, all the time presenting his side to the other cat (to look larger); his back may be arched. Depending on the motive for the standoff, the remaining cat may just stand his ground and allow the other to leave or he may pounce, and the two cats grapple each other, biting, clawing, kicking, and the “cat ball” rolls away until it stops and both cats take a breather.

Unlike cat fights outdoors, the indoor cat fight can be more aggressive and more likely that either a person or a cat gets injured as things are in such close quarters. There may not be the ritual posturing and howling of a territorial cat fight outdoors. There may not be the opportunity for one of the cats to get away and there is not the extinction in fighting that can happen once one cat leaves the other’s territory.

How do we break up the indoor cat fight?

  1. Move calmly and deliberately – avoid fast or jerky movements
  2. Close doors to the area the fight is happening.
  3. Distract the cats momentarily so that you can block them from seeing each other.
  4. Herd the cats away from each other.
  5. Lure the cats into separate areas (rooms) – put a door between them!
  6. When all is calm, evaluate cats and people for injury. Seek medical attention if necessary.

Resist the temptation to scruff both cats and pull them away from each other. You will most likely get scratched, and, worse, get bit. Not only may you require medical treatment, your bond with your cat or cats will suffer.

Scruffing does not calm an adult cat and can actually injure him. Many people have been bit while scruffing a cat – the kitten reflex is long gone.

breaking up the indoor cat fight

  • cardboard barrier to separate cats
    A broom can be handy to gently separate fighting cats. It you anticipate aggressive encounters, attach some cardboard to the broom.

    Distractions:  If a bag of cat treats is at hand, shake it. Try scattering treats on the off-chance it may distract them.  Try pulling a toy on a wand or shining a laser pointer on the floor between the two cats.  Avoid using really loud noises to distract the cats on the off-chance you may frighten them.  Adding fear to already heightened emotions can make the fight worse.

  • Block visual contact: Try to slide some sort of barrier between the combatants. This may be a broom, piece of cardboard, or a sofa cushion.
  • Herding/Luring: Once out of sight of each other, try to direct them away from each other by tossing treats in opposite directions. If food is unsuccessful, “herd” one cat (preferably the more aggressive cat) with your barrier gently away from the other toward a place where you can separate the cats by a closed door.

A towel or blanket can be used as a barrier, albeit a flimsy one. If you can keep some tension on the edges and target the aggressive cat, this may be enough time for the other cat to get away, for example, and climb a cat tree.  You can also try and cover the aggressive cat with the towel. Be aware that fighting cats are tense and coiled like springs – they move extremely fast and may just outrun your well-aimed towel.

Be careful not to succumb to the emotion of the moment – hitting either cat with a broom, cardboard, or cushion will not be effective.

if you have help

DO ask your “helpers” to speak in quiet, “happy” voices.  Have someone try to divert the cats’ attention with a wand toy or laser pointer.  Be ready to slide your barrier in to block visual contact as soon as the cats are momentarily distracted.

DO have your “helpers” open the door to a room where you can herd one of the cats to. If there are additional materials for barriers (cardboard, broom, sofa pillows), have them herd one cat into a room while you work with the other or vice versa.

Other tools in the indoor cat fight

Spray bottles with water – these may stop some cats in their tracks but be warned there are cats that will keep going even if you soak them down. The spray also means you will need to get close to the cats and may be a casualty of redirected aggression.

Noise makers – Cans with pennies can be effective to distract the cats. Avoid the use of really loud noises such as air horns – in close quarters, these will be really loud, adding fear to already heightened emotions.

Rattling the food container elicits a positive emotion.  If you can distract the cats and separate them, you can try and  lure them with treats into separate areas.

be proactive!

Materials to separate fighiting cats
A basket holds a towel, jar of treats, and a spray bottle of water. There is a cardboard barrier behind the basket.

If you are introducing cats or trying to correct redirected aggression due to, say, outdoor cats, have some “emergency” stations set up in areas close to where aggressive encounters may occur. Stock each ER station with:

  • A piece of sturdy cardboard  – you can make a “paddle” by attaching it to a pole. This will keep you out of the line of fire as you try to herd a cat.
  • A thick, large towel
  • A jar of treats and a can of pennies
  • A spray bottle of water

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