Feline Aggression Study Guide

Overview and Clinical Importance

Feline aggression is the second most common behavioral problem in cats after inappropriate elimination and urine marking, making it a high-yield topic for the NAVLE. Approximately 27% of cats relinquished to shelters for behavioral reasons are surrendered due to aggression. Understanding the classification, diagnosis, and treatment of feline aggression is essential for general practitioners, as cat bites and scratches carry significant infection risk (higher than dog bites) and can transmit diseases including cat scratch fever (Bartonella henselae).

Cats have five potential weapons (teeth and four clawed paws) compared to dogs' single weapon (mouth), making aggressive cats particularly dangerous. The key to successful management lies in accurate identification of the aggression type, ruling out underlying medical conditions, and implementing appropriate behavior modification with or without pharmacological intervention.

Classification of Feline Aggression

Feline aggression can be classified based on target (human-directed vs. cat-directed), motivation (offensive vs. defensive), and context. The most clinically useful approach combines all three elements to guide treatment.