Aggression is one of the commonest reasons cats are brought to a veterinary behaviourist, and it puts owners, other pets and the cat's home at risk. The motivation behind an attack (play, fear, pain, arousal or competition for resources) decides the treatment, so the history matters more than any test. Medical disease must be excluded first, because pain and illness can start or worsen aggressive behaviour.
Key facts
Aggression at a glance- Species and system: cat; behaviour.
- Main types toward people: misdirected play (predatory), petting-related, fear-related, redirected, pain-related and maternal (Amat 2019).
- Toward other cats: territorial, fear-related, possessive and redirected; intercat tension affects 62-88% of multi-cat homes (AAFP 2024).
- Classic exam scenario: a cat sees an outdoor cat through a window, then attacks the owner or a housemate that walks past.
- First steps: safety, a full history (video helps), physical examination and a medical workup, then a plan built on environment, behaviour modification and, if needed, medication.
- Public health: cat bites often become infected (Pasteurella); scratches transmit Bartonella henselae; consider rabies in an unvaccinated cat with a sudden change in behaviour.
What's inside
12 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and pathophysiology
- Clinical signs and body language
- Diagnosis
- Differential diagnoses
- Treatment and management
- Prevention, control and public health
- Prognosis
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 6 tables, 1 figure, 3 self-test questions and 16 references, available to NAVLE members.
Read the full study guide
The full guide is part of every NAVLE plan, with diagnosis and treatment tables, figures, a quick review and self-test questions. Start a free trial to try the question bank, or log in if you are already a member.