Kitty Corner
Keep your feline fine: Kerrie McKeon, Bideawee's Feline Behavior Coordinator shows you how!
Play Nice!
Does your feline view your fingers on the keyboard as the ultimate kitty teaser? Are your ankles just a little too appealing to Tabby? Your friend may be showing signs of play aggression, an extremely common, and, fortunately, very correctible behavior problem.
Is it play aggression?
Although mostly common in young cats, play aggression may be present in cats of any age. Usually occurring as a seemingly random attack or "ambush" directed at your legs or ankles, the cat may hold on to you with his front paws and bite, claw, and kick. Raising your voice or attempting to shake the cat off may only intensify the attack, as the cat may view your excitement as encouragement!
Causes
Play aggression usually develops when a kitten has no other young cats to interact with. If a kitten is found alone, weaned from its mother too soon, or separated from its siblings too early, chances of play aggression increase greatly. Siblings and mothers provide important corrections, both vocally and physically, that teach kittens how to inhibit their biting and how to play gently. In older cats, it occurs most frequently in single cat households where the owner spends long days away from the home.
Treatment
Several interactive play sessions per day, even if they last only a few minutes, may significantly reduce the aggressive episodes. Good toys for this purpose include DA BIRD, KITTY TEASER, laser pointers, and feather teasers. Some cats may also enjoy "fetching" crumpled-up paper or fuzzy mice. Be sure to let your cat catch the toy and "kill" it, so that he can wind down after the hunt!
Rewarding proper behavior with tasty treats and extra affection will help to reinforce improvements made, as will keeping the sessions on a fairly regular schedule.
If the cat continues to occasionally stalk you, try to anticipate the attack, and distract the cat by tossing a toy in a different direction. Keep small, soft toys nearby wherever the attacks normally occur. Remember, the key to redirecting play attacks is being consistent in whatever approach you choose.
If you feel that you have room in your heart and home for another friendly feline, an active friend of similar age and temperament may help your friend to burn off some of that excess energy!
If this behavior plan doesn't work for your cat, or if you think your cat is being too aggressive, consider taking him to the vet for a check-up.
About Kerrie McKeon, Feline Behavior Coordinator
Kerrie McKeon grew up in New Haven, CT with two loves: performing and cats. The former love (performing) took "center stage" early on and Kerrie graduated from Penn State with a degree in Theater Arts, then moved to Chicago, where she spent eight years working in theater. Eventually, the East Coast called her back and she came to New York, where the latter love (cats), a love that had never waned, inspired her to make a drastic career change and join the team at Bideawee.
Kerrie began her career at Bideawee in the Manhattan Adoption Center as an Associate and immediately impressed everyoneâ€"two-legged and four-legged alike - with her natural ability to communicate both with the cats and with potential adopters. Kerrie quickly became the star of the Adoption Center, embodying Bideawee's mission of getting to know each one of our animals and each and every one of our adopters so that we can make the best possible match.
In the past few years, as Feline Behavior Specialist, Kerrie has spearheaded initiatives to better the lives of our feline residents, such as requiring toys in every cage and encouraging the construction of even more cageless living space for the cats. She regularly holds educational workshops for the public and for staff at all three Bideawee locations in order to improve our understanding and our relationships with our feline friends. As a member of Bideawee's Case Management Team, Kerrie also has a direct impact on the cats living with us, constantly making adjustments and improvements to better the lives each and every one of them.
MORE KITTY CORNER COLUMNS FROM KERRIE:
Play Nice
Play Therapy
The Verticle Scratcher
What to do with Kitty while on vacation
Let's Talk Litter!
Let's Talk Litter, Part Two
Getting Kitty Ready for Baby
Moving With Your Cat
How to Get Some Sleep If You Have a Noisy Cat
Playtime for Seniors! Older Cats Are Frisky Too!
Ideas for Inexpensive, Homemade Cat Toys
Sew Velcro strips into the sock opening so it can be closed up and easily reopened. Next, fill the sock with batting, scrap fabric, or dried catnip, and seal shut. In no time, your kitty will have a new favorite plaything!
