Cats can be aggressive. Cats can be pretty bitey and pretty awful, really. They can do some serious damage. So what causes this? Most of us, our experience with cats, they're cute and cuddly. We pet them. We love them. They're cute and cuddly, we pet them, we love them, they're fuzzy, they lick you. And sometimes they get a little pointy and they start playing and they bite you and it's not so comfortable.

But sometimes they're just downright mean and you try to understand why that is. And it's hard not to take it personally. But what we're going to talk about today is, well, is it really your fault or is it just something else going on? So what causes aggression and what can you do about it?

Most of the time it has nothing to do with you. Sometimes it does. But even then, it's probably not entirely your fault unless you're doing something stupid. (I will give you some examples of the things I have done that have gotten me bitten, scratched, hissed at, all sorts of stuff. I put myself into these situations because I work with cats in need.)

Here are six basic causes of cat aggression toward people:

Fear or anxiety: Cats may become aggressive if they feel threatened or frightened. This is the fight or flight response. It can be triggered by a variety of things, such as unfamiliar people or animals, loud noises, or changes in their environment.

Pain or illness: Cats in pain or discomfort may become irritable and aggressive. I talked about the Feline Grimace Scale a couple of weeks ago. This is a handy way to assess if a cat’s aggression may be related to pain or discomfort.

Territorial behavior: Cats are naturally territorial. We as humans don’t always recognize their territorial boundaries and can get ourselves in trouble because of it.

Redirected aggression: This occurs when a cat is upset or agitated by something they cannot reach, such as another cat or animal outside. If you happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, you may get scratched.

Play aggression: Some cats become overly aggressive during play. Even humans can get carried away when we start to play too hard. 

Lack of socialization: Cats that have not been socialized properly may become fearful and aggressive towards people and other animals. Socialization isn’t just about getting cats used to people, either. Removing kittens from their mother too early can result in lots of problems, like play aggression.

Most of these causes are not due to any fault of our own, nor are they malevolent behaviors of the cat. If our cats are acting aggressive toward us, it is important to first identify why they’re being aggressive and then address the behavior appropriately.