Play Aggression (Feline)

by Petside Team

Rough play is common and natural among kittens and young cats under 2 years of age. Despite the playful intentions of the cat, however, when such play is directed toward people or becomes overly rambunctious, it can cause injury to people or damage household items.

Common name: Feline play aggression
Scientific name: Feline play aggression

Diagnosis

Signalment
Play aggression is usually seen in kittens and young cats under 2 years of age.

Incidence/prevalence
Play aggression is the most common type of feline aggression that cats express toward their guardians.

Geographic distribution
There is no geographic distribution.

Clinical signs (primary, most to least frequent, scientific term, synonyms)
Responses common in predation and social play, including stalking, chasing, attacking, running, ambushing, pouncing, leaping, batting, swatting, grasping, fighting and biting, directed toward a pet parent.

Causes (scientific, common term)
Normal behavioral expression, Incomplete learned inhibition (early weaning, juvenile illness, etc.), Inadequate opportunity for interactive play, Inappropriate reciprocal play.

Organ systems affected
Central nervous system, Diagnostic tests, Observation of expression and context of behavior.

Differential Diagnosis
Pain aggression, Attention-seeking aggression, Redirected aggression, which can be distinguished by its differential occurrence following a provoking stimulus, such as the sight, sound or odor of another cat or of other animals, unusual noises, unfamiliar people and unfamiliar environments. The aggression is directed at a nearby person following the cat's perception of the stimulus.

Overview

Usually seen in kittens and young cats under 2 years of age, play aggression is the most common type of aggressive behavior that cats exhibit toward their owners. It involves typical behaviors of predation and of object, locomotor and social play, including stalking, chasing, attacking, running, ambushing, pouncing, leaping, batting, swatting, grasping, fighting and biting.

It's believed that through play with each other, young cats learn to inhibit their bites and sheathe their claws when swatting. The degree to which individuals learn to inhibit their rough play varies, and those that have been orphaned or weaned early may have experienced inadequate inhibition learning. Other factors that can contribute to play aggression are long hours alone without opportunities to play, and interactive play between pet parents and their cat that encouraging chase and attack of people's hands and feet.

Treatment

Home Care
Play aggression can be treated with behavior modification (retraining) that interrupts inappropriate play with the owner's body and redirects it to appropriate play with toys.

Anticipating when inappropriate play is likely to occur facilitates prompt redirection to appropriate objects. For example, tossing a toy down the stairs prior to descending can preempt attacks on the guardian's feet. Other key factors in eliciting appropriate play are meeting the cat's behavioral needs for play, including regular exercise involving acceptable chase and attack behavior. Toys that extend away from the body on a wand or that bounce, flutter, dangle or otherwise entice the cat to chase should be provided, as should novel objects for the cat to investigate, such as bags and boxes.

As appropriate play behaviors become more established, they will be maintained through self-reinforcement. Inappropriate play can be prevented or minimized by avoiding playing with hands and feet, including avoiding toy gloves with dangling strings or balls on the fingertips worn by the guardian during play. If aggressive play persists despite consistent efforts to redirect, loud clapping, a water gun or a compressed-air canister may be used to interrupt the first moment of inappropriate play. When the cat stops, throwing a toy can then redirect the cat to the toy.

Cat guardians should be discouraged from using physical punishment to correct play aggression, such as tapping on the cat's nose and striking or pushing the animal away, since these responses are likely to be experienced by the cat as reciprocal play and may exacerbate the problem, or they might cause the cat to become fearful or fearfully aggressive.

Professional Care
Physical examination by a veterinarian should be done to rule out pain aggression. Play aggression that does not improve with home behavior modification may require professional assistance from a certified applied animal behaviorist (www.certifiedanimalbehaviorist.com) or a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behavior (www.dacvb.org).

Action
See treatment.

Outcome
The prognosis is good as long as guardians channel play activities to appropriate toys and meet the cat's behavioral needs for daily play, attention and interaction. An important aspect of treatment is educating clients that aggressive play behaviors are the result of play and attention seeking.

References/Additional Readings

Frank, D. Management Problems in Cats. In: Horwitz, D., Mills, D., and Heath, S., eds. BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Behavioural Medicine. Quedgeley: British Small Animal Veterinary Association, 2002; 80-89.

Hetts, S. Pet Behavior Protocols. Lakewood, CO: AAHA Press, 1999; 133-151.

Landsberg, G., Hunthausen, W., and Ackerman, L. Handbook of Behavior Problems of the Dog and Cat. Edinburgh: Saunders, 2003; 427-453.

Author

Carmen Buitrago

CPDT

Consulting Author

Jennifer Sobie, PhD

Editor

Steven Hansen, DVM, MS, MBA

DABVT, DABT