Aggression in cats is one of the most common reasons for relinquishment and euthanasia, yet most feline aggression has identifiable causes and can be effectively managed with appropriate intervention.
Feline aggression represents a welfare problem for both the cat and affected humans. For the cat, aggression often signals an underlying state of fear, pain, or frustration that constitutes poor welfare in itself. A cat that attacks household members is often a cat experiencing chronic stress, inadequate resource provision, or undiagnosed medical problems. The welfare consequence of inadequate intervention is surrender or euthanasia; aggression is a leading cause of cat death in shelter systems. Effective management requires identifying the specific type and trigger of aggression, addressing any medical causes, and implementing behavioural modification appropriate to the specific problem. Most feline aggression is manageable with professional guidance; owner education about feline body language and stress signals is a critical component of prevention.