Cat suddenly bites or scratches.

Dr. Marie replied:

I have seen a number of cats who act like this. In fact, one of my own cats will occasionally decide that she wants to bite or scratch for no apparent reason. Often there is no particular reason for cats to suddenly lash out like this.

I'm not likely to be able to solve your problem but I can give you a few ideas.

First of all, some cats are particularly sensitive on different parts of their body. One common area for sensitivity is the end of the back (near the tail). Often when you are petting a cat there they will act like they are really really enjoying it and then suddenly they get overstimulated and start to bite. If you notice that Missy bites after you have been touching certain areas then the answer would be to not pet her in those areas. (Similarly, many cats will do this when their belly is being pet.)

If you do feel like Missy is sensitive on her back, then one thing to consider is to put a prescription strength flea preventative on her. Some cats are so sensitive to fleas that just one flea bite can make them super irritated. Many times, there is no outward evidence of fleas. But I have had cats that had anger issues that were much better behaved after a flea treatment.

You could look at purchasing something called Feliway. You can buy Feliway as a plugin that releases pheromone into the air. Humans can't detect any smell, but it will help cats to feel more relaxed and can reduce aggressive behavior. There is scientific evidence for this as well - it's not just a well advertised product.

Another thing that could really help is a medication such as Reconcile or Clomicalm or Amitriptyline. However, these are medicines that would have to be prescribed by your vet and your vet would likely want to examine Missy in order to prescribe these.

If this was a new behavior for Missy I would wonder about a possible pain issue. If this was my case, I might consider trying a pain medication to see if it makes a difference. Cats can often hide their pain and it can be hard to determine what the issue is. However, once again, you'd need to have your vet examine Missy in order to get medication. There is no over the counter pain medication that is safe for cats.

Unfortunately this can be something that there is no "cure" for. I have seen some cats where it is just in their nature to have bouts of aggressive behavior.

Hopefully things look up soon!

Dr. Marie.


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