7 Tips on How to Look After an Aggressive Cat
Jan 28 2023.
In your cat sitting career, there’s a chance you’ll come across a kitty with some serious CATtitude. Dealing with an aggressive cat is never easy. Below, Cat in a Flat offers seven tips for looking after an aggressive cat so you and your furry client can get off to a paw-sitive start.
Feeding an aggressive cat
Arrange to do the first feeding when the owner is there. This way the owner can keep kitty calm before leaving them in your care. A ‘feeding intro’ like this works particularly well for house sitting jobs, where you will be living in Mr Whiskers’ home.
During your drop-in Cat Sitting Service
If you’re just doing a ‘pop-in’ service, arrive a bit earlier than feeding time so that the kitty is not too hungry (and feisty) and is still sleepy (and more mellow.)
Stay calm
As you enter the home, ignore that cat! Yup, totally avoid eye contact. Stay calm, super cool and move slowly with no sudden movements. Show that cat no fear!
Wait for an aggressive cat to approach you
Wait for kitty to approach you. Let them sniff you, but don’t bring out the cuddles straight away. Your fur friend will give you a little head bump when they’re ready for that.
Don’t force the friendship
If Mr Whiskers never comes to say hello, no worries, some kitties just don’t want new friends anyway. A job well done is reading the cat’s behavior and making sure they’re eating and going to the toilet properly.
Bring cat treats
If the owner allows, bring treats. This will distract the feline as you enter the home and reassure them that you’re a friend.
Leave clothing behind
If you’re not doing overnight stays, some of our Cat in a Flat community have suggested leaving an item of your clothing in the owner’s home for the duration of your booking. This way the cat can get used to your smell.
Using a Feliway diffuser is a good way to keep kitty calm.
If a cat is aggressive or timid and takes time to get fur-miliar with new people, suggest the owner consider a house sitter. This way, kitty will have more time to get to know you and enjoy sharing their home with you.
For more tips on aggression in cats, read here: https://icatcare.org/advice/problem-behaviour/aggression-humans
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