Changes

==Introduction==

==Introduction==

Tolerance or appreciation of human contact is learned as a result of early experience during the sensitive period. In many cases aggressive cats are the product of an unsatisfactory start in life and problems arise. For example, a lack of appropriate handling between two and seven weeks of age will cause a cat to grow up to be wary of people and to have a predisposition towards defensively aggressive behaviour if it is placed in a situation where it feels threatened. Experience teaches these individuals that their [[Feline Aggression - Overview|aggressive behaviour]] is very effective at maintaining distance between themselves and any person of whom they are suspicious. Before long the aggressive display is used as a pre-emptive rather than a reactionary behaviour. This results in a noticeable change in the cat’s strategy for dealing with fear. Early in the course of the problem, the cat will show noticeable signs of fear, attempting to use defence strategies such as running away or hiding. However, over time it will begin to select aggressive responses more readily so that a more offensive pattern of behaviour is seen. By the time some of these cases are brought to the attention of the veterinary practice or referred for specific professional advice the initial fearful motivation for the behaviour may be obscured by the cat’s overt hostility and offensive behaviour.  

Tolerance or appreciation of human contact is learned as a result of early experience during the [[Feline Socialisation|sensitive period]]. In many cases aggressive cats are the product of an unsatisfactory start in life and problems arise. For example, a lack of appropriate handling between two and seven weeks of age will cause a cat to grow up to be wary of people and to have a predisposition towards defensively aggressive behaviour if it is placed in a situation where it feels threatened. Experience teaches these individuals that their [[Feline Aggression - Overview|aggressive behaviour]] is very effective at maintaining distance between themselves and any person of whom they are suspicious. Before long the aggressive display is used as a '''pre-emptive''' rather than a '''reactionary behaviour'''. This results in a noticeable change in the cat’s strategy for dealing with fear. Early in the course of the problem, the cat will show noticeable signs of fear, attempting to use defence strategies such as running away or hiding. However, over time it will begin to select aggressive responses more readily so that a more offensive pattern of behaviour is seen. By the time some of these cases are brought to the attention of the veterinary practice or referred for specific professional advice the initial fearful motivation for the behaviour may be obscured by the cat’s overt hostility and offensive behaviour.  

It is important to question the owner about any previous traumatic experience involving people, the use of inappropriate punishment for behaviour in the past or the presence of inappropriate and unintentional reward of the present behaviour.  

It is important to question the owner about any previous traumatic experience involving people, the use of inappropriate punishment for behaviour in the past or the presence of inappropriate and unintentional reward of the present behaviour.  

==Diagnosis==

==Diagnosis==

Fear-related aggression is a motivational diagnosis and it can be associated with a variety of contexts. In some cases it may therefore be beneficial to add a contextual label as part of the diagnosis. For example, a cat that is aggressive when handled by the owner may be diagnosed as displaying “aggression associated with handling” that is fear motivated and a cat that is fearful of strangers and shows aggression to the owners when visitors are present may be diagnosed as a case of “redirected aggression”, which is motivated by frustration of the fear response. In both cases “fear-related aggression” is the underlying motivational diagnosis and treatment of the cat’s underlying fear is crucial to the success of treatment but the contextual labels help the owner to understand when the behaviour may occur and to take steps to avoid it.  

'''Fear-related aggression is a motivational diagnosis and it can be associated with a variety of contexts'''. In some cases it may therefore be beneficial to add a contextual label as part of the diagnosis. For example, a cat that is aggressive when handled by the owner may be diagnosed as displaying “aggression associated with handling” that is fear motivated and a cat that is fearful of strangers and shows aggression to the owners when visitors are present may be diagnosed as a case of “redirected aggression”, which is motivated by frustration of the fear response. In both cases “fear-related aggression” is the underlying motivational diagnosis and treatment of the cat’s underlying fear is crucial to the success of treatment but the contextual labels help the owner to understand when the behaviour may occur and to take steps to avoid it.