Changes

==Prevalence and Risk Factors==

==Prevalence and Risk Factors==

 

A spanish study of 336 cats referred to a behavioural clinic found that 17.2% involved a complaint relating to aggression toward people; 43.1% of human directed aggression involved play, and 39.6% involved petting, with a significant overlap<ref name="Amat">Amat, M., Ruiz-de-la-Torre, J.L., Fatjo, J., Mariotti, V.M., van Wijk, S., Manteca, X. (2009) Potential risk factors associated with feline behaviour problems. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. 121, 134-139.</ref>. However, referral populations such as those surveyed in that study are likely to be biased. A Brazilian study identified a similar pattern of eliciting situations for aggression, but with a very high overall prevalence 49.5%<ref name="Ramos">Ramos, D., Mills, D.A. (2009) Human directed aggression in Brazilian domestic cats: owner reported prevalence, contexts and risk factors. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. 11. 835-841.</ref>. Those authors the commonest situations that elicited aggression toward the owner were when the cat was petted or put onto a lap, during play, when startled, when observing an unfamiliar animal, when in the presence of unfamiliar people and when protecting food or territory. Aggression was associated with an early traumatic event and outside access. Cats that did not like being stroked or did not get on well with other animals that they had contact with were more likely to show aggression in general. However, a range of other factors, including age, sex, neuter status, accommodation, origin, and social contact with people and other cats were not significantly associated with increased aggression. However, the population of aggressive cats in this study was small (107 cats).

In a Brazilian study the commonest situations that elicited aggression toward the owner were when the cat was petted or put onto a lap, during play, when startled, when observing an unfamiliar animal, when in the presence of unfamiliar people and when protecting food or territory<ref name="Ramos">Ramos, D., Mills, D.A. (2009) Human directed aggression in Brazilian domestic cats: owner reported prevalence, contexts and risk factors. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. 11. 835-841.</ref>, with these findings being broadly supported by data from other studies <ref name="Fatjo">Fatjo, J., Ruiz-de-la-Torre, J.L., Manteca, X. (2006) The epidemiology of behavioural problems in dogs and cats: a survey of veterinary practitioners. Animal Welfare. 15, 179-185</ref> <ref name="Amat">Amat, M., Ruiz-de-la-Torre, J.L., Fatjo, J., Mariotti, V.M., van Wijk, S., Manteca, X. (2009) Potential risk factors associated with feline behaviour problems. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. 121, 134-139.</ref>

 

. Aggression when petted or put on the lap was the most common. The authors found that aggression was associated with an early traumatic event and outside access. Cats that did not like being stroked or did not get on well with other animals that they had contact with were more likely to show aggression in general. However, a range of other factors, including age, sex, neuter status, accommodation, origin, and social contact with people and other cats were not significantly associated with increased aggression. However, the population of aggressive cats in this study was small (107 cats). A spanish study of 336 cats referred to a behavioural clinic found that 17.2% involved a complaint relating to aggression toward people<ref name="Amat"/>. 43.1% of human directed aggression involved play, and 39.6% involved petting, with a significant overlap. With respect to aggression toward unfamiliar people, 70% of cases involved defensive and only 30% offensive aggression.

==Prevention==

==Prevention==