Cat Chat Feline Forum

It's not normal for a cat to attack unprovoked, and with cats you need to understand why to be able to help them change a behaviour, so it's going to be a lot of questions!

How old is your cat and did you get him as a kitten or if he is an adult rescue what do you know about his history? How long has he bene living with you? How do you play with him, what is your relationship like with him? What signs prove that he loves you (not suggesting he doesn't, just need to understand how he behaves to show you he loves you)? Do you have other animals and people in the household - has any of this changed before he started attacking you, has he always attacked you? How do you respond when attacked - do you yell, tell him off, punish him, walk away and ignore, how does it work? Does he attack out of the blue like he's asleep and you're in the other room and he wakes up walks in and attacks - or what happens in the minutes before he goes for you, what are you doing, what is he doing, what are other living things in the house doing?

And most of all what makes you call it "jealous" aggression - what's going on there?

Could you describe the behaviour in more detail? Does he come at you growling and spitting, ears back and tail lashing, or is it more of a dash from a crouch or from hiding? And is the attack slashing while standing, or grasping at your hand or ankle while rolling? One set of behaviours would to me indicate aggression, the other frustrated play fighting, so it is important to distinguish - if he does this frequently a video might be useful. I would strongly recommend seeking an online consultation from a qualified behaviourist - you will probably need a vet check and referral to rule out physical causes, and it is important to choose someone qualified and accredited (look at the ABTC for more details).