Aggressive Behaviors and Your Ragdoll Cat

by Rob on November 3, 2006

in Ragdoll Cats

Aggressive behavior is a problem for many cat owners. There are different types of aggressive behaviors your Ragdoll cat can exhibit; getting to the bottom of this behavior means determining which type of aggression you are dealing with. You want to determine what triggers the aggression and who it is directed to. Is your Ragdoll aggressive to family members or strangers that visit your home?

If you observe unusual behavior from your Ragdoll cat the first thing you should do is schedule an exam with your veterinarian. Once your vet has ruled out a medical reason for the aggression you can work on identify the actual cause of the aggression. When you have identified the cause of your cat’s aggressive behavior you can adjust the environment or remove whatever triggers the behavior. Here is a list of the basic types of aggressive behavior in cats.

I. Fear Related Aggressive Behavior

II. Territorial Related Aggressive Behavior

This is aggressive behavior related to fear aggression your cat exhibits towards other animals or strangers that enter your Ragdoll’s territory.

III. Predatory Related Aggressive Behavior

Predatory behaviors are often related to play aggression. Cats love to chase things and hunt. Kittens demonstrate play aggression more than adult cats and the behavior is often learned from the cat’s owner. It is very tempting to roughhouse with a new kitten; however, this play teaches your cat aggressive behavior that could be come a problem as your cat matures.

IV. Social Related Aggressive Behaviors

Cats are social animals; you may find aggressive behaviors directed to your other pets. While this is commonly play aggression other forms of social aggressive behavior include denying other pets use of the litter box, food, or water. If you recognize this behavior in your pets it is best to isolate the bully immediately when you observe the behavior. Consisitent reinforcement that this behavior is unacceptable in the form of isolation and a stern “No!” should be enough to get your point across.

Technorati tags:

del.icio.us tags: catsragdoll cat

Related Articles Other People Have Read:

Bookmark, Print, & Email:
  • Print
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google Bookmarks
  • email
  • Faves
  • StumbleUpon
  • Yahoo! Bookmarks

{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Nancy [Visitor] November 21, 2006 at 2:47 pm

My ragdoll, Chanel, had a reaction to her shampoo when groomed two weeks ago and she has pulled the fur off of her neck exposing the skin which is below the surface and raw now…I bought colloidal silver and colostrum, but wonder should I be giving her medication? Internally? Externally? I was trying to avoid the vet as it stresses her so and she is nearing 12 years old. However, I don’t want her sick or suffering. Thank you.

2 sue [Visitor] December 4, 2006 at 3:34 am

I like your site. Do you know
anything about ‘nordikats’, Idon’t
think that is the correct name.
If you could help me out i would be much obliged.

thanks, Sue Rattray.

3 Duster [Visitor] February 12, 2007 at 7:56 pm

How do you stop a ragdoll from scratching the furniture. He is 11 months old and still scratches everything in site even though he has 3 scratching posts of his own. He is very aggressive and will lunge at my hands and legs and bite me for no reason. He gets this awful look in his eyes and nothing will stop him from biting me. Water gun or blowing in his face or pushing him away. He is evil sometimes. Please help.

4 Joan Houghton [Visitor] September 7, 2007 at 9:25 pm

We have had some signs of aggression from the Ragdoll we inheirited. She is 4 years old and was allowed to pretty much do what she wanted to do (a tad spoiled). She responds differently to both of us in her displays of aggression. For example, when she starts with the scratching the furniture (and she has a cat scratch post in every room except the kitchen and the bathrooms), I have a loud stern “No” and clap my hands loudly or a loud “Aaa aaa aaa.” She may hiss or growl at me while displaying her claws in my direction, but she has not actually scratched me. As soon as she calms down or I can redirect her to the cat scratch pole, I lavish the praise on her for using her pole and give her many pets. Hoping that she makes the connection, this is the thing I can scratch and those are the things I can’t scratch. However my mother in a soft voice, says “No” and swats a newspaper on her own leg (not the cat’s). Although, it startles her, she will go after my mother. She has not bitten her yet or scratched her, but she makes the overtures. I belive she is establishing dominance (like the Alpha thing). She also likes to jump on the furniture which is not allowed in our house. She has several window seats that are available to her when she feels the need to be “up.” We have started to do the squirt with water only when she starts on the furniture (scratching and jumping). She doesn’t do it that often so it is hard to correct her to let her make the connection that this is not tolerated behavior versus this is a tolerated behavior. Without having many opportunities to correct herduring the day, it makes it a little difficult surprisingly enough.

5 tami getman May 29, 2009 at 10:02 pm

I just adopted a ragdoll who is a year and a half old. I adopted a ragdoll because they are suppose to be the most gentle cat to get but this one seems very aggitated and always wants to go outside but his last owner said he is an indoor cat and only went out side about 5% of the time and the internet tells me they also should be a indoor cat because of them being gentle and all. He also seems to be very aggressive when he dosn’t want to be bothered I have only had him for a week and he seemed to be fine up until the 6th day then he got more grumpy please help with any advice on how to train him and is it ok if he starts going outside because I would rather he was an indoor cat but I could maybe put a leach on him and walk him outside once and a while and will he always be aggresive cat he kinda scares me a little I never now if he is going to attack my leg or hand when i go to pet him. Hope for some info Thanks Tami

6 Corinne Mcleod June 5, 2009 at 10:37 pm

Hi,

My cat Zeus is a ragdoll cat . i did not get him from a breeder. he is agressive most of the time, with only a couple of hours in the day he is lovely which is around when he is tired and wants a nap.

He was the best kitten and we got him at 8 weeks and when he got to around 13 weeks old he went feral. He growls when you pick him up and will evenually bite you to get down. He acts the worst with my family and that when hes not in my room. hes the best with me but he still growls and may bite when i touch him too when im around upstairs and family.

I dont know what to do, hes never been abused and everyone just wants to hold and cuddle him becuase hes so cute and soft. Ive been told by the lady i got him from its becuase hes a kitten and he will grow out of it but im not so sure on that.

Sometimes when we go to pick him up he rolls over on his back and bites our hands so we dont pick him up.

What do you think?

any information or ideas would be greatly appreaciated

7 Amy August 2, 2009 at 1:16 am

We recently got a rag doll cat its 5 years old and is very grumpy even when u just pat it, it has been moved 5 times and has attacked our kitten twice we have to other male cats is that a problem he is a male aswell

8 Kris January 24, 2010 at 8:37 am

Our Ragdoll female, Little Piddle, is 8 years old, spayed and declawed. We recently adopted a new mom and two kittens. Until then, Piddle was the baby, and VERY spoiled. Now she hisses and growls and attacks all our other cats, and us too. She hates the new kittens. She won’t let them out of their room. She corners the mom and tries to bite and scratch her. It’s terrible! We have tried several diffrent methods to break her of this, but nothing seems to work. We love her, and are not willing to part with her, but she has to learn to accept our new cats. I wish there was a Cat Whisperer like Cszar Melan for us cat people to call for help! Any insite would be appreciated! >^..^<

9 Corinne MCleod February 15, 2010 at 7:00 pm

Hi Kris,

you should try and get this product called Feliway, it is amazing! it stopped my cat Zeus from peeing EVERYWHERE when we got him at 8 weeks. We just also recently got a Kitten (boy) called Dante, and boy did he not like it at all he was very upset, wouldnt let me touch him etc, and hated Dante, but on the third day we got feliway, and his mood improved nearly instantly, by the end of the day they wouldnt stop playing together, and he was licking him and letting him eat from his bowl.
I dont know if this would help you or not, but every cat is different, and i think that it may help you.

Just to let you know what feliway is, it comes in a air diffuser you can plug into the wall, and it gives off a scent that calms cats down.

hope that helps :)

10 Josie Catan March 23, 2010 at 2:30 am

I have a ragdoll cat which I brought more than three years ago. She will be four in Novemeber 2010. I am so glad there are others out there, that have found their cat to be slightly aggressive, like mine. My cat is female and she has been desexed. She is fine, until she wants something she cannot get, such as going outside at night, or playing in a strangers yard. When I pick her up i hear this growling and her eyes are so piercing, it reminds me of when I was at school and if someone had it in for you, they gave you this chilling stare. Lucky with my Ragdoll its only for a few seconds. Her look is so beautiful that you cant help spoiling her, but when she growls it seems to worry me. Thank God for the Internet, as I have now learned, others are in a similar boat. I guess Ragdolls arent just beautiful, sweet, quiet, placid and calm, there is a nasty streak in them just like anything that looks good! Its that kind of behaviour people have, when they are popular without trying!

Leave a Comment

Previous post:

Next post: