{"id":3513,"date":"2023-03-06T10:40:29","date_gmt":"2023-03-06T15:40:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dupontvet.com\/blog\/?p=3513"},"modified":"2023-03-06T10:40:29","modified_gmt":"2023-03-06T15:40:29","slug":"food-aggression-in-cats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dupontvet.com\/blog\/food-aggression-in-cats\/","title":{"rendered":"Food Aggression in Cats<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"
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If you\u2019re a proud cat parent\u2014particularly in a multi-cat household\u2014you might occasionally witness a feeding frenzy that includes snarling, shoving, and swatting. Why? Because some cats get quite possessive of their kibble. A rare instance of this behavior is probably nothing to worry about, but if your cat\u2019s mealtimes are routinely punctuated by hissing, growling, or full-on attacks on other pets and people, you could be dealing with food aggression, and it\u2019s time to put the kibosh on it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

What Causes Food Aggression in Cats?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s take a look at possible causes of food aggression in cats and see if any of these scenarios sound familiar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wild Beginnings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Did you take in a feral feline or adopt one from a not-so-posh shelter? Stray animals<\/a> and shelter cats have steely survival instincts that don\u2019t just magically disappear when they land in a fur-ever home. Cats who come from the wild have often gone hungry for days, and they will remain protective of any food source long after their needs are being met.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Multi-Cat Home<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Communal eating is human nature\u2014not feline nature. Our cat companions are instinctively solitary hunters and eaters. When cats in a multi-cat household feel a need to compete for food, aggression can rear its ugly head. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Premature Weaning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Kittens<\/a> that have been taken away from their mothers too soon may experience malnutrition and develop a built-in fear of food scarcity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anxiety <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cats like things a certain way, right? Food aggression can be a stress response in cats feeling anxious due to changes in their environment, the addition of a new pet, or disruptions to their daily routines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Undiagnosed Medical Conditions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Hyperthyroidism<\/a>, which is more common in senior pets<\/a>, cranks up a cat\u2019s metabolism and can cause the cat to feel famished all the time. Dental disease<\/a> can also cause cats to become aggressive while eating because they\u2019re in pain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Curbing Food Aggression in Cats<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The first thing to do if you think your cat is exhibiting food aggression is to contact us for an exam<\/a> so we can rule out medical conditions<\/a>. Once that\u2019s done, some adaptive measures at home usually do the trick. The key is to mimic a cat\u2019s instinctive eating behavior in a natural setting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try these tips from our team:<\/p>\n\n\n\n