Help! Cat Is Suddenly Aggressive With My Daughter

[CharlieBruno77]

So yesterday, my daughter was out back brushing our cat, Charlie. Our dog was right next to them, as usual. Cat and dog get along great. The dog got up and must have startled the cat, because she started hissing and clawing at my daughter. Cat managed to chase my daughter in the house, and attack her, leaving scratches all over her leg. About an hour later, the cat went into her room and tried to attack her again. Today, same thing. As soon as the cat sees my daughter, she growls, hisses, and lunges at her as if she’s going to attack her again. My husband is ready to give the cat away, my daughter is terrified of our cat now and doesn’t want to leave her room. The cat is fine with everyone else, except my daughter. The cat has always gotten along with my daughter, she usually sleeps with her at night. So I have no idea what happened, I am at a loss for what to do. Has anyone else experienced this, if so what did you do?

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!

One thing to possibly try would be a calming product in a spray, and put that on your daughters' clothing and even her hands, along with a calming diffuser in her room - feliway, thunderease, sentry etc.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I'm also going to give you a link to an article about redirected aggression. This is mostly about cat-on-cat, but it happens with people as well, and the techniques can be adapted. Once a cat has gone through this, it is fairly common for it to continue until you can intervene and break the pattern.

Re-directed Aggression In Cats