Page 22 - FWG Issue 2 March 2024

Animals Matter

UNDERSTANDING

FELINE AGGRESSION

any years ago, when I was in
my late twenties and living in
Cape Town, I was the proud
Mowner of a beautiful ginger cat
who went by the name of Brandy. He was
a very special boy who never needed a cat
box to go anywhere. He travelled in the car
with me to Hermanus, wrapped around
my shoulders, where I would go to visit my
parents.

He and I would walk on the beach, go for a
ride on beach buggies and when required,
would take the occasional train with me to
visit other friends and family. He was the
proverbial labrador in a cat suit and was
much loved around the neighbourhood.
Brandy and I moved from Cape Town to
Johannesburg and had many adventures
together. It was a sad day indeed when he
was diagnosed with a brain tumour and it As I was imagining this new chapter in our old abused chap from Braamfontein SPCA
took me a few years to get over his death. lives Harvey launched at my head from the but how bad could it be right? Wrong. It took
passenger seat and dug his claws in. As I us three years of no eye contact, avoiding
One morning, I decided it was time to adopt frantically tried to get him off me, the guy ambushes and lots of prayers. It was an
another ginger cat and having searched in the car next to me began to guffaw at extremely difficult situation to deal with, but
across many SPCAs, I managed to locate the sight of hands and claws going in all we eventually managed to come out on the
one. When I arrived to meet him, I noticed directions. I managed to pull over, throw other side, by default. Had we consulted a
there was a sign hanging from his cage him onto the back seat where he looked behaviourist at the time we may have had
that stated, “Abused Animal”. I enquired at me intently and promptly urinated. The fewer scars and bought less Bactroban, but
as to his history and was told that he had back seat ended up outside of the Rosebank they may have also said he was a lost cause
been burnt with cigarette butts as a kitten. dealership where I had recently bought the and that I should surrender him. Harvey Cat
Of course, filled with compassion and pity, vehicle. In fairness, they were most helpful. displayed so many signs of aggression, all
not to mention that he was bubbling over They sprayed it, aired it, and left it in the sun the time, non-stop.
with affection, purring, and rubbing along on the pavement for about ten days. To no
the edges of the cage, I decided to take avail. That smell wasn’t going anywhere, and In retrospect, he suffered not only from
him home. “Where’s the cat box?” they I ended up selling the vehicle. defensive aggression but displayed petting
asked. “Oh, I don’t need one” I replied. I aggression and playing with him was, well,
put him into my brand new, one week old Harvey Cat was a truly aggressive large simply suicidal.
Toyota Corolla and off we went. I decided to ginger cat who terrorised myself and my two
rename him Harvey. young children. Granted, he was a one-year- Aggression forms part of any cat’s survival
plan as it is required for their basic needs
of feeding, protection of its territory and
reproduction. The domestic cat has kept the
Jeanette Furstenburg is a Certified Animal basic nature of its wild ancestor. Although
Behaviourist. She holds a Diploma in Companion one expects aggression to surface now and
Animal Behaviour (DipCABT) with distinction then, when presented with a cat straight
and is a full member of the COAPE Association out of Stephen King’s, Pet Semetary, it is
of Applied Pet Behaviourists and Trainers (CABTi), a worthy exercise to explore the various
which is a member of the UK Dog Behaviour types of aggression towards owners and the
and Training Charter 2024 and the International triggers thereof.
Companion Animal Network (ICAN). In addition,
she is a member of the South African Board for Play aggression copies the skills found in
Companion Animal Professionals (SABCAP). predatory and social behaviour. People,
mostly men, have a tendency to play roughly

Fourways Gardens • 20 • March 2024