Why does my cat swipe at me when I walk by? You put your ankles on the line whenever you walk by your cat. You can be doing your thing as you walk by your feline companion, and suddenly, your ankle will get dinged. If you don’t have jeans on, you might be yelling, as your cat will also swipe at your ankle if you don’t have one. Every time you ask yourself why your cat does this to you.
When you walk by a cat, it typically swipes at you to get your attention. It is a playful behavior but can also be a sign of aggression. Some cats do this to assert their dominance or fear.
Why Does My Cat Swipe at Me When I Walk By?
You may have been the target of a cat’s intentional swipe when you walk by. It’s hard to explain why this may have happened, but here are some reasons why it might have happened.
It Wants to Play Around
If your cat is playful, it will reach out to grab or swipe you as you walk by. It’s not your cat’s intention to scratch you, as our skin doesn’t have enough thickness to withstand a scratch.
You can prevent this behavior if you have a treat or toy for your cat. Just make sure you have it ready so that you can redirect its attention to something else.
Gradually, your cat will become less likely to swipe as you walk by. Instead, it will wait for you to offer it a treat.
It Wants Attention
Never ignore a cat that is trying to get your attention. You may get accosted as you walk by without taking the time to pat it on the head. It is not the cat’s intention, and it’s not a bad idea.
It Is Scared of Something
Some cats are easy to startle. You can walk by your cat when it wasn’t expecting you to scare it, and it may react as a reaction to protect itself. It may also scare you.
To avoid this, try strolling, as your cat has plenty of time to think about what’s happening and to see you. It will help make its reaction to you more predictable.
Read also: What Can I Give My Cat To Calm Her Down? 8 Effective Solutions
It Feels Irritating and Aggressive
Although you don’t want to admit that you have an aggressive cat, aggression can be one of the reasons why your cat will often swipe at you while you’re walking by. An aggressive cat can also be easy to aggravate, which means that you may have done little to aggravate your pet.
Some cats develop aggressive behavior because you do not help them feel safe. You can try training your cat to react whenever you approach them. Treats can also help decrease their aggression. However, if your cat has previously experienced negative experiences, such as attacks on you, they may only do so on you.
You Ignore Your Furry Friend
Even if your cat doesn’t ask for your attention, it’s still possible for him to get upset if you ignore him while walking by. He’ll likely try to catch your attention with a swipe or try to grab your shirt.
It’s Hurt
It’s never a sound idea to step on a cat, but it can happen in a manner that could cause it to attack you. If you step on a cat’s tail or paw, it could cause it to swipe at you before you realize what happened. However, a swipe does not mean you’ve seriously injured the animal.
Why Do Cats Like Attacking Your Feet When Walking?
There are two types of cat-swiping: the all-out attack and the one we mentioned earlier. The latter is not as fun as it sounds and has a chance of causing injuries.
Compared to swipes, cat attacks are more severe. We think that a full-on attack by an adult cat is not fun, and if it’s a regular occurrence, it’s essential to seek professional advice.
This behavior, commonly used for hunting, can usually be seen in young cats and kittens. It’s an innate behavior that’s usually triggered when the animals play.
When a cat or kitten gets in for an attack, it will grab you by the front legs and hold you with its teeth. It will also kick at you from behind.
Why Do Cats Walk in Zigzag Pattern When Walking?
When a cat does the zig-zag in front of you while walking, it typically indicates that it’s seeking attention. Many cats do this to their owners so they can quickly get attention. There are various reasons why this behavior occurs, but most revolve around seeking attention.
Cats are known to be hard-core attention seekers who love to know that they are in your world. They also love being at your beck and call. The saying that dogs have staff and cats have owners cannot be considered a proper sentence.
Some reasons a cat would do the zig-zag in front of you are: It’s because it’s hungry and wants you to feed it. It’s also because it’s fun to play with them. It’s also because they want to snuggle up on your lap.
To prevent this behavior from happening first, try to pay attention to your cat as much as possible and participate in regular play sessions with them.
How to Correct Your Cat’s Play Aggression?
If your pet has been exhibiting behavior described as play aggression, here are some things you can do to stop it.
Play aggression can signify that your cat is under-stimulated or mentally ill. To address this issue, you should provide your cat with ample exercise and stimulation to address this issue. You can also invest in interactive toys, such as scratching posts, interactive toys, and perches.
A cat exhibiting play aggression may also have other signs indicating its condition. When you notice that your pet is getting ready to attack, startle it to prevent it from doing so. You can also use loud noises to distract the animal.
If you are not pleased with the current situation with your pet, you should consider adopting another cat. Having two cats can also help decrease the stress you have to provide for your pet. Both cats can play together and release their pent-up energy, which can help decrease their chances of exhibiting play aggression.
Things to Remember When Your Cat Is a Little Bit Aggressive
Cats do not usually hurt people if they swing at them. Most of the time, felines do this to grab your attention. To avoid hurting your leg, the cats keep their nails inside.
It’s essential to trim your cat’s nails regularly is vital to prevent them from hurting you. Cats tend to get rid of their old layers of nails by scratching them on surfaces.
While aggressive cat-swatting may result in bruising on your legs, it’s also essential to help them in this process to prevent their nails from digging in.
There are also nail caps that hide the curved and pointed edges of the nails. You can use these things to make claws look stylish while keeping them safe.
Conclusion
Why does my cat swipe at me when I walk by? You put your ankle on the line whenever you go by your cat, and suddenly, it will get dinged. You might yell as your cat will do the same thing if you don’t have pants on.
It’s because you mind your business while walking by your feline companion. Whenever you ask yourself this question, it’s because your cat has something to do with it.
Walking by, a cat often swipes at you to get your attention. It is a playful behavior, but it can also be considered aggression. Some cats do this to assert their dominance.
