Cat - aggressive behaviour but only with feathers

lisajane8482

We have a lovely sweet natured 2.5YO softie who hardly ever gets his claws out except for vet visits and when he gets a hold of largish feathers. We bought them a cheaper version of Da Bird and he has managed to pull one of the larger feathers out of it. He trotted off with it like he was over the moon and started chewing at it, when I went to take it off him he became aggressive, growling and swiping at me with his claws out.

I guess what I’m getting around to asking is:

1. What is the cause of this behaviour? Is it part of the “hunter instinct”?
2. Would it be ok to give him feathers when he becomes aggressive over them? I’d love him to have them as he really likes them but I’m afraid it may reinforce aggressive behaviour.

I should add that we have a few feathery toys like balls with the fluffy feathers and he’s not interested in them at the slightest. It seems to only be the larger ones.

SavingPennies_2

Cats seemed to go crazy for da bird. Mine loved hers and although it didnt make her as agressive as you describe, she became obsessed with it, i mean really obsessed, so we stopped playing with it. Its been maybe 4 months and she still goes to the spot where we used to hide it and looks at me with a sad face (anyone who has had it will know it has to be hidden out of reach).

Oh and dont worry we still play with plenty of other toys. Her favourite being small sponge balls.

Dimey

I guess large feathers are just his thing.

My boy goes mad for the tails on those toy mice. If I buy a pack of six mice he pushes in to grab them and chew all the tails off straight away. Not interested in them after the tails have gone.

I have to pull the soggy tail out of his mouth otherwise I'm sure he'd eat it,

But no aggression luckily.