Why does my cat hit me when I walk by?
A cat may hit a person when they walk by as a sign of dominance and/or marking their territory. Some cats will do this often, while others are going to do it in specific spots around the house (i.e. near their food bowl).
As you can imagine, this is behavior no one should tolerate!
Cat owners that let this type of behavior continue are going to have a reckless cat on their hands that shows consistent signs of aggression. This is neither safe nor something you should condone as a cat owner!
The signs can include:
- Constant Taps on the Leg or Arm
- Quick Growl
- Aggressive Posture
Take the time to come up with a strategy for how you are going to stop the cat.
If you are asking, “Why does my cat hit me when I walk by?” it’s time to put together a viable solution that will nip the problem in the bud. A few targeted actions will ensure the cat doesn’t misbehave and does understand your position in the hierarchy.
This guide is going to showcase what it takes to make sure your cat doesn’t hit you whenever you walk by. Use this information as a launching pad towards a better relationship with your cat.
Table of Contents
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Tips To Consider If Your Cat Attacks You When Walking By
Tip #1 – Don’t React Aggressively
The first reaction when asking, “Why does my cat hit me when I walk by?” is to aggressively react to the cat’s behavior.
Yes, this may seem like a smart idea, especially if you’re doing it in a controlled manner, but it’s not. Aggression is either going to be met with similar aggression and/or is going to ruin your relationship with the cat. You never want to come across as the enemy.
The goal is to work on them psychologically because that is the right long-term play.
The reasons include:
- Creating an Immediate Battle with the Cat
- Psychological Issues
- Could Lead to Injury
Your goal should be to continue to monitor the cat’s behavior and see what causes it to hit you.
Are there certain hotspots around the house where the cat does this? If so, you can start making adjustments based on those areas in the house.
The goal is to slowly work on what the cat claims as its territory and then show your dominance. It doesn’t have to be in the form of aggression!
Tip #2 – Build a Positive Association with Your Presence
Instead of asking, “Why does my cat hit me when I walk by?” it’s better to focus on what you can do to develop a stronger bond with your cat.
A lot of cat owners don’t do this because they are always at work or school.
Yes, it is best to spend time with your cat but also make sure your presence in specific areas of the house are welcomed by the cat. This can be done by using catnip, cat treats, or even giving the cat a quick scratch behind the ear.
If you are not building a strong bond with the cat, it’s not going to respect you.
Instead, it’s going to see you as an adversary and that’s the last position you want to be in with a cat at home!
Be smart and make sure to continue to work on the bond using different solutions based on what your cat responds well to.
Tip #3 – Block the Cat’s Preferred Spots
When asking, “Why does my cat hit me when I walk by?” it’s recommended to analyze what is causing the cat to react in this manner.
For example, does the cat only do this near the food bowl?
If so, is there a way to block this area when the cat isn’t eating? This can go a long way in getting the cat to walk to other parts of the house and not act as a “guard” whenever you try to enter.
The only way this is going to happen is when you find out what the underlying pattern is.
Until then, just observe and see what happens with the cat.
In a lot of cases, you can simply shut down a part of the house and see good results.
Tip #4 – Use Your Voice
Your voice is going to do a good job because cats are vocal animals.
If you are able to sharply let the cat know this is bad behavior, they are going to realize it’s not okay to just hit you as you walk by.
It doesn’t have to be an elongated yell, just something to let the cat know the hit wasn’t appreciated.
Final Thoughts
Why does my cat hit me when I walk by?
If your cat is hitting you when you walk by, it’s time to make adjustments right away. This type of behavior cannot be tolerated because it’s going to get in the way of your relationship.
Instead, take a step back and begin crafting a strategy including blocking certain spots of the house and asserting yourself.
For more on cats, read these articles – how to stop cat attacking you during period, how to stop cat from peeing outside the house, how to control a zooming cat, and how to stop a cat from snapping at you.