05/27/2026
I'm not sure what kicked off the trend, but about 5 years ago, I started hearing fellow vet professionals and cat parents refer to cats as "spicy" when they showed aggressive behavior: hissing, growling, swatting, trying to bite.
Imagine if you were going to your doctor and you were really scared and stressed, and your doctor told you that you were being spicy. How would you feel?
The word "spicy" is problematic because:
--It minimizes the emotional or physical states that impact the cat's welfare, and tries to make them funny
--It turns off human empathy
--It removes any impetus for us to seek reasons or solutions for the cat's behavior
--It means we've missed multiple, more subtle signs of stress before the cat had to escalate to aggression to get their point across
Words matter. Instead of dismissing cats as "spicy", think about whether they could be experiencing fear, anxiety, stress, pain, or frustration. Considering their motivations will help you identify potential triggers for their behavior.
Want to learn more about body language in cats? Check out this blog on body language 101:
https://www.myfamilycat.com/cat-behavior-blog/cat-body-language
If you live in the greater Austin area and need individualized help with human-directed aggression, intercat tension, or fear of the vet, visit My Family Cat's housecall service page below!
https://www.myfamilycat.com/cat-behavior-services
