Solving Behavioral Problems in Cats at Home - Ishraq Ahmed Hashmi

Understanding Your Cat: Incorporation of The Foundation for Behavior Solutions

Here, you would like to get acquainted with the basic principle of organization of a cat’s life and habitual behaviors before exploring various problems. Cats are carnivorous, nocturnal animals used to hunt by themselves, and they have their own way of expressing things and scheduling of their activities. Eliminating misconceptions regarding their preferences is very important if one has to deal with behavioral issues.

 The Natural Cat

·         Predators by Nature: Cats are born hunters and possess excellent hearing and smelling abilities as well as a self-instinct to hunt. This instinct is evident in activities like chasing objects such as toys or unexpectedly pouncing on an object.

·         Solitary Creatures: Of course, cats like to be associated with humans, but still, cats are more or less loners. They respect the individual’s private sphere and do not like company and faces other people.

·         Cleanliness Obsession: Cats are very clean animals; they groom themselves very often. They take time to groom themselves and ensure the surroundings are clean most of the day.

·         Territorial: Seb, cats are territorial animals thus they use scent glands found in their paws, cheeks and tail to mark their territory in the room.

·         Nocturnal Tendencies: This breed is very flexible to acclimatize to human schedule but original hunting instinct of cat is still night.

 Common Cat Behaviors

·         Grooming: Cats are mostly self-grooming animals they dedicate a lot of time grooming their fur and removing dirt from it.

·         Sleeping: Cats are also famous for their ability to sleep for several hours a day and sometimes it may even go up to sixteen hours.

·         Hunting and Playing: Domestic cats that only go out occasionally also have a hunting instinct and the playfulness can be seen when they chase objects or even prey.

·         Marking Territory: Unlike dogs, cats find this simple way of responding to body pheromones and often use it by spraying urine and rubbing against surfaces and fabrics.

·         Communication: Felines use physical signs, sound signals, and chemicals to express themselves as a way of talking.

With these ideas on the basic behavior of cats, you will have better view of what may be wrong in regards to behavioral problems and how to fix them. In the next part, we will review typical issues people face when keeping cats and general approaches to solving them.

 

Litter Box Issues: Cause and Effect

Cats’ problem within the litter box is, arguably, one of the most frequently encountered behavioral issues in feline pets. This can be quite an irritating and tense stage for both the cat and the person. To fight this problem adequately, one should consider the possible reasons for its occurrence.

Litter box issues might originate from the following factors, though such disorders can easily be overlooked;

·         Medical Issues: Physical can be due to underlying medical conditions of your cat such as UTI, constipation or arthritis that will make it uncomfortable for your cat to use the litter box.

·         Litter Box Conditions: Cats are very picky about their litter; therefore, the type of litter, the cleanliness of the box, and its location determines whether a cat will use it.

·         Stress: The movement to a new house, the arrival of new family members or birthdays, or even a change in the members of the house can make your cat stressed and therefore avoid using litter box.

·         Territorial Issues: One of the common issues in case there are several cats in the house – the cats may compete for the use of the litter box.

 Resolving Litter Box Issues

·         Rule Out Medical Problems: A medical check up is necessary in order to make sure there are no health complications causing the symptoms.

·         Optimize Litter Box Conditions: The basic rules are to have the number of boxes equal to the number of cats plus one, and to use a litter type that your cat favors, and then make sure the boxes are clean.

·         Create a Quiet Location: Vernacular the litter box to a secluded region of the house or apartment where there are no loud appliances and not many footfalls.

·         Gradual Changes: If ever there is a need for relocating the litter box or changing the kind of litter to be used, it should be done in a gradual manner to reduce stress.

·         Clean Thoroughly: Remove any lion scent especially in the areas where the cat has urinated or defecated and clean it properly.

·         Consider a Litter Box Consultant: If nothing works you can seek help from a professional cat behaviorist or the litter box consultant.

It is important never to panic with litter box issues because once the cat gets used to one behavior, it will take quite some time to train it to a new behavior. It will not be easy to address this issue, but if you remain patient and duly committed, you can get over the odds with your cat.

 

Scratching: A Natural Instinct

Itching is normal to cats since it is in their nature to do so. Then allow them to sharpen their claws, extend their territories and flex their muscles. However, if it becomes destructive, it can prove to be very irritating to owners of the specific animals.

Knowing When to Scratch

·         Claw Maintenance: Scratching allows the feline to dull the edges of the old outer layers of its claw leaving it sharp and strong.

·         Stretching: Scratching offers nice exercise, which tones the muscles of the cat, and keeps him or her limber.

·         Territory Marking: Cats have scent glands in their feet and therefore have to scratch to spread their scent, this marks their territory.

Providing Suitable Scratching Posts

Do not let your cat scratch furniture to avoid this ensure that you avail scratching posts that the cat will find fascinating.

·         Location: Position the scratching posts next to areas that the cat spends much of its time like the spot where it likes to stretch or next to its feeding and drinking zone.

·         Types: To avoid this, it will be wise to provide different types and models of the scratching posts for your cat to choose from, featuring both, the horizontal and the vertical ones.

·         Material: Sisal or cardboard should be used when creating the scratching posts as these resemble the feel of wood.

·         Positive Reinforcement: Another thing that should be done is to reward the cat when they decide to engage in scratching posts.

 Deterring Unwanted Scratching

·         Trim Nails: One of the most important factors that can be controlled is nails; keeping the nails well trimmed diminishes the damage that the cat can cause when he is scratching.

·         Cover Furniture: There are recommendations to apply double-sided tape or put the plastic covers on furniture to decrease its attractivity for scratches.

·         Redirection: This is really a cardinal sin that any cat owner does not want to see their cat do but if you ever catch your cat doing this, you should immediately step in and remove your cat from the room and lead them to their scratching post.

If you provide the reasons for scratching and proper options, your cat will fulfill the instincts for scratching while at the same time, the furniture will be safe from your cat’s claws.

 

Aggression in Cats:

The process of gaining knowledge concerning people, their behavior, and ways of making it easier to avoid undesirable outcomes.

On this note, aggression in cats can take different forms- from hissing and growling to actual biting or using its claws to swipe at the target. Though the occurrence is quite distressing, when you identify the cause then you are in a position to handle the problem adequately.

Common Causes of Aggression

•         Fear-Induced Aggression: Female cats may get into some form of aggression for instance when they feel threatened or are scared. This can be aggressive due to strange people, animals or places.

•                   Territorial Aggression: Conflict is likely to occur among cats due to the fact that they are territorial animals especially when they live in the same house.

•                   Redirected Aggression: Anger disposal from one event may be taken out on another object, say a person.

•                   Pain-Related Aggression: If a cat is in pain and start moving around a lot, they may bite people or other cats.

•                   Play Aggression: When playing too much becomes the norm then playing turns into aggression.

The Relation of Age and Types of Aggression

•                   Kittens: Aggressive play is normal for cats especially the kittens and thus one is advised to allow them to bite but at the same time train them on how, where, and when to bite.

•                   Adult Cats: Aggression in felines that are already adults is connected to the territory, fear and medical conditions.

•                   Senior Cats: Some of the factors that may be associated with aggression include arthritis, decreased hearing and any other change that is associated with age.

 Managing and Preventing Aggression

·         Consult a Veterinarian: Eliminate cases of medical issues that might lead to aggression.

·         Create a Safe Environment: Ensure there are several places where your cat can hide itself and areas such as the walls where it can climb up to.

·         Gradual Introductions: If an owner wishes to add a new pet or a human, then one must do it gradually.

·         Positive Reinforcement: Punishment should also be given to those that exhibit behaviors that are contrary to the expected ones; therefore, rewards should be given to those who portray calmness.

·         Avoid Punishment: This is a theory because punishment tends to increases aggression in the recipient as well as the punisher. Instead, concern more with positive than with punishment.

·         Professional Help: If you are having a problem with aggression in your cat, you should seek advice from a cat behaviorist or a veterinarian with behavior problems.

Note that aggression is a manifestation of a communication issue. This way, recognizing the body language signs and the factors that cause stress in cats we can help, both the cat, as well as ourselves, lead a more relaxed and harmonious life.

Excessive Vocalization in Cats

Hyperplasia, which is the act of meowing or vocalizing a lot, can be annoying to the cat owners. Cats are not equally loud and some of them are more vocal than others but loud meowing that lasts for several minutes can be a sign of a health issue.