Like people, cats experience a range of emotions, such as fear, pleasure, hunger, anxiety, and irritability, that can affect how they act. Numerous common feline behaviors are seen to be unpleasant and may have an effect on the quality of life for both owners and their pets. Fortunately, some of these behaviors can be changed.
Why Do Cats Show Unwanted Behavior?
Given that cats have a reputation for being cryptic, it may be challenging to understand the motivations behind particular feline actions. The fact that every cat is different and that there isn’t usually just one cause for a behavior only makes things more difficult.
Vocalization
You hear your cat yowling and weeping loudly outside your bedroom door just as you start to nod off. Cats regularly experience this, therefore your cat’s behavior may be totally normal. Since cats are nocturnal, like their wild relatives, they could be more active when you’re attempting to sleep at night. However, this could also indicate that something is wrong.
- Howling in older cats could be a sign of senility.
- Siamese cats will meow loudly at night to gain your attention because they are naturally more chatty than other breeds.
- Your cat can be bored in the middle of the night.
- Screams and meows during the day may be signs of distress. When cats purr while using the litter box, they are usually trying to urinate or defecate and are experiencing pain or discomfort. Other unpleasant behaviors that are clearly visible, like indoor catfights or pinched tails, may also be the cause of these vocalizations.
- Weeping, meowing, or screaming during the day may only be attention-seeking behavior.
Scratching
Cats use scratches to denote their territory. You can prevent your cat from harming items you’d like it wouldn’t by providing it with scratching posts and other toys for it to dig its claws into. If you believe your cat is ill or in pain, visit the vet. Some people can still damage themselves quite a bit with their teeth, though.
Urinary problems
Cats may have a variety of urinary issues. Numerous disorders can cause cats to spray, urinate outside of the box, have bladder stones, become irritated, become stressed, develop tumors, or be unable to urinate. Cats can become stressed and have issues with their litter boxes as a result of conflicts with other cats or pets, as well as changes to the household (such as construction, welcoming new family members, or excluding existing family members).
Aggression
It is a major behavioral issue when cats become aggressive toward both people and other animals. Cats’ aggression may be brought on by painful medical disorders, hormonal changes, anxiety, or stress.
Having an Abundant Favorite Habit
Cats who lick themselves nonstop typically do so because they are uncomfortable, stressed, or anxious. All cats lick their fur, but excessive licking should be addressed straight away because it can be harmful.
When a cat licks a region of its body until it is hairless and raw, it is not usually in the suffering area. Anxious or stressed-out cats may overgroom some parts of their bodies or lick their bellies until they are completely hairless.
How to Avoid Behavior Problems
While a cat’s instincts can contribute to some behavioral issues, it’s best to start by having your vet rule out any underlying medical ailments. Consult your veterinarian about any supplements, medications, pheromones, special diets, or other goods that can help senior cats or lessen excessive licking.
After that, you can either help your cat solve the underlying issue or start addressing and discouraging specific behaviors, such leaping on counters.
Chewing
Not many people are aware that cats chew just as much as dogs. The reasons for your cat’s chewing activity could be boredom, aggression, a lack of food, teething in a kitten, or an early weaning. It could also just be that your cat like the taste or texture of it or is playing with it.
Excessive vocalizations
Providing your cat with a task while you sleep may help to reduce nighttime howling. To decrease activity at night, you might also encourage increased movement during the day.
Your cat may howl when it wants food, to go outside, or to be petted. If you give in to your cat’s demands for treats, for instance, it will eventually learn to utilize these vocalizations to get what it wants.
Ineffective Scratching
Put a scratching post with catnip on it in front of the items you don’t want your cat to scratch to encourage him to use it. Some cats love particular fabrics and materials more than others, so you may need to experiment by letting your cat scratch blog posts with various textures. Try a post made of corrugated cardboard, rope, or carpet if your cat doesn’t like the one it is currently using.
Along with scratching posts, regular pheromone use and nail caps are also permitted. Use nail caps, which are tiny plastic nail covers that are placed over your cat’s nails, to protect your furnishings. There are pheromone-containing sprays, wipes, and diffusers that can calm your cat and stop any scratching brought on by stress or anxiety.
Declawing, a controversial treatment that is basically an amputation, is sometimes performed to prevent cats from scratching furniture. You should chat with your vet and conduct a thorough investigation about this permanent procedure.
Having trouble chewing
Think about the reason why your cat is chewing in order to come up with a solution:
- To ensure that the cat food you are feeding it is nutritionally balanced, check to see if the container has the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) seal.
- Consult your veterinarian to rule out any tooth problems.
- Examine the possibility that your cat is behaving aggressively toward the item it is chewing. Pheromones and vitamins, as well as other products made to lessen stress and anxiety, can help lower aggressive tendencies.
- If your cat is growing bored, give it some safe toys to play with.
- For cats that are persistent in trying to gnaw on things they shouldn’t, you can apply a bitter spray as a deterrent. Electrical wires and other small, potentially dangerous things can be enclosed in plastic casing.
Litter Box Issues
Take your cat to the vet straight away if you see it having problems or trying to urinate. If your cat has problems with their urination behavior, you may want to try utilizing special litter, diets, pheromones, supplements, and medications. Following the exclusion of medical explanations, a behavioral problem is frequently what needs to be addressed.
- Make sure the litter box is always clean because cats are fussy about where they relieve themselves.
- Another issue could be a lack of litter boxes. According to the general rule, there should be at least one litter box for every cat and one package on each floor. For instance, a home with only one cat need two boxes, a home with two cats requires three boxes, and so on.
- It’s likely that the litter you’re using or the depth of the box bothers your cat. Use less of it, switch to an unscented or different kind of litter, or use an alternative to traditional clay litters.
- In a home with multiple cats, make sure the cats can’t see them other when they’re simultaneously using different litter boxes.
- Find any potential stressors in your home and try to get rid of them. For instance, if an indoor cat becomes anxious when it hears, feels, or even sees a cat outdoors, you can close the drapes.
Aaggressive behavior
Watch out for anything that can provoke violent behavior in your cat. Finding the trigger and getting rid of it is usually the easiest way to deal with violent behavior.
Your cat might need to become used to the trigger quite often. Pheromones, vitamins, medications, and specific diets may once again be beneficial. You might also give your cat other things to focus its attention on, such as toys that promote physical activity. Consider other simple options, such as separating the feeding dishes from the litter boxes.
If you suspect your pet is sick, call your vet immediately. For health-related questions, always consult your veterinarian, as they have examined your family pet, know the pet’s health history, and may make the best recommendations for your pet.
