What personality does your cat have?
Just think about the amazing diversity of behavioral patterns in cats. They may not be human, but they definitely have their own personalities and unique abilities just as we do.
Scientist have been studying and classifying unique cat behaviors of the various breeds for some time now. As you can image this is a huge task! One thing so far that their data has shown is that the purebreds display certain behavioral traits more than others.
How does this help us as a cat owner?
Well, for one thing, we don't want to expect our cats to conform to what we think they should be. What we want our cat to be, and what personality traits they exhibit may be two totally different things.
Maybe you think your pet has bad cat behavior...
Let's say you've been dreaming of a playful and frisky feline, but yours turns out to be a couch potato instead. Or maybe you were hoping for a loving and friendly cat behavior like rubbing on your leg, but instead your pet enjoys his own company most of the time.
Trying to find solutions to cat behavior problems is one thing, but trying to change his stripes (change their nature) is another thing. This will just lead to more stress in your life as well as your pets and may lead to even worse behavioral problems.
Good Behavior
The joy of having your cat curl up on your lap and purr herself to sleep. It's at these moments when you love your furry animal to no end!
How about when they chase the feather wand? This is a very exciting game for both owner and cat. Not only does it give much pleasure and excitement to your pet, it gives him a little exercise in the process. And of course, it makes the owner laugh and giggle with delight.
What about when you find your furry friend all cuddled up sleeping in an old box you had lying around?
These are all loving and fun cat behaviors that make owning a cat wonderful.
Good cat behaviors are easy to deal with, but what about the negative issues that arises from time to time?
Cat Fights
Negative behaviors that come up from time to time is cat fights. Sometimes having more than one cat in the house can lead to problems such as cat fights. This is especially true for the males as they want to exercise their territorial rights.
If more than one cat is in your home than most likely one is considered "king of the roost". He may demand to be the first one fed or shown attention. He also has priority over certain comfy chairs or sleeping quarters in the house. If another gets in his spot, Watch Out!
Showing their territory rights by spraying their mark (urine) around the home is one of the worst things that happen. This more often than not happens around 6 months of age. It's at this time that you may want to consider neutering your pet as this will solve the problem.
Cat Scratching Problems
This is one of the most frequent cat behavior problems that people experience. Many people are at a loss as to how to deal with this problem and in many cases will put their pets outdoors in exasperation.
First off we need to keep in mind that scratching is a natural instinct for cats. Their instinct tells them to sharpen their claws. This removes the dead outer layer of the claw in the process and again marks their territory by leaving a mark and scent behind.
Because scratching is a normal instinct for cats we can't expect them to change. What we can do is change what they are scratching on. You must provide acceptable objects that they are allowed to scratch on. It could be a scratching post, a log, or cardboard, just depending on what type of objects your cat likes. Check out what types of objects she is now scratching on and try to mimic the texture with an acceptable scratching object.
You may also want to cover objects that she is now scratching on that is not "allowed" and cover with an unappealing texture such as double-sided sticky tape, sandpaper or aluminum foil. Once your cat is using the acceptable scratching objects for around a month or so you can remove the tape, sandpaper or aluminum foil.
It's important not to punish your cat for doing what is only natural. Some techniques that work well for warnings are: spray bottle of water, noises, or whistle. I personally use the water spray bottle to curb cat behaviors problems and it works wonders!
Cat Fear
Have you seen your cat hiss and puff up it's fur, especially it's tail?
This can only mean one thing, your cat feels threatened. Whether it is an animal or person that you know and trust, your cat may not feel the same way.
Your cat may show different behaviors when she is afraid such as fleeing, hiding, hissing, growling, puffing fur and tail, arching back, scratching and even biting.
To reduce your cat's anxiety and help her overcome being fearful it is best to slowly introduce the new object, person, or animal from a distance. Slowly over time he/she will become accustomed to the new addition to her environment.
If your cat has gone off hiding due to being frightened, do not bother her. Just be patient and let her come out from her hiding on her own when she is ready. The important thing at this point is to keep her routine as consistent as possible; feeding, playing and cuddling.
Cat Biting
Cat owners sometimes have difficulty understanding why their cat's that are friendly and content one minute, may suddenly turn around and scratch or bite them the next. You must understand that aggressive cat behaviors are part of the normal behavioral pattern of nearly any animal.
If biting and scratching has gone beyond the playful stage and has become a major problem in your home you may want to consult a professional who is knowledgeable in pet behaviors.
Remember, if your cat bites during playtime, it may be her way of playing. That being said, you don't want to encourage excessive biting. It's up to you to say how much is too much. If you do not want biting at all then direct your cat's attention to play objects which they know that they can scratch, bite and swat at.
So no matter what personality your cat displays, be there for them to love, cuddle and train. You may not be able to change some things that are part of their instinct, but by training them in the way you want them to behave, you and your cat will be much happier together.
Fix All Cat Behavior Problems
Cat behavior problems are numerous. But you need to understand that these are not mindless or intentional actions. These are natural inclination or an innate behavior that might have been acceptable in the past, wild existence of the cat but completely unacceptable in the house. As a pet owner who is part of the domestication process you also need to exercise your role in the molding of the cat’s behavior and finding ways to let him be without bothering you that much.
One of the most common cat behavior problems are scratching. Your furniture and fixtures gets the heavy toll on this. Your sofa is turned into shreds and your wooden chairs are scratched beyond minor repair and retouch. To draw your cat’s attention from your house fixtures you can have a scratching post and help him use that post for his itch to exercise his paws and sharpen his claws.
If you are having problem with constant escapes and loud purring you might need to neuter your cat or spay him or her. This will stop your cat from heeding the call to procreate making them a more adorable and “stable” pet and companion. These might be very simple interventions but this can make all the difference.
If your cat is being very choosy with food you can address this by offering him different food every meal and plan to “spread” the food available to him in 3-4 day intervals. This way the variation will keep his interest with food alive and well. It is best that you get this plan in motion while he is still a kitten.
If your cat loves to stay in your bed and seem to have a hard time registering the thought that you do want him there then you can give him a very good alternative sleeping area at a quiet corner that is both warm and cozy. Ideally this is outside your room. When you go to sleep make it a habit to close your door.
Cat behavior problems can also include overly aggressive play. You can go over this by giving him a toy to vent his need to just play away like there is no tomorrow. You can also choose to have another cat to play with him.