Cat Behavior Problems

It is commonly believed that cats cannot be trained. The independent reputation of cats makes some people love them all the more; others prefer dogs for the same reason. The fact is, as independent as cats are, they can in fact be trained to a greater extent than many pet owners realize. If your cat exhibits problem behavior, this should be a relief to you.

Do not fall into the trap of thinking you have to either tolerate your cat's behavior -such as regarding the litter box, aggression or destroying things, or go to the extreme of parting with the cat. If you educate yourself on the subject and put forth a little effort, you can almost certainly remedy the situation and change your cat's behavior for the better.

One area of concern is the litter box. It is certainly unpleasant and unsanitary when your cat does not use its litter box properly, or at all. First of all, cats are extremely clean animals by nature, so it is not fundamentally a problem to litter train them. If your cat was previously using the litter box and has stopped, something is definitely wrong. The first thing you should do is have the cat examined by a veterinarian, to rule out medical problems.

If the cat has been medically cleared, make sure that the litter box is kept clean. Also, the litter box should be kept in a quiet area, and not right next to the cat's food and water. In this respect, cats are like people; they like a separate "bathroom" that has a certain amount of privacy. The box should also be the right size; big enough to accommodate the cat comfortably, but not too big.

Do you have an aggressive cat that claws at you or bites? This can be a nuisance, as well as painful. Fortunately, in most cases cats can be trained out of such behavior. Once again, if this is new behavior on your cat's part, have it checked out medically. If this is a long-term problem, you may have a cat who is not well socialized, or even feral. For such cases, you can usually tame the cat, but it takes some extra time and patience.

Watch your cats movements and body language when it is aggressive. Learn when it is "safe" to touch him/her (until your training efforts have paid off, when it should be safe most of the time). You should also make sure your cat gets enough exercise. Make time to play with your cat, every day if possible. This both gives the cat exercise and is a bonding ritual. If your cat is not spayed, you should have it done; this will make the cat calmer and less aggressive.

These are some rather basic tips regarding some common behavior problems. If you have a difficult problem, you will probably have to further educate yourself and invest some time into training your cat. What you should keep in mind is that almost all cats, with the right attention, can be made into great pets!

Article Source: http://www.phalenes.org/articles

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