Cats Behavior Articles

Cat behavior issues can occur in cats of all ages, but they occur most often in kittens. Because kittens are in the beginning stages of growing and learning, it is important to be thorough with training and TLC. Once your cat has developed bad habits, they will be difficult to break. Aggression, excessive meowing, lack of attention, boredom, excessive scratching and jumping are just a few of the different types of cat behavior issues. Inappropriate elimination, begging, and even biting are also common cat behavior issues. Behavior issues can result from everything from fear and anxiety to lack of affection. There are many different ways to treat cat behavior issues ranging from hiring a professional cat trainer to positive reinforcement. Continue reading to learn more about cat behavior issues and treatments.

• When Cats Appear to Act Crazy

  It's true that cats are normally very dignified creatures, but cats and crazy behavior is not all that uncommon. Crazy cat behavior can be a sign of illness or just a need to play or express his natural instincts.

• Using Synthetic Cat Pheromones to Stop Spraying Behaviors

  Some experts advocate the use of synthetic cat pheromones to treat spraying behavior. Cats spray for a wide variety of reasons, and while many can be addressed by simply altering the environment, other situations may require methods such as the use of synthetic pheromones to handle the problem.

• Understanding the Alpha Cat Syndrome

  Many cat owners expect all cats to be friendly and easy to hold and pet. Each cat, however, has different characteristics; cat behavior varies from animal to animal, whether it's a male or female cat.

• Understanding Kitten Behavior Through Developmental Stages

  Even relaxed and placid adult cats may have started out as rambunctious, energetic kittens. Kitten behavior and kitten needs change quickly during the first few months.

• Understanding Cat Sleeping Patterns

  Cat sleeping patterns are among the most unique aspects of feline behavior. Cats are renowned for their ability to sleep almost anywhere for hours on end.

• Understanding Cat Psychology and Behavior

  Understanding the basics of cat psychology will help to explain why your cat acts the way he does, and how you can best address difficult behaviors.

• Treating Dry or Cracked Kitten Paws With Omega-3

  Dry or cracked kitten paws are a clear sign of an imbalanced diet. Omega-3 is a healthy way to treat your kitten's paws and boost his immune system.

• The Top Ten Questions about your Pet

  The questions our clients most often ask about their pets.

• The Most Frequent Causes of Cat Anxiety

  Cat anxiety may come about for unknown reasons, but it can produce very noticeable health and behavioral problems. Like humans, cats process different stresses in a variety of ways.

• The Most Common Feline Behavior Problems

  There are some common kinds of adult feline behavior. Understanding and appreciating domestic cat behavior will help you when you are training your cat to be a welcome part of the family.

• The Geriatric Cat

  Like many symptoms, it has multiple causes. Many older cats have more than one of the listed problems, so it is important to carefully consider the possibility of all of them in an affected cat. Cats also seem to get cognitive disorders similar to those experienced by dogs and humans, in which confusion, loss of orientation and other signs of decreased mental ability occur.

• Territorial and Spraying Behavior in Cats

  It isn't unusual for a cat to develop spraying behavior when a new cat is added to the household, even a new kitten. Decreasing the number of cats is sometimes, but not always, helpful. Usually cat owners aren't too enthusiastic about this option, though.

• Stopping Dangerous Kitten Chewing Behavior

  Kitten chewing is dangerous both for the health of your cat and your furniture and goods.

• Stopping a Cat From Scratching Furniture

  To prevent your cat from scratching your furniture owners should provide alternative sources for scratching and clawing like a cat scratching post, play house, or cat tree. These new surfaces will provide an outlet for destructive cat behavior, encourage exercise and activity and maintain healthy claws in your pet.

• Scratching Behavior in Cats

  Scratching objects to mark them is a normal cat behavior. This behavior appears to help in claw sharpening and to provide some stretching exercise for the cat. Outside cats tend to scratch wood objects. Some cats prefer a vertical surface and some a horizontal surface.

• Routine Maintenance of Cats

  Litterpan problems are very common in cats. It helps to think about this problem from the cat's point of view sometimes when trying to deal with it. Cats like to have a clean, inviting place to defecate and urinate. Remember some of the dirty bathrooms you have had to decide whether to use or not, and you can relate to this feeling.

• Reducing Feline Anxiety with Cat Pheromone Sprays

  Cat pheromones help in managing behavioral issues and have a calming effect on your pet. Feline communication is broadly divided into three areas: physical cues, vocal sounds and scent marking.

• Pilling Your Cat and giving medication

  My favorite way to give pills to cats is with a "Pet Piller". This is a plastic rod with little rubber cups on the end that hold the pill until a plunger is pressed. It doesn't seem to upset the cat much. Not as much as putting fingers in their mouth, anyway.

• Picking the Perfect Cat Bed

  Picking the right cat bed will create a more comfortable and welcoming environment for your pet. It is important to choose the right style, texture and size of the bed so your cat or kitten will always want to use his new sleeping area.

• Photo Gallery Index

  An index of the VetInfo.com Photo Gallery pages; Pet Photo Archives

• Moving or Traveling with your Cat

  When moving cats it is a really good idea to keep them confined in the new home for several days to a week or so before letting them out.

• Medication for Feline Anxiety

  Cats may be affected by emotional, environmental and physical stresses. Feline anxiety is common when your cat's living situation changes in some way, and cat stress may result in aggression, fear and a variety of other physical manifestations.

• Making a Sedentary Cat Exercise

  Encouraging your cat to exercise is a smart way to keep your pet active, healthy and help him lose weight. Getting a lazy cat to become active involves a little bit of training and encouragement but with patience and the right tools owners can find their cats healthier and even better behaved.

• Living Arrangement Problems

  There are many cat owners who have built cat play areas in the yard that are enclosed and have a kitty door to the inside, so that their cats can have an indoor/outdoor experience safely.

• Litterpan or Elimination Behavior Problems

  Litterpan problems are very common in cats. It helps to think about this problem from the cat's point of view sometimes when trying to deal with it.

• Kitten Stuff

  I guess I wouldn't want to say this was normal behavior, but it is reasonably common behavior. I do not know of a treatment that works really well for this. If she is not causing physical damage to herself, it may be best to wait and see if she outgrows this problem.

• Is Your Kitten Sleeping Too Much?

  Cats spend a lot of time sleeping. You will notice kittens sleeping almost all the time.

• Is Your Kitten Sick? Distinguishing Illness From Fatigue

  For most cat owners, seeing their kitten sick is unsettling. With their small developing bodies, kittens are susceptible to a number of potentially life-threatening illness, disorders and accidents. At the same time, growing kittens require significant amounts of rest for proper growth, hormone regulation and cell repair.

• Is Cat Snoring Normal?

  Although cat snoring is not common, some owners discover their pets can be just noisy as people while they sleep. Felines are notorious for their abilities to nap long hours in a variety of conditions.

• How to Stop Your Cat From Scratching the Carpet

  A cat who is scratching carpet in your home may be marking his territory, conditioning his claws or simply having a good stretch. Pet owners do not want their carpeting destroyed, though.

• How to Stop Kitten Biting and Scratching

  It's important to stop kitten biting and scratching behaviors early, so they don't grow up thinking such behavior is allowed.

• How to Stop Cats From Scratching Furniture

  Destructive furniture clawing is one of the most common causes of cat owner distress, but you can stop cats scratching furniture with a few simple tips.

• How to Safely Pick Up a Cat by the Neck

  If you need to safely pick up a cat by the neck (or scruff), keep in mind this method is best used for kittens under the age of 6 months. Scruffing is the way the mother cat moves her brood around when they are still dependent on her.

• How to Keep Your Cat from Playing with Dangerous Objects

  Cat playing may be dangerous, because cats are curious animals and like to explore everything in your home. Fighting, scratching your furniture, chewing or running around the house are all considered playing by your cat.

• Four Pet Cat Toys That Encourage Exercise

  For your new pet, cat toys are necessary for exercise and development. Kittens require activity and interaction to prevent aggressive cat behavior and form a bond with their owners.

• Feral Cats

  If you catch the kittens the best idea might be to neuter or spay them and then let them out again. This might keep the population stable since they will occupy the territory without reproducing. This approach doesn't always work but it can be helpful in some cases.

• Feline Behavior Modification through Environmental Enrichment

  Frequent behavior problems exhibited in cats are scratching, inappropriate elimination and aggression, all of which can be treated with feline...

• Environmental and Emotional Causes of Feline Anxiety

  Feline anxiety can be caused by a variety of factors and lead to behavior problems such as aggression, litter box avoidance and withdrawal.

• Declawing and Alternatives

  Behavioral problems are cited as the major reason for surrender of pets to animal shelters in several references on this subject in the veterinary literature. The most recent example of this was a review by Dr. Karen Overall in the February issue of Veterinary Medicine.

• Controlling Clawing Behavior with a Cat Tree

  Cat clawing can be a major concern for pet owners, but adding a cat tree to your home is one solution to this common problem.

• Controlling Aggressive Tom Cat Behavior

  If your cat is a tom cat he can often display aggressive behavior. Here are some of the reasons behind your tom cat's aggressive behavior, and some tips on how to control it.

• Controlling Aggressive Cat Behavior

  A cat with aggressive behavior may be dangerous. Cat aggression materializes in biting and scratching.

• Clinical Signs of Cat Depression

  Cat depression can make your pet lose interest in his food, make him lethargic, and make him avoid the company of others. Cats get depressed when they or their owners are stressed or bereaved.

• Choosing a Pet

  I think that the choice of a dog vs. a cat boils down to personal preference and am not aware of much research done on why people chose one over the other. There are more families with dogs but there are more cats kept as pets.

• Chewing and Licking Behavior in Cats

  If your cats chews on things like electric cords it could be dangerous. For specific problems like this aversive agents like bitter apple might work. For more generalized pica there are a lot of theories. Increased dietary fiber helps some cats. Other respond to access to greens (grass, green beans, sprouts, etc).

• Cats With Attitude: Interpreting Aggression

  For owners of cats with attitude, interpreting and treating their pet's aggression can be a frustrating and sometimes painful experience. There are numerous reasons why a cat may display assertive and potentially harmful behavior toward humans and other animals.

• Cat Veterinary Archive 2

  An assortment of questions and answers related to common cat health issues ranging from gestation questions to flea collar questions to eating habits of cats.

• Cat Stress Symptoms Examined

  Cat stress can cause unusual feline behavior. There are many stressors that can significantly upset your cat, from loud noises to the death of a human companion.

• Cat Photo Archive

  Pictures of some of the Cats that we've known here at VetInfo.com

• Cat Personality by Breed

  Before you choose a cat, you might want to research favored cat personality traits. While some cat breeds are vocal and independent, other breeds may demand a lot of affection.

• Cat Hiding Behavior Explained

  The cat hiding behavior is common in felines and may be a signal from your pet. This might be a sign of illness or cat fear and anxiety.

• Cat Claw Covers: An Alternative to Declawing

  Cat claw covers are a way to stop your cat damaging furniture and scratching people, without putting him through a risky and painful declaw surgery. Cat claw covers fit right over your cat's claws and don't interfere with their function.

• Behavior Problem - Destructive Scratching

  Scratching objects to mark them is a normal cat behavior. This behavior appears to help in claw sharpening and to provide some stretching exercise for the cat. Cats like to pick a prominent spot for their scratching, since they are partially doing this to announce their presence to the world.

• Behavior in Cats - Hair Damaging, Self Damaging

  There are several reasons that cats pull out their fur. Sometimes it is a behavioral thing but lots of times it is due to problems such as fleas, mange, ringworm (a fungal infection), allergies, immune mediated disease and bacterial infections.

• Behavior - Aggression in Cats

  Ankle biting and sudden attacks are most often associated with predatory aggression. Cats have a strong natural desire to hunt. Inside the house, there isn't much to satisfy this desire. Mice, grasshoppers and other attractive prey are scarce indoors, so they have to make do with what they have --- ankles and other moving body parts of their human companions.

• Behavior - Aggression between Cats

  Aggression between cats is a difficult problem. In some cases it seems almost unresolvable. I have several clients who have finally just resorted to keeping their cats in separate parts of the house, all the time.We have used medications for these problems and some of the time they either worked or the cats finally worked out their problems. It is always hard to tell which of those two possibilities really happened.

• Attacks (Ankle Biting)

  Ankle biting and sudden attacks are most often associated with predatory aggression. Cats have a strong natural desire to hunt. Inside the house, there isn't much to satisfy this desire.

• Aggression - Intercat

  intercat Aggression between cats is a difficult problem. In some cases it seems almost unresolvable. I have several clients who have finally just resorted to keeping their cats in separate parts of the house, all the time.

• 8 Solutions to Cat Furniture Problems

  Scratching is a natural behavior for a cat and the furniture is often the target of these scratch attacks. Understanding your cat's behavior is crucial in finding the solution to your cat furniture problems.

• 6 Techniques to Control Cat Behavior Issues

  A cat's behavior might not be adapted to your household, but you can control cat behavior by using a few effective techniques for each behavior you want to correct.

• 4 Signs of a Mentally Ill Cat

  There are debates whether a cat can suffer from mental illnesses. Scientists say that a cat's brain is not sophisticated enough to have complex mental issues.

• 3 Tips for Alleviating Cat Stress

  Minimizing cat stress is important for maintaining good health and happiness for your cat. Cat stress can be caused by many factors including...

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