Common Behavioral Problems in Cats to Watch Out For

While cats are well known for their solitary attitude and finicky social responses, they sometimes demonstrate real behavior problems. These problems can be social issues, but they can also be signs that there is a medical problem which needs to be addressed. From urinating on the cat door to scratching up your favorite couch, you can learn how to manage these behaviors so that you and your cat can have a pleasant and healthy relationship.

Aggression

Aggression can be an issue between cats, or your cat might just become aggressive to you and visitors. The type of aggression displayed is important because you need to understand what the problem is before you can address it.

Aggression to yourself and visitors often means that your cat is uncomfortable or does not feel safe. You can reduce some of this by making sure your cat has a place to go when they want to get away from everyone. This doesn’t mean that your cat doesn’t like you or anyone else. He or she may have recently had a bad experience that made them a bit leery of people. Allow your cat to become more social on his or her own terms rather than forcing them to come out.

Aggression to other cats may be a social or territorial issue. You can resolve this by giving them each their own food and water dishes as well as litter boxes. Also, keep them in separate rooms. Swap rooms on a regular basis so the cats can explore each area. Eventually, leave the door open just a bit to give your cats a chance to get reacquainted on their own terms.

Keep in mind that cats are protective of their young, and they also enjoy rough play. These things are both a part of their drive to perpetuate the species. A mother will calm down once her kits get older, and the rough play helps cats hone their fighting and hunting skills.

Scratching

Scratching is a natural activity for a cat. They do it to warn off other cats, mark their territory, or just to remove worn parts of their claws. You can prevent them from scratching things they shouldn’t by offering them a scratching post, and making your furniture and other things unattractive. Things like double sided tape on the furniture can be helpful. Encourage use of the scratching post by rubbing it with catnip or something similar.

Litter

Cats sometimes stop using the litter box because of a bad experience, a switch in litter, or a change in the box itself. Make sure your cat has multiple escape routes from her litter box and that it is located in a low traffic area where she can see everything. Multiple cats sometimes prefer to have their own box. Perhaps most importantly, keep the litter box appealing with daily cleaning, removing clumps with a slotted device.

When all you want is for your cat to come in through the cat door with a pleasant attitude and good behavior, you have to make the home appealing to the cat. When behaviors suddenly change, look for changes in the environment or consult your veterinarian. Medical issues can also sometimes cause cognitive problems that can change a cat’s behavior.