Problem Behaviors And Possible Help

 

Misbehaving needs some definition and lets say that when ever your cat’s behavior is not in line with your expectations and causes you hardship or displeasure they are then misbehaving.  Behavior is a relative term just because your cat is not acting the way you want it to in your home or around you does not really mean that the cat is behaving improperly for a cat.  Think about the big cats out in the wild and this will help put this into perspective for you.  They naturally stretch up on the trunk of a tree and scratch and may even mark that area before they leave.  A cat sidling up to the side of your couch and scratching and then marking before they leave does cause a large amount of displeasure!   Whenever your cat’s behavior is not in line with your expectation and causes you displeasure or hardship ( like cleaning up a mess) it is by our definition misbehaving.  We as owners decide what is proper for out personal home and then we apply these standards to our cats. 

 

Domestication of any animal if you really think about it goes against what comes naturally to that animal.  When you ask a cat to adapt to a smaller far less stimulation environment that what their ancestors were used to really changes the amount of natural behaviors that they are allowed to do.  This really sets the stage for boredom and stress resulting in problem behaviors.  There are other cause of problem behavior that we should address.  Improper treatment by an owner (even one before yourself) genetic predisposition, improper or shortened socialization and even illness can cause behavioral changes in a cat which cause strife in your house.  Often times a combination of causes will create a problem behavior and solutions are not always easy to find.  Have patience and put thought into the situation.  Many problems can be corrected fairly easy and we hope this acts as a guide for you.

 

There is nothing more upsetting than your bed being used as a litter box or Fluffy biting a visitor who is trying to pet them.  Cats they continue to misbehave often times find themselves dropped off at a shelter.  The pet owner is not cruel they are just at their wits end trying to get the cat to stop. 

 

Many cats end up in shelters because of behavior issues.  If you are reading this you are already taking steps not to give up and search for a solution.  We hope this will help less cats or kittens end up at shelters.  

 

It may also be a good idea before you try to correct a certain behavior that you visit your vet and have a checkup.  Sometimes odd behaviors that appear suddenly are the result of some physical problem and can be corrected with medical attention from your vet.  You will correct the behavior issue and possibly save the life of your cat in the process.

 

We also want to say that hitting your cat no matter what it has done unless you are defending your self or another is not a good idea.  Hitting your cat will destroy the trust you have both been developing over the years and cats have a long memory.  Hitting is really an expression of your frustration and anger and will just make the situation worse.  

 

 With that said here we go.

 

 

House-Soiling

 

The most common problem we have people talk to us about is urination and defecation outside of the litter box.  The first step in diagnosing why the cat is not using its litter box is to determine if it is improperly elimination or actually marking territory.  Marking can involve spraying urine or defecation but it is usually urine spraying.  One big misunderstanding is that females do not mark.  Let us tell you right now that it not true!!!  They do especially if they are not fixed.  Female cats are known to mark when they are coming into heat.  It is a natural response for them to do so.  Try to catch the cat in the act.  It it is squatting, then the cat is urinating not marking and this holds true for females or males.  When a cat marks it remains standing and backs up to the special spot that they want to put their scent on.  There is less volume and will often be directed higher up on some vertical surface.  Sorry to say that it is much more stinky then regular urine.  The sprayed urine is mixed with glandular secretions called pheromones and the combination can produce a very gamey kind of smell.  It is not a smell anyone wants in a home.

 

Defecation marking is rare and ill sometimes occur with indoor cats only if the territory is threatened like with the introduction of a new cat or person coming into the home.  The personality type of a cat that starts to do this is normally nervous and edgy already or else extremely dominant unaltered males have also been known to do this.

 

 

Medical Problems-  As stated before the first step is a trip to the vet and have a checkup.

 

 

 

Dirty Litter Box – The litter box needs to be cleaned at least one a day.  The litter should be replaced totally once a week.  If you have more than one cat you need to do this more often.  Owners who allow the box to become filled with waste are asking for trouble with the cats not wanting to use the box.  The actual box needs to be cleaned often too.  Please note that the area where the cat improperly eliminated must be thoroughly cleaned and treated with an “odor neutralizer” and that is available at most pet shops.  There are some home remedies for this too but if all else fails go buy some neutralizer.  If you don’t neutralize the odor it will attract the cat to keep going back to the scene of the crime and doing it again.      

 

Different brands of litter –   Pick your brand of litter carefully.  Cats get used to a certain kind of litter and if you abruptly change they may not like it.  If you do make a switch your cat may show you how much they don’t like it by using other areas as a potty and not their box.  Don’t get mad at them over this because you should ease them into the new litter mixing the new into the old slowly changing the amount of new litter each week.  You should have a really good reason for changing cat litter just because of the effort it takes to change them over to a new litter.  If you are currently having a problem with you cat not using the litter box and you just changed litters abruptly then you should go back to the old litter brand and start over if you really need to change.  The new litter should be introduced in small amounts at a time and it should take you a month to make the change over to hopefully help them adjust.  If you do it slowly and at the end of the month they are not using their litter box it might be that you should go back to the old brand of litter.  Cats’ are just like people and some are very resistant to change.

 

Box Change – Changing the actual litter box can also cause a cat not to use the litter box.  If you decide to get a new litter box make sure you keep the old one around just in case your cat refuses to us the new box.  It is suggested to fill the new box and place next to the old one for awhile and let your cat ease into the idea of a new box.  If you cat is using both boxes wait a few weeks before you take the old box away.

 

Moving The Litter Box – Once again your cat is a creature of habit.  They like where their litter box is and often times will not like it to be moved to a different location.  Don’t move the box unless you really have to.  If you must change the location then get an identical box and fill it with the same litter and put it in the new location.  Leave the old box in place and keep showing the cat the new litter box.  Leave both boxes out for a few weeks and see if they will use the new litter box in the new location.  Once the cat is using the new box on a regular bases then you can remove the box from the old location. 

 

Litter Box Locations – Please do not place the litter box next to their food and water.  Would you like that?  That is common sense that they cat is not going to like the food and water next to where they go potty.  Try to have the box as far away as you can from the food and water dishes.  

 

The litter box should also not be close to the sleeping area.  The cat will not use the litter box the way you want if it is too close to their other areas.  If you box is close move it slowly to its new location.

 

This is also a good time to talk to you about having the box in an area that is really busy.  Now really think about this,  we have a separate room that we use to go potty.  Privacy is a good thing and cats like that too.  Accidents can happen if a cat has to wait for privacy when using the litter box.  When choosing a place for the litter box to start with try to use a place that is quiet like a second bathroom or another room that is used less often.  The outside noises can even cause a problem if you put the box next to a wall that is by a very busy street and has a lot of traffic noise.

 

Marking – Wild cats are territorial animals and mark their territories as often as they please by spraying urine, defecating, scratching, or by depositing scents from the many  glands they have throughout their body.  Yes, they can smell the scents too and it actually makes them feel confident to smell themselves.  The marked area sends a signal to other cats that this area is mine and you should not enter.  Out in the wild this helps ensure that the cat will have an ample supply of prey and reduces the chances of fighting which can cause injury, death or disease.

Like was mentioned before males and females mark also and it is even to attract mates.  Marking is a strong drive with a cat as you can see it gives them a place of their own to eat and reproduce.  This is part of the domestication process to want to  suppress the natural instincts of an animals for alive with us.  Humans and cats have been doing to for some time now and both in most cases seem to get a lot out of this but we also felt the need to talk about this to help you understand the natural instincts if a problem does arise in your home. 

 

Spraying -  Cats do not usually spray in the middle of their territory because their territory is usually very secure and not normally invaded by hostile strangers.  A very dominant male or female may if the home is large in size or if there are many people coming and going in and out of their territory.

 

Solutions for Spraying  -  The general thought on this is if your cat is not neutered do it.  The only reason to really have a cat that is not neutered is if you are a breeder.  An  unneutered cat will spray even if outside.  If your home has been sprayed in for some time the cat will probably continue to do so even if you get the cat fixed.  Here are some tips to try:

 

            Clean the sprayed areas with an odor neutralizer.  This can be found at most pet       stores.

 

If you catch your cat in the act of spraying use a spray bottle filled with water to spray the cat with.  

 

There are cat repellent sprays or liquids that you can use to treat the known areas that the cat likes to spray.  Some have said that pepper or Tabasco sauce can also work to help the cat decide they don’t want to spray the area in question.

 

The use of other deterrents is only limited by your  imagination.  Double sided sticky tape can be put over the area they want to spray.  The idea is that they won’t like the sticky tape.  Foil could also be used.  I have heard of some putting a disposable baby diaper hanging over the area that is sprayed.  It is said to help with clean up too.  Placement of another item may also stop them from because the cat can’t get to the spot even pans of water might work.  Placement of small food bowls might also help since they don’t like to have food near their marking areas. 

 

If none of those deterrents work then the next suggestion would be to reduce the area of your home the cat gets to roam in.   Slowly let the cat have more area as it shows it isn’t going to spray.  If you think about it having the cat not have as much area to roam in limits the spraying need. Reintroduce a room at a time.

 

If the cat will not stop spraying at this point it maybe that it is not going to stop and you have to decide where you are going to let the cat be.

 

Indoor Out Door Cats Who Spray – Most cats that are allowed inside and outside will start to spray indoors too whether they are neutered or not.  If you are allowing your cat to go outdoors you are actually encouraging the cat to spray when it comes in doors.  It will be around cats that are spraying and coming into your cats’ territory and it will also feel threatened by some of those cats and will want to show its dominance.  If you allow your cat outside you are also exposing the cat to all kinds of dieses and other heath risks.

 

Use the steps outlined above to try to stop the marking.

 

 

New Pet Or Person In The Home – A change in the family with a new person or cat can trigger your cat to start to spray.  The cat may feel that this new being is an invasion of the territory that the cat used to have as their very own.   If cat is not neutered do so.  Clean the areas with the neutralizer and introduce the other cat or human very slowly to the cat.  A introduction of a new pet can also trigger fighting and that is a bad way for the new pet to come into your home.  Take this slowly and never leave the pets unattended in the beginning.  If you are dealing with a new person have the new person come over many times before the person moves into the home.  Also have the person leave a piece of clothing at your place for the cat to explore on its own time schedule.  The item with the new scent can also be used with a new pet.  This helps introduce the scent in a non-threatening manner.  Also be ready to use the other steps discussed earlier. 

 

Nervous Cat Marking -  A cat of this personality type does not need much to get all worked up and in some cases the event of having a unknown friend stop over may trigger the cat to mark.  If this happens clean the areas first with the neutralizer.  Try to make the cat feel safe and secure.  Work on socializing the cat more with friends and friendly animals.  This is easier done as a kitten so keep that in mind when you get a kitten.  The cat might even feel soothed by the marking scent when it does it.  That might sound crazy and it may very well be the case. 

 

Relocating – Moving can also get the cat to mark.  Now there is a new area that does not smell like home and the cat is insecure.  If not neutered do so.   See if you can find out of the people in the home before had pets.  This might add to the problem and you may have to clean very thourghly to remove the scents of the other cats or dogs.  Use neutralizer in either case.  Pick one room for the cat to start out in and make sure it is not spraying in the one room and then slowly introduce the rest of the home.  Can also use other steps if they do not stop.

 

Remodeling – Yes, even remodeling can trigger marking.  Paining, moving things around and the addition of new area change the cats’ territory and marking may follow.  Try to keep things are normal as possible and spend more time with your cat during this time.  Take him to the new areas and sit and pet him and have some soothing times with him there.  Also if buying new furniture have it bought in one piece at a time and be very careful if buying furniture that has been used around other animals.  Clean the areas with the odor neutralizer.  Use the other methods listed earlier and confine the cat to one room and slowly introduce the rooms one at a time as long as the cat is not marking. 

Strays Outside Marking – Dominant and also insecure cats may decide to spray if they keep seeing a cat outdoors such as though windows or glass doors.  They may start to spray indoors because of seeing the cat outdoors.  The spraying will usually happen by the windows and doors too!  If your cat is unneutered this will get them to thinking they need a mate and will spray over that too.  Neuter as usual,  try to discourage the outside cat from coming into your yard or area.  Try using the cat repellent outdoors.  Do not let our cat outdoors for any reason!  You may have to not let your cat go to the window or door by using some of the methods listed earlier.  If it is a neighbor’s cat you might try talking to them about not letting their cat out.  You may also have to not let your cat have access to the areas in question.  Clean areas as discussed earlier. 

 

Resident Cats Start Marking – Even if you have two cats and they are used to each other a territory issue can start and one or both may start to mark.  This can even be caused when one of the cats gets older and the younger one thinks it is time to be dominant.  Neuter is they are not.  Figure out which one is dominant and try to honor the dominant cats position.  Feed that cat first.  Maybe consider having separate feeding and watering dishes.  If you see the other cat questioning the dominant cats position show your displeasure to the younger cat.  By showing your support things may go back to normal and the marking behavior will stop.  Use all cleaning steps listed earlier.

 

Fecal Marking – The good news about this is that it does not occur often.  The down side to that is that you may have a cat that is doing this.  This is often times brought on by a major upset in the cats world.  A move to new surrounds or a new pet coming into the current home may trigger fecal marking to occur. 

 

The personality profile of a cat that is doing this is one that was once a stray and now is your housecat.  Another personality type would maybe be an indoor and outdoor cat that feels like it has no territory outside and marking inside helps compensate for the lack of territory outside.  It is also interesting to note that a dominate cat that does not bury its feces does that as a sign that I am a big bad cat and don’t mess with me.

 

Unneutered males are more likely to fecal mark then neutered males or even unneutered females.    Neutered or unneutered cats who suddenly have new dogs or cats coming into their home are more likely to start the fecal marking as a way to try to hold into their old territory that they feel is getting smaller.  Changes to the home should be done slowly to hopefully stop this from happening.  It is harder to get something to stop after it gets going with a cat.

 

Possible solutions are as follows.  If the cat is not neutered do so.  When you get a new kitten work hard on socializing your kitten so that they are more open to changes that can take place later in life.   If you want two cats the perfect way to do that is while they are   Pick a room and move the cat into that room for probably two weeks.  Hopefully in that time the cat is using the box on a regular basis.  Once the cat is using the box try letting it have access to the house.  Before you do that though make sure you clean the areas very well that was being used for marking with an odor neutralizer.  If it was furniture that was bought in try taking a few of the new pieces out and reintroduce the pieces one at a time.  If you were letting your cat outside when the fecal marking started do not let the cat out anymore no matter how they beg to do so. 

 

Scratching – One more marking behavior is scratching.  They also scratch to clean and remove old pieces of their claws and to defend themselves.  We will explore scratching here as a marking behavior.  The scratching on a piece of furniture also leaves not only visible evidence but also a scent of the cat.  Cats do have scent glands in their paws and when they scratch it leaves their scent on that item as a notice to other cats.  This is one of the biggest complaints of cat owners is the damage done when their cat scratches.

 

The cat needs to scratch because it is not only a marking behavior so that should be remembered.  If the scratching is being done in one place then it is probably claw conditioning the natural stretching.  Many places that are being scratched is most likely marking especially if they are  near windows and doors.                     

Scratching posts should be considered just as important as food.  If you are going to have cats you need to have them.  There are many styles to choose from so much of that choose is up to you.  Please do think about if you get one that is covered with carpet because many of us have carpet floor coverings and it can happen that the cat will start to use your carpeted floor covering to use too if their post is also covered with carpet.  If they start to use your carpet they can actually pull up loops and cause damage.   The sisal and hemp covered ones are very functional.  It should be 2 to 3 feet high and at 4 inches wide is nice.  It also needs to be so that it doesn’t try to tip over when the cat starts to use it.  There are also corrugated cardboard ones and these can work as a secondary one but should not be the only one.  Place the posts in different areas of your home and show the cat where they are. One placed near their sleeping area is a good choice because they love to stretch and scratch when their first wake up.  The front room is also a good choice for another one. 

 

Praise your cat when you see them using the post and consider giving them a treat.  If you have one of those cat towers that are a combined piece for sleeping and scratching you can hide treats there on the different levels.  When you first get a new kitten spend some time with the kitten by the scratching post and putting their paws on it and praise them if they start to scratch there. 

 

What if they start to scratch in the wrong place? – A spray bottle is useful to discourage them from scratching and use it when you see them scratching in the wrong place.  It would be suggested that you do that about six feet away so that they don’t associate that it is you doing the spraying.  Try to have the water hit the cat just as they are starting to scratch.  This may take some patience on your part to watch them and catch them as they start.

 

If they have picked objects to use go to the pet store and buy cat repellent and put on the areas that they are scratching on that they shouldn’t be using.

 

Double sided sticky tape can also be put where they are scratching.  They do not like the feel of that when it sticks to them and they will pull away their paws. 

 

The pet stores also sell a Scat Mat and it comes in different sizes.  It delivers a mild shock when the cat steps onto it.  The mat gives the cat a slight tingling sensation and does not hurt the cat.  The mat is placed in the area that is being scratched to try to convince the cat that it is not a good idea to do that there. 

 

It may take several weeks to retrain your cat.  It is pointless to start any of the retraining if you have not bought a scratching post.  They have to scratch and there is not way you can get a cat to not scratch.  It is a natural thing they do.  Scratching posts are must for a harmonious home.

 

The claw shields can also be put onto the cat claws but they still have the natural impulse to scratch and the shields will not change that.  Some do decide to have the cat declawed because they don’t think there are other options.  We hope the above information helps you to work through this without having your cat declawed.

 

 

 

TOXIC PLANTS

 

My Cat Eats Plants – Cat owners have found that cats will chew on houseplants and gardens.  It is probably due to instincts for them finding ways to get vitamins and minerals that their diet is lacking or it might be out of boredom.  Good quality foods now have that added in the ingredients.  They also may do this to help their digestive tract and very often they will throw up after they have done this.  This action does bring up hairballs and worms.  Another possibility is that they like the taste texture or feel and want some diversity.  Think about how a cat likes catnip!  They loose themselves in the mint like plant and will roll in it and eat it and can become addicted to it because it is said that it has a hallucinatory affect on a cat much like marijuana with humans. 

 

As you can see the reasons are varied why your cat may decide to eat plants but it is also dangerous because many of the plants are very toxic to the cat.

 

Avoid buying plants that are known to be toxic.  Some of the houseplants known to be toxic to cats are:  Dieffenbachia,  Ivy,  Philodendron.

 

There are many outside plants that are toxic and some examples of that are Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Yews, Bean plants, Tomato plants, and even Mushrooms.  Shrubbery can also be toxic depending on the type. 

 

Relocate plants that you have on the floor and try to place them up higher and where the cat will not have access to them or at least limit the access.  Hanging planters are good for this! 

 

Remove the dirt temptation too and place rocks or marbles that  cover the dirt because they may not like standing on them to chew on the plant leaves.  This also helps with the cat wanting to dig in the dirt which can also be a problem.

 

A natural repellent for cats can be pepper (including red) or Tabasco.  This can be put on the outer surface of the pot and maybe convince the cat to stay away from that one.  You can also buy repellents for cats at the pet shop.  Only buy ones that are formulated for use with cats. 

 

The other usual diversions can be used that have been discussed earlier like double sided sticky tape, pans of water, scat pads or foil.  Use your imagination with this.  We have even been told about someone that placed a mousetrap under a sheet of news paper and when the trap goes off under the news paper is scares the cat.  They don’t get hurt but the sound scares them.

 

Another good idea would be to gather the plants together and this also helps with when you want to use the spray bottle as a means to get them to stops.

 

The spray bottle should be used if you catch them in the act.  Don’t be standing to close to them when you do this though so try to be about six feet away.   You want to try to have them think that they get wet when they get close to the plants.

 

Your cat may also be telling you they need some greens.  You can get a container that is low to the ground and plant with regular grass seed.  Take care of it just as you would one of your plants. 

 

They also sell little kits or even plants that are already up at the pet stores and you could get one of those for your cat to nibble on.  I don’t know if this gives them confusing messages or not because on one hand you are telling them that the plants are a nono and then you are giving them a plant and that one is okay.  Maybe a cat plant should be considered when you are going to get a cat.

 

Catnip can also be purchased in plant form and you grow it yourself.  There has been some controversy over dried catnips and the chemicals and such that are on the already prepared dry form that you get in the stores.  If you grow it yourself and either let them nibble on the greens or dry you would then know that nothing bad is on the plant.

 

Lastly,  if it is out of boredom that your cat is doing this and they have decided that the plant is a toy of sorts then it is time to add some toys if they don’t have any.  Cats have a curious   nature.

 

 

More to come soon!!!