We all know that cats are adorable little packages of fur and feline attitude, but they also come with their own set of challenges. From housebreaking issues to destructive behavior, we’re here for you.
Remember, there is no behavior problem that can’t be solved with a little creativity and a basic understanding of cats. Here’s how you can solve nearly every cat-related behavior problem.
Physical Behavior Problems
Cats, like all predators, are very good at hiding symptoms that may indicate they are ill. The most common reason people give cats away is due to inappropriate elimination or urinating in places other than their litter boxes.
Fortunately, the fix for this issue is simple: Get your cat to a veterinarian for a checkup.
Cats can develop painful urinary problems. Once they begin to associate the litter box with pain, they try to find a new place to potty that might not cause pain. Your veterinarian can perform an exam and quickly tell you if a behavior problem is health-related and offer you an appropriate treatment.
If the veterinarian finds that there isn’t a health concern causing this problem, you may need to make some lifestyle changes to improve inappropriate elimination. This might include changing your cat’s food, encouraging them to drink more water with a pet fountain, picking up new litter boxes, or changing the type of litter you use.
Emotional Problems
Your cat has certain physical and emotional needs. When these needs aren’t met, you’ll have a frustrated feline who acts out. For example, your cat is a natural predator. And, if you take a predator and place them in a confined area without any type of mental or physical stimulation, you will wind up with a frustrated and angry cat who might lash out at you or other pets or start destroying your furniture.
There are simple ways to avoid this problem. The first is to provide plenty of mental stimulation for your cat. They need to hunt, to anticipate prey’s move, to think about how they can solve a problem. This is where toys, scratching posts and unique furniture come into play.
You should provide plenty of toys for your cat, and if possible, give them an option to hunt. This could be as simple as using wand toys or automatic toys to give them an opportunity to chase and stalk. Most cats don’t simply want to eat their prey, they want to stalk and catch their prey, too! Another option is to use an interactive feeder or treat toy so they have to work for their food.
Cats are also creatures of habit and don’t respond well to changes in their environment or schedule. Unfortunately for them, we can’t always guarantee we won’t move, rearrange the furniture, or bring a new pet or tiny human into the family, and we can’t stop a loud thunderstorm from scaring our furriest friends!
Fortunately, you can find a wide variety of natural products that will help you and your cat cope with stress. Pheromones and other behavioral products can naturally calm your cat and help them adjust to all of life’s changes.
If you’re having a behavioral problem with your feline friend, there’s always a cause for it, whether there’s a health issue at the root or something in your cat’s environment missing or causing him stress. Once you identify the cause, you can almost always solve the problem. Figure it out and you’ll be well on your way to providing your cat with a happy, healthy home!
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Remember, there is no behavior problem that can’t be solved with a little creativity and a basic understanding of cats. Here’s how you can solve nearly every cat-related behavior problem.
