Cats are famous for being mysterious animals. Are you afraid that you do not understand your cat? While we cannot claim to be cat whisperers ourselves, after a lot of research, we have been able to break down some of the most common cat behaviors for you. Some of the most problematic cat behaviors have easy solutions. All you need to do is consult the vet or make a few changes to end any problems.
Cat Spraying
Cat spraying is one of the most problematic cat behaviors of all. Period. By way of definition, spraying occurs when your cat urinates on a vertical surface. Male cats are more likely to engage in this behavior. We all know that cats like to mark their territory, and urinating on various surfaces is just one way to do so.
However, such cat behaviors can be problematic since they leave an unpleasant odor in the house and destroy its hygiene. Moreover, cat spraying can actually be indicative of something deeper than just territory marking: your cat could be depressed or anxious.
There are numerous ways to put an end to cat spraying. You should consult a pet behavior psychologist to find out the underlying cause and then address that. If your cat is anxious because of a move or a new pet, the behavior psychologist could tell you some stress busting activities to engage in with your cat.
Excessive Scratching
Is your cat scratching everything in your house? From the sofas to the curtains to your bare arms? Well, such cat behaviors could be caused by a wide variety of problems. The most common reason for such cat behaviors is that they have a lot of energy and no way to channel it.
To solve this problem, you can try and invest in a scratching plate for your cat. You also trim the claws of your cat to ensure that a minimal amount of damage is done if your cat does, on the off chance, end up scratching anything other than its plate.
Cats roaming the house at night
It can be a slightly scary sight if you wake up at night and see your pet cat sitting in front of your door. It could also be hard to sleep if your cat is roaming all around the house during the night. Such cat behaviors are natural since our feline friends are naturally night animals. However, they can be a cause for worry in a pet cat, which has been domesticated.
If you want your cat to not roam at night, the best way to do it is to simply tire it out during the day. Whenever you get the time, play a lot of physically and mentally stimulating games with your beloved pet to keep it occupied. If you see your pet dozing off in the day a bit too much, try and involve it in some sort of activity.
Just like babies, cats sleep peacefully when tired. Another tip you could try is feeding your cat at night. Like human beings, cats also like long naps after they have had a hearty meal. Feeding your cat at night will ensure that it is slowed down and enjoys a restful, night’s long sleep with a full tummy.
Excessive meowing
One of the most controversial cat behaviors is an excessive cat meowing from them. The first thing you should note is that cat or kitten meowing is one of the most natural cat behaviors, and the meowing sound is reserved for cat-to-human interactions.
Therefore, if your cat is meowing too much, it is literally trying to tell you something. Some breeds, such as the Siamese cats, love “talking,” so they might just be meowing because of their chatty nature. However, if your particular pet has never been very expressive, excessive meowing from them could be a sign of some problem.
Cats often meow excessively when they are in heat or in the mating season. Their meows may often turn to yelps as well. If you cannot get your cat to mate, have them neutered to reduce this problem. Oftentimes, your cat will meow only because it wants your attention. If you have been too busy and have not been able to give your cat enough attention, try spending some quality time with it to reduce the meowing.
A hungry cat could be meowing just to get you to feed it too! However, on a more serious note, if you cannot seem to link your cat’s meowing to any of the reasons listed above, we suggest seeking the help of a vet to deal with such cat behaviors. Your cat could be suffering from some kind of internal disease which could be putting it in a lot of pain.
Not using the litter box
One of the most stress-inducing cats behaviors is your feline pet not using the kitty litter. The whole purpose of the litter is to provide a place for your cat in which it can defecate and urinate. However, at times, cats seem to simply refuse to use the litter.
This could be caused by various reasons. Try and see if any of the changes have occurred: you changed the brand of the litter, the location of the litter was moved, or another cat was brought to use the same litter. If any of these changes took place, reversing them could make your cat love its litter once again.
Displays of aggression
If your cat seems to be angry at the pets in your house or even at you, do not worry. There can be a lot of causes for this: disease, a lack of space, or no other feline friends for your cat to play with. If your cat is angry, never hurt it or shout at it, since this could ruin your relationship with it.
The best way to deal with aggressive cat behaviors is to toss something soft at it and reprimand it gently. You will need to consult a vet to see what the deeper underlying cause is, but most of the issues leading to cat aggression can be easily resolved.
Fidget because of fleas
We all know that cats like to scratch and lick themselves. Our feline friends are naturally clean animals and love to maintain their hygiene. However, if you think your cat is scratching itself too much, appears irritated, and is even losing hair, these cat behaviors are indicative of a flea problem. Fleas are external parasites that literally feed off your beloved pet and cause it great discomfort.
However, this problem has an easy solution. Go to your vet and get some good flea medication. Medication is the only reliable way to get rid of all fleas and at once. If you try some other remedies, there is a possibility that a few fleas still remain, and the problematic cat behaviors may start again. However, be careful to only use flea medication made especially for cats. Using a dog’s flea medication could be deadly for your feline friend.
What you should NOT do
If your cat is displaying any of the problematic cat behaviors listed above, never be angry at your cat. Do not hurt it, and do not try to physically restrain it. This could result in injuries to both you and your beloved pet. Try one of our tips mentioned above, and if they do not work, consult a pet. They could guide you as to any specific treatments that may be available.
While we are not cat whisperers, we hope the information above helped your resolve some of the most problematic cat behaviors are pets are prone to display.
