Train Cat Behaviour
Train Cat Behaviour
5 Cat Behaviour Problems And How To Treat Them
You cannot discipline cats as you would dogs. Cats form social groups by necessity and based on respecting territory, rather than respecting "top dog". Use of punishment will only teach your cat to fear you. It is better to train cats into behaviour that is alternative or incompatible to the problem behaviour. Prevention, or making certain behaviours impossible is another tactic, such as keeping food in containers and breakable, dangerous (or irresistible) objects out of reach. The key is to train your cat away from undesirable behaviour as soon and as young as possible, give praise and treats when they demonstrate acceptable behaviour - and to remain consistent!
1. Scratching
Cats need to scratch! It is essential to their need to maintain their main source of defence, sharpen and wear down their claws and to develop strong sinewy muscles. Scratching is also a way for the cat to leave his scent. Destructive scratching need not be a problem if you provide allowable alternatives to your furniture. Place scratching posts in areas of the house that your cat seems to like. Mildly scented ‘no scratch' sprays are available to be used on furniture that deter scratching.
Keep your cats nails trimmed or dull claws by sheathing them with nail "caps" which are glued onto the cat's claws and last 4 to 6 weeks. Use of facial pheromones is also effective in reducing territorial scratching. These can be sprayed on surfaces you wish to protect or as a diffuser in an entire room. Avoid punishing your cat! It will aggravate the problem and may encourage further destructive behaviour.
2. Urination outside of the liter box
There may be a number of reasons why your cat urinates outside the litter box, including inadequate cleaning of the litter box, unacceptable type of litter being used, a urinary tract infection or other medical condition, stress or even old age. Ask your veterinarian for a complete pet medical exam and try to identify any cause of anxiety.
3. Urine spraying
This territorial behaviour mechanism of spraying of urine on drapes, furniture and other surfaces is most common among male cats and in multi-cat households. It can be aggravated by a move, a new cat joining the family, a neighboring cat gaining entry into the household, stress, or in male cats excited by females in heat. Have your cat spayed or neutered by the time it is six months old. Most cats will not start spraying if they are fixed before the behaviour starts. If you have more than one cat, try to foster positive relationships between them by giving each equal attention and have them eat and sleep together.
Change can cause anxiety in cats. Try to keep things (like feeding times) routine. A facial pheromone spray or diffuser can help reduce stress and unwanted spraying. Reduce his view of outside by moving furniture away from windows or covering the lower part of the window. This way, if your cat sees another cat he will not have the urge to "mark his territory". Pet repellents can also be used to keep pets away from areas they prefer to spray- don't let the cat get into the habit of spraying in one place continually. Keep the place clean and use a pet odour eliminator (do not use ammonia, this sometimes is confused by the cat as the scent of an elimination area).
4. Anxiety
Common causes of anxiety are often due to a change in the cat's environment- moving the litter box to a busy or new area, a visitor or new occupants (people and other animals), new furniture, aggression between cats, travel or transport and boarding. If you move to a new location, keep the cat indoors for a few weeks. Make the set-up of beds, food bowls, litter box, toys as similar to the old house as possible. Natural facial pheromone sprays can be used to calm cats in new and stressful environments - including hospitalization.
5. Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety in cats occurs when the cat is separated from its owner or another companion pet. Signs may include vocalizing, urination or defecation (sometimes near a door or on owners' personal items) and destructiveness such as chewing or scratching. Cats may also show distress by becoming too anxious to eat or vomiting, when the owner is away. A less common sign is excessive grooming, even to the point of creating a bald spot on the body.
Consult your veterinarian and have your cat undergo a complete medical examination to rule out any medical condition that may be causing his behaviour. A cat that is urinating outside of the litter box or is howling may have a urinary tract infection or obstruction of the urinary tract. A cat that over-grooms may have a food allergy.
Here are some things to try to alleviate separation anxiety:
- Make the cat's environment more stimulating. i.e. A perch with a view from a window, carpeted towers with attached toys. Leaving a T.V. or radio on softly can be comforting.
- Ignore the cat 15 minutes before departure. Leave a distracting toy or put favourite treats in various parts of the house. Ignore the cat for another 15 minutes upon your return.
- Bring out toys that the cat especially likes just before you leave and put them away when you return.
- Ask your vet about the use of cat facial pheromones. Cats rub their whiskers on things when they are happy and content and this leaves facial pheromones on the objects as well as the sense or message that "things are ok around here". These natural pheromones are available in a spray or room diffuser that can be placed in the home, which calms and reassures the anxious cat.
In extreme cases, anti-anxiety medication may be needed. Use must be prescribed and carefully monitored by your veterinarian.
About the Author
This article was written by Tom Jerrat for Blue Plus Vet. Blue Plus Vet provides a wide range of vet and animal services in their Wagga Wagga vet clinic and also in clinics located in Junee, Hillston and Griffith. Visit blueplusvet.com.au for more pet care information and details on Blue Plus Vet products and services.
How to Train a Cat : Use Training Accessories to Promoting Good Cat Behavior
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Train Cat Behaviour
How to correct cats unwanted behaviour
Domestic animal must know how to adapt itself to live with you together, from one side, preserving it’s originality, and from the other side – don’t be a burden or source of problems for your home. In order to keep this in balance you need to blockade cat’s bad behaviour. And the best thing you can do with this – is preventive measures.
Scientists emphasize five types of the common problems, which you can meet during you cat upbringing and training.
Cat behavioural problem N 1.
Capricious and aggressive cat, which does everything, it wants.
Sources of such behaviour come out from its childhood, when it didn’t know word: “NO!” or “DON’T!”
What to do with this? You need to take your kitten or adult cat to your hands more often. And never kick it! Because this will not help, only will make cat angrier. If cat shows its claws – stop playing and caressing it, and say: “NO!” or “DON’T!”
You should remember, that cat’s belligerence very often caused by fear.
Sometimes you may meet spitting cats. You may respond to this cat’s bad behaviour the same way – spitting upon it! If this does not help, take sprayer – this method definitely helps.
Sometimes cats behave very aggressive, scratching your carpets, and it seems they are trying to bury something. It can come from feeling that cat lost control upon situation. In this case – you may propose old rug to your cat. Or wrap cat in warm towel. It works, because warmth reduces fear, as well as love and caress.
The second possible cause of such an aggressive behaviour – cat’s territory protection. It happens more often in places, where live more than one animal. In this case – you need to teach patiently your pets to get accustomed to one another. And in no way lock them up. In the worst case scenario – spray them, using the same perfumes.
Cat behavioural problem N 2.
“Silly” cats, that refuse using litter box, drag off things from the table.
In this case – the first thing is – to think about medical issues with your cat. If everything is fine and cat’s health in a good condition, think it over, whether your cat lives well in your house. Maybe cat, doing all of those things, just trying to catch your attention, because cat angry, lonely or unhappy! In this case the first measures it is love and care! Coming home after work – first thing you need to do is caress your cat and communicate with it! And only after that – socialize with the rest of your family!
Also cats don’t like people, who they are afraid of. And because of this – cats do mark in front of those people. In this case, I advise you to hang up the foil, where you wrapped the fish, over the cat’s favourite place, where cat does marks. This method will distract cat’s attention to do the marks on the floor. Or you may try to feed your cat in that place, where cat urinates.
If you can not find out about motives of such behaviour, glue the sticky tape around that “special” territory, or spray with vinegar around it. And you don’t need to poke your cat’s nose into that mess – it doesn’t work every time! Also consider to set up litter box very comfortable for your cat to use.
Cat behavioural problem N 3.
You have a “whining” cat.
Maybe, the first thing you will want to do is to take cat to your hands and caress it! And the second thing, which comes to your mind after few hours listening to the cat’s howling – is to kill your pet! Of course, if it is not the disease, you need to know – cat is whining, because it feels abandoned. What is the solution to this behavioural problem? You need to provide comfortable place for your cat, according its taste. Make such a place well beforehand cat’s “concert”, and if cat starts whining at night anyway – spray cat with water.
Cat behavioural problem N 4.
You have cat – destroyer.
Representatives of this type trying to tear everything that could be found on their way. In this case you must hold your temper and all your patience! Cat will not understand from the very first time that it is not allowed to tear to pieces everything in your house. You need to have special plank for cat to scratch. Any plants, which cat doesn’t like and always pull out you need to keep in a safe place, not reachable for the cat. It is better to make special garden for your pet only. The most elementary “cat’s garden” – is oats in the pot. You may grow wheat or parsley as well.
How to break of cat’s habit to jump on the furniture.
I may propose the easiest way: tables and chairs with trap, made of pile of books, or tin cans, which fall on the cat with the slightest touch to the forbidden furniture. And don’t worry – it will not make any harm to the cat. All cats have brilliant reaction, so cat will be in the other corner of the room even before that tin can touch the cat or the ground! Also you may place deodorant cans in some “hot spots”. All cats are afraid of being sprayed.
Mastication of wires.
It is deadly habit! You must spray wires with vinegar or get them covered with tobacco paste. But first, you need to investigate, what cat’s response is to those smells.
Cat behavioural problem N 5.
You have cat, who is “prima donna”.
Main symptoms – cat eats with you at the same time, but only the best pieces of meal, you have prepared for yourself! And cat allows you to care about it graciously. Saying that, your cat is a snob. What do you need to keep in mind? Most of the cats can change their diet during just a few days, of course, if you think that it is the best and only choice. Cats can even go without food for few days – nothing terrible will happen!
Measures for changing such a behaviour: don’t feed your cat from your plate; you need to camouflage new cat’s food to its favourite food, increasing the dose. You need to harden your heart, because that time cat will be looking at you with beseeching eyes! Feed your cat strictly by appointed hours. You may even ring the hand bell before feeding time and caress your pet as often as possible.
About the Author
Tim is professional and enthusiast in training cats and dogs. To learn more about how to train your cat successfully and correct its behaviour please visit Cats training programms where you will find vital resources and answers for many of your questions.
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