Pet Articles

Cats can purr proudly and be contented as the most well known pet in the country whether you've heard it or not. Cats have surpassed dogs as favorites as many people liked their special personalities and their ability to care for themselves. However, many cat owners and non cat owners are worried about cat behavior problems.

Any cat lover can tell you that cats are willful, excitable and strong. They retain their predatory instincts and can succumb to them with little notice. Understanding these instinctive behaviors and making adjustments for them can help minimize the chance of receiving a dangerous and painful cat scratch or bite.

Many cat behavior problems are only problems to the owners but just doing what comes naturally to the cat. When kittens play, you will see aggression, biting, clawing and wrestling that prepares them for hunting and killing food. Since few of our domestic cats have to forage for food, this behavior is undesirable when the cat is grown and needs to be controlled.

Play fighting between humans and kittens can be made safer as it is easy to teach kittens to pull in their claws and be gentler while playing. Alternative ways to express this instinct and energy should be tried and it's always good to start young. There are many ways to exercise the cat but one good exercise to cease any harm to any living creature would be catnip filled toys and fake mice which encourage the "attack and kill. Also; in stead of real birds, flyer toys that have feathers can be used.

One of the most disturbing domestic cat behavior problems is spraying. "Spraying", a quite natural act, is when a cat sprays urine and the excretions of the scent glands on the borders of its territory to prove its dominance. Unfortunately, its territory can be the walls and furniture in your home. Spraying can be controlled with repellent sprays, behavioral training and neutering the cat.

Cats that urinate outside the litter box may not be spraying in the usual sense. This cat behavior might be caused by health problems. While cats may wet rugs or bedding because they are experience stress or are upset, this behavior could indicate they have some type of urinary tract issue, possibly diabetes, or some other medical problem. It may just mean the cat feels the litter box is simply not clean enough for its finicky self, so look carefully at that possibility. If, however, a cat begins to have "accidents," get them checked by a vet as soon as possible.