Kitten-Pictures.com » Cat Behavior

Cat Furniture Scratching: How to Stop Your Cat From Scratching Your Furniture

admin — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 04:28:28 +0000

Have you ever been the victim of cat furniture scratching? Ahhh, you love those little furballs, and yet, they can really destroy your stuff. What do you do? Here is a little article I found that addresses this very issue. I hope it is helpful!

How to Stop Your Cat From Scratching Your Furniture

By L. Zackarian

Cats are wonderful pets. They are more independent than dogs yet also very affectionate and loyal. Cats are very smart animals but despite their intelligence they can still demonstrate unwanted cat behavior. Cats have a natural instinct to scratch and claw anything they find that suits their needs. Unfortunately, you cannot stop a cat from scratching furniture because it is a natural behavior for them. Cats scratch for a variety of reasons including marking their territory, hygiene purposes, and it provides good exercise for them. Instead of just accepting the fact that your cat will scratch your furniture, there are things you can do to redirect this unwanted behavior.

Unlike popular myth, cats can be trained to do almost anything that they are able to do. One important factor that is a must for success is a patient owner. Cats are not as dependent as dogs are and therefore they are more content by themselves. But don't let their independence fool you. They still require love, affection, and quality time with you, they just tend to dictate to you when the attention is wanted and when it is not. When your cat is in the mood for affection from you, it is the perfect time to train them. If your cat behavior problem is scratching the furniture or other valuables, then you must work on how to stop the cat from scratching the furniture. A great way I have learned to prevent this behavior is to provide your cat with its own furniture. Cats are territorial and will quickly bond with a scratching post or cat tree. Catnip is often used to attract the cat to the cat tree, and before you know it, the cat will begin scratching its own furniture. I find it useful to provide my cats with several cat trees throughout my home and providing them a window seat will soon become a favorite place to sit, scratch and play. Your cat needs to be taught that scratching up your furniture is not acceptable so when it occurs make sure you redirect the behavior with a firm "NO!" and then bring them to their furniture. Always praise your cat when it scratches its own possessions to positively reinforce the good behavior. Offer a reward to your cat to further reinforce the positive behavior. Cat treats are a great way to reward your cat while in training. Before too long it is possible to stop your cat from scratching your furniture.

Remember to always be consistent when training a cat. Even if it is inconvenient for you to stop whatever you are doing to redirect the behavior problem, you must stay consistent and make the extra effort to bring the cat back to its cat tree or scratching post and praise the cat for scratching the appropriate things. Your cat will soon learn what is acceptable to scratch and what is not and most of the time you will achieve success in a relatively short time. There are some cats that are more persistent with bad behavior and the trick is to know exactly how to stop the unwanted behavior, and the earlier the better. I used an e-book to help correct some of the more persistent unwanted behaviors that I just couldn't seem to fix myself and I highly recommend it to anyone who is having an issue with a cat behavior problem. This book was very helpful to me to stop my cat from scratching the furniture.

I would love for you to visit my blog at http://pet-products-reviews.blogspot.com for a link to my personally recommended cat behavior problem book and other helpful cat information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=L._Zackarian

Related Blogs

Tags: Cat Behavior

Stress in Cats – These Odd Behaviors Indicate That Your Cat is Stressed Out

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:44:30 +0000

I found this really good article about Stress in Cats that talks about the telltale signs of when your cat is under stress. I think you find the information useful.

Stress in Cats – These Odd Behaviors Indicate That Your Cat is Stressed Out

Believe it or not, stress in cats is very common. In fact, cats are prone to anxiety. Stress can have some harmful effects on the well-being of your cat so it is important to recognize the signs, and if possible reduce the amount of stressors. Stress in cats can be triggered by what we might consider very minor things, but these issues represent changes to a cat's habits and lifestyle and are therefore a cause of stress.

3 Behaviors Indicating Stress in Cats:

Excessive Grooming: Cats normally tend to groom themselves rather frequently but if you find that your cat seems to be doing so more often than usual, it is a sign that your cat is stressed. The opposite can also be true if a well groomed cat suddenly seems to care less about their appearance; it is a sign that something about their environment is making them unhappy.

Vocalizing: If your cat is normally very quiet and now seems to be constantly crying or vocalizing it is their way of saying that there is something disruptive in their environment, and they are feeling stress. In cats, stress can be relayed by hiding, or acting abnormally shy and fearful as well.

Not Using the Litter box: While there may be medical reasons for why your cat no longer uses the litter box, it could also be due to stress. If your cat has suddenly stopped using the litter box it is a good idea to have them looked over by a vet.

Reasons for Stress in Cats

A New Addition: While this could be anything from a new cat, to a new partner, to a new baby, what it really means a huge disruption of your cat's routine. Introducing anything new to their environment is a cause of stress in cats, especially if the change happens quickly. It is important to realize that any changes to your routine also mean a change for your cat's routine.

Someone Leaving: Just like adding someone to the family, someone leaving the family can be stressful to your cat. This is especially true if the person leaving is someone that was one of the primary caregivers for the cat or someone that the cat spent a lot of time with.

Something Changed: A change could be offering a different type of food or litter, or even the placement of the food bowls or the litter box. Once again this is all about changes to a cat's routine and taking them out of their comfort zone. Make changes slowly whenever possible; to give your cat time to adjust.

Cat Obedience Training Secrets

When you think your cat is stressed it is important to spend more time with them and let them know that they are still loved. Always be patient with them and do not get angry if they are a bit grumpy with you.

Stress in cats can affect their overall health and well being, so try to lessen the impact of life's changes, and take things slowly. You can download more free tips about using natural remedies to help you and your cat at http://Cat-Bladder-Problems.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kate_Rieger

Tags: Cat Behavior

Kitten Bites: You Might Get Nipped, But Don't Take it Personally!

admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 20:50:07 +0000

Sometimes playing with a kitten does end up in scratches or bites, if things have been getting a little rough. You shouldn't think that this means that your kitten doesn't like you – far from it! It is often just caused by the kitten getting overexcited playing with you and, being still young, has bitten you by mistake.

If you are finding that your kitten bites a lot, you may wish to try a technique that reduces this. If you usually wrestle a kitten with your bare hands, you may wish to employ a different tactic and wrestle your kitten with a soft toy instead. This will provide an equal amount of fun for your kitten and you will save yourself lots of bites. Alternatively, you can just say "NO" very loudly and clap your hands when you feel play with your kitten is getting too rough. Doing this regularly will ensure that the kitten understands that biting is bad and, over time, their behavior will change.

Another strategy to avoid kitten bites is to buy your kitten toys that will keep him or her amused. This way they will be less likely to bite you, but also less likely to play with you as they have a toy now. You will have to weigh up the cost of your kitten not playing with you as much, against the benefit of it not biting you as much. Getting another kitten is also another option, as your kittens will practice their predatory behavior on each other, not you, so they are less inclined to scratch or bite you. This also has the massive advantage of you having two beautiful kittens for your friends!

As a last resort, you can spray your kitten with water, but this is a very harsh punishment for a little kitten and the other methods above should suffice.

Tags: Cat Behavior

Kitten Peeing: How to Stop Your Cat From Peeing on the Floor

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 05:15:59 +0000

One of the most violating action any animal can do in my home is urinate/pee on the floor/furniture – that's at least how I feel about it. And I do know of others who feel the same way too. As I was surfing around today, I found pretty good little article about the topic that I hope you will benefit from.

How to Stop Your Cat From Peeing on the Floor By L. Zackarian

Even though cats are very independent, they still require instruction and guidance from their owner. Cats have natural instincts that cause them to act and behave the way they do, but there is a big difference between instinctual behavior and bad behavior. Learn how to train your cat the right way, and you just might avoid having to deal with unpleasant behavior problems. If your cat is peeing on the floor, this needs to be addressed right away.

Cats are very intelligent animals and believe it or not, they do respond to training. It does require patience and determination on the owners part, but the end results are worth the effort. The most important thing to remember is that the sooner you start to correct unwanted behavior, the sooner your cat will respond. Bad cat behavior that is allowed to persist for a length of time will ultimately take longer to correct. This is especially true if the problem you are having is with a cat who is peeing on the floor. If the odor of urine is not eliminated from the floor or carpet, the cat will likely do it again just because the odor is there. If this behavior persists for an extended period of time, the scent will be almost impossible to remove from the floor and the behavior problem will continue.

The first thing you need to do if your cat is peeing on the floor is to find out why. This is especially true if you have had your cat for a while and this behavior is a new development. Kittens may have "accidents" while learning to use a litterbox but if a cat who normally uses a litterbox suddenly starts going to the bathroom on the floor needs to be investigated. It could be that you changed brands of cat litter and your cat does not like it. Some cats will not like a different litter as it may smell different or be of different texture and this is their way of telling you.

This can be avoided by sticking with the same cat litter all the time. However, your cat could also be sick and this should be looked into first and foremost. Cats can develop urinary tract infections which can make the cat very ill if not corrected promptly so always give a call to your vet if your cat starts having accidents on the floor or acts in anyway that is not normal for your cat. Your vet will probably want to examine the cat to determine if it is sick. Urinary tract infections can usually be treated and cured with the proper medicine.

Once any illness is ruled out by a vet, then it is a process of elimination (no pun intended) to determine what else would be causing this behavior. Did you recently change cat litter brands? Did you move the litterbox to a different location? Did you buy a new litterbox and perhaps your cat prefers the old one? Take a look around, and if anything is new or different, it may be the cause. Try keep the cat's environment constant, they sometimes disagree with changes you might have made and peeing on the floor could be their way of telling you so. Another possible cause could be a dirty litterbox. Cats will not use a litterbox if it is not cleaned on a regular basis. I clean out my cat's box on a daily basis. This keeps my cats happy and also prevents unwanted odors in the home.

If your cat has been peeing on the floor, it is critical that you eliminate the odor on the floor completely. Otherwise, the cat will continue to urinate there. You need to remove the cat urine odor immediately. Once you have solved the cause and removed the odor, you and your cat can resume living together in happiness.

There is a fantastic recipe available to make your own cat urine odor eliminator at home with ingredients you probably already have, and also some great books available that address all kinds of cat behavior problems. I would love for you to visit my blog at http://pet-products-reviews.blogspot.com for more information and recommendations.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=L._Zackarian

For those of you frustrated with your cat urinating in the house, here is a great little information product that you might want to consider. It's called 'Peeaway'.

Tags: Cat Behavior

Cat Sucking: Why Do Some Cats Suck?

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 17:14:30 +0000

Have you ever found your kitten or cat sucking on sucking your skin or even other objects? This cat sucking is also known as wool sucking. I found an interesting article about this very phenomena that might interest you – enjoy!

No, I'm not expressing a dislike for certain breeds of cat. Some cats, and you may have noticed this in your own pet kitty, like to suck on fabrics and even human flesh, such as an ear lobe. This seemingly bizarre behavior is quite commonplace, is known as 'wool-sucking' and is the feline equivalent of thumb sucking.

What is Wool Sucking?

Although it is called wool sucking, modern cats are happy to suck on any fabrics, whether they are synthetic or natural makes no difference, the cat is simply looking for anything that reminds him, or her, of Mother. The most common reason for a cat to suck is that it was weaned too early. Now, this may seem a little Freudian, but it's true. Typically, a cat relies on its mother's milk for the first six weeks of life. However, kittens continue to suckle for a further six to ten weeks. If a cat is removed from its mother before this time, or is orphaned, he, or she, can continue to search for a surrogate for many years. In fact, some cats spend their entire lives looking for a mother figure and continue to suck and chew on fabrics even in old age.

Breeds That are More Susceptible

There are some breeds of cat that are more prone to wool-sucking behavior. In fact, Asian breeds, for example Siamese and Burmese, can develop sucking behavior even when they have been weaned correctly. As yet, nobody has unearthed a reason for this, which suggests that some cats are genetically predisposed to wool sucking regardless of the way that they were reared.

Obsessive Compulsive Behavior

For the vast majority of cats that suck, it is a perfectly harmless, reassuring and calming behavior. However, in some cases, wool sucking can be a habit that escalates into obsessive compulsive chewing and sucking. Of course, when a cat's chewing habits extend to show laces, plastic bags and similar items, it can result in life-threatening damage to the intestinal tract. Therefore, if your cat is a sucker, it is wise to keep an eye on his, or her, habits to ensure that they are not developing into something more serious. If you're worried about your cat's wool sucking or any items that he, or she, may have chewed, it is a good idea to seek the immediate assistance of a veterinarian.

How to Stop Your Cat's Sucking Habits

If your cat is displaying worrying signs of obsessive sucking, there are some steps that you may like to consider. For example, it is advisable to restrict your cat's access to closets, bedroom and bathrooms, so he, or she, does not have ready access to an endless supply of blankets and towels. Additionally, it is a good idea to distract your cat with new toys or interactive playtime. With any luck, this will prevent him, or her, from finding other household objects to suck.

Alternatively, you may choose to provide an alternative surrogate, which is akin to a child's pacifier and comes in the shape of a cat with four latex teats. This allows your pet to satisfy its sucking desires safely, without any damage to your furniture or fabrics. Owners should be aware that this may not provide a long-term solution however, as a cat may become bored with the product and look for other items.

If your cat is a wool-sucker, there is generally nothing to worry about. However, I would always recommend that owners keep a close eye on their sucking cats to ensure that the habit does not become severe and that they are only sucking and chewing on objects that are harmless.

Samantha Markham is a professional writer based in the UK. She is very proud to work on behalf of Remmeer.com, an online supplier of high quality and unique pet products, including cat & cat lover gifts and cat memorial stones.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Samantha_Markham

I have personally never witnessed this with any of my cats – have any of you?

Tags: Cat Behavior

Cat Spray Urine?: How To Deal With It Without Losing Your Mind

admin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 23:49:32 +0000

Hello. I was surfing on the net today and found a great article that has to do with a really horrible topic – cat spray urine. Why does a cat spray its urine? Is he trying to annoy you? Is he trying to get thrown out on his furry ear? Is he trying to impress his friends? Why. This article attempts to deal with this topic and I hope you find it helpful.

Understanding Cat Behavior – Why Do Cats Spray Urine?

By Joan One

Perhaps the one thing that puts off most cat owners is their pets' annoying and frustrating tendency to spray urine all over the home. This is intolerable to say the least, judging from the constant smell of urine in your house. However, it is important for cat owners to understand why their cat sprays urine, which will help them avoid taking drastic action such as taking them to a shelter and leaving them there. It is important to realize that there normally is a reason for most of the behavioral problems that you pet cat exhibits. As such, once you understand why your cat acts the way it does by spraying urine, you will be better placed in finding a solution to this problem.

The reason why cats spray urine is basically primal and much in keeping with what nature intended. This is a normal and typical way for most animals to mark their territories, or even attract members of the opposite sex. For instance, when a female cat is in heat, they tend to spray urine in order to inform the male cats that they are available for mating. On the other hand, neutered cats tend to spray urine because of competition or territorial disputes amongst many cats living in the same home, or in the event that you move to a new home with your cat. Moreover, cats also tend to spray urine when a new cat or a new baby arrives, or in situations where the cat does not feel safe and secure. In such cases of insecurity, the cat will spray urine just so as to ensure that their territory is well reinforced. There are some things you can do to stop your cat from spraying urine:

o One way that you can stop your cat from spraying urine is by having it neutered. This is because urine spraying is in most cases induced by hormonal activity. However, you may have to wait up to two months to see the behavior cease completely as it does not stop immediately.

o Ensure that you thoroughly clean urine spots using special cleaners and products that will help to neutralize the odor of urine. These may be purchased from your local pet store, or you may use your own home made remedy of vinegar and water. However, do not use any products that contain ammonia as these could stimulate the cat to spray even more – remember that urine contains ammonia. Instead, you may spray feline facial pheromones in such areas, which help in calming down your cat.

o If someone new has moved into your home, have them feed or play with your cat and establish a bond such that the cat does not feel threatened and spray urine.

o For multi-cat homes, ensure that each cat has its own litter box, as well as an extra one for the house. Always make sure that the litter boxes are kept clean, and be sure to isolate the cats that are in conflict or the ones which spray urine.

o Start up games and engage your cat in play at the specific areas where it sprays urine. If they only spray in one room, prevent it from further accessing that particular room. However, if they spray in multiple places and you cannot prevent access, move their feeding bowls and litter boxes to that area – remember that most cats will not urinate where they eat.

o Never punish your cat for spraying urine as they will feel even more insecure and therefore spray even more. If this behavior persists even after applying the above tips, you should consult your vet for advice on what else you can do. In a situation where all these behavior modification techniques do not work, a vet may prescribe anti-anxiety medications for your pet cat.

Joan One is a freelance journalist and creative writer who immensely enjoys writing and researching into any topic under the Sun.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joan_One

So, if you are dealing with this problem, hopefully you have found a little bit more help

Tags: Cat Behavior

Excessive Meowing: 5 Reasons Why Cats Meow Too Much, And What To Do

admin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 14:15:53 +0000

I stumbled upon a great little article this morning that I wanted to share with you. It has to do with that problem that some cats have with excessive meowing. Without understanding the underlying causes, it may be pretty hard to correct.

5 Reasons Cats Meow Too Much

By Jeanne Gibson

Before you do anything about your cat's excessive meowing, you need to figure out the reason behind this problem behavior, one that can become serious, if no steps are taken to curb it. Here are 5 of the most common reasons cats meow too much:

1. Your cat may be ill and meow to let you know he or she needs help.

If your fairly quiet cat suddenly starts meowing excessively, it is time to check it out for a physical problem. Look the cat over thoroughly, checking for scratches, tender spots, a tendency to favor one or more paws when walking, reluctance to walk at all, listlessness, discharge from eyes, ears, or nose, etc.

Any one of these cat behavior problems may merit a prompt visit to a veterinarian to make sure needed treatment is started as soon as possible. Solving the cat's health problem usually also solves the problem meowing behavior, too.

2. Most cats meow when they want you to do something for them.

And most cat owners recognize this type of meow. It is usually loud and insistent and can mean, "I want food and water," "My litter box is full," "I want to go outside," or "I want to come inside." When you fulfill the "command," whatever it is, the meowing usually ends—at least until they want you to do something else for them.

3. A cat may meow to alert their owners that something is amiss.

Not all cats pay attention to anything beyond the 4 walls of the house they live in, but some act almost like "watchdogs" for their owners. As soon as a neighborhood cat, dog, raccoon, or other intruder (even a two-legged one) comes anywhere near the house, "Watchdog" cats begin to meow.

Some even growl. Unfortunately, they seldom stop until the intruder leaves the premises so you might as well leave that comfy easy chair and venture outside to take care of the problem if you want any peace and quiet for the rest of the evening. Intruder gone-cat behavior problem of excessive meowing solved.

4. Some breeds of cats are noted for meowing more than others.

If you have a Siamese cat (as I did at one time) you are probably in for being treated to more meowing than with most other breeds, but you still need to check for causes that may indicate trouble. Siamese cats are noted for not only the frequency of their meowing, but also for the loudness, so if excessive meowing is a problem for you, try for a breed that is not noted for being so vocal.

5. Cats are basically social and meow when they just want attention.

Most of us become cat owners in the first place because cats are so appealing. They are cuddly creatures who love to be held and petted, and are great company. All these things are true, but there is one problem. Most cats want to cuddle, to be held and petted, and to share their company with you on their schedule, not yours. And, if you happen to be busy when they decide it is time for some of this attention from you, their response is to meow until it is forthcoming.

If this happens too frequently at your house, and you feel your cat is already receiving sufficient attention, try short periods of banishment from your presence. Put the cat in another room or even in the garage for a short time as soon as the meowing begins, and it won't be long before your cat learns there are certain times he or she needs to be a quieter companion in order to remain in close proximity to you.

Those are five of the most common reasons cats meow too much, and you could probably add a few more from observing your own cat's behavior. Since there are so many causes for excessive meowing in cats, it seems that no one solution to the problem will apply to all. Each of us needs to determine what is behind the excessive meowing of our own particular cat, and then decide where to go from there.

Jeanne Gibson is a math and English teacher who lives in Springfield, Oregon with her husband and an 8-year-old cat named Snoopy. For more Solutions to Cat Behavior Problems, check out her Squidoo lens, http://www.squidoo.com/findingsolutionstocatbehaviorproblems.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeanne_Gibson

Just like with any cat behavioral 'issue', the key is to take the time to understand the underlying cause(s) and then take positive, methodical steps to try and correct the situation. Try to acquire a lot of patience and even a set of ear plugs for the short term .

Tags: Cat Behavior

The Catnip Buzz (for your Cat)!

admin — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 11:49:11 +0000

Awww, Man, Doggie Slobber

From: d21c.com

Cats sleep a lot, have you noticed it? It's a natural part of being a cat, I'm convinced, because it's a seemingly universal trait. And really, cats kind of move at their own pace, don't they? However, should you give your sedate kitty a deep whiff of catnip, the party will come alive. Suddenly this sedate, dormant feline will 'wake up' and frolic and be as frisky as a kitten again.

Then…

Two to fifteen minutes pass by and your cat comes back down from the moon and returns to the same sedate cat you've come to love – the effects of the catnip totally gone.

So yes, the catnip can have an effect, but why do cats react to it that way?

Did you know that not all cats react to catnip? It's true. About one third to half of all domestic cats are totally unaffected. In fact, the classic catnip 'fever' is inherited – a kitten with one parent who reacts and one that doesn't has a 50 percent chance (one out of two) of reacting themselves. Cats that have both parents that react have a 75 percent chance (three out of four) to react to it themselves. Also, kittens younger than four months usually do not react to catnip – but do that really need it anyway And catnip has a lessened effect on older cats.

So what is the magic ingredient of catnip that drives the kitties wild? It's a oil called napetalactone. However, researchers still don't know why it causes cats to go nuts.

Did you know that even big cats – lions, leopards, cheetahs, pumas can also catch the catnip buzz. Interestingly enough, tigers seem to be immuned.

The catnip buzz seems to come more from topical exposure rather than from ingesting it. If you watch, most cats with catnip will sniff at it, rub up against it. Those that eat it can experience the opposite effect, which is act as a sedative instead as a stimulant.

So can this catnip high be dangerous for you feline friend? Catnip is chemically related to cannibis and effects typically last no more than 15 minutes. In fact, after about 15 minutes, most cats loose interest altogether. Interestingly, most cats will not react again for a minimum of an hour. Also, studies have shown that cats do no become dependant on the substance.

Not all cats react the same way to catnip. Typically, the response is increase friskiness and playfulness, but there are some cats that actually become more aggressive with its use.

So, in summary, catnip seems to be a safe, recreational drug for your kitty-cat.

Cat Health
Cat Health

Tags: Articles, Cat - Yellow, Cat Behavior, Cat Health, Kitten Pictures - Friendship, Kitten Pictures - with Animals

Kitten Behavior Development

admin — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 12:55:48 +0000

Kitten Behavior Development

from: happyday.dk

A truly balanced well-balanced and well-adjusted cat is one that has been properly socialized.

A fearful attitude toward people is often transmitted from Momma cat to Baby kitten. If Momma is fearful and distrustful of people, then she passes that predisposition right on to her babies.

It is imperative, along with feeding a kitten, to bond with him/her by petting, talking, playing with your kitten. This cannot be overstated. You are attempting to overcome the genetically predisposed programming of fear of humans.

Although there is a great temptation to wean your kittens as quickly as possible, the natural process is typically about six to seven weeks. Do not rush this. In addition, kittens love to suckle with momma, even after they have been weaned – this is primarily for comfort.

It is also important for kittens to stay with their littermates, or other role-model cats for about 12 weeks. It makes sense that your kitten needs this interaction to learn how to act like a kitten/cat. Kitten play is important because it increases coordination and the important social skill of learning limits.

When possible, a kitten should be held between 15 and 40 minutes per day, especially during its first seven weeks. During this first 7 week period, they are very receptive to stimulus and input so lots of positive interaction is to their (and yours) ultimate benefit.

Cat Behavior
Cat Behavior

Tags: Articles, Cat Behavior, Cat Health, Funny Cat, Kitten Pictures - Action, Kitten Pictures - with Humans