Aug 02 2008
Cat Behaviors – What To Worry About
Cats can be interesting companions. Most of the time they can be great to have around, but there are some cat behaviors that can aggravate even the most patient owner.
Avoiding The Litter Box
When a cat or kitten reverts back to urinating or defecating in places other than where it has been trained to go, something is wrong. First, be sure you are cleaning out the litter box often enough so it stays pleasant for the cat. No one likes a dirty toilet! This may solve the problem. If not, take your cat for a checkup. Some physical problem might be making it hard for your cat to make it to the box in time. After having your cat checked by a veterinarian for physical causes to this cat behavior, there are other ways to help your cat back to toileting where it should.
OCD In Cats? You’re Kidding, Right?
Some cats develop behaviors that are obsessive compulsive, like tail chewing, excessive licking, wool-sucking, or fur-pulling. There are often physical causes for these compulsions, so having your cat checked by its vet is a smart first choice. Typical physical causes could be something as minor as fleas or as major as neuropathy.
What Are You – A Scaredy Cat?
Some cats have an excessive fear or inhibition around people. This doesn’t have to be the way it is – if you have the patience and love to help it grow out of the shyness. It is best not to rush the process, as that can result in a cat behavior that is aggressive and bites or scratches.
Most kittens are socialized as they grow up, by being held by many different people who smell different and act different. If your kitten didn’t get this benefit, it may grow into a withdrawn and fearful adult cat. Give it time to come out, then reward “showing up” with a food treat it likes. You can coax it out with a trail of food leading to its bowl, moving the bowl a bit each day. Talk softly to it, letting it warm up gradually. While your cat may never be fully socialized and welcome contact with others, it can still be a nice family pet.
Stressed And Anxious Cats
Some cats feel a lot of stress and anxiety. This stress can contribute to other cat behavior problems, like depression or litter box avoidance. If these symptoms (of stress and anxiety) appear suddenly, first check the cat’s heath with the vet. If the health of the cat is good, it is time to think about what things in the cat’s environment could be contributing to the stress level.
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This is a great article. I totally agree that any abnormal behavior should be checked out by the vet first – it’s often physical reasons that cause a cat to behave out of character.
Just to add to the reasons why a cat may suddenly decide to stop using his litter box. Sometimes if something changes he may stop using his box – for example if the box itself has been changed to a different type (some cats don’t like open boxes, some don’t like closed boxes). Or the owner may have changed the location of the box to a new area that the cat doesn’t like. Another common reason is the cat doesn’t like the actual litter – it may be too smelly (if it’s deodorized for example) or may have hard, jagged lumps in it that hurt the cat’s paws. If the cat not using his box coincided with any changes made to the box, litter or location, changing things back to how they were can sometimes solve the problem.