6 Common Cat Behavior Issues in Limerick, PA and How to Help Your Pet
If you are a cat owner, chances are good you’ve seen some unpleasant behavior from your cat at least once during your time with your pet. However, did you know that many common cat behavioral issues have underlying causes that can be managed or treated?
In this article, we’ll show you six of the most common behavioral problems cats experience and give you more information about each one. You may find some useful knowledge here that can help you figure out just what’s going on with your cat and how you can help him, too.
1. Aggression Toward Humans
If your cat is aggressive toward humans, there is likely a cause, although it can seem impossible to figure out what it might be. Some cats become aggressive toward humans just after giving birth to a litter of kittens, while others may become aggressive if they are in pain.
Cats may also become aggressive if they are petted too hard or too much; if they become angry at another animal or have just been hunting prey; if a new cat is brought home; or if they have recently reached sexual maturity. There may be other causes for aggression in cats, and it’s important to work with your veterinarian to figure them out.
2. Litter Box Troubles
Cats may sometimes urinate or defecate outside their litter boxes. If this is an infrequent behavior, it’s probably related to a behavioral issue; however, if it happens all the time or nearly always, it may be a sign that your cat is sick and needs vet attention.
You can usually cut down on this behavior by cleaning the litter box more often, giving your cat a big enough litter box, and keeping litter at an acceptable depth for your cat. You may also need to try different litter, add a new litter box or a different location. Keep litter boxes away from noisy areas such as by the furnace or washing machine.
3. Scratching Furniture
Scratching is perfectly normal behavior for cats, and they often don’t realize what they should and shouldn’t scratch. If your cat scratches your furniture, it’s up to you to provide other options rather than simply yelling at your cat to stop.
Give your cat lots of different scratching posts and other toys with different textures and consider putting some catnip in each one to encourage more scratching. Keep your cat’s nails trimmed to a healthy length and consider covering popular scratching spots with double-sided sticky tape until your cat learns not to scratch them.
4. Urine Marking
Male cats are more likely to participate in urine marking behaviors than females, although there is a chance for females to do the same. Both neutered and intact male cats can and do “spray” to mark their territory. This is part of the normal territorial behavior of cats, but it can be frustrating to cat owners.
Having your cat spayed or neutered can help in most cases. You should also make sure to provide enough litter boxes and keep them clean enough for your cats to want to use them.
5. Noisy Meowing
Cats often meow at some points, especially when they want to be fed or want some attention. Most cats quiet down after a short time, but some may develop a noisy meowing or yowling issue which can cause trouble for their families.
If your cat is meowing for food or attention, ignore him until he is quiet, and then give him what he wants after he’s settled down. If your noisy cat is an intact female, you should consider having her spayed, because she is probably yowling when she’s in heat. And if your cat has suddenly started meowing for no discernable reason, take your pet to the veterinarian.
6. Fear and Hiding
Fear, like aggression, is caused by factors you may or may not be able to easily pinpoint in your cat’s life. For example, if you have recently moved to a new home or have brought home a new baby in the family, these are clear contributors to fear in cats.
On the other hand, your cat may be fearful and hiding for reasons you can’t tell, such as pain. Pain is the most common cause of hiding behaviors in cats that are otherwise sociable, so if your cat is showing these signs, you should go to the vet right away.
Cat Behaviors are Not One Size Fits All
There are many potential behavioral issues you might encounter with your cat, but this list includes the most common ones. Of course, as with any concerning behaviors in your pet, you should always take your cat to the vet at Limerick Veterinary Hospital as soon as you notice an issue, especially if you’re unsure of the cause. Book an appointment online or call (610) 489-2848!
Working with your vet, you may be able to get to the root of most behavioral problems in your cat. You will potentially even be able to figure out a solution that works for everyone.