Tips for Training Cats -Overcoming Cat Behaviour Problems
It is estimated that 28% of households in the world have a cat, which is a massive 370 million cats worldwide.
Cats can be great pets. They provide companionship and affection. They are relatively low maintenance in that they do not require daily walks. They are also very independent creatures, refusing to do what they are told and being quite wilful. This can be funny and amusing in most cats, but sometimes a cat’s behaviour becomes more problematic.
Let’s look at some examples of problem behaviour in cats and some tips on how to deal with them.
Aggression
Cats can be pretty formidable when they are aggressive. They may seem small and cute, but they have teeth and four paws with sharp claws. They can bite and cause severe lacerations.
Cats can show aggression through their body language before they attack another animal or human. A cat may show they are feeling defensive by behaviour such as –
- Crouching
- Head tucked in
- Tail tucked in
- Hackles up
- Ears flattened sideways
- Eyes wide open and fully or partially dilated
- Spitting or hissing
Offensive Behaviours include -
- A direct stare
- Their tail is stiff or held straight to the ground. Some cats will wag their tail when they are annoyed, unhappy or in pain
- Howling or growling
- Constricted pupils
- Ears upright and backs rotated forwards
They can then become overtly aggressive by displaying behaviours such as –
- Swatting
- Fighting
- Striking with their paws
- Growling
Why do cats become aggressive?
- Aggression can be a sign that your cat has a medical problem or is in pain, so contact your veterinarian if a cat suddenly starts to show signs of aggression.
- Cats may fight to protect their territory from other cats and animals. This may not be as obvious as it seems. A new cat coming into their territory may be obvious, but sometimes a cat will attack a cat who has been there regularly or actually belongs to the same household. This could be due to other changes, for example, one of the cats reaches maturity, resulting in a change of status in the household.
- Maternal aggression may be seen when a female cat has kittens.
- Play induced aggression can occur. A cat may suddenly become annoyed or irritated at being stroked or petted and display aggression.
- They may also show redirected aggression. For example, they are sitting in the window and see another cat enter their garden. They are not able to attack that cat, so they rush in and attack another pet in the household.
- A cat may fight when they are scared or fearful. This can also lead to redirected aggression. They are scared, so they attack another animal or human.
- As cats get older, their aggression levels can rise. This is often due to pain from arthritis, reduced vision and hearing, disease etc.
What to do if a cat becomes aggressive?
Reducing aggression is not simple. There can be complex reasons why a cat becomes aggressive.
- As we just mentioned, if the aggression seems quite sudden and out of character, contact a veterinarian in case the cat is ill or in pain.
- Have they had a change of diet?
- Observe the cat. What are the triggers to the aggression?
- Has something changed recently? A new pet. Another cat in the household reaching sexual maturity? Other cats invading their territory? Another change in the household, such as a new member of the family?
- Is the cat scared of something?
A cat behaviourist can help an owner to look at possible reasons for the aggression and ways to reduce them.
Scratching on Furniture
Whilst not as potential harmful to other animals and humans as an aggression, scratching can be very annoying and costly to a cat’s owner. Cats scratch on furniture either to sharpen their claws and to leave their scent on the furniture. Although it is near impossible to stop a cat from scratching there are ways in which to modify the behaviour –
- Firstly, start early, it is much easier to change a behaviour early on than when the cat is older.
- The best way to stop a cat from scratching the furniture is to get a scratching post. Cats usually scratch soon after waking so the scratching post should be somewhere easily accessible.
- Positive reinforcement is also important when the cat uses the post instead of other furniture. So reward the cat for scratching the post rather than the furniture.
Urine Spraying
This is a natural behaviour in cats used to mark their territory. It is commonly noticed in males which have not been sterilised and in houses with many cats. Some ways in which you can control spraying include:
- De-sexing Toms - this is most effective if done before the cat starts spraying.
- Restrict view of outdoors – move furniture away from windows. When cats see other cats outside their property they are more likely to spray.
- Promote positive relationship between cats - In a house with multiple cats, ensure that each gets equal attention and try to play with them together. Encourage grooming of each other by wiping them with a damp cloth.
- Routine – try to keep to a routine as change often leads to spraying.
- Pet Repellents – use these for particular spots that the cat sprays at frequently. There are many natural ones, such as peppermint and citrus.
- Remove odour after spraying – use specific products to neutralise odours such as those containing lemon grass or white vinegar.
Feeding Cats
Cats are true or obligate carnivores and must eat meat to survive. Cats cannot survive on a vegetarian diet. They are unlike dogs or humans in that they are pretty inflexible in their diet. They require a high protein diet with moderate fats and minimal carbohydrates. They also require over a dozen nutrients including, amino acids, vitamins, minerals and fatty acids. Cats like variety in their diets, so sometimes they will want to change their diet.
Cats that are fed on one type of food only from being a kitten may develop a condition called neophobia; this means they will fear anything new including new tastes and smells.
It is therefore important to ensure that a cat has the correct diet to avoid health and wellbeing problems.
Nutritional diseases can occur from being fed only one type of food, such as tinned fish.
Taurine is an essential amino acid that is vital in the feline diet, and it is exclusively found in animal based protein. Taurine is essential for normal vision, digestion, heart muscle function, immune system, pregnancy and foetal development. The symptoms of a taurine deficiency in cats develop slowly over a period of 5 months to 2 years depending on their life stage.
Deficiency degenerates the retinal cells of the eyes, impairing the vision, and is known as feline central retinal degeneration.
A deficiency in taurine can also cause cardiomyopathy, weakening of the muscle cells in the heart. Taurine deficiencies have also been linked to causing digestive disturbances. Cat feed with good quality animal-based protein will contain adequate taurine levels. Dog food should never be given as it does not contain enough taurine. Food allergic dermatitis also occurs in cats and can be checked with elimination diets or veterinary assistance. Cats should not be given cooked chicken bones.
‘Wet’ or ‘canned’ food is made up of 70 to 80% moisture and is a good option to feed cats that don’t drink much water. If a cat drinks plenty of fresh water than it may not necessarily need to have wet or canned food in its diet, however many cats are fussy and prefer the palatable taste and texture of a wet food.
Dry kibble can help clean teeth as a cat chews. Raw chicken necks (one per week) can help maintain healthy gums and teeth.
If an owner is not sure if a cat’s diet is satisfactory, they should seek advice from a veterinarian or animal nutrition expert.
If you are interested in working with cats, training cats or dealing with problem behaviours, why not have a look at our cat psychology and training courses?
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