Like all animals, cats can have a bad side.
Scratching, clawing, hissing, and "forgetting" to use kitty litter - these problem behaviors and more can plague an otherwise healthy human-cat relationship.
But why do cats act badly? And what can be done to correct their aggressive behavior before it gets out of control? The first thing to recall is that cats are still wild animals at heart, despite all domestication attempts.
Though they live in a human world, they do not think or act like humans.
You need to remember that you have to act within their world at the same time you want them to act in yours.
To find the sources of cats' behavioral issues, look around them.
Like all organisms they respond to the world around them.
Has their life changed significantly? For example, have you brought another cat in the house? Or perhaps there is a new member of the household living at your home.
Any change, minor or significant, to your cat's usual routine may make him or her act out in response.
You can't necessarily remove this stimulus, but understanding it may help you to reduce its effects on your cat.
Second, there might be an underlying medical issue that could be affecting your cats behavior.
Make sure the vet has given your cat a clean bill of health.
When sick, cats can get aggressive or change their otherwise calm and domesticated behavior.
To change your cat's behavior, you need to reinforce positive behaviors.
Praise, love, and food in exchange for the proper behavior you like, whatever it is, will teach the cat the boundaries of acceptable behavior.
Punishing your cat, however, is a losing proposition.
The cat will not respond to negative reinforcement.
A simple, firm "no" when he or she is acting up can help, but anything further will only damage your cat further.
Finally, consider directing his or her aggression to other targets, like cat toys.
This will allow your cat an outlet for otherwise natural behavior while not interfering with your life and your possessions.
Scratching, clawing, hissing, and "forgetting" to use kitty litter - these problem behaviors and more can plague an otherwise healthy human-cat relationship.
But why do cats act badly? And what can be done to correct their aggressive behavior before it gets out of control? The first thing to recall is that cats are still wild animals at heart, despite all domestication attempts.
Though they live in a human world, they do not think or act like humans.
You need to remember that you have to act within their world at the same time you want them to act in yours.
To find the sources of cats' behavioral issues, look around them.
Like all organisms they respond to the world around them.
Has their life changed significantly? For example, have you brought another cat in the house? Or perhaps there is a new member of the household living at your home.
Any change, minor or significant, to your cat's usual routine may make him or her act out in response.
You can't necessarily remove this stimulus, but understanding it may help you to reduce its effects on your cat.
Second, there might be an underlying medical issue that could be affecting your cats behavior.
Make sure the vet has given your cat a clean bill of health.
When sick, cats can get aggressive or change their otherwise calm and domesticated behavior.
To change your cat's behavior, you need to reinforce positive behaviors.
Praise, love, and food in exchange for the proper behavior you like, whatever it is, will teach the cat the boundaries of acceptable behavior.
Punishing your cat, however, is a losing proposition.
The cat will not respond to negative reinforcement.
A simple, firm "no" when he or she is acting up can help, but anything further will only damage your cat further.
Finally, consider directing his or her aggression to other targets, like cat toys.
This will allow your cat an outlet for otherwise natural behavior while not interfering with your life and your possessions.
SHARE
