Cat Behavior Training

How To Stop Cats Peeing And Pooping On The Carpet

CatBehaviorTraining — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:57:18 +0000

Recently, one of my readers, Shannon, asked me what to do with her cat, 7 year old spayed female which started peeing AND pooping on her kitchen rug. There are five other cats in the household, which seem to get along well. There are 5 litter boxes which she cleans regularly. The cat in question never had a litter box problem before. As urine spraying and house soiling is a very common problem in multi-cat households, I thought an article on this topic may be of interest to other cat owners as well. Cats can start spraying (or house soiling) at any time during their life whether they are male, female, entire or neutered and in multi-cat households the chance that one or more of the resident cats will display this behavior during their life is much higher than in a single-cat household. Pinpointing The Cause Inappropriate elimination (urination, spraying, defecation) is a common problem which can have a behavioral cause but in some cases it can be a result of an underlying medical problem. In Shannon’s case, as the cat is urinating as well as defecating in a certain location, I would suspect a stress factor coming into play here rather than a sexually/territorially driven marking behavior or a medical issue. So the question is, what has caused the cat being stressed out, what exactly was it that triggered this behavior. Is there anything that has changed in your household short before your cat started to soil your kitchen rug? It’s not always that obvious and may require some hard thinking on your part. New cat, baby, new person moving in, reorganizing and/or renovating house, moving furniture, companion cat acting differently (for example kitten growing up and trying to establish its position among the cat community), bully cat in the neighborhood… these are just a few of many possible reasons why a cat can get distressed, feel insecure, and start soiling the house. Of course, it would be ideal to determine the reason of house soiling and remove the cause… But this is often not possible so in that case I would proceed with the ‘symptomatic treatment’. Tackling The Problem If the cat is soiling only in one location, the easiest solution is to either prevent her from entering the place or make the place totally unattractive for her. 1. In this case, the cat is peeing and pooping in the kitchen – depending on the layout of the house, it may be quite hard to keep the cat out. So, rather than replacing the rug with a new one (what Shannon has done but it didn’t solve the problem), I would get rid of the rug altogether. Cats prefer soft surfaces to deposit their excrements; they will be much less attracted to smooth and hard surfaces such as tiles and laminated floors (in fact, most cats must be quite desperate to eliminate on hard surface). 2. In addition, I would advise you to get one of these pheromone based [...]

How To Stop Cats Peeing And Pooping On The Carpet is a post from: Cat Behavior Training blog where you can find useful information on cat behavior, cat behavior problems and tips on how to train a cat to be a purrfect loving pet.

Cat In Heat Behavior And Tell-Tale Signs

CatBehaviorTraining — Sun, 06 May 2012 15:52:06 +0000

Entire female cat (= not spayed female, also referred to as ‘queen’) can display marked behavioral changes when coming in heat (= estrus phase of the reproductive cycle). Heat will occur when the female enters the puberty, usually between 6 and 12 months of age but it can vary with each breed. About Feline Heat (Estrus) Cycle Cats don’t have ‘seasons’ like dogs (usually once or twice a year), they are ‘polyestrus’ thus can come in heat multiple times a year. They are also seasonal breeders; sexual activity is in general low during the winter and summer but increases during spring and early autumn, when they come in heat multiple times; some cats can cycle as often as 3 weeks during this period so it almost looks like they are constantly in heat . Heat, or estrus, is a period of reproductive cycle when the cat is sexually receptive and attractive to tom cats. If not mated, the duration of estrus is in average about a week, with a range between two days for up to two weeks or more. When mated during the estrus, ovulation takes place and if eggs are successfully fertilized, queen will enter the pregnancy phase. When mated during the estrus but fertilization of eggs fails, pseudo-pregnancy (also referred to as false pregnancy or phantom pregnancy) can occur. While quite common in dogs, false pregnancy in cats is actually quite rare, it usually lasts for about 35 to 40 days and the cat will show the signs of a pregnancy without actually being pregnant. If not mated, an average estrus will last about 7 to 10 days, then subsides – this is the inter-estrus period – and the next heat will occur in about 2 to 3 weeks. Tell-tale Signs And Behavior of a Cat in Heat Queen in heat will show mainly behavioral changes, while external signs of heat seen in dogs such as discharge from vulva and swollen vulva, are not so evident in cats. 1. Affection and over-friendliness Queen in heat usually becomes very affectionate towards people and other cats; she’ll be rubbing up against legs or anything they can find, roll around the floor… 2. Lordosis Posture When petted and stroked around the neck and back end, she will assume mating position (also called lordosis posture). She will bent her back in ’U’ shape, raise her hindquarters up into the air, standing on her toes with back legs crouched, and the tail held firmly to the side exposing the genitals. While in this posture, she will be rhythmically treading with her back feet.This posture can be easily induced by gently ‘scruffing’ the neck (mimicking what a tom cat does when he wants to mate a queen). Sometimes, after being in this posture for a while, you can notice a small drop of clear fluid in the vulva. 3. Vocalization She’ll be vocalizing, ‘calling’, yowling and meowing, sometimes quite loudly, it can almost seem like she is in pain. She displays this ‘calling’ behavior [...]

Cat In Heat Behavior And Tell-Tale Signs is a post from: Cat Behavior Training blog where you can find useful information on cat behavior, cat behavior problems and tips on how to train a cat to be a purrfect loving pet.

Unusual Cat Behavior – Feline Kleptomania

CatBehaviorTraining — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 18:30:14 +0000

We all know kleptomania in humans, it’s a common behavior in magpies… but a kleptomaniac cat? Dusty, or the “Klepto Cat” as nicknamed by the neighbors, is one of the most extreme examples of this bizarre, not yet fully understood behavior. . In his 3 year ‘burglary carrier’ Dusty managed to steal over 600 items from his neighbors! During the day, Dusty is a perfectly normal, happy and adorable house cat. But when the night sets in, he gets this weird ‘urge’ …. he turns into a insatiable cat burglar. His biggest ’loot’ brought home during one single night counted 11 items! This hilarious video where Dusty is filmed as he’s bringing his newly acquired possessions back home actually made him (and his owners) into a celebrity: To prevent him nicking more stuff from neighbors, Dusty’s owners installed a burglar alarm and Dusty’s collar was fitted with a bell so the neighbors could hear when he was inside their house searching for interesting items to bring home. The bell seemed to be working… sort of. So what could be the cause of this weird cat behavior? In humans, kleptomania could be related to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): Kleptomania is frequently thought of as being a part of obsessive-compulsive disorder, since the irresistible and uncontrollable actions are similar to the frequently excessive, unnecessary and unwanted rituals of OCD. Some individuals with kleptomania demonstrate hoarding symptoms that resemble those with OCD. (Source: Wikipedia ) Whether there is also some obsessive-compulsive component involved in feline kleptomania is questionable. It’s quite common for a cat to bring their owner a ‘gift’; usually it’s not an item that would please you… (a dead mouse, bird or whatever they caught on their hunting trip). My cats do it regularly, they just love to leave their little presents on my pillow, just next to my head so I never know what will be staring at me when I wake up :-/ … According to animal experts, Dusty’s behavior may have something to do with that… Anika Liljenwall, behavior associate at the Peninsula Humane Society, said Dusty’s predatory instinct has become “crossed in his head.” “In his mind he’s caught something and he’s bringing it home to share,” she said. “We always try to find meaning in what animals do,” Liljenwall said. “But maybe he just does this because it’s fun.” (source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/06/19/BAIN1JVID8.DTL) Dusty’s peculiar behavior is rare but he is not the only cat with this amusing although sometimes quite embarrassing ‘mental disorder’. There are even some breed predilections: the short-legged Munchkin, also known as ‘Magpie’ cat, seem to be known for it’s hoarding behavior, they tend to collect and hide small objects under furniture. And here are some other cat burglars: - Burmese cat Minnimor was awarded a honorary title of “Cat-burglar of the Year 1996″ (Daily Telegraph, UK) – he was known to steal fluffy objects from neighbors. - Tommy from the UK: specializes in expensive footwear & clothes. Extreme catch: umbrella. - And Maurice from New Zealand is fond of stealing women underwear! If you (or someone you know) [...]

Unusual Cat Behavior – Feline Kleptomania is a post from: Cat Behavior Training blog where you can find useful information on cat behavior, cat behavior problems and tips on how to train a cat to be a purrfect loving pet.

If You Have a Cat Urinating Everywhere But Her Litter Box…

CatBehaviorTraining — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:47:49 +0000

…then I know what you’re going through! The recent addition to my ever extending “ZOO” (as I use to refer to my dogs and cats), Joey, has recently started spraying! Bad cat…Yuk! Well, I automatically assumed it was him, just because he arrived a month ago, and he was a tom cat. So he went under the knife to lose his manhood. Later it came out that he was not the guilty one! It was the…female cat! Castrated males AND females (whether spayed or not) can spray too, and it’s more common than you think. Even if your kitty hasn’t got this problem right now, it may develop it later and it’s good to be prepared for this. And what’s even better is to know how to prevent them squirting their smelly liquids all around your house! Here is a book – Thinking Outside The Box – or actually it is an information-packed guide which I think is a must have in library of every cat owner - get yourself educated so you’re not taken by surprise when it happens… and prevent handling the situation in the wrong way, making the spraying/marking behavior even worse. Here’s a quick look what’s in the book: How to determine if your cat has a psychological/behavior problem or a medical problem that requires a visit to your vets When is it absolutely critical you take your cat to the vets immediately How to stop your cat peeing anywhere but in the litter box – and FAST! What’s the difference between cat ‘urinating’ outside of the litter box and cat marking behavior Toilet training your cat if you don’t want to have a litter box and many other helpful tips For more detailed info about this book click the button below. If You Have a Cat Urinating Everywhere But Her Litter Box… is a post from: Cat Behavior Training blog where you can find useful information on cat behavior, cat behavior problems and tips on how to train a cat to be a purrfect loving pet.

If You Have a Cat Urinating Everywhere But Her Litter Box… is a post from: Cat Behavior Training blog where you can find useful information on cat behavior, cat behavior problems and tips on how to train a cat to be a purrfect loving pet.

Bad Cat Behavior

CatBehaviorTraining — Thu, 20 May 2010 22:36:31 +0000

Talk about bad cat behavior in this video! This cute kitty obviously has a “problem”… and surely annoying one for her owner (which by the way seems to take it really well) especially if it happens on regular basis. So why is this cat spraying on a life target? Not getting enough attention from her owner, feeling insecure or is she in heat? Obviously, if she is in heat, the solution is straight forward: get her spayed (neutered)! Spraying on an object usually translates into claiming an ownership, marking a territory or broadcasting to the world that she is available for mating. By spraying on her owners leg (if the cat is not in heat) she is saying: You are mine! Now, if the owner would smack her, the cat would feel even more insecure – in her mind she is not doing anything wrong, just making sure the owner still belongs to her – and insecurity leads to even bigger need to spray. This type of bad cat behavior problems associated with spraying may require a bit of detective work to find out what is the real culprit that triggers it. Once we know what it is, we can then take the necessary steps to solve the problem. Bad Cat Behavior is a post from: Cat Behavior Training blog where you can find useful information on cat behavior, cat behavior problems and tips on how to train a cat to be a purrfect loving pet. Similar cat behaviors, training & health issues: If You Have a Cat Urinating Everywhere But Her Litter Box… …then I know what you’re going through! The recent addition...

Bad Cat Behavior is a post from: Cat Behavior Training blog where you can find useful information on cat behavior, cat behavior problems and tips on how to train a cat to be a purrfect loving pet.

Similar cat behaviors, training & health issues:

If You Have a Cat Urinating Everywhere But Her Litter Box… …then I know what you’re going through! The recent addition...

Abnormal Cat Behavior

CatBehaviorTraining — Thu, 20 May 2010 00:07:45 +0000

What is considered to be normal and what is abnormal cat behavior that should raise a concern? Cats can display a whole range of weird behaviors; some cat behaviors can be amusing and are nothing to worry about like when your cat chews or sucks on your hair or fluffy pillows, frantically kneading and salivating… but other times, especially when there is a sudden change in your cat’s behavior pattern, it could be a sign of a psychological or medical problem. Unusual cat behavior which can be associated with medical problems attacking you or other house pets for no apparent reason anxiousness, hiding , dilated pupils and hissing with no obvious reason eating non food substances like fabric, wood, wool (also called pica) self-destructive behavior, self mutilation like chewing or biting parts of the body, constantly grooming constantly meowing and avoiding litter tray (in a male cat this could be a sign of urethral obstruction – contact your vet immediately!) unusual lethargy, extreme sleepiness twitching, circling or other balance disturbances, bumping into objects, head pressing If you see any of the above listed abnormal cat behavior, or any strange behavior you are not sure about, call your vet to have your cat checked over! Don’t just assume it will go away… it could be a life threatening medical issue that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. It’s better to be safe than sorry. photo by: uncle.capung Abnormal Cat Behavior is a post from: Cat Behavior Training blog where you can find useful information on cat behavior, cat behavior problems and tips on how to train a cat to be a purrfect loving pet. Similar cat behaviors, training & health issues: Cat Behavior Questions This page is dedicated to your questions regarding cat behavior...

Abnormal Cat Behavior is a post from: Cat Behavior Training blog where you can find useful information on cat behavior, cat behavior problems and tips on how to train a cat to be a purrfect loving pet.

Similar cat behaviors, training & health issues:

Cat Behavior Questions This page is dedicated to your questions regarding cat behavior...

Cat Allergy: What To Do If You Are Allergic To Your Cat

CatBehaviorTraining — Sun, 09 May 2010 22:38:20 +0000

Cats are considered to be the most allergenic amongst the pets. In earlier years, cat fur was believed to be the cause of cat allergies in people. Now we know that it is a glycoprotein, namely Fel D4 in cat saliva and Fel D 1 in sebaceous glands, that is the culprit which triggers allergic responses. As the cat grooms, the saliva containing the allergen is deposited on fur where it becomes a part of dander. People diagnosed with allergies to cats are often advised by their doctor to get rid of their cats. If this is your case, don’t panic, in most cases it will not be necessary. There are several things you can do to decrease the concentration of allergens 1. Keep the cat out of your bedroom. Ideally, you should have one or more ‘cat free’ places in your house where you can take refuge. 2. Use good quality HEPA air filtration systems in rooms where you cats stay frequently. It is worth to get a vacuum cleaner with a good quality HEPA filter as cat dander particles escape normal filters. 3. If possible, consider getting rid of carpets, rugs and plushy furniture. Cat dander gets trapped on these surfaces and as it is small and sticky it will often persist there for months. If this is not a feasible option for you, use environment friendly carpet and upholstery anti-allergen sprays like AllerSafe Dustroy Anti-Allergen Spray which is said to reduce and/or neutralize cat saliva allergens. 4. Wipe your cat with a cloth moistened with anti-allergen pet products like AllerPet Dander Lotion at least once a week to remove dander from the coat and to neutralize saliva allergens. You could also use this lotion in a spray bottle and then comb the hair to spread it equally. The lotion is environment friendly and non-toxic so you can apply it as frequently as required. 5. Wash your hands after petting the cat. Avoid kissing the cat and don’t let him rub against your face. Wash the bedding and rugs in hot water regularly (once in a week). 6. Ask your doctor about hyposensitization injections. Hyposensitization is not always successful but it’s worth of trying. Some people report great relief with homeopathic treatment. By taking the necessary precautions most people with milder allergies to cats experience significant relief. However, if you experience life threatening allergy symptoms like severe asthma attacks and breathing difficulties, rehoming your cat may be the only option. Cat Allergy: What To Do If You Are Allergic To Your Cat is a post from: Cat Behavior Training blog where you can find useful information on cat behavior, cat behavior problems and tips on how to train a cat to be a purrfect loving pet.

Cat Allergy: What To Do If You Are Allergic To Your Cat is a post from: Cat Behavior Training blog where you can find useful information on cat behavior, cat behavior problems and tips on how to train a cat to be a purrfect loving pet.

Why Is My Cat Rubbing Against Objects

CatBehaviorTraining — Sat, 08 May 2010 10:49:22 +0000

Sometimes cats can exhibit strange behaviors, leaving their puzzled owners wondering: “What is the cat trying to say, what does he want?” These weird cat behavior “mysteries” often have quite logical explanation. Lets look at one of the fairly common cat behaviors that almost all cats do: pushing their heads into objects and then rubbing their cheeks. You may have noticed your cat rubbing against the table legs or other pieces of furniture. Or when you had visitors over at your house, he may have been brushing against their legs. There is a common belief that cats are particularly attracted to people with allergies or those who don’t like cats and then come up to brush against their legs to annoy them. However, this is a myth, by rubbing their cheeks on their legs the cat is actually just trying to make the visitor belong at the house. Cat rubbing his head against objects is simply saying: this belongs to my territory, this belongs here. So it is a form of territorial behavior where by rubbing his cheeks, a small amount of saliva is deposited onto the object or a person marking it with a familiar scent. In your cat’s mind, he owns what he puts his saliva on. Sometimes, this natural cat behavior can be quite annoying, especially if you have visitors which don’t like cats, and even more so if someone has an allergy to cats. In the last case you should keep the cat out of the room – the glycoprotein contained in cat saliva and sebaceous glands is a strong allergen that can trigger a severe allergic response (from sneezing to life-threatening asthmatic attacks). Your cat sees the visitors in your home as strange or weird. By brushing his face against them, marking them with his scent, he will try to make them belong in his territory. When your visitor wipes the saliva off, the scent will be gone and the cat will go back and try to do it again. So now when you understand why is he doing it, explain it to your guests and if they agree, allow the cat to rub on their legs couple of times. That is usually all it takes to make your cat content and he will then leave your guests alone. Why Is My Cat Rubbing Against Objects is a post from: Cat Behavior Training blog where you can find useful information on cat behavior, cat behavior problems and tips on how to train a cat to be a purrfect loving pet.

Why Is My Cat Rubbing Against Objects is a post from: Cat Behavior Training blog where you can find useful information on cat behavior, cat behavior problems and tips on how to train a cat to be a purrfect loving pet.

Cat Spraying – Causes and Solutions

CatBehaviorTraining — Sat, 01 May 2010 16:46:01 +0000

Cat spraying (also referred to as urine marking) in inappropriate places is one of the most frustrating behavior problems which unfortunately is also the number one feline behavioral problem that leads to re-homing or even euthanasia of cats. However, in most cases urine spraying can be either prevented or eliminated. Just like other cat behavior problems, there is a reason as to why the cat starts spraying and identifying the cause is the first important step in finding the right solution. So why do they spray? In entire cats, urine spraying is part of a normal and natural behavior. It is a way to convey territorial and sexual messages to other cats. Not only tomcats spray, female cats in heat will spray too to broadcast know they are ready for mating. In neutered cats, the most common reasons for spraying are: competition and territorial disputes between cats in multi-cat households. As more cats you have, as higher the probability one or more cats will start to spray at some time. Stress and insecurity: for example moving to a new house, arrival of a new baby or another pet and situations where the cat feels unsafe and insecure so it may feel the need to ‘reinforce’ its ‘territory’ It is important to identify the reason why your cat is spraying. If for example a new person has moved into the house, have him or her feed your cat to establish a bond between them. Or perhaps there is a “bully” cat entering your home through the cat flap terrorizing your cat while you are away… If you can identify the reason of urine marking, solution is often quite straight forward. How to stop your cat spraying Of course, the course of action you take will depend on cause of spraying but here are some general steps you should take in each case: 1. Get your cat neutered Since urine spraying in entire cat is largely hormonally induced, so neutering will eliminate this behavior in most cases. However, don’t expect your cat will stop spraying right away – it may take up to two months before you see the result. 2. Get rid of the cat urine odor You can buy special cleaners and odor neutralizers at your local pet store or you can try this simple home odor removal solution: mix equal parts of white vinegar and water. 3. Avoid using household products containing ammonia Ammonia is a natural ingredient of cat urine so products containing ammonia could stimulate the marking behavior. 4. In multi-cat households – each cat needs its own litter box! Additionally, you should have an extra litter box “for the house”. So for example if you have 3 cats, you will need 4 litter boxes. Keep boxes clean! 5. Feed and play with your cat in areas where it tends to spray Most cats will not do their business around their food or where they play. 6. If your cat sprays in only one room, keep them [...]

Cat Spraying – Causes and Solutions is a post from: Cat Behavior Training blog where you can find useful information on cat behavior, cat behavior problems and tips on how to train a cat to be a purrfect loving pet.

Crash Course in Cat Behavior Training

CatBehaviorTraining — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 09:07:21 +0000

Cats are fascinating and adorable pets that offer a companionship that is hard to beat. But there is more to your cat then purring and curling up in your lap. At times, they can be a pain in butt to the household too. Scratched furnishings, ripped curtains, spraying urine on objects are just a few things that misbehaving cats can do. Cat behavior problems are number one reason why cat owners seek veterinary advice. Yet, many problems can easily be solved by understanding why they misbehave. So what are the causes of misbehaving and what can you do about it? Entire cats misbehave when they are sexually motivated When the mating time comes your cat can exhibit extremely unpleasant behavior like spraying urine on various objects, meowing loudly in the middle of the night and getting involved in cat fights. The answer is straight forward: get your cat neutered as soon as possible. It may take a little while until you see an improvement as the body needs some time to adjust to hormonal changes. Cats misbehave when owners don’t answer to their basic needs Cats devote a lot of time to their body hygiene and they are very fussy when it comes down to the toilet business. They like their litter box clean and out of the way. They don’t like other cats using their box and they can be very picky about the litter. If something about the litter box doesn’t suit them, be it location, scent or the litter, they simply will find another suitable “toilet”. Keep the litter box clean. Wash it at least once a week and rinse well to remove remnants of detergent. Put it in an easily accessible and secluded place and fill it with unscented litter. Don’t overfill. Scratching is a perfectly natural cat behavior that keeps their claws in shape and furthermore is used to mark the territory. If you fail to provide a suitable scratch post, it will be party time on your furniture! Cats misbehave when they are bored When cats are bored stiff they will do naughty things because they need to get rid of their energy in some way. Chasing around the house like mad, running up the curtains and knocking things over will help them to do just that Boredom can be solved by spending more time with the cat. Playing with it regularly will not only help your cat to get rid of excess energy but it also proves beneficial in establishing a firmer bond. However, do not play immediately after your cat misbehaved otherwise the cat may associate its misbehavior with you giving it more attention. Cats just love to play with all kind of things…It may be a plastic bag, a curtain, your table cloth or anything else. They also hate certain smells so this could come in handy for you. Spray unpleasant smells like lavender, citronella or a commercial repellent on those things to deter them. Cat behavior training requires understanding, patience [...]

Crash Course in Cat Behavior Training is a post from: Cat Behavior Training blog where you can find useful information on cat behavior, cat behavior problems and tips on how to train a cat to be a purrfect loving pet.