Aggressive Cat Behavior: Cats Behaving Badly
In order to minimize or curtail aggressive cat behavior, you need to have an excellent understanding of your cat. Your pet is more than likely a happy and sociable cat. Although this may seem perfect, more than likely there will be times when your cat does not behave in its usual manner.
Before you try to adjust the behavior of your cat, remember a few simple things. Keep some perspective in mind. Your cat doesn’t care about its own behavior, since it will act as it feels natural to do so. Also, physically disciplining a cat due to problem behavior will never help in the long run.
Aggressive cat behavior can cause problems such as destroying furniture, not using the litter box, fighting with other animals, or even attacking their owner. It is necessary to change the cat’s behavior by using non aggressive methods when solving these issues. Remonstration must be associated with the cat, not you.
There he goes again scratching your living room couch, take heart he isn’t doing to make you mad or to demolish it. Scratching is a natural habit for him. Instead offer him a scratching post to curb that instinct. Praise him when he uses it and if he slips up and starts attacking the leg of your couch again place him near his post. He will get the idea in time.
Another example of aggressive cat behavior is when it fights with other cats. If you have multiple cats, then you will quickly learn than cats are territorial creatures. Cats have an innate instinct to hunt and stalk, so other cats (and even your shoelaces) will become prey. To minimize this behavior, you can separate things like their litter boxes and food bowls thereby giving each cat their own space.
Just like people, cats can have mood swings. Changes in mood can cause docile cats becoming aggressive cats. Illness can also cause temporary cat problems that manifest as aggression. Cats that are ill often feel vulnerable, and therefore find the need to defend itself. When you know your cat well, you can recognize the signs of imbalance early before the cat becomes aggressive.
In order to curb or avoid aggressive cat behavior, you must have a firm understanding of your feline friend. Recall that cats don’t care about their own behavior, since they act as they feel naturally. Physically disciplining aggressive cats never helps in the long run. You should always use non-aggressive methods. If your cat scratches furniture, try purchasing a scratching post and praise the cat whenever it uses it. Cats do respond to praise, and your cat will learn to use the post instead. Cats, just like people, have mood swings. Illness can also cause temporary cat problems that manifest as aggression.
- Paul Proctor