Understanding & Solving Cat Behavior Problems
Important Steps for Solving Your Cat’s Behavior Problem
written by Pam Johnson-Bennett, Best-selling Author & Cat Behavior Expert
and by the American Association of Feline Practitioners
Understanding the Needs of Your Cat
The needs of today’s cats have changed little from those of their wild ancestor, Felis
lybica, the African wildcat.
- Cats are solitary hunters, spending much of their day searching the environment for hunting opportunities. They need to protect themselves from perceived dangers, which include unfamiliar individuals or environment.
- Cats are territorial animals. They feel threatened when their territory is disturbed, either by another animal or physically.
- Cats use scent, posturing, and vocalizations to communicate their unhappiness if they feel threatened.
- Cats have a superior sense of smell and hearing. Stress can occur due to strong or strange smells or sounds, which are undetectable or insignificant to us.
- Cats are social animals, but their social structure differs from ours. Cats may be content as a single cat or living with other cats, preferably related cats such as siblings.
For more information on understanding these critical needs, and solving cat behavior problems, review printable handout.
Don't Misinterpret What Your Cat is Communicating
Cats are smart. They’re also exceptional at communication. Where cat parents often go wrong in attempting to correct behavior problems is that they misinterpret or discount what is being communicated by the cat(s). Many caregivers will label unwanted behaviors as misbehaviors that must be stopped or punished. This is not always the case.
Behaviors are repeated because they work. The result of the behavior might not be pleasing to human family members, but it makes sense to the cat. That’s a central fact frequently overlooked. Attention isn’t paid to why the behavior is being displayed, but rather, the focus is on the external appearance/outcome of the behavior.
For example, when the cat eliminates on the bedroom carpet it certainly upsets cat parents, but it most likely works for the cat because he might feel safer there. After being ambushed by a companion cat whenever he tries to get to the litter box, he may determine the bedroom keeps him out of harm’s way. The human family members look at the behavior as being bad, and the cat looks at the behavior as being critical for safety. This is when misinterpreting what your cat is communicating can lead you down the wrong path.
Think Like A Cat
Animals repeat behaviors that work for them, regardless of whether you agree with the behaviors or not. Thus, the key to solving the problem is to change your point of view. Look at it from the cat’s perspective.
What "environmental need" (from above) is being met for your cat by the behavior and how can you help him satisfy this need in a more appropriate way? This is the key to problem solving.
Maybe it means you need to move a cat tower closer to the kitchen so your cat can see what you are doing in the kitchen to eliminate his need to watch you from the kitchen counter. This would help satisfy your cat's need for human-cat social interaction.
It may require you to reevaluate the location and number of litter boxes and other resources in your cat's environment to better satisfy the territorial being within your cat. The part of him that feels threatened when his territory is disturbed physically or by another animal. By understanding this need, you would see why it is key that in a multicat household resources must be separated to reduce the risk of competition, stress and stress-associated diseases.
Don't Mislabel Your Cat's Unwanted Behavior
When solving cat behavior problems, avoid getting caught up in wrong assumptions regarding their motivation. Don’t label a cat because of a behavior instead of realizing it’s a natural behavior or a reaction to a particular circumstance. Focus on how cats communicate, what they need, and why they display behaviors. Don’t fall into the trap of labeling a cat as bad, spiteful, stupid, mean, or untrainable.
Look at what a cat is doing and the circumstances surrounding the behavior:
1. What behavior is being displayed? (Be objective)
2. What are the circumstances? (e.g., Did a car backfire outside, is the baby crying, did two cats just get into an altercation, etc.)
3. What is the cat getting out of the behavior? (What environmental need is being satisfied?)
4. How can you change the outcome or provide a better alternative? (Provide an alternative way for your cat to satisfy this environmental need. Use the Your Cat's Environmental Needs handout for assistance.)
Be A Detective
When you look at the conditions surrounding a behavior it sets you up to identify possible antecedents. Identify those and then change the conditions. If the cat bites you every time you pick him up, for example, instead of labeling the cat as mean and punishing him for biting, look at the possible trigger. Was your approach incorrect?· Had the cat clearly indicated no interaction was wanted?· Did you startle him? To create a better outcome, create a better set-up. Also, pay attention to what the cat communicates as you hold him. Is he possibly in pain? Did you ignore signs indicating he was approaching his tolerance limit?· Did you continue to hold him even after he communicated that he wanted to be released?· Did he feel the only way to get you to release him was to bite you? Perhaps you didn’t give your cat any choice about whether the interaction was wanted, and/or when he wanted it to end. Choice is important to cats.
Don't Punish Your Cat
Many people reprimand the cat for misbehavior. Instead of focusing on what the cat needs and how to help him succeed, some cat parents, out of frustration, choose punishment. Imagine the stress the cat endures when he’s punished for a behavior that’s normal and essential in his daily life. Punishment does nothing to teach the cat anything other than to be afraid of you. This will only create a BIGGER PROBLEM.
For example, the cat stops using the litter box and starts urinating on the carpet in the dining room. The cat parent who punishes (rubbing the cat’s nose in the mess, hitting, yelling, time-out, or forcing the cat into the litter box), has only succeeded in elevating the cat’s fear and stress to an unhealthy level. What if the cat was eliminating outside of the box because he was in pain due to a medical problem and he associated the box with his pain? Because he will now associate punishment with the need to eliminate, he is not only in pain from the medical condition, but scared and uncertain about where to pee or poop. For the cat parent, the intended message was that the location choice for elimination was wrong, but the actual message the cat received was that urination is bad and will result in punishment and fear. Since the elimination need will arise again, fear may drive him to retain urine as long as he can. He may also seek a more remote and hidden place for elimination to avoid punishment. Either option causes even more worry to an already stressed-out cat.
Punishment only temporarily stops a behavior – it doesn’t stop the need for the behavior. Your job is to determine the why behind the behavior so you can resolve it effectively with love and compassion. If you view what your cat does as a misbehavior, you won’t be a successful problem solver.
Visit the Veterinarian
You may be confident a problem is strictly behavioral but there’s a good chance a change in your cat’s normal behavior could have a medical component or cause. Have your cat examined by the veterinarian. This needs to be the very first step to rule out any underlying medical reason for the unwanted behavior.
Don’t Wait for Your Cat’s Behavior Problem to Get Worse
If you notice something that doesn’t seem right or suspect the beginning of a problem, act on it before it gets more serious. The sooner a problem is addressed, the better the chance of success. By addressing it early, you greatly reduce the amount of stress your cat goes through. Stress is the nemesis in a cat’s life and if left unchecked, can lead to medical concerns.
Work on Rebuilding the Bond
If your cat has been punished or if the behavior problem has caused a divide between the two of you, work on mending the bond. Even if the behavior has you frustrated and you don’t feel warm and loving toward him right now, this is the exact time you should work on restoring trust. Conduct interactive play sessions to alleviate stress (it’ll help both of you), spend time together and rediscover the good relationship. Your cat needs you to provide security and reassurance.
Acknowledge Your Cat’s Good Behavior
Reward behaviors you want to see again. This is something many people forget to do. No matter how small of a positive step in the right direction, it’s still forward motion so acknowledge it. You can also easily acknowledge with praise, petting, playtime, or a tasty little treat. Find what your cat views as the best reward. Every cat is an individual.
Be Patient
Correcting a problem behavior isn’t a quick fix but the reward is worth the time. Tragically, many cats end up in shelters because families don’t realize behavior problems can be corrected. Too many cats are relinquished to shelters for behavior issues that could’ve been resolved or shouldn’t have become problems in the first place. Don’t give up on your cat! Educate yourself on how cats think and what they need. It’s never too late.
Get Help from A Professional if You Feel Overwhelmed