Aggressive Cat Behavior: There Are Simple Solutions
Aggressive cat behavior can be deterred in your cat if you understand what causes your pet to act this way. No matter how sweet and sociable your feline usually is, there will be occasions when your cat does not behave as well as you would like. This is just the nature of animals in general.
If you want to change your cat's behavior then you need to bear few things in mind. The first and foremost is how you perceive your cat's behavior. Your cat might be behaving naturally but you find it annoying. Second thing is that you cannot correct her behavior by using any physical means.
Problems with aggressive cat behavior may involve destroying furniture, using the bathroom out of the litter box, fighting, and even attacking the owner. When making a solution to these problems it is vital to change the behavior of the cat with non-aggressive means, so the wrongdoing is associated to the act instead of you.
Do not be angry when your cat scratches your furniture, because it is not willfully trying to destroy your furniture or make you angry. The solution is to buy a cat scratching post and provide positive reinforcement. Cats like praise, and so it will learn to use the post. If this technique does not work and the cat still goes for the furniture, just move the furniture next to the post. The cat will catch on.
One particularly frustrating aggressive cat behavior is fighting with another cat. Cats are frequently territorial when more than one cat is living in the same house. They also are born with an instinct to hunt and stalk. Another cat in the home or your shoestrings creates a good source for prey. The best solution for this problem is to make sure the cats each have their own litter box and food bowl.
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.
Published December 9th, 2007
Filed in Recreation
