Cats are are so easy to live with most of the time, which is why their appeal as pets is so widely accepted. Cats are quiet, clean, affectionate and best of all are very self-sufficient. They can adapt to any kind of living condition and family. But when things go wrong . . . it can be a turbulent relationship.
To some cat owners, behaviours such as aggression, inappropriate urination and clawing of furniture seem unpredictable, when, actually, they never are. In fact what cat owners call "bad" behavior will often be deemed completely normal behavior by the cat, who is just doing what comes naturally to cope with boredom, illness or stress. Actually in most cases, what cat owners call "problems" are usually natural behaviors to cats.
To solve problem behavior, you must understand problem behavior, rather than reacting and confusing your pet. Physical and vocal punishments are human responses to problems and cats will therefore not understand what you are trying to tell them when you shout and point to the expensive carpet they have just destroyed.
Please remember that your cat is not perfect, and neither are you, and this should be kept in mind as you work with behavior problems. Problems not only take time to develop, they also take time to fix. Patience and a certain degree of accommodation will be needed on your part.
Remember:
The primary step in solving any behavior problem is to make sure that it's not a medical problem. This is a very important point.
The signs of an illness in your cat could be very subtle and often manifest as behavior problems. Your veterinarian should always be consulted before attempting to change your pet's behavior, because your efforts will not work if your cat is actually unwell. This advice is even more pertinent if the behavior change is sudden because this increases the likelihood that your cat is actually sick.
Your veterinarian will also be able to help you get in touch with a certified pet behaviour specialist. Like most professions there are always non trustworthy "specialists" around so please choose carefully.
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