Every cat will have an unruly and troublesome phase, which will create havoc in the household and stress the cat owners. But most of the time, it is not paid much attention and they are not disciplined when needed the most. It is of paramount importance that the cat owners identify when the cats start exhibiting bad behaviours. If they aren’t taught to behave then it will seem like such behaviours are encouraged.
This blog will help cat owners with, how to tackle cat behaviour problems and answer questions about how to stop bad cat behaviour. It will serve as the ultimate guide in putting a stop to the cats’ roguish behaviour and disciplining them.
Table of Contents
Bad Cat Behaviours and What They Mean
Cats tend to go out of control now and then, and this bad behaviour will be more prominent and common among adolescent cats. These are some of the bad behaviours which are most often exhibited by all cats:
Your Cat is Wrecking Havoc
Often, cats can be cited jumping from heights and pushing down almost anything which crosses their line of sight. These extreme characteristics of theirs might even physically harm them or the cat owners present in the house. This bad behaviour can be commonly found in most adolescent cats, as they will be in their rebellious phase. But it can not always be restricted to just adolescent cats, as kittens and adult cats, can also be found, doing this sometimes.
Your Cat is Biting
When a cat bites, there might be many explanations behind it. It might always not be a result of aggression or anger, cats can also bite when they are in a playful mood, or to express their disapproval. Biting is a cat’s instinct, whether it is provoked or unprovoked in any given circumstances. But there are chances that the bites might hurt the cat owners, as the intensity of the bite may differ. It is the reason why this instinct is characterized as bad behaviour.
Your Cat is Scratching
Cats are territorial creatures who tend to leave marks on everything they consider as their own. When they scratch, the glands on their paws will secrete pheromones, which is their way of leaving their scent on their territory. Hence, it is common to find cats leaving marks on the furniture and the floors. But this instinct of theirs poses several problems to the cat owners, as the scratch marks will ruin the furniture and make it unusable.
Your Cat is Peeing Everywhere
Peeing everywhere is also one of the ways cats mark their territory, and it is their instinct. It is more prominent in male cats than female cats. But it might always not be an instinct, and might be something concerning their health. It is suggested that the cat owners consult a veterinary doctor if it seems very unusual. Peeing everywhere creates a mess and increases the unnecessary workload for the cat owners, which is the reason why it is considered as one of their bad behaviours.
Your Cat is Chewing Wires
It is not uncommon to find the cats chewing at loose hanging curtain strings, or charger wires in every household. As cat owners tend to be forgetful, they might leave the laptop and phone chargers on the floor which will give full access for the cats to tarnish them. Although the cat owners can not be blamed for their forgetfulness, this bad behaviour by the cats will cause trouble and irreparable damage.
Bad Cat Behaviour Solutions
It is not impossible to handle a cat going through the rough phase. Many cat owners will be conflicted about how to correct bad cat behaviour. All it requires is a well thought out solution and some effort to reduce such behaviours. Here are some tailor-made solutions to tackle the bad behaviours exhibited by the cats.
Spaying and neutering
Spaying is done on female cats, which involves the removal of their reproductive system, while neutering is the removal of the male reproductive system. It will put a permanent stop, or reduce the chances of the cats trying to mark their territory by leaving scratch marks or by urinating on them. It will bring the heat under control and will promote a more calm and composed behaviour in the cats. Spaying and neutering also have many other additional benefits associated with it, especially in the case of their health.
Providing a Scratch Post
Scratching is a natural tendency that can not be stopped, hence an alternative solution has to be provided. Purchasing a scratch post for the cats and allowing them to use it consistently will prevent them from scratching other surfaces and leaving marks on the household appliances. Scratching posts are widely available and can be bought from any physical store or online shop for cats.
Spraying Water
Water can be slightly sprayed, using a squirt bottle, on the cats to indicate the cat owner’s disapproval of the cat’s behaviour. By consistently doing this, the cats will learn to recognize whether their actions are harmful or not. Eventually, they will stop doing such actions upon repeated spraying, which will serve as a warning.
Training the Cats
Training the cats is imperative no matter, whether it is a well-behaved cat or an unruly cat going through the adolescent phase. Discipling the cats will bear many advantages, as it will save the cat owners from any unwanted trouble or mess later on.
The training must include teaching the basic commands and hand signals, like stop, sit down, no, come here, etc. It will come in handy when trying to stop the cat from doing anything harmful. It is essential to teach all these commands by looking into the cats’ eyes, as it is believed that the information will get registered better that way.
Conclusion
It is not a rare sight to see cats behaving in an unruly manner. Every cat owner will witness this phase, but a guarantee can be given that it will just be a passing phase. With the right training and discipline, the cats could be easily bought under the controls of the cat owner.
