Understanding Feline Behavior
Cats are exquisite and magical beings. They (not unlike ourselves) can engage in behaviors that may be confusing, unwanted, unacceptable and even dangerous to themselves and others. The following are among the most common but there are a host of others.
- Inappropriate Use of Litter Box
- Household Destruction
- Biting, scratching, stalking & aggressive behavior including aggressive play behavior
- Fear and Shyness
- Nocturnal Activity and Vocalizing
- Inter-Cat Aggression ~ Multi-Cat Household
- Blended (cats, dogs, birds, etc.) Animal Families
- Behaviors That Are Associated With Change in Household: Spouse, Room-mate, Long Term Visitors, New Baby & Children or Home Renovation, New dog or other animal
- Behavior Changes After Hospitalization, Illness, Injury, or Trauma of Any Kind
- Grief and Mourning After The Death of Human or Animal Companion
The leading cause of death for cats is not cancer, kidney failure, heart disease or illness of any kind. It is misunderstood and unwanted behavior. Every year millions of healthy cats are surrendered to pounds and shelters where they are executed. Responsible, no-kill shelters do not accept animals with known behavior problems, as they are considered unadoptable. If the problem is not disclosed but revealed after they are accepted and an adoption is made, the cat will be returned to the shelter (at best) or mishandled through punishment or worse. Some shelters that claim to have a no-kill policy do not reveal that they may have an “exchange program” with one or more shelters that do kill. They exchange what they consider to be an unadoptable cat from a no-kill shelter with an adoptable cat from a kill shelter. The no-kill shelter does not do the killing themselves but the unadoptable cat has his or her fate sealed once they enter the kill shelter.
Some behavior problems are not behavior problems at all. They are indications of physical illness. It is essential that all cats who seem to have a behavior problem (especially those with sudden behavior changes) have the benefit of a complete veterinary evaluation. It should consist of a careful physical exam, complete blood chemistry that includes thyroid evaluation, urinalysis, and should also include culture & sensitivity from urine that has been removed directly from the bladder by cystocentesis (a sterile, common, non-painful procedure,) fecal analysis and any other diagnostic tool that your Vet deems necessary to aid in ruling out underlying pathology.
Sometimes behavior that has it roots in physical illness, trauma or stress of any kind will continue even when the original cause has been resolved.
Well meaning but misguided advice from a variety of sources rarely works, postpones effective treatment and can complicate and escalate a problem. Early intervention is best but it is never too late to seek professional intervention.
Everything your cat “says” and does is a communication and the way we react or do not react is our response to them. You may be reinforcing or even encouraging behavior without being aware of it.
You can’t give away or “get rid of” a problem. If you do, the outcome is less than desirable and especially dangerous if there are children in the family. It teaches them (through modeling) that the best way to handle a problem is to eliminate or destroy the source. The subtext is they, too, are disposable and may be given away when behaving badly. Children bite themselves and each other, have elimination “accidents” and don’t get along with each other. Children who learn to love and respect animals are learning kindness, compassion and empathy. These are valuable lessons they will take with them into the rest of their lives.
Your commitment of time, love, energy, patience and adherence to a care plan that has been personally designed for you and your cat(s) is the foundation upon which to build. A care plan is not a “cook-book” for any animal. While basic principles of academic and a deep experiential understanding of feline behavior are always involved, a care plan is personally crafted for each individual cat and his or her family and the lifestyle of all members of the household both humans as well as other animals.
This begins with a willingness to at least entertain the idea that some of the myths and strongly held beliefs about cats and why they behave as they do are simply not so. Examples of such myths are: “He knows he’s doing something wrong. He acts guilty and this proves he knows it. She’s doing it for spite, he’s stubborn, spoiled, not too smart, etc.” A particularly destructive piece of misguided advise is to attempt to solve one cat’s behavior problem by getting another cat! This often results in two stressed, anxious cats with behavior problems.
A care plan may include but not be limited to multiple behavior modification protocols, adjustments in litter boxes and other environmental elements, nutrition, feeding styles, as well as (in some cases) the use of prescription medication.
Your veterinarian is a welcome and necessary member of the team. We will look to her/him for involvement of all kinds beginning with the medical records that include chart notes and lab results and extend to evaluation for and approval of any prescription medication and continued monitoring thereafter.
No one thing will solve the problem on its own. No drug or behavior modification is so powerful that it will be the “magic bullet.” The approach or treatment is not unlike what we now understand about the treatment of anxiety or depression in people. Talk therapy and behavior modification works. Supportive drug therapy works. Neither works as well alone as when properly combined.
The time frame in which you can expect to see improvements varies. It may be weeks to months depending upon the circumstance and duration of the existing problems. You can, however, expect to see improvements as you proceed toward your goal of extinguishing the unwanted behavior. There are also many situations in which you may see immediate changes but it is impossible to predict exactly who will fall into this category. Cats will always be full of wonderful surprises!
Scolding, “correcting” or punishing them in any way at all will not help and actually make matters worse. While understandable that such responses to frustrating situations are “only human,” your efforts to discontinue them immediately and permanently will be worthwhile and rewarding.
There is often disagreement among household members as to how to solve these problems. Opposing philosophy, levels of tolerance, understanding and problem solving skills and attitudes all play a role and can be successfully managed without causing further difficulty.
All behavior problems are preventable and, once in place, correctable. Only a very a small percentage of behavior problems or neurological conditions that are responsible for intractable, unwanted behaviors do not hold the strongest promise of complete or acceptable resolution.