The Patio Expert Pages

Cats behavior is an enigma to the people who spend their time these animals and care for them. A cats behavior is not the same as human behavior and cat control can not be achieved by using methods that are based on faulty assumptions.

Humans, unlike cats, are not pure carnivores or predators. Cats play, eat, and behave in the fashion that they do as a result of their history as living in the wild as hunters. Many people make the mistake of seeing feline behavior in human terms resulting in conflict. It would be silly to assume an elephant would behave in the same fashion as a bird, but many cat owners fully expect their pets to behave as humans do.

Cats do not respond at all well to "negative reinforcement." With some animals it works, but not cats. A cat considers it an attack, defends against it, and becomes even more hostile and bad-tempered. "Positive reinforcement" is best, but even "No!" and removing the cat from the problem works better than trying to whack a cat.

With cats, behavior we may consider inappropriate is an adaptation from instinctive needs. Spraying with urine was used to mark territories and protect a breeding group, but is not much welcomed inside a human home. Behavioral training will help when the cat is going to be bred, but for just a pet, neutering is a better choice.

Cats also scratch things to sharpen and trim their claws, which was essential to catch prey in the wild. They need to be trained to use appropriate scratching substitutes instead of the furniture or your pants leg. Many scratching boxes, posts and toys are sold, and your cat vet can help you choose the best products for your kitty.

Imagine that you wake up one morning, pour yourself a cup of coffee, and step outside to get the morning paper""only to find a dead animal on your doorstep. Is this a neighborhood child's prank? A scene out of The Godfather? If you have a cat, it's very likely a gift. Bringing home "meals" to the leader of their pride is a sign of respect in feline circles. Don't punish your cat for this normal behavior. There is no need to praise him either. Just recognize that stalking, killing, and bringing home prey is a sign of a normal, happy cat.

Consider that your cat's behavior is not a bad behavior, just something that is coming as part of their natural makeup. Your cat was designed to live independently outside and may still have a reserve of a wild lion side. Their basic instincts will show thru from time to time and it is better to try to understand the reason a cat does some of the things it does than to just assume it is a bad behavior.