Are you bringing a new cat into your home?  You will need to make sure that you have the appropriate cat training supplies available at the outset so that your kitty gets started off on the right foot. Find out what cat training supplies you will need. Litter Box A litter box is highly important.  Make sure [...]

In a multi-cat household, skirmishes tend to erupt. One cat establishes himself as the Alpha cat. The Alpha cat is the cat that automatically seeks the highest spot in the house, demands to be fed first and will at times spray his mark (urine) on the home.

As the other cats grow and mature, their own alpha tendencies come into play. Gradually they challenge the alpha attempting to take over. The Alpha cat will engage any other cat that challenges even kittens. Kittens learn early from mom cat and littermates how to wrestle and roll together, rabbit -kicking each other as instinct kicks into gear and the survival mode engages.

You should never step in between two cats that are fighting. They are not focused on you. Their stress pheromones are at maximum level. You stand a good chance of getting scratched or bit. Even after the cats separate, you should leave them alone for a few hours. Never pick up a cat that has been fighting!

Use a broom to guide one cat into a room, and shut the door. Go in later; ignoring the cat leaving food, water and litter pan. Then leave, because your cat is still in the moment of the battle fully aroused and angry. You will know it is safe to approach your cat once he begins to start grooming or eating.

Here are some tips to stop cat fights:

• Spay and neuter! Spaying and neutering goes a long way to stopping aggression.
• Keep claws trimmed.
• Don’t have to many cats. Cats need their individual space. If you have multiple cats, be sure you have places where these cats can get away from the others.
• Startle them out of their behavior by taking a heavy blanket and tossing it over them.
• Use a wooden kitchen chair and gently set it between the two cats without hurting the cats. This takes patience and a gentle touch. But it will startle the two cats and they will back away. Use a broom to guide one cat into another room for a break. Remember to close the door, isolating the cat temporarily.
• Turn on the vacuum cleaner.
• Spray bottles do not work to stop fighting cats. The cats are so engrossed in their battle, that a tiny stream of water will not even bother them.
• Yelling and screaming to break up a cat fight is not recommended. Cats react to our stress level. If you are upset and anxious, making a lot of noise, look for the cat fight to accelerate not diminish. Staying calm tends to work the best.
• That can of compressed air by your computer? Spray it near the fighting cats, but NOT at them.

Most battles between cats are mock battles. You can tell the mock battles from the real conflicts by learning about the body language of cats. Your key points to watch are the tail, the ears and the eyes and where the body is in relation to the ground. Understanding the true body language of cats goes a long way toward knowing when cats are playing and when they are fighting.

We tend to think of our cats as furry little people who walk on all fours and speak in some exotic foreign language, but this couldn’t be further from the truth! Cats are, first and foremost, felines. They have natural instincts that serve as their guide – hunting and stalking prey are among the strongest. In other words, they ACT like cats.

Cats tend to be very active, curious and athletic creatures so be prepared to stimulate your kitty with plenty of interactive toys and safe places to explore and climb. Keeping kitty indoors at all times is a must, unless you can make an outside area where the risk of escape or danger is non-existent. Windows and doors to the outside should be secured with a heavy screen that latches safely to the frame. Loose or worn out screens should be replaced completely.

When behavior issues arise, your first call should always be to the vet to schedule a thorough exam – this is paramount to rule out any health issues which may be causing the abnormal or inappropriate behavior. Once health issues are ruled out, then take a good, honest look at the behavior … is your kitty experiencing inappropriate litter box behavior? Check the litter box! Make sure it is clean and that all solid waste is removed at least daily. Provide at least one litter box per cat in your home. Is your kitty scratching on your expensive couch? Provide a scratching post! You will want to observe your cat’s scratching behavior to determine whether she prefers an upright post or one that is flat on the floor. If Kitty stretches upward to scratch, then purchase a sturdy, tall, column-type post covered with either carpet or sisal. If your kitty prefers to stretch outwards, then purchase a scratching mat that lies flat on the floor.

Over time, I have heard a lot of people complain that their cat isn’t behaving normally so they have employed the use of a water bottle to spray their kitties into behaving. Unless your cat is in the process of committing homicide, there are other, less drastic ways to get her attention than a thorough drenching. Wash out an empty soda can and let it completely air-dry. Drop a few pennies or coins in the bottom and when kitty isn’t listening, shake the can vigorously. Many cats will immediately cease and desist whatever they were doing and most will take off running for parts unknown!

Sadly, many people still believe that yelling at a cat or even hitting it is the way to stop inappropriate behaviors. These methods are cruel, they do not work and in fact, only serve to allow the cat to distrust humans and possibly make the behavior problems worse. Just don’t do it.

Most behavior problems with cats are easily solved, but for the tough stuff, you’ll need the help of the experts.

Remember these :
Cats are not dogs, nor are they little people – they ACT like cats
Address behavior problems by first ruling out health related issues
Provide your cat with plenty of interactive toys, climbing stations and scratching posts
Never punish your cat by yelling at her or hitting her
When all else fails, there is still help from the experts