February 16, 2006
From time to time, our cats misbehave
This is often a sign of dis-ease. Not in the sense of illness, but more psychological unease on the part of the cat.When we want to correct bad cat behaviors, the first thing we must do is look at the environment for things that may be causing the difficulty.
If your cat is soiling in an unacceptable area, check the litterbox. You may need to clean it thoroughly. Use the sniff test - if you can smell it, so can your cat. Even if you can't smell it, your cat probably can! Also, if the litter type is new to your cat, you may want to go back to the old type and mix the new in gradually to ease the transition.
What about the aggressive cat? This cat bites and scratches without warning. Usually, there is some warning, but it may be so subtle that you don't notice it. Watch the eyes, ears, whiskers and tail for signs. The eyes may become pinpoints or open large, whiskers and ears may move forward or back, and the tail may twitch or become puffy.
So, what to do? Never retaliate! If you can push your hand, foot or whatever the cat is biting into the cat's mouth instead of pulling out, you will be surprised. This stops the biting in short order.
Biting is not the only bad cat behavior, but it seems to be the one people ask me about most often.
Another bad cat behavior is getting on counters and tables. Use your clicker or water bottle set on stream to stop this behavior. You can also use "Sticky Paws" or double-sided tape.
Cats who are brought in to a multiple cat household present other problems. Many times, the new cat wants to be only-cat. Or, you had an only-cat and now you have two of them. These cats are demanding of your time and don't share very well. The best way to integrate them into a "Cat Unit" is to play with each cat individually, giving each of them the "special treatment" with "two-handed cuddles;" and devising games where you all play together.
These games can be with balls, mice or catnip. Include the cats together, not excluding anyone. This builds teamwork with the cats. During the games it is "humans vs cats" and no scores are kept. These games can include "catch me," "tag, you're it," "string," "mouse move," among others. Play until one of the cats drops out and then stop the game. It will build teamwork so that the next time a mouse moves in, the cats will work as a team to remove it.
Valentine's Related Hazards
Chocolate, flowers and other Valentine's gifts can be toxic to cats.
Chocolate is known to kill cats. Cocoa, milk chocolate, hot chocolate, dark chocolate. They all contain a substance that attacks the kidneys in cats - similar to antifreeze. Your cat may be especially tempted if there is milk in the preparation. If your cat ingests chocolate, get it to the vet immediately. You can save your pet's life!
Iris, freesia, and other flowers can be dangerous to cats. Also, the flower treatments in the water can be very hazardous. Be sure your cats stay away from these beautiful treasures.
Watch your cat for signs of disease or illness (poisoning) and act accordingly.
Spread the word about For the Love of Cats dot com, forward this link to your friends.
There are several signs to help you recognize illnesses in your cat. These illnesses may be caused by hazards.
New tips and training ideas are here.
Seasonal ideas are here, with this issue of the newsletter, just for subscribers.
I've added a page telling you about my flea control regimen. I hope it helps to eradicate the fleas in your world.
There is a new area offering some specialty foods that are on the market. Most seem to tempt Beasley and Princess more than their regular fare. There are new treats from the same supplier that have an extreme tempting factor. Enjoy!
Morgen