Cat And Kitten BootCamp

Why Do Cats Behave Badly?

Bringing a new cat into your home may not be as smooth of a process as you might have thought it would be. Some cats are very stressed out by the change of their environment and may display numerous behavioral problems. You need to figure out what’s causing these problems to occur and take the proper training action to eliminate it.

If your cat is unwilling to cooperate and does not seem to be able to respond to your training methods, you must figure out what it is that is truly pushing your cat to act this way. Below are some possibilities and common issues that many cats experience.

1. Stressful Situations: One of the first things that cats usually do when faced with a stressful condition is to react by changing and altering their behavior in a desperate attempt to cope with the situation. For example, many pet owners complain that their well-behaved cats will suddenly mark their territory inside the house after someone has visited or a new animal has been introduced into the home. This is obviously a way for the cat to calm himself and feel good knowing that no matter who or what has come through “his” territory, it is now marked and smells like his “turf”. To the cat, it ensures that he is safe and is still the master of his domain.

2. Being Bored: Cats are naturally adventurous and their entire life revolves around sleeping and getting into trouble. This is why so many cats enjoy and prefer to be outdoors. There is a limitless amount of opportunity to explore, seek prey, and investigate. When you leave your cat inside the house for a long period of time, he is bound to become extremely bored.

As you can imagine, the inside of the house is not quite as exciting as the great outdoors, especially once you’ve safe-proofed the area. What’s a cat to do? The next best thing for him is to explore your house and play and dig into whatever he can find, such as your couch, your shoes, or maybe your bookshelf. In order to solve this problem you need to have an abundant amount of cat toys, rolling balls, and any assortment of fun stuff that your cat can occupy his time with. He will then spend more time with his toys and less time scratching your expensive couch.

Why Do Cats Purr, Hiss, & Spit?

That “purring” sound that cats make can be traced back to when they were kittens. This sound is what kittens make when they need to communicate to their mother that they are content. You will notice that your cat purrs when being pet and rubbed in a caressing manner. Well as kittens, this was their way of letting mom know that everything is fine and that they are happy.

Another reason why cats make a purring sound is to alert their nest of kittens as they approach them. Why does a mother cat need to do this? Well it reassures the little kittens that it is their mom and not an enemy. Of course today’s domesticated cat and its litter does not need to worry about real danger from outside animals, but this behavior are in a cat’s genes that trace back to their ancestors.

Older cats will also make a purring sound if they want to play with other cats. It is their way of saying “Hey you, please come play with me”. And because purring is a non-aggressive approach, another cat will not confuse this as troublesome and threatening behavior. Adult cats may also purr when approaching a more dominant cat that they want to befriend or let it be known that they are submissive and will not start any trouble. It is more of a precautionary move on their part to soothe potential aggression.

Cats That Hiss

Another familiar sound that cats are known for is the way they hiss. Unlike purring, hissing tends to be on side of aggression and relates to threats of danger or protection. Hissing is a form of cat expression that affects a cat’s sense of sight, touch, as well as hearing.

When a cat hisses, their mouths are open slightly – about halfway. Their upper lip gets drawn back and their faces get extremely wrinkled up. While doing this, their breath gets expelled so much that the air pressure can be felt a few feet away. When a cat is facing this hissing sound from another cat, you can see why it would give the immediate warning signs of danger.

Cats That Spit

We now come to cat spitting. When a cat spits it is sending a signal to be threatening or to give off a warning to potential danger. Spitting almost always is followed up by the cat actually stomping its paws on the ground. Although this behavior looks as though the cat is ready to fight, it is more of a bluff in hopes that the enemy will be intimidated enough to run away. And in most cases, the cat who reaches the point of spitting and paw stomping does indeed accomplish the goal of running off the enemy.

My newest kitten decided she did not like the litter box and would poo everywhere but inside of it. I had a round covered type box, called the bouda. Maybe you have heard of it or seen it. Anyway, I thought she was sick or felt neglected so I would just pick it up. I would pick up the poo, lay it inside the litter box, then put her inside with it. I know that it is not good to spank or yell at the kitten when something like this happens. I know it’s very frustrating when you have to clean up a smelly mushy mess. Knowing darn well that the smell or residue of it will never come out of the carpet. No matter what it will not come out. I ended up bleaching my carpet thinking the smell would go away. Well, it did but she still would poo in the same spot. If I were to put something there to block it, like a box, she would just go somewhere else. The thing was, she would pee in the litter box but not poo?!

So after a month or so of trying and bleaching my carpet all up, I decided to head to the pet store, petco.com

I was browsing the store in search of a topless litter box but put something over it so the litter does not fly everywhere. I found this mini white tarp cover for large topless litter boxes that I had to have! I just hoped that my little picky miss priss would poo in it! I almost considered giving her up because it got so bad. She would just constantly go everywhere, unless I could catch her in the act. If I put her in there she would go.

Anyway I tried the new box and presto! She stopped going outside on the carpet! I was so happy that I did not have to wake up every morning to a big present in the corner somewhere.

Cat And Kitten BootCamp

Training : Make sure to get the right litter box and litter for your cat or kitten. Watch out for the signs that they are unhappy with it.

I have learned that my newest kitten, baby girlkuns, likes her bedtime when ever she feels fit. I will be working on the computer or doing a household chore when she decides to do her “sleep time” trick. The cute roll, i call it. Looking all cute laying completely on her back with her little paws curled up. She will just plop on the floor and do this no matter where I am, telling me to stop what I’m doing, pick her up and take her to bed.

When I first got her, she was a feisty one, mostly biting me all the time and playing. She still bites whenever she does not want to be touched or bothered. Although, when she is tired, get ready for cuddling and purring. She is the nicest little angel ever. Yet when she is up and ready to go, watch out! Miss priss will bite you!

Cat And Kitten BootCamp

Training : Learn the kittens moods or else you will get bit.

Every morning, it never fails, my cat Foo Foo Munkins always likes to yell at me from the other side of the door. Now I let all three of them in during the night but they can get to bugging me with all their rustling about in my bedroom. I then have to play chase in order to get them out. Sometimes I have to resort to the squirt bottle!

I’m sure many of you know what I’m talking about. I will be sleeping and all of a sudden I awake to a fumble and rumble from the side of mt head. It’s one of my boys being bugga boo’s. Now I am trained to get up around 3:oo am to just go ahead and let them in after I already kicked them out because if I don’t, he will yell and bang on the door until I do.

BootCamp : Week 20

Training : Wake up to let the cats in the bedroom.