We help counsel kitty parents on a regular basis that have cats with behavioral issues. Some common behavioral issues include going outside the box, aggression toward others and spraying or ‘marking’ territories.
Please note: If a cat’s behavior changes very suddenly, please schedule a vet visit first and foremost. Cats will sometimes act out because they are in pain. Ruling out an illness or injury is needed before moving forward.
Once you’re sure that the problem is behavioral, here are some easy steps you can take to curb the undesirable actions.
Helping cats with behavioral issues
- Exercise your cat. Indoor cats often don’t get the exercise they need. A lack of exercise contributes to stress, boredom and depression (yes, all real things for our kitties). Exercise is one of the best ways to relieve these issues, so we have to take the initiative to help make exercise part of their routine. Spending just 20 minutes per day playing with them and their favorite toy will release stress and increase their happiness and health!
- Engage with your cats. Our kitties often don’t get the attention they deserve – and spending one-on-one time with them helps to build their confidence levels. Take your cat with behavioral issues into a room alone (away from other cats and people) and spend 15 minutes giving them your full attention with toys and love. When felines are confident and feel secure, they are much less likely to act out. Do this once a day or a few times per week and it will make a huge difference with your situation.
- Let them hunt. Cats instinctively love to hunt their prey. It’s a part of their nature. By denying them the ability to use their instincts we are unknowingly stressing out our cats and creating behavioral problems. Try hiding their treats around the house or make a small investment in a product like Doc & Phoebe’s Indoor Hunting Feeder which you can find in our Amazon shop.
It’s been mind blowing to find out that we don’t need a cat whisperer in order to curb the unwanted behavior in our cats, so we had to take a moment to share the news with you as well. Encouraging your cats to be more “cat-like” is a simple way to help them be happier, healthier… and less naughty!
Natural Stress Reliever for Cats
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