Don't worry, but all these seem to be symptoms of one or more disorders in cats. These are often due to boredom, or stress.
It is therefore very important to pay singular attention to provide the cat with a stimulating, reassuring, comfortable environment. With the help of a veterinarian and by trying to understand your cat, it is possible to overcome these disorders that cause material damage and make both the cat and its owner unhappy.
It is essential to address cat behavior disorders as soon as they are noticed: punishing your pet serves little purpose, especially after the fact. For them, all these disorders are only a manifestation of discomfort, a desire to claim the area, a malaise due to a change in environment. But all of this can be trained.
There are various reasons for these disorders such as:
if the cat starts urinating next to its litter box, there is a reason, it's just trying to mark territory. Contrary to popular belief, it is not trying to "outsmart" its owner, it is indicating through this extraordinary gesture where its territory is or that something is wrong, like a litter box too close to its food, a dirty litter box, or a litter box left in an open place or exposed to drafts. Cats loving their privacy need a delimited and respected area.
Similarly, if furniture is moved, if a room's paint is changed, or if new objects are added, new smells will settle and disturb it. Cats are creatures of habit and they value them.
these are reasons not always seen at first glance. Indeed, these reasons are none other than stress: cats perceive any change in their habits, whether it's around the physical environment or the family atmosphere. This can disturb them, and they express their discomfort in their way. Usually, this translates simply to a small puddle of urine aiming to mark their territory again. The important thing (according to the cat) is to leave a mark in the environment to assert their presence and identity. This behavior is often seen when a new animal arrives in the home and "competes" with the cat, when guests are too noisy and disturb "mister," when a tragedy occurs in a family, such as death and the atmosphere is affected. Whatever the change in their routine, cats will notice, and it will stress them.
Other sources of stress present in cats cause behavioral disorders. Notably, in ¾ of cases, a certain lack of activity but living with other animals doesn't always help and often these are small "pricks" that can be observed between the cat and their new "companions."
A naturally anxious cat (there are some out there) may see its stress levels increase when it knows another cat is lurking nearby, no longer feeling at ease and wanting to defend its territory, its hunter instinct constantly alerting it and disturbing its routine. Similarly, certain diseases (hormonal, immune, neurological disorders) can influence their behavior. Lastly, it should be noted that punishments increase their stress.
Cats express their stress and discomfort in different ways, which can be quickly interpreted to manage them better.
Firstly, aggression: some cats have "aggression fits" without apparent reason and will then pounce on anything that moves, particularly their owner. They attack calves. By doing so, the cat indicates it wants to play with the person in question and needs attention.
But this aggression may also be related to their food: it can happen that access to their food is not as simple, causing constraints, or the cat may be in competition with other animals over its food.
In the same vein, it's important to know that a cat should consume at least 1/3 of its portion in protein because it is primarily a carnivore: the quality of this protein should be monitored as a low or mediocre quality diet can result in protein deficiency and thus cause behavioral issues because the cat will feel these deficiencies.
The important thing is to offer it a healthy food category, fresh if possible, and to be able to distribute it throughout the day. Aggression can also stem from a health issue: if in doubt, the cat should be dewormed regularly because worms disrupt the cat's digestion and cause discomfort. Don't hesitate to consult a veterinarian in this situation to be sure.
Another symptom is urination outside the box: this particularly unpleasant situation indicates two possibilities, either the cat wants to relieve itself outside of the litter box because it does not like it (cleanliness, location, litter content), or the animal wants to mark its territory. Determine the origin of this behavior: concretely, if the cat urinates on horizontal surfaces, it wants to relieve itself elsewhere than in the litter box (it takes the same position as when it is in there). The cat may then suffer from urinary disorders and a veterinarian should be consulted, or the litter box is unsuitable for previously mentioned reasons. But if the cat urinates on vertical surfaces like furniture, a wall reaching up to 20 centimeters high, then it wants to mark its territory (by standing up and urinating as far away as possible).
Territorial conflict with another cat is also a symptom of these behavioral disorders: indeed, by introducing a new cat into its usual environment, the cat will react because it will have to share its food, home, litter, and resting areas. This situation will stress it to the highest degree, and action is needed quickly before one takes precedence over the other by denying all access to its needs or if one of them becomes aggressive towards the other.
Another source is the problem during car travel: it's an uncomfortable situation for the cat that will stress it: it's locked in a cage, suddenly lifted from the ground, placed in a noisy environment over which it has no control over the smells: in all cases, the cat can meow, become agitated, tremble, hypersalivate but also suffer from nausea or even vomit.
Many other symptoms can be noticed when a cat experiences behavioral disorders: there is a form of self-defense that develops, for example, where the cat defends itself against any approach or because it doesn't like being handled. Petting and holding the cat are learned, and the cat must gradually get used to it.
Another potential source of a disorder can be a sort of confusion state where the cat loses its bearings because the alarm rang abruptly or because the room it is in contains substances that irritate it (drugs, cigarettes, incense). It even happens that the cat presents disorders similar to humans such as schizophrenia.
The most important thing is to commit to improving the cat's environment by meeting its various needs: space, food, play, stimulation, predation, etc.
It is very important that the cat feels trusted and safe: the cat lives in a world that must provide climbing opportunities, jumping, hiding, and hiding from others if needed. This is why purchasing a cat tree is often recommended to address all this. You can also add elements for it to hide and "play" at not being seen like large plant pots, low shelves, cardboard boxes.
When it comes to sociability, the cat is an individual animal, and its level of tolerance towards other cats or even humans varies depending on the cat: it is therefore necessary to respect its need for independence and solitude that it needs at times through a place that is dedicated solely to it, a place where it can freely move to its litter, food, and water.
The cat is an animal that needs a lot of sensory stimulation, whether olfactory, sensory, or visual: that's why the cat loves to perch to admire its environment and react accordingly, and if possible on a scratching surface for it to sharpen its claws (cat trees with multiple platforms offer these kinds of possibilities). Likewise, varying the texture of its food is good for its diet.
It loves playing above all because it awakens its perfectly preserved hunting instinct: noisy, vibrating, and bouncing toys have its full favor. It should be noted that cats love to play with humans rather than on their own.
This is a new technology aimed at solving behavioral problems, especially in cats. It is based on pheromones emitted by animals on various occasions.
In cats, there are 3 types of pheromones, namely those for marking their territory (found in urine), those serving as alarm and spacing systems (located in the pads and anal glands), and finally, calming and familiarization pheromones found when the cat rubs against its owner or furniture, or when two cats groom each other mutually).
These natural chemical substances help better communicate and engage with the environment. And if a pheromone, a smell changes, the cat's behavior can potentially change. Thanks to pheromone therapy, it is now possible to counter and overcome cat behavioral problems, to counter its aggression, to prevent scratching on furniture and the furniture, to eliminate any conflict between the cat and its peers.
This pheromone therapy technology is created by the brand Feliway and is available in two solutions, either as a spray or as a diffuser.
For the spray, it should be used in cases where there are urine markings but also in cases of scratching or in the transport cage and also on protruding objects in a room (corner of a wall, corner furniture). Be sure to spray the area without soaking it, otherwise, the effectiveness will be lost, and the cat will simply think another cat has already marked the territory. It would then go back over it to refresh the mark.
For the diffuser, it is mainly used in a home with several cats, during a move or renovation, and when furniture is changed. The diffuser works like a mosquito repellent and is plugged into an electrical outlet 24/7.
The diffuser covers an area of about 70m² and its effectiveness is proven for 4 weeks.
It is the brand Feliway that offers this new technology, a simple and effective solution to combat undesirable cat behaviors. Thanks to this technique of replicating the soothing properties of certain pheromones, the cat will feel secure again, and no more stress will be on the agenda.
The advantage of this technology is that it can be used in specific zones.
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