CAT BEHAVIOR - A LESSON IN RELATIONSHIPS

Having had 6 cats so far puts me in a position to know something about Cat Behavior. Unlike dogs, (which I have had 8 in my lifetime) I found that the main difference with cats is being able to develop a "relationship" with them.

Having this rapport with them is so important not only for you but to the cat as well.

The first time you have an interaction with the pet is the first time you start to train their behavior. A lot of people think that cat training is impossible. I'm not talking about rolling over or jumping thru hoops. I'm talking about training them to interact correctly with you and the rest of your family.

Although they are creatures of habit and have instincts deeply set in stone it doesn't mean that they can't be directed on what to do or not do. Let me give an example. When my daughter got her own first cat living away at school she called and asked about his nails.

Nails on a cat of course need to be taken care for lots of reasons. My daughter found out that her cat, Darwin, like most others wouldn't stop clawing the furniture. She did not want to de-claw the cat feeling that it would be too traumatic. She remembered her first cat we had as a child. Buster hated having his nails cut. So I told her it really was an easy solution.

If you use a good pair of nail cutters to trim his nails from the moment he is a kitten he'll be used to it and you can do it any time you want. At first her apprehension got the best of her. She was afraid to hurt him or cause the nail to bleed.

I explained that patience and persistence was the order of the day. And you know what? She kept cutting his nails on a daily basis even just going thru the motions and it is a regular part of his routine. When she does it now he rolls over on his side like he's getting his nails done by a salon. He loves it and most times will fall asleep while she does it. It was a simple matter of training.

This is part of the relationship I spoke about. You develop it from the first moment you meet. Is it really any different than training a small child? Not really, it's part of a process. They do the same to you don't they?

When your cat comes and rubs up against your leg, to me that means one of two things. Over the years I realize that either he's just happy and letting you know it or he's hungry and wants to eat. Why is this any different than "training" them to let you cut their nails? He rubs your leg thousands of times a year so you get the idea. If you cut the nails regularly (or fake it and go thru the actions) they are no longer frightened about an unknown action.

By nature, cats are tough to understand. Sometimes you watch them for hours wondering either what's going thru their mind or what the heck they are doing. This is a situation that you can also change at an early age.

Because cats are normally finicky or have a quirky demeanor, when they don't appear to be social the first sense is that they must be too aloof or frightened. Not true! If you don't spend time with them at a young age or play with them on a daily basis of course they won't want anything to do with you.

Cats also don't have a very long attention span. So play with them when you get the chance. They love to zone in and out of sleeping. They don't call it catnapping for nothing.

You know, they have off days like we do as well. They're not always bright and cheery. They may just be tired, bored or maybe sick. If you really know your cat you'll be able to spot it right away.

Sometimes, unknown Cat Behavior could be caused by something as simple as dirty cat litter. Some cats don't mind if the litter box isn't cleaned for a day or even two. Others, like my moms, won't go until it is cleaned out from the last time they went. A little pee in the box isn't what I'm talking about. Floyd wants his box the way he wants it. Nothing else will do.

I've also seen that if you don't pay attention to providing constant care for their hairballs, either by giving them fur ball additives or something else, they really are turned off by any interaction with us. Most cats have hair that is long enough to cause problems on a regular basis. They constantly lick and clean themselves and they need to get rid of all the hair they ingest.

Over the years a little fish oil, (I used tuna fish oil) will not only keep the hairballs moving out of their system or help them pass it in their stools, but give them a smooth, shiny coat as well. You'll be glad you did and so will they. Ask your vet if you aren't sure. All pets are different. If they're eating a lot of grass, I found this is a sure sign of hairball problems as well.

The craziest Cat Behavior I saw was when Buster sat in the living room window and looked outside. This is one of those time when you really want too know what they're thinking.

All of a sudden his mouth was chattering a mile a minute, he was clicking his teeth and making the weirdest noise possible. Again, by taking the time to understand what was going on it wasn't too hard to figure out.

Right outside our window was a tree. It was kind of close to the house. Well, there was a bird in it and he was merely acting on his normal hunting instincts. He was acting out that he really had the bird in his mouth. It was quite a sight the first time I saw it.


Having you cat for a long time will not only be rewarding but a true learning experience on Cat Behavior. Keep them happy, attend to their needs and understanding their behavior won't seem so hard or unrewarding.

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