Cat - Common Cat Behavior - What Is Your Cat Trying To Tell You?

Save 5% on orders over $75 at Only Natural Pet Store! Use coupon code CJ75. Just like you get to know when a baby is tired, hungry, or needs their diaper changed, cats give off signals and display common behaviors that lets you know where they are coming from. Spending a little quality time with your feline is just the thing to familiarize yourself with what makes your ball of fur tick. Below you will find a few characteristics associated with common behaviors your cat may display: Head and Tail Positioning Many cats express their happiness by walking about with an upright tail that resembles the same angle as a question mark. Their head will remain up with bright and alert eyes. When a cat walks with their head and tail down, it is suggested that you approach the feline with caution. The exception to this rule is with cats of the Bengal breed, which normally display this type of posture. An unhappy cat often slinks about the house, making very little contact with humans. Eye Contact The majority of cats do not look humans directly in the eye. This is because cats view this sort of behavior as a challenge. If you are ever faced in a "stare down," it is important to take the stance of aggressor so that your cat is made aware of whom the boss is within the household. Cat Talk When cats vocalize their intentions, there is a wide range of possibilities to consider. If you have spent a good amount of time watching and listening to your pet, you should be able to tell when your cat is feeling stressed, is in pain, wants attention, or is simply trying to have one-on-one time with you. Aggression When a cat acts in an intense or aggressive manner, he is attempting to display dominance over you. They are essentially challenging your authority as leader of the pack. Some of the ways they may showcase their disobedience includes nipping, scratching, spraying, as well as ignoring your presence. While approaching the situation with caution, it is important to reassert your position within the household by showing them whose boss. After all, you are the person setting down the food and changing the kitty litter. Interaction Cats who respect their owner as the boss of the house usually feel the need to be around them. They express this admiration by greeting their masters at the door when they come home from a hard day of work. Cats will also feel the need to sit beside their owner, lounge over their shoulder, or cuddle in their lap. At night, they may gravitate to them while they sleep. Struggling with a cat behavior problem and don't know how to fix it? I suggest visiting http://www.secretsofcats.com to learn about cat training solutions that will quickly solve your cat's bad behavior. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Julia_Camden Cat - Aggression in Cats Cats are naturally territorial animals. Therefore, it is common for a cat to have aggressive tendencies toward other cats in the house. This behavior can suddenly happen for no apparent reason. When your cat first shows aggression toward other cats it is important to take corrective action. Often times aggression is the result of sexual maturity which leads to territorial behavior in cats. In most cases, a cat's sexual and territorial urges will be minimized once they are spayed or neutered. If both cats have had this procedure and you are still having a problem, then consider some other options. If you have several cats in your household, a single aggressive cat will often want to dominate the pack. Many times a single cat or pair of cats will be the problem. One will be the aggressor, and the other cat will be on the defensive. One method is to single out and focus on the aggressor. If you can catch the aggressive cat in the act, try and spray him with a squirt bottle. Make sure the spray is directed only toward the aggressive cat. The defensive cat will be under enough stress and should not be provoked with water or noise. Noise making devices such as air-cans, will essentially scare both cats which is what you want to avoid by using a squirt bottle. Unfortunately it is not always possible to catch an aggressive cat in the act. This is a must if your discipline is to be effective. Luckily, there are other effective solutions such as setting up your own conditions for the behavior to occur. Try moving the two problem cats away from one another by putting each of them in a separate area of the house. Try this for a full day and make sure they do not have any contact with each other. The following day, allow them to trade places. This allows each cat to get familiar with the others scent yet does not allow for direct contact. Continue with the cat's separation for several days, switching their quarters regularly. When you think the cats are ready, allow them to be together for several minutes under close supervision. Have the squirt bottle ready in case the aggressive cat attacks. Then proceed to separate and reintroduce the cats several more times. Upon reintroduction, try an activity together such as eating or playing. Create a stress free environment for the cats to re-associate with one another. Give them praise and speak to them in a soothing voice. If the aggressive behavior occurs, make sure you are ready for it! You may have to continue with the separation and reintroduction process for several days or even weeks. Your cat's aggression toward other cats is a problem that you must be patient to solve. The time it takes to overcome the problem will depend on the personality of both cats.