House Cat Behavior Problems

House Cat Behavior Problems - we love our feline friends but issues do arise. The top two house cat behavior problems are litter box, spraying issues or scratching of the furniture and carpets. While to some degree, that's what they do, there are some methods, ways and products to help you with house cat behavior problems. With some patience and work, your cat can learn and adjust it's ways to become more acceptable within the human household that it resides.

We've provided 12 basic ideas or tips below to help with the two most common house cat behavior problems. More detailed articles on specific topics can be found on our Training and Care page. Browse our Home Page for other products, supplies and accessories.

Veterinary Check-Up - before you do anything else consider this. Sick cats may have problems getting to the litter box in time. Cats with urinary problems, infections, crystals, etc., will cost you a ton of money in veterinary bills if you sit and wait. If there has been no other change in your cat's recent life (i.e. a move, the introduction of another cat or dog), the veterinarian is the first place to start.
Stress - cats can become stressed very easily by changes, moves or additions to your family (i.e another cat, a dog, or even a baby). They may be reacting to the change by not using the litter box, scratching your furniture or spraying. If this has been the case, pay a lot of attention to your (original) cat to help settle it's concerns and alleviate it's fears. Most of the time the unwanted behavior will dissipate as they adjust to the new situation. In more difficult situations, positive feline calming products can help such as the Pet-Ease Natural Calming Mist & Diffuser or the Pet-Ease Natural Calming Spray.
Clean The Litter Box - Clean the litter box twice a day. Cats are fastidious creatures and many will not use a litter box that is dirty. If you are able, scrub the litter box out and let air dry once a week. One trick to reduce odor, which is unpleasant to the cat just as it is to you, is to mist the box each day with Nok-Out Odor Remover. This product is non-toxic and safe to use on the litter box or even on your cat. When the Nok-Out mist dries it eliminates the ammonia or urine smell completely and keeps the box smelling.
Type of Litter - Clumping or scoopable litter is much easier to keep up with than non-clumping litter. Simply remove the clumps and solid waste twice per day with a scoop and add fresh litter as necessary. With non-clumping litter you end up having to dump the whole box and who wants to do that twice per day. Also, choose an unscented litter rather than the heavily perfumed or scented litters. The perfumed litters are meant to appease us humans but remember, a cat's sense of smell is far greater than ours and most object to the heavy perfume scent.
Multiple Litter Boxes - the general rule in a multiple cat household is one litter box each, plus one more. Cats can be very picky about sharing litter boxes. As well, many cats like urinating and defecating in different places and multiple litter boxes can help in this regard.
Urinating Outside the Litter Box - if your cat is urinating outside the litter box clean the area with Nok-Out Odor Remover to eliminate the smell. If you aren't sure where the cat has gone, use the Urine Finder Black Light to locate areas that the cat peed.
Spay or Neuter - this will stop the spraying or marking on furniture and drapes in 90 percent of cats. This can also help with aggressive males and aids with the over population of cats in general.
Clawing and Scratching - keep in mind that it is perfectly natural for a cat to keep it's nails sharp by scratching. Instinctively they are staying prepared for the hunt. You can minimize the damage however, by keeping their nails trimmed. Various cat nail clippers are available in the Grooming Supplies section. To trim you cat's nails, press gently on the footpad to extend the claw. Snip off the tip of the nail, being careful not to cut into the pink part of the nail (called the Quik). If you do go into pink part, your cat's nail will bleed and you may have difficulty doing it again. Use Quik Klot Styptic Powder to quickly stop bleeding should it occur.
Scratching Posts and Toys - provide your cat with plenty of acceptable objects to scratch on. There are a variety of scratching posts and toys on the market that are meant for this purpose. Keep in mind though that not all cats like the same thing and/or that some seem to prefer variety. There are scratchers made from carpet, sisal rope, cardboard and wood. Spread a variety of them around your house to provide many alternatives to your furniture, drapes, etc. Rub catnip onto the scratching posts or toys to attract your cat and encourage desirable behavior with praise and treats.
Paws Away Sticky Strips - are double sided strips of sticky tape which you can use to discourage scratching certain items. These should be used only if you've provided plenty of other scratchers or acceptable items to scratch, otherwise they will simply find a new place to scratch of their own choosing.
Motion Activated Automated Repellent - is a useful device to keep your cat off of counters or furniture that you just haven't been able to discourage in other ways. This system operates with a motion detector and harmless spray. It is highly effective and quickly trains most cats to avoid the area that you have selected to be off limits.

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