4 Cattitude Problems and Their Solutions

If you’ve ever used the word “cattitude” to describe your cat’s personality, you know all too well the negative behavior that some cats can’t seem to let go of. You love your furry little feline, but pulling your hair out isn’t far away and you’re desperate for help.  I know that hopeless feeling all too well as I’ve experienced these issues with my feisty Torbie, Jem. But fret not, for here are four behavioral problems and their solutions for your misbehaving kitty.

Jem’s sweet face may fool you but she is quite a handful!

1) Aggression towards people and other animals is no joke. It’s not fun at all when you have to constantly supervise your cat around guests or your other pets in fear of an attack. This is an ongoing issue that I’ve had with Jem and one of the most frustrating ones. When I have friends over or when Jem is around my Tuxedo, Bella, I’m always watching for what I call the “psycho” look before Jem pounces. Fortunately, I’ve found a few solutions that help her stay relaxed and easy-going:

• More playtime – Sometimes the reason why cats can get overly aggressive is simply that they aren’t getting enough exercise and have too much built up energy. Whenever Jem looks like she’s about to attack Bella, I pull out her fishing pole toy and play with her until she is calm. This always helps keep the peace between the two.
• Pheromone collars, diffusers, and sprays – With some cats, all the effort in the world on your part just can’t help ease their aggression. In these kinds of situations, a little extra help can make all the difference. Pheromone collars, diffusers, and sprays simulate the pheromones that mother cats release to calm and reassure their kittens. The great thing is that these pheromones can calm adult cats too! I keep a Sentry Calming Collar on Jem at all times and it really helps her to relax and not be so aggressive. This paired with plenty of playtime keeps Jem and me happy!

A playful Jem is a happy Jem!

2) Biting or scratching during playtime – Maybe you wouldn’t go as far to call your cat aggressive, but when you play with him or her, it hurts! If you are like me, when you got your cat as a kitten you didn’t realize that using your hands as toys during playtime encourages kittens to play rough with you. Sure, it’s cute when they’re kittens, but it isn’t so cute when they are fully grown adults who can pack a punch! I actually have this issue with Bella, not Jem, and am just starting to work on it. The main thing to remember is that you need to keep your hands out of reach during playtime and use toys only! Cats are natural predators and hunt when they play, so they aren’t going to be gentle with whatever they perceive as their toy.

Bella tries her best to look innocent but she’s a biter!

It’s also very important that you stay consistent with only using a toy and that everyone in your home does the same so that the message is clear to your kitty: hands are not toys! For more in-depth help, The Humane Society of the United States provides a great guide for teaching your kitty to play nice.

3) Peeing outside of the litter box is the other most frustrating problem I’ve had with Jem. For some reason she used to want nothing to do with the litter box and I could never figure out why. I hate having to clean up urine from the carpet, couches, beds, or worse, and I know I’m not alone. After trying many different things for Jem, I’ve found a few tricks that can help your fussy feline:

• Cat expert Jackson Galaxy offers a great tip that has worked for me: always have one more litter box than the amount of cats you have. He stresses that cats are very territorial and don’t want to fight over litter boxes, so when you have an extra they don’t have to. I have three litter boxes for Jem and Bella, which has definitely helped Jem use the litter box more.

• Retrain your kitty to use the litter box – A fresh start may be exactly what you and your kitty need. Before retraining, clean your litter box thoroughly, change the location of the box, and change the type of litter if you feel it’s necessary. When you’ve done all that, check out this great video for help with litter training.

• If nothing is working, take your cat to the vet to make sure that the problem isn’t physical. Your cat’s reason for not using the litter box could be because of a urinary tract infection, so it’s important to rule it out or treat it if that’s the case. I took Jem to the vet to make sure she was okay and learned the problem was behavioral (lucky me) and that she was physically fine, but it may be a different situation for your kitty.

4) When you have to wake up early but your cat is determined to keep you awake at night, it can be so annoying and frustrating; Jem is the queen of nighttime disturbing even when I shut my door. Whether your furry minion keeps meowing, biting, or scratching outside your door, here is a trick that can help:

• Not only does it help with aggression, but playtime before bed can also tire your kitty out. Use whatever toy they like best and try to get them moving as long as you can so they burn excess energy. This is my go-to method for Jem and usually gets her tired and likely to leave me alone!

What cattitude problems has your kitty exhibited? How did you overcome them? Leave a comment and let us know!