Understanding ¡®Cat Normal¡¯
While there are cats out there displaying truly abnormal behaviors, many of the problems we as owners label as out of the ordinary are actually perfectly reasonable for a cat not necessarily acceptable, but what might be termed ¡®cat normal¡¯ all the same. An owner¡¯s understanding of what¡¯s normal for a cat and what¡¯s not determines how successful he or she can be in changing a behavior.
Cat Logic
The most common behavior problem, the one that causes most owners to stare bug-eyed at their cats and scream, ¡°WHAT¡¯S WRONG WITH YOU?¡± is when kitty stops using the litterbox. The truth is, and this may be hard to believe; the behavior is normal. In fact, it¡¯s logical, looked at from your cat¡¯s point of view.
Why would he suddenly refuse to go in his litterbox? For starters, it may be a medical problem, such as lower urinary tract disease (common among cats, especially males). The irritated bladder may cause him to feel as if it¡¯s more full than it actually is, and he¡¯ll need to void right then and there. If the litterbox is on the other side of the house, he doesn¡¯t have time to reach it. He may even associate the pain he feels upon urination with the litterbox itself.
Another normal reason a cat may choose to eliminate outside of his box is if it¡¯s just too darn dirty, or if it contains an unfamiliar kind of litter. A cat is a creature of habit, and abrupt changes are met with suspicion.
A cat who sprays can cause an owner unlimited frustration but, once again, the behavior is normal. A cat is a territorial animal and spraying is, bar none, the definitive calling card. A cat reaching sexual maturity will often spray (this can be remedied with neutering), and a cat perceiving a territorial threat may spray. If your neutered cat has begun spraying, there may be a cat outside, or perhaps you¡¯ve added another pet to your family. Usually the spraying is the result of something different and perceived as a territorial threat in the home. Looking at it from your cat¡¯s point of view can usually help you find the cause and eliminate it, modify it or gingerly desensitize your cat to its presence. For a territorial animal, spraying is a perfectly reasonable, assertive but relatively unaggressive reaction to a threatening situation.
Scratch a Cat, Find a Feline
What about scratching the furniture? Do you feel as if your cat is bent on total household destruction? No, he¡¯s not systematically demolishing your furniture he¡¯s being a normal cat. Felines have a need and several reasons to scratch: for claw conditioning, for muscle stretching, as an emotional outlet and for territorial security. Once again, the species¡¯ territorial side needs expression and scratching leaves a visual mark (much to your dismay) and a scent mark (through glands in the paw pads). The reason he¡¯s using your sofa instead of his scratching post is probably because the post isn¡¯t sturdy enough or the right texture. In the wild, a cat uses a tree or a fence for scratching.
Understanding Aggression
A common aggressive behavior that owners find perplexing is called redirected aggression. An example of this might be how your cat suddenly lashes out at you when you innocently pet him while he¡¯s looking out the window.
Your reaction to this seemingly unprovoked aggression is that the cat has, for not reason, turned mean. The simple truth is, he might have seen a strange cat outside and was already in a very agitated state when you suddenly startled him. The overreaction on his part was merely the result of the threat he was feeling from the presence of a cat in his domain. This doesn¡¯t mean that you now have an aggressive cat. In most cases, he¡¯ll calm down in a few hours and be back to his old self. Sometimes it takes blocking access to that window until he forgets about the cat outside.
Moonlight Madness
Cats are nocturnal hunters, so it makes perfect sense for your kitty to prowl around after dark. If the nightly noise gets to be too much, try playing with him right before bed in order to work off some of his energy and satisfy his hunting desire.
Cats display lots of funny, quirky, confusing, annoying, serious and even dangerous behavior that often leave owners scratching their head in wonder. Don¡¯t assume your cat is weird. Find the cause of the behavior, whether it¡¯s physical, medical, emotional or environmental, and you¡¯ll find it makes sense in a strange, feline way.
Excerpts taken from article "Is Your Cat Crazy" by Pam Johnson Bennett in 1998 Special Issue of Pet Let Magazine
