What sets cats apart from dogs? Most dogs are very predictable. But cats are more mysterious because their actions sometimes leave you confused.
A long-time cat owner will still probably feel surprised about its changing habits and behavior.
Do you want to understand why your cat acts a certain way? Read on.
Why does my cat purr?
Cats say their ‘meow’ for the first time after a week or so from birth.
This milestone is very useful for the cat. Purring helps cats to grow their bones and heal.
This is because of the endorphins their body releases as they purr.
Aside from expressing moments of happiness, cats purr for several other reasons.
Purring is an act that reduces the cat’s stress level.
When cats feel restless or irritated, they might start to make that long purring sound to feel calm.
Why does my cat knead its paws?
Not all cats rub or knead their paws. Most of the time, cats dig their paws in and out to communicate their satisfaction playfully.
When cats are still kittens, rubbing or kneading is a behavior that supports the nursing process.
True enough, some cats never outgrow this behavior!
But what happens when rubbing or kneading gets out of hand?
This can be annoying and may lead to the owner’s things getting chaotic.
Things like hair getting chomped up or even fabric or clothes! It is important to be mindful of what is causing your pet to do this.
Try to find the reason for the behavior. It could be that your cat needs to be fed.
Maybe it needs to relax from feeling anxious or just trying to get your attention for some playtime!
Why does my cat like to bring home dead things?
What lies under that adorable, wide-eyed creature cat of yours?
A predator
Do not forget that cats are predatory animals by nature.
Their instincts tell them to hunt prey.
In the wild, the parent cats teach their kittens how to hunt and get food for them. Pet cats or domestic cats usually do not hunt as owners provide their food and other needs.
Although the modern house cat is well-groomed or trained, its instincts will still kick-in when prey is one trot away.
Did you know that one theory explains that cats hunt to offer a gift to please you?
Another explanation is that cats feel they are not getting the right attention so they hunt for themselves.
A cat will not wait for its owner. Instead, it will show that it can take care of its own needs.
Why does my cat feed on plants?
Cats are intelligent animals. They are known for their curiosity. And this can be deadly.
This can become a problem because they cannot sit still at one thing.
They tend to get bored easily. When the boredom strikes, anything like your plants can appear appealing to them as a toy.
Plants such as grass have a laxative property that helps prevent hairball.
If your cat eats plants, it can be a sign that it needs help to cough out or eliminate the collected hair in its digestive system.
This is something that you need to observe.
The Final Word About Cat Behavior
The bottom line? Making consistent efforts to observe your pet surely will help you deeply understand your pet. This will make life with your pet enjoyable and worthwhile.
Common Cat Issues and Solutions
Some people are dog people, and some are cat people.
You can easily understand what a dog wants. It growls when it is mad and whines when it is sad. It is a very transparent creature.
But it is a different story with a cat. You hardly know what a cat wants, and some of the stuff that it does defy all human understanding.
But we still love cats, despite ourselves. We love it when they rub against our legs, massage our laps, and look us in the eye, and meow.
Yet sometimes, they have some bad habits that you want to be changed but don’t know how to do it.
The good news is that all common cat problems have solutions.
*Scratching
You find your cat in front of your curtains and scratching madly at it. You may think it is doing it only to annoy you, but there is a reason.
It is either marking its territory, working off energy, wanting to play, or getting rid of some parts of its claws.
It is easy to prevent. You don’t have to settle for worn-out furniture or stop it from doing what it naturally does. Here are ways to prevent it:
· Purchase a scratching post for your cat. Apply some catnip on it to entice your cat to use it.
· You can trim down its sharp claws. It seems hard, but it is not. Consult your veterinarian on the proper way to cut your cat’s claws.
· You can attach nail caps or claw caps over your cat’s claws. It is a type of sleeve made of vinyl, which prevents your cat from doing major damage.
*Problems with the Litter Box
It is the number one problem that cat parents have with their cats.
It is frustrating when your cat decides that it doesn’t want to do its business in the litter box. But there is usually a reason for this, and also solutions:
· If you have multiple cats living in your house, then provide one litter box per cat. It may decide to relieve itself somewhere else if there is only one litter box to use. There are many types available, and try to let your cat test it first.
· Your cat may have urinary tract diseases or bladder stone issues, so bring your cat to the veterinarian to rule these out.
· Always clean the litter box. If there is more than one cat in your house, clean it more often.
*Your Cat’s Activities in the Night
Your cat is a nocturnal creature, and its nightly activities sometimes drive you nuts. Yet you can cease its nightly functions. Here is how:
· Check first if your cat doesn’t have any medical issues. It might be in pain if it is agitated, so consult your vet if you think there is something wrong.
· If your cat is active at night, you can tire it out by having a play session before bedtime.
· Make sure that your cat has loads of stuff to do in the daytime so that it will sleep during the night. Get toys for your cat and make an enclosure to have space for it to play. You can also leave boxes out for it to explore.
· If your cat likes to socialize at night, you can get another cat to pal around.
· Your cat likes to take a nap after a meal, so feed the main meal at night. A timed feeder also works, which pops open man times. Your cat will find it entertaining and is busy watching it in the early hours of the morning, while you are still sleeping.
*Aggression
There are many reasons why your cat may be aggressive. It may be because of overcrowding, maternal protection, sickness, wanting to play.
· Your cat has a foul mood because it may be sick or in pain, so consult your veterinarian.
· A male cat is aggressive by nature and can affect other cats in the house. The solution is to neuter or spay it.
· Your cat may be aggressive because there isn’t enough cat stuff to go around. Make sure that each cat has something to play with or has a litter box unto itself.
· Catfights can happen if you have multiple cats. If this happens, throw a pillow in their direction, bang your pots and pans to make a loud noise, or squirt them with water. Don’t try to pull fighting cats apart or else you might get scratched.
· If you still don’t know why your cat is being aggressive, try talking to a veterinary behaviorist.
*Biting and Scratching Other Cats
Your cat loves to play. Sometimes, it gets too frisky and suddenly bites and scratches its playmate. To curb this behavior:
· Provide your cat with things to keep it busy, like toys, perches, empty boxes to explore, etc. Or get it another cat for a playmate.
· Spend playtime with your cat. Twice a day for ten minutes each.
*Fleas
If your cat is always scratching and licking itself, has irritated skin, and losing its fur, it may have fleas.
Consult your veterinarian about options for flea control since some flea medication for dogs is fatal to cats. Use only cat medication.
*Tapeworms
It is a common parasite for cats. If your cat has fleas, then there is a good chance it has tapeworms as well. A cat can sometimes get tapeworms by swallowing fleas.
Check your cat’s stool or is beddings. Tapeworms look like rice grains or sesame seeds.
Garlic is a popular home remedy for cats, but there is no proof that it works.
Consult your veterinarian for the best tapeworm medication for your cat.