When clients reach out to us for help, they often have their very own theory as to why their cat is doing things deemed inappropriate by human standards. Revenge, grudges and payback are sometimes mentioned as a feline motivation for bad behavior. An example we hear very often: “Each time I leave town for business, my cat poops on my bed to punish me.” But, is that actually what happened here?
Humanizing our felines
Humanizing our cats’ behaviors and actions is a typical thing amongst us cat parents. Admit it: You happily check with yourselves as “cat mothers and dads.” (Yeah, so can we!) We frequently talk over with our cats and confide in them much the identical way we’d a trusted friend. Cats are such an integral a part of our on a regular basis lives that we regularly check with them as our BFF’s (best feline friends) or whilst our fur kids. In any case, there are lots of commonalities between our cats’ actions and people of our human children.
Nonetheless, assigning human emotions to our cats shouldn’t be a superb idea. Cats are literally motivated by something more essential than emotions.
Behind the behavior
Human beings are very expressive, and we regularly make decisions based on our emotions. But every little thing a cat does relies on survival, not emotions. Whenever you take a look at what your cat is doing — good or bad — and compare it to how wild or stray cats live, it’s clear that they’re using their survival instincts to act as they do.
While cats do have long memories, they don’t really hold grudges like people may do. Cats might avoid certain people, places, situations or things they’ve had bad experiences with. In nature, that is how cats, each big and small, use their survival instincts in on a regular basis situations. Even in the event that they have never lived outdoors, cats are born with that instinct to safeguard themselves. That is a relentless motivation in every cat’s life.
Instinctive and/or memory motivation to act a certain way, nonetheless, isn’t the identical as holding a grudge. Your cat shouldn’t be retaliating for something that makes him unhappy. He doesn’t even know what a grudge means. He’s simply acting to guard his resources and is definitely feeling fear.
As a cat parent, it’s crucial to learn as much as possible about cats, their history living with humans and their natural habits. Cats are in the course of the food chain as each predator and prey, so that they are more vigilant about their security than your dog is likely to be about his. Learning what makes cats tick will make it much easier for you not only to know what your cat is doing but in addition will enable you to redirect unwanted behaviors more easily.
Think like your cat
The subsequent time you’re feeling that your cat is acting out of spite or anger, put yourself in his place. What’s he really trying to speak? Assess all the situation, find the what or who that’s causing him to misbehave, then find ways to alleviate his feelings of threat, fear and anxiety behind his actions. Make changes or redirect his actions to alleviate his stress. You’ll each be much happier, and your own home will likely be peaceful with a kitty happily snoozing in your lap.
Why is kitty acting this fashion?
Listed below are a number of examples of unwanted cat behaviors and what the behavior is definitely communicating. All the time check along with your veterinarian to rule out any medical reasons in your cat’s irksome actions.
Peeing or pooping in your bed: We hear this one quite a bit, and most of the people think it either means the cat is retaliating for something he didn’t like or that he doesn’t like them. It’s neither. Mixing his scent with yours is reassuring to your cat when he’s feeling anxious or stressed.
Spraying: Quite different from peeing, spraying behavior occurs when a cat feels his resources are being threatened, and he’s putting up his sign that lets everyone else know “I live here, and you don’t!” Changes within the household, like latest pets, outside feral and/or stray cats being near your own home are all examples of what may cause your cat to sense a scarcity of enough of his resources to go around. So he reclaims them as his by marking together with his scent.
Scratching: This isn’t retaliatory behavior either — it’s a part of your cat’s DNA to scratch. Scratching keeps his claws and paws in tip-top shape as he scent marks where he’s scratching with those paw pads. It’s a natural and crucial a part of your cat’s physical needs.
Aggression: A cat acting aggressively is one who’s in fear for his life and/or his well-being. That fight-or-fight mentality is triggered when a cat feels threatened, and he’ll do whichever one he feels is crucial to survive. Moving, latest people within the household, latest pets and any style of major change could create aggressive behavior in your cat. But again, this shouldn’t be any style of hatred nor grudge your cat is harboring.
