UNDERSTANDING YOUR CAT'S BEHAVIOUR

​There’s something innately lovable about a cat and anyone who has a cat knows their personality is as unique as the pattern of their coat.  Sometimes though, their behaviour can be difficult to understand – and frustrating to live with. 
 
Cats perceive the world very differently to us and they have to learn to adapt to living with humans and other pets.  They have particular physical, emotional and cognitive needs and if these needs are not met, they can exhibit behaviours that might be quite normal in a ‘cat’s world’ but not within our homes.

key behavioural issues

Some of the most common behavioural issues include:
  • Urine spraying on walls, doors, windows, bedding and clothes
  • Toileting outside of the litter box
  • Aggression to people
  • Aggression to other cats and pets in the household
  • Destructive scratching of furniture, curtains and wallpaper
  • Eating non-food items (pica)
  • Excessive vocalising
There are many factors that influence their behaviour including their genetics and early life experiences with people as well as factors in their home environment – this is especially true in multi-cat households. People may not always be able to identify the reason their cat is behaving in certain ways and left unresolved, these cats are often surrendered to animal shelters … and sadly the number of cats given up due to behavioural issues continues to rise.