Because I am in school for Vet Assistant/Tech I got to learn a bit about feline behavior (I'm starting on dogs this week) and felt this would be a good lesson to share with the world because nobody (even me until now) knows how to read and train your cat.
Because we all know our felid companions are, in fact, evil masterminds plotting to take over the world as soon as they learn to open cans of tuna without our help, it is especially important to get on your cat's good side. So here we are:
Feline Behavior 101
Cats are influenced at all times by both predator and prey instincts. They hunt and kill small critters (and take their heads off and leave them as gifts to be brought in by genius labradors) and at the same time are hunted and killed by other, larger predators. Thanks to this the first thing all cats care about is safety. It doesn't matter if there's a can of food open for them, if the cat doesn't feel safe it wont eat it.
Where does a cat feel safest? Up high, they're arborial. How can you help your kitty? Give it somewhere vertical it can go to escape all the scary stuff we have in our house.
Litter boxes are essential for all cat owners, even if their cat prefers to venture outside to relieve itself, having a backup box will keep your slippers from looking like a good place to hide their messes.
And, in all honesty, its great that cats so naturally take to relieving themselves in boxes like this. Cat's naturally want to bury their excrement (goes back to safety, they don't want to leave obvious signs of their presence) and particularly like using substrates as close to sand as possible (cat ancestors were from sandy areas) so clumping litter is often favored. Kittens, however, shouldn't be given clumping litter--they may eat it and block their intestines.
Charlie, my sister's Ragdoll-cross when he was only a few weeks old. He still has those eyes.
The litter box is also where a lot of "behavioral issues" come from too. Here are a few of the common reasons a cat isn't using a litter box:
1) The box is dirty--you don't want to use a dirty, full toilet, why would your cat?
2)Urinary tract infection-- "Urinating with a UTI feels like peeing spiked golf balls" and if the first painful urination happens in the box the cat doesn't think "urination hurts" it thinks "OMG something around/in/about the box is hurting me" and tries somewhere else, normally flat, cool surfaces (tile, counters, etc.) because those are "soothing".
3) Something scared them in the box -- maybe Fido stuck his head in the entrance to the covered cat box and trapped Fluffy inside. Maybe the dryer right next to it kicked on and scared the bejesus out of Kitty. Maybe some freak loud noise (cough*firework*cough) startled them. It doesn't matter. Something traumatic happened in the box and cats are good with associating
objects to fear.
4) Can't find the box -- most people put the box out of the way in some basement corner where they don't normally venture. Well, guess what, if you don't go there often, the cat doesn't either.
Just like cats can learn bad habits, you can teach them good habits as well. Positive (rewarding) conditioning is an excellent way to do so and just a bit of tuna can go a long way in making your life easier. Simply remembering to use a toy when playing with your new kitten instead of your fingers will also go a long way in keeping them from biting you when they're an adult. While
negative conditioning also works in animal training, it is very often performed incorrectly and in a way which doesn't actually teach the animal anything but that "lady is scary when she yells" but, as my teacher said: "Surprise is an excellent teacher" (when referring to her way of teaching the cats to stay off the kitchen counters--upside down mousetraps covered with newspapers).
Finally, cats need to scratch, and if you don't provide them with an appropriate post to do so your furniture will not survive. Cats need both horizontal and vertical surfaces and if they start using your sofa there are a few ways to stop it.
1) Put clear packing tape on the sofa--if their claws can't dig in, it isn't a satisfying scratching spot. The tape is only temporary until they learn the appropriate scratching spots.
2) put post in front of sofa--redirect the behavior, get them used the the post by feeding them at it too. They'll associate it with good things.
Final words of wisdom:
-When your cat is at a vet it is no longer your cat. It could potentially be out of its mind with fear and will not recognize you.
-Don't "shhh" your cat, it sounds like a hiss.
-You will never be able to out muscle a terrified cat.
-Never corner a scared cat or leave it with no escape route.
-Don't grab an escaping cat, it thinks you're going to eat it and will pull all tricks in the book to cause you harm.
-If bitten, freeze. If you try and pull back the cat will latch down.
-Purebred cats are more "dog-like" than "Mutt" cats.
My domestic medium haired (DMH) Calico/Tabby/Tortoiseshell/Kitchen Sink cat, Annie.
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