Cat Behavior

Hi there...if this is something that recently developed, first consider all the possibilities such as: - changes with litter brands - location of the litter box isn't private enough - some cats like to have one box to defecate and another to urinate - cleanliness (some cats are very finicky and prefer a super clean box) - as a general rule there should be one litter box for each cat plus one extra as a back up - kittens who are over 5-7 months can become sexually mature and urine spray as well as defecate inappropriately to mark territory. - senior cats develop age-related disorders such as chronic renal failure (CRF), hyperthyroidism, diabetes, etc. If all these have been ruled out, there's a chance that your cat may have developed another underlying medical problem such as something as simple as a lower urinary tract disorder: http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_feline_lower_urinary_tract_dis.html which can contribute to accidents outside of the box. Cats will associate pain while using box and change their habits as a result. Here's an article about why cats inappropriately soil outside their litter box by Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine: http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/Housesoiling.html House soiling is the most common behavior problem reported by cat owners. It includes urination and/or defecation outside the litter box, as well as urine spraying. Why do cats eliminate outside of the litter box? One common misconception is that cats soil in inappropriate places for revenge. It is tempting to conclude, "He defecated on the living room carpet to punish me for leaving him for the weekend." But this kind of calculation requires sophisticated cognitive abilities that cats aren't believed to possess. Furthermore, this conclusion assumes that cats view their urine and feces as distasteful, when in fact they do not. It is only we humans who view it that way. Medical Problems So why do cats urinate or defecate on your bed or carpet? Medical problems are one possibility. Inflammation of the urinary tract may cause painful or frequent urination, inability to urinate, bloody urine, and crying during urination. An affected cat is likely to eliminate outside the litter box if he comes to associate the box with painful urination, or if he has an increased urgency to urinate. In addition, kidney, liver, and thyroid diseases often lead to increased drinking and urination. Inflammation of the colon or rectum, intestinal tract tumors, intestinal parasites, and other gastrointestinal conditions may cause painful defecation, increased frequency or urgency to defecate, and decreased control of defecation. Age-related diseases that interfere with a cat's mobility (for example, arthritis, nervous system disorders, or muscular diseases), or with his cognitive functions can also influence his ability to get to the litter box in time. In short, any medical condition that interferes with a cat's normal elimination behavior can lead to house soiling. Litter Box Aversions Behavioral problems, such as litter box aversions, inappropriate site preferences, or urine spraying can also lead to house soiling. An aversion implies that there is something about the litter box that your cat finds unsavory. It could be the box, the litter, the location of the box, or all three. ...please consider visiting the website for further detail

Peeing everywhere except the litter box can be clearest symptom of a UTI (urinary tract infection). But, this is true only if the cat has, until recently, always, used the litter box and the box is clean. You have to scoop it everyday, and change it once a week. If it isn't clean or it's next to the cat's food, the cat won't use it.

Other reasons for not using the litter box can be: other pets or people bothering the cat when it's using the litter box, putting the box in a busy area, particularly if it's an old or sick cat, or a kitten, if the litter box is too far away or in a hard to reach place, or the cat does not like its litter and wont use it, or, the litter box is too small. But if the cat has been good about using the litter box and suddenly isn't, it probably has a UTI and needs to go to the vet. There are not many effective home remedies for feline UTI. A cat with UTI has to pee very suddenly and urgently, and often can't get to the litter box in time. And peeing with UTI can be painful, and the cat might avoid the litter box because it associates the box with the pain.

One of the easiest things to help avoid a cat contracting a UTI is to increase the water intake, and possibly to use a Feliway plugin or spray for stress-related UTIs. There are several things you can do to increase how much water a cat is intaking. By far the easiest option is to feed a wet food diet. Canned or pouched food has anywhere between 60 to 80% water. Seeing as in the wild a cat's prey is around 70% water, wet food provides a cat with more than enough water each day.

It may be ideal to and incorporate at least some wet food into the cat's diet each day, so your kitten gets at least some water.

Another way to increase water intake is to leave a tap on, or purchase a pet water fountain. Many cats are fickle when it comes to water and will only drink fresh moving water. A running tap or fountain keeps water constantly moving and fresh, and both methods are very successful in enticing a cat to drink more water.

Until recently, it was thought that a cat urinating in an inappropriate place might be a sign of anger, but newer research indicates this isn't true. The cat isn't urinating outside the box to express anger or annoy you. Please don't take it personally. UTI is stress related with cats, and if you are angry or try to punish your cat, it will fix nothing, and only make the situation worse.

Male cats do not go into heat like female cats. Instead, they are capable of mating and reproducing throughout the year. They may exhibit increased vocalization and roaming behaviors when seeking out a female in heat.

Introduce them slowly in a controlled environment, use positive reinforcement like treats and praise to reward good interactions, and supervise their interactions until they are comfortable with each other. Remember that not all dogs and cats will get along, so be patient and observant of their behavior.

you can take it to surgery to get A LOT of pure fat taken away, so he will be skinnier, it will be easier to move around, viola! healthy active cat! go to vet to learn about operation.

Some cats can become territorial or feel threatened when they see their reflection, as they may interpret it as another cat invading their space. You can try to avoid mirrors or cover them up to reduce your cat's stress. Providing additional enrichment and distractions, such as toys or interactive play, may also help redirect your cat's attention away from her reflection.

They are marking their territory. Or they could be nervous about something or getting sick if they can't control their bowel. But most likely marking territory. If they aren't neutered/spayed, they're more like to continue this behavior to get ready for adulthood and heat season...(They can have babies when they're about a year old and so on)

If it is a very small, baby turtle, they may try to capture it and eat it. But I don't think they have enough bite force to break through a baby turtle's shell, so once the turtle retreats inside, there's not much they can do.

Once the turtle grows to an adult size, I seriously doubt the cats will try to mess with it. They definitely cannot bite through an adult turtle's shell. And adult turtles can -- and will not hesitate to -- bite, and they can bite down very hard. If the cat is bitten even once, it most likely will never go near the turtle again.

When I first got my baby turtle, my cats definitely showed an interest in her. Enough of an interest that I was a little bit afraid for the turtle's safety. But once she got a little bigger, they lost interest. Now she is a fully-grown adult turtle, and they pay absolutely no attention to her, unless I take her out of the tank and let her crawl around on the floor. Then they will cautiously approach the turtle, but in more of an investigatory way, not a predatory way. They don't try to attack her.

Animals are sometimes smarter than people. Most adult cats and dogs will accept a baby kitten or puppy. Keep your puppy on the leash and let the cat get use to seeing the dog (while in the house.) Make sure your cat has somewhere high they can jump too like a high scratching post or table where the puppy can't bother it. Then let the puppy loose. The cat will often give the puppy a swat (no claws out) and the puppy knows enough to back off. Some cats may give a scratch or two to the puppy, but generally never dangerous. This is a good learning curve for the puppy and it won't take long before the two are getting along. I have a cat and two dogs and I had to introduce my dogs to our cat and that's how I did it and it only took 2 hours. Answer I introduced my kittens with my inlaw's little puppy (they're about same size). They first showed the sign of being nervous and such, then they also simulated swatting the dog (like slapping his cheek, sorta), then started cornering the puppy and tailing it and stalking it... But soon enough the kittens got tired because the puppy was too energetic and was running around EVERYWHERE in the house (going up and down the stairs three floors do get tiresome for them), and soon they accepted that even if they don't like the puppy, they'll live with it. Oh, and the puppy ate the kitty's food and drank out of their bowls and my kittens were such cowards, they just kept meowing and angry growling, but no show of attacks or hisses or anything like that. They just kinda came running back to me and started meowing with sad faces (that's how I found out puppy was eating their food), so I just gave them more food and they were happy again.

Malt balls will help. Cats and raccoons and almost every animal that is living hates the smell of them so you just put malt balls in the grass. When it rains they will disolve so you might want to have another bag of them to replenish when it rains

When most animals are 'fixed' they do overcome a laziness Answer: It's rather better to say, the cat becomes "relaxed" when they're neutered/spayed ( Especially male cats being neutered). They don't have to prepare themselves for going into heat season and mark all the territories, which makes it a lot less on their daily schedule as well. And my friend's and my male cats became HUUUGE after being neutered... (compared to the female siblings from the same litter who got spayed).

Dogs, like humans, can be left-pawed, right-pawed, or ambidextrous. This preference can affect activities such as climbing stairs, using toys, or shaking paws. Observing which paw your dog leads with is one way to determine their paw preference.

Spraying is a way of marking territory, and virtually all male cats will do it. The best way to stop or prevent it is to get the cat neutered, since this stops the impulse to mark territory and usually stops spraying.

Excessive drooling and pawing at the mouth can be due to dental problems, mouth pain, or oral injuries such as a fractured tooth or foreign object stuck in the mouth. It's important to take your cat to a vet for a thorough examination to determine the underlying cause and provide appropriate treatment.

If your cat or kitten is on a food, you can't give them a completely different food or they'll get diarrhea. Instead, put a bowl of its old food in and mix in the tiniest bit of the food you want to feed it. Keep adding more and more every few days.

Is it near anything that smells bad? Maybe there's no explanation. Cat reasons for things don't look a lot like people reasons. My cat turns around once before he comes in. Answer: Cats can be very impatient. Sometimes my male cat will drag food/water bowl, because he wants to play with the toy over the other side, but he still wants to drink/eat, and he can't decide, so he'll slow do that. Sometimes he just pushes it because he's trying to eat as fast as he can and pushes the bowl with his weight.

No, it is not possible to legally marry a cat as they are non-human animals. Marriage is a legal contract between two individuals, typically humans, recognized by the government. It is not legally recognized for individuals to marry animals.

Yes, stress can contribute to cats pulling out their hair. This behavior is known as over-grooming and can be a response to environmental or emotional stressors. If you notice your cat excessively grooming and pulling out their hair, it's important to address the underlying stress and seek guidance from a veterinarian.

The best age to introduce a kitten to a cat would be just as the kittens able to be taken away from its mothe as you may find your cat will act as a parent and protect the kitten and come very attached

Hi there...if your cat was recently spayed, the stitches may have opened and your cat would need to be urgently returned to the veterinary hospital. HOWEVER, if it has been a long while since her spay and she is leaving spots of blood this is most likely as a result of a urinary tract infection. She will then need to be evaluated and treated respectively with antibiotics. Please consider ringing your veterinarian to schedule an appointment for her as soon as possible. Left untreated this can develop into a kidney infection which can become life-threatening. More about feline urinary tract disorders: http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_feline_lower_urinary_tract_dis.html

A cat can tear and cut their food.

A cat's back teeth (premolars and molars) are sharp and serrated and act like scissors; they cut up meat into bite-size chunks in order for the cat to swallow. A cat's jaw only moves up and down, so cannot chew and grind up food like a human can.

The female house cat will cry loudly and crawl on her belly with her bottom in the air alot when in heat, often she may do little prancing action with her back feet as well and will be overly affectionate and respond to touch with crying and bottom presenting.

Male cats do not go into heat Whole male cats are always ready, able, and willing to breed any females in heat whenever they can.

As to male cats spraying, they may be more actively spraying when seasoning females are close by, but they often spray just to mark territory.

Some cat breeds that are known to be social and get along well with other cats include Ragdoll, Maine Coon, and Siamese. It's always important to introduce new cats properly and give them time to adjust to each other's presence. Providing enough space, resources, and attention for each cat can also help prevent conflicts.