Cats can be confusing little creatures. You share a house with them and provide for them, but they often like to do their own thing.
Sometimes, this isn’t a problem. You’ll be working at your desk or cooking dinner while they’re staring at birds or squirrels through the window or amusing themselves with one of the best interactive cat toys, and there’s no issue there. Other times, however, your cat might be scratching furniture in the middle of the night or peeing outside the litter box, which isn’t what you need!
If you’ve been trying to fix your cat’s behavior but nothing seems to be working, the answer might be more simple than you think. Saba Sayyed, known as A Cat Behaviourist on Instagram, has some advice, and we think it’s great!
“You’ve tried new toys, calming sprays, different food, even Googling answers at 3am … yet your cat’s behavior isn’t improving,” Sayyed begins. “The problem? You’re treating the symptoms, not the root cause.”
She uses cats scratching furniture as her first example.
“It’s not just about getting one of the best scratching posts, it’s about placement and reinforcement,” she explains – for your cat to use the post rather than the couch, for example, they’ll need plenty of positive reinforcement and you’ll need to ensure it’s in the right spot for them.
If your cat’s pooping outside the litter box, they aren’t being stubborn or awkward for the sake of it. It might not even be that they don’t like the type of cat litter.
“It’s about stress, territory, and routine,” explains Sayyed, so you might decide to move the litter box to a different location, clean it out more regularly, or add an extra litter box to give your cat more options – particularly if you have more than one cat at home!
What about aggression? If your cat displays aggression or seems grumpy, they aren’t being mean or spiteful. Your kitty might be overwhelmed or overstimulated, or simply need some time on their own to relax or decompress.
If you have any concerns about your cat’s behavior, it can be a good idea to consult your vet. For example, your cat may be more aggressive than usual if they’re in pain, so it’s worth getting them checked over, even if just to rule out something serious.
For more feline-friendly advice, here’s how to be a good cat owner with tips from a vet
