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Professional Help for Cat Behavior Problems

Posted Tue, Jul 24, 2007, 10:00 am PDT

Dealing with a serious feline behavior problem can be frustrating and exhausting -- and can create devastating stress in the household. If you feel you've tried everything and nothing has worked, consider consulting a certified behavior expert.

A quick internet search will reveal just how many people advertise themselves as animal behavior experts, but choosing the wrong person can have disastrous results. That's why the behavior expert you choose should be certified. The certification process lets you know that the expert has met academic and/or experiential requirements, must participate in continuing education, and also must follow a strict code of ethics. When you consider that you might be relinquishing your cat to a shelter or even euthanizing it, getting qualified help is crucial.

Your first stop should be your veterinarian's clinic. The veterinarian will begin with a thorough work-up, including appropriate diagnostic tests, to rule out any underlying medical condition contributing to the behavior problem. Your veterinarian may then refer you to a certified behavior expert. That expert may be an IAABC-certified animal behavior consultant, a veterinary behaviorist, or a certified applied animal behaviorist.

Certified behavior experts generally work via in-home consultations or office/clinic visits. Many will do telephone consultations, depending upon the type of problem. Some even offer email consultations.

The field of animal behavior is expanding rapidly, and that's both good and bad. The good news is that there are options available that didn't exist a decade ago. The bad news is that an unqualified person can make the problem worse.

Ask questions of the expert you're considering, to make sure you're comfortable with his/her level of expertise. No behavior expert should ever judge you for what you may or may not have previously done to address the behavior problem.

If you want to learn more about how to find a certified animal behavior consultant, visit the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants' Web site at www.iaabc.org.

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60 Comments

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1. Brooke - 2:09PM on 07/24/07

I think my cat is in serious need of some behavior therapy- but where to begin? My cat HATES, and I mean LOATHES any other human being except my husband and myself. This didn't used to be a problem when people came and went, but we have a friend living with us now and our cat is really losing it. He is constantly hissing at her and actually seeks her out to do this! He doensn't attack her but there are a few times we thought he would. He doesn't have claws thankfully but we are concerned and want this behavior to stop. If we try to scold him for the hissing... he hisses at us! It's like he's mad at us for her presence in the house. Any suggestions or help?
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2. P S - 3:00PM on 07/24/07

It takes time to introduce "new" life in a cat's home. remember, that's his home....he just lets you live there!! tell your friend to ignore the cat...dont make eye contact except to greet the cat briefly. the cat will get used to the new person. let her put down the food. if the cat gets treats, let her put out the treats, but tell her to walk away, don't get too close to the feeding area if the cat is already there. if the cat "depends" on her for food, she will warm up, slowly. but give it time ... it has to happen on her terms. You may try an empty pop drink can with about 6 or 8 coins in it...shake it really fast when kitty shows unacceptable behavior. works for mine. good luck.
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3. Alicia C - 4:02PM on 07/24/07

My cat doesn't like other people beside me & my boyfriend. She will usually meow or hiss at someone if they even look at her wrong. We were never able to have her around when we had guests come over. Now we have his 4 brothers staying with us and we have to lock her in the basement all the time. I feel so bad and I have considered giving her up to a pet shelter. But now I realize that if they can't adopt her out, she will probably end up getting euthanized. I don't know what to do?!?!
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4. Patty - 6:26PM on 07/24/07

I have 2 cats. Both males. MY one cat has started pooping on my kitchen floor. He does not go there all the time, just most of the time. I tried getting another litter box, cleaning the litter box more frequently, etc. Any tips or suggestions?
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5. Vanessa M - 7:33PM on 07/24/07

I've heard that when a cat uses the restroom somewhere other than their normal litter box, it means that something is bothering them. I've heard of cats using the restroom on their owner's beds to show that they are angry. Ask your vet if this could be the case.
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6. cindy - 9:08PM on 07/24/07

my new kitten likes to SUCK!!!!!!! that's right, he sucks...your fingers , the baby's thumb, toes, whatever he can get hold of..my granddaughter is 7 onths old and lives with me...the kitten is about 3 months old.. he eats her pacifiers and bottle nipples also.. help!!!
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7. Candi :P - 5:01AM on 07/25/07

My cat is about a year old. For some weeks now he has been crying ALOT at night. I'm just wondering if there is anything wrong with him or if he is just lonely. ( I do have a dog and they have been together since my cat was about 3 or 4 months old) Any suggestions on what it might be or what I can do to make him stop would be great.
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8. Karen P - 1:10PM on 07/25/07

The cat I had before my current one hated everyone except me. I thought it would just take time to get her used to my new husband, but even after 5 years, she would have no part of him, and would hiss every time he walked into the same room she was in. This held true for EVERYONE but me. The only reason I could come up with is that Sassy was abandoned at a very young age - I rescued her when she was three weeks old. For years, it was just me and her... Other than her obvious hate for everyone else, she was a very loving, very content kitty, so there were no medical issues at all. She just didn't like anyone but her 'adopted mama'.
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9. Karen P - 1:11PM on 07/25/07

Missy likes to "talk" a lot at night too...at first I thought she was crying, but one night I got up to find out what she was up to -- she had one of her toys (little fluff balls we call her babies) with her - turns out she's just "scolding" her babies for "running away from her" (when she bats them about.
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10. Josephine - 7:22AM on 07/26/07

My cat Billy has started urinating on my carpet. He uses the litter box, but has found an area in my dining room and he will not stop urinating there. I have tried all the sprays, I've covered the area with aluminum foil, my vet said it was a urinary infection, but during and after the medication he continued to urinate on the carpet. Anyone have any ideas?
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11. sad sack - 8:14AM on 07/26/07

We have a 9 yr old cat who has been the center of our attention forever - she's our world & knows it. 7 weeks ago we adopted a kitten from a shelter. The older one has taken a backseat, is somewhat withdrawn, keeps to herself, does not hang out in her favorite spots, doesn't cuddle & sleep with us anymore. Basically has just let the new one take over. Also she is hostile to the little playful one, but has not hurt her. I am very sad because I wonder if & when she will go back to her usual self.
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12. anne - 8:22AM on 07/26/07

Josephine...I had the same problem with three cats....I am sorry to say that it probably won't go away. I tried and tried and NOTHING works. Once they can smell it somewhere it is all over. I had to keep one of my cats in the laundry room unless supervised. I felt sooo much guilt over it I finally gave her to a cat rescue that didn't mind the issue. It was very sad. But seriously I thought I tried it all. I reallly do hope that you find what works. It's always hard letting go of a family member.
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13. iRa MaRie - 8:44AM on 07/26/07

my friend wants me to babysit her cat. he is locked up all day because my friend is busy and i'm planning to let him runs free in my house. but so far he's been so hyperactive. he's a big cat now. any idea on how i can train him at this age? can cat be trained no matter how old he is?
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14. Toni - 9:51AM on 07/26/07

I have a problem with my cats Bob and Taz who keeps getting dirty from out side the gutter of my roof. Me and my mom keeps bathing them and they keeps getting dirty from it. it seems to have a problem from it for some reason that I don't know.
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15. Wendy M - 10:31AM on 07/26/07

As you can glean from the above comments, behavior management isn't just about what the cat does, but about *why* he does it. A cat who pees on the bed because he's lonely needs something different than a cat who pees on the bed because he has a urinary tract infection and goes to a comforting place to try to escape the pain, and that's different from a cat who's gotten in the habit of peeing in the dining room corner. A cat that hisses because someone's clothes smell like another animal is different than a cat who hisses because a person is cruel to him when no one is looking, which is different than a cat who hisses out of a sense of defending its family group. ("Cruel" can be subjective; if your cat has a displaced hip and you tend to scratch his ears but your houseguest pets him low on his back, the cat will see your houseguest as cruel.) Brainstorm possible reasons for your cat's behavior. First get the vet to help you eliminate medical reasons, and to help you guess others. Do what you can to fix your guessed reasons (scrub out the catbox to get rid of any smell of infection, and move it so he stops associating it with the pain he had with the infection; use a little catnip to help your cat relax and have the guest feed him; etc.) And ask a behaviorist when you get stuck.
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16. anshugart - 1:01PM on 07/26/07

My cat is a little bit mean. I love her to death, and she is very young so I have hopes she will grow out of it. I actually do not think she knows she is being mean. She just likes to fight when she is playing. So, she bites a lot and scratches.... it makes me nervous, they say that animals take on the personality traits of their owners..... which one of us fights like that???
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17. anshugart - 1:14PM on 07/26/07

Patty, My vet taught me a neat trick with kitty's that use the bathroom outside the litter box. Now, your kitchen floor is a big area, but if there is a particular spot in their that he likes to use the bathroom - dilute some vinegar with water and spray it in the area. It really will help to keep your little kitty from using the bathroom on the floor. -Ashley
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18. iRa MaRie - 2:24AM on 07/27/07

do u read about Oscar the cat which can predict one's death?? the cat is sooo lovely but his abilty is quite amazing!
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19. ddnyteskye - 7:55AM on 07/27/07

Wendy M - Great comments!
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20. rbird8728@sbcglobal.net - 8:37AM on 07/27/07

Cats do not think like humans. If you disrupt their life patterns don't be surprised if they don't adjust well. Your grandparents won't adjust well when you put them in a 'home' either. If you have a pet, don't 'adopt' four more then wonder why the original pet doesn't ajust to the new environment. How well would you adjust if suddenly you were 'sharing' your living quarters with others?
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21. Morgen M - 9:02AM on 07/27/07

Wendy M hit it. Cats have reasons for everything they do. It's up to us, their humans to figure out why and fix the problem. We can also retrain our cats if we've had a change that won't go away, like a new spouse or baby in the house or someone left or passed on. Cats don't always understand why we do things, and we don't always understand why they doe things. It's so important that if we don't understand to get help. That's why I offer help. I don't want to see any more kitties in the animal shelter or rescue. Even "good" cats end up in rescue, because of things like new allergies or disease in the humans. Most cats end up in the animal shelter because of litter box problems. It's easy to fix, but takes effort and time to retrain the cat. Most people just give up.
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22. prissicat - 9:50AM on 07/27/07

Cats are cats! There's no getting around that. They yhink different, act different because the ARE different. You know the old adage: cats choose their owners and not the other way around. And it's true! I've had several cats in my lifetime, and have not had trouble with any except one, and he had a tumor next to the bladder and was not able to urinate well, so when he could, it was anywhere in the house. He had to be put down because it was malignent. I've had independan t cats who didn' like people, and I've cats who were very lov ing to a fault. It depends on the cat, you just adapt to cat. That way you have little trouble with them. It's been my experience that toget the cat, show him or her the litter box and the food and water bowl, and then leave thwem alone. Cats must learn to trust you, and THEN you have a sweet pet, no matter their temperment. If left alone when you first get them they adjust to the new enviroment and the family. It can take three to four weeks or it may take more. I got most of my cats off the street but one or two I got from ASPC. It matters not. off the street saw the vet, so took a little longer. As I said..let them come to you instead of chasing them to pick them up. they make much bettet pets that way.
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23. barbc - 7:47PM on 07/27/07

Please help 2yrs ago adopted a very sweet cat 1 day of sweet as he became very ill on day one problem is that In saving his life he endured almost 2 wks of IVs shots vet intensive care etc and when finally home he HATED me Became very aggresive seriously biting my face several times was the worst also suspect brain damage form high fevers and steroid therapy Anyway I never gave up and he is much better now tho still bites quite a bit but much milder Have used only positive feedback except to yell NO when bites too hard Looking for any suggestions as I really love the guy Also bites anyone else
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24. barbc - 8:00PM on 07/27/07

For Josephine I also had this problem with my most favorite cat ever Boogy years ago same circumstances as you He also had a favorite place after an infection(Under my dining room table) one day I was so frustrated when I caught him in the act I just screamed at him NO NO NO while cornering him at the scene of the crime I felt so guilty this was 1st and only time I ever raised my voice as a totally beleive in only positive reenforcement and love.....But it worked! You may want to consider as a last resort
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25. pam_nelson2000 - 7:51PM on 07/29/07

Hello,I have two male cats one is six years old the other one is a year old. My youngest male cat has a habit of biting my older male leaving sores on him and pulling out his fur,I would like to know if there is anything I can do to stop him.Like what of sort of discipline should use to get him to stop biting on my other cat. I love both of them equally. I hope some can help me with some suggestions.
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26. lorie h - 12:37PM on 07/31/07

well I scold my cat and tell him, NO! dont do that! and he listens but I have a sweet cat
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27. lorie h - 1:02PM on 07/31/07

I feed my cat a cup of dry a cup of water and on the side I give him a teaspoon of wet food as a treat because I have to go to work when I come home I give him a cup of dry food he is 6 months old is that too much food
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28. Louis A. D - 9:33AM on 08/01/07

I am having a problem with my cats climbing the curtains. Does anyone know how I can stop this behavior? Thank You
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29. Pyrefly - 1:28PM on 08/01/07

I have a problem with my one year old. She has a hemp and carpet scratching pad, but she only chews on it. She prefers to use my padded bar chairs, the couch, the carpeted floor, and the bed to sharpen her claws (showing a preference for certain fabrics. She's never used wood). I refuse to declaw her, and I don't really want to treat the areas with repellent, since it's fine if she's there, just not using them as scratching posts. I've tried using an attractant, such as catnip, on the pad she's supposed to be using, but it seems to have no affect. I try to correct her behavior with a water spritzer, but since I'm not there all the time, it's not consistent enough to stop her. I've also taken to clipping her regularly, but her nails grow back so fast it's difficult to keep up (plus she HATES it even though I'm very careful). Is there a better way to encourage her to use her scratch pad, or am I doomed to keep kitty wrangling? She's also extremely hyper and plays very roughly. She loves to bite, another habit I'm finding difficult to curb.
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30. Pyrefly - 1:46PM on 08/01/07

lorie hlorie h, often a recommended amount of feeding is on the container of food, 1/2 to 3/4 cup a day for kittens 6-12 months and 1/2 to 1 1/4 cups for adults, depending their weight and your vet's recommendation, split into two meals . Since your kitten is still growing, you may not see any signs of overeating yet, but as he reaches adulthood they will become more apparent. My cat is smaller than many adults, so she actually only consumes about 1/2 a cup of dry food and 1 tablespoon of wet food a day, plus a reasonable amount of treats. Really, though, only your vet can give you a specific amount, but yes, I would say that's probably a bit much.
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