Solving Cat Behaviour Problems
Stop Furniture Scratching, Counter Surfing, and Litter Box Issues
Jan 11, 2009
With the right strategies, most bad feline habits take approximately three weeks to break. However, there are certain feline problems such as pulling out fur, aggression, and litter box issues that may be caused by medical conditions. In such cases, consulting a veterinarian is necessary to rule out medical problems before attempting training and other remedies to correct bad habits. If the cat does not suffer from any medical problems, the following behavioural remedies can be used.
Try Safe Aversive Conditioning Methods for Furniture Scratching and Counter Surfing
Punishment is ineffective with cats, and often generates more bad behaviour rather than reducing it due to the anxiety it causes. There are far more effective aversive conditioning strategies for undesirable cat behaviours such as walking on kitchen counters (also known as "counter surfing") and furniture scratching. These include:
- Making forbidden surfaces such as kitchen counters or regularly scratched furniture unappealing by temporarily covering them with aluminum foil or double-sided sticky tape (use only non-toxic tape)
- Creating noisemakers using soda cans with pennies inside and stacking them precariously on the forbidden surface so that when the cat jumps up, he’ll encounter unpleasant noise and falling cans (tape over any sharp edges on the tops of opened cans for safety)
- Squirting the cat with water when catching him in the act (don’t use a Super Soaker, as the spray is too forceful—a small squirt gun is powerful enough)
There are also commercially available non-toxic products such as Sticky Paws that can be used to keep cats off kitchen counters, furniture, and plants. Aversive items such as sticky tape, foil, or cans can be removed once the cat has stopped attempting to walk on or scratch the forbidden surfaces.
Use Verbal Cuing Rather Than Scolding
Yelling at a cat will confuse or frighten him, and probably do little to change the bad behaviour. Instead, owners should use a consistent word or phrase that they wouldn’t normally use in conversation (i.e., a nonsense phrase or one word repeated several times) whenever the cat misbehaves. This phrase should be spoken in an unusual tone of voice as well so that it becomes a cue to signal displeasure. This particular verbal cue should only ever be used when the owner actually catches the cat engaging in the undesirable behaviour.
Provide Alternatives for Natural Behaviours
Cats need to scratch, and each cat should have his own scratch post. The same goes for litter boxes. Cat experts agree that the ideal number of litter boxes is one for each cat, plus a spare. Cats may urinate or defecate on the floor or furniture because they view a single litter box as the property of another household cat. Cats are also less likely to chew on houseplants when they have access to indoor-growing cat grass. In addition, providing active cats with plenty of toys to practice hunting behaviours can reduce the tendency to hunt live animals.
Don't Reward Bad Behaviour with Attention
Cats sometimes engage in certain undesirable behaviours such as counter surfing or furniture scratching to get attention, so providing either positive or negative attention in response to those behaviours will reinforce them. Getting up and leaving the room when an attention-seeking cat misbehaves is more effective.
Reduce Stress, Particularly When Dealing with Litter Box Issues, Aggression, or Fur Pulling
Like children, pets may act up due to stress and generalized anxiety. Identifying stressors in a cat’s life and eliminating as many as possible can be beneficial, and providing some extra quality time and affection helps as well. Some unavoidable stressors, such as moving to a new home, may cause a temporary flare-up of bad behaviour in an otherwise well-behaved cat, but with love, attention, and gentle corrective measures, such lapses should not last long.
Make Use of Pheromones and Enzymatic Cleaners for Litter Box Problems
Behaviour problems such as spraying, urinating on the floor, or scratching furniture often occur after a move to a new home where the cat feels a need to claim the new territory, particularly if other animals have lived there previously. Commercially available products such as Feliway that contain cat pheromones can reduce or eliminate this behaviour. Cats will also tend to mark spots where there are scents left over from previous animals. Scrubbing areas where the cat sprays or urinates with an enzymatic cleaner such as Nature’s Miracle reduces the likelihood that the cat will continue marking those spots.
Seek Advice from the Experts if Necessary
Cat behaviour experts can provide advice for behaviour problems that are resistant to training. Many animal shelters and colleges of veterinary medicine offer free hotlines that owners can call to speak to animal behaviour specialists. These specialists can discuss options and provide additional tips and ideas. Certain cat-fancy and animal-protection associations offer help by phone or online as well. One such service is the Dumb Friends League’s Online Counsel Request Form that pet owners can fill out and e-mail to receive free advice within 2-4 days.
Further Reading
- See Cat Training and Solving Common Feline Behavioural Problems for advice on dealing with specific behaviour issues.
- For information on what cats can be trained to do, see Kittens and Cats Are Trainable.
- For general cat training tips, see How to Train a Cat or Kitten.
References:
- Christensen, Wendy, and the staff of the Humane Society of the United States. (2002). The Humane Society of the United States Complete Guide to Cat Care. New York: St. Martin’s Press.
