Answer Strange as it
may seem, your cat is not attacking you out of hostility, but because he
is a perfectly normal cat. Many cats nip and bite when they're happy,
particularly if they have a low threshold for stimulation. You can learn
the warning signs of when your cat's becoming over stimulated: you might
feel his muscles tense or see his tail twitch or his rear end waggle. If
you can tell he's about to bite, stop petting, and pet him again when
he's calmed down.
If your cat is stalking your feet, he's engaging in what is called
predatory-play behavior. He has a natural instinct to attack moving
objects in the wild. Indoors, your feet are the only moving prey he has
to ambush. The easiest way to prevent this behavior is by making sure
your cat is neutered, which is the first step toward making him less
aggressive.
Second, you can give him plenty of non-human moving targets to play with
by trailing a string across the floor, waving feather toys, or giving
him balls to bat around. Finally, you can help change his behavior by
consistently discouraging his attacks. Safe and effective ways to do
this are spraying him with a water bottle or using a can of compressed
air--just like the ones used on computer keyboard--to make a loud
hissing sound. If you are vigilant and discourage the attacks
consistently, you'll take a big step toward changing your cat's
behavior.
Why does my cat "talk" so much?
I have a cat that makes a lot more noise than most cats do. She purrs,
whines, and yowls when she plays. At night sometimes she sits outside my
bedroom door and meows constantly until I get up! She has plenty of
food, water, and toys to play with.
What's wrong? |
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Answer
Vocalizing is a very normal part of being a cat, and some cats naturally
make more noise than others. Some breeds are more prone to "talking."
The oriental breeds, particularly Siamese cats, tend to do a lot of
vocalizing. So, to some extent, the noisemaking is just part of your
cat's personality. Unless your cat seems to be distressed or in pain,
you can consider her chattiness quite normal.
Normal or not, you may still want to stop her late-night meowing so you
can get some sleep! She is most likely looking for attention, and she
has learned that if she cries long enough, you will get up and let her
in the bedroom. The most effective step toward changing her undesired
behavior is not to reward it. If you consistently refuse to respond to
her crying, she may eventually stop. It may take a lot of patience and
persistence to retrain her, but she can eventually learn to entertain
herself at night.
It may also help to tire her out before bedtime. Let her chase a string
or a feather toy for twenty minutes before bedtime, and she may sleep
later the next morning. It may also satisfy her need for attention
enough to last her through the night.
Another idea is to place some of her favorite toys near your bedroom
door, to distract her when she comes looking for a playmate. You may
even want to consider getting another cat. A second pet could keep her
from feeling bored or lonely at night, and make her feel more secure.
Introducing a new cat to the household can be challenging, however.
Depending on your cat's age and personality, she may be hostile to the
"intruder." Older and fussier cats can have a hard time adjusting to new
family members. Consider your cat's personality before you adopt a new
pet, or you could have fighting cats waking you up instead of meowing.
If none of these solutions are effective, you may have to shut your cat
in a room far enough away from yours that you can get some sleep. You
may want to take her to a veterinarian to discuss whether she should be
treated for an anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder. In extreme
cases, veterinarians can prescribe antianxiety medication to stop
compulsive behavior. |