How to Deal With a Noisy Cat

Excessive meowing is a common complaint of cat owners. All cat owners have been there on occasion, and it always seems like that occasion is at 3am! But what should you do if your cat is a habitual late night meower? Beyond getting yourself a good pair of earplugs there are a couple of things that you can do to lessen or prevent this kind of behavior.

Breed Matters

Firstly, it is a good idea to research cat breeds before adopting or purchasing one. Some breeds are much more vocal than others and so just naturally make a lot more noise. Orientals and Siamese in particular are well known for being the loudest of the bunch. So if you know that this is something that will bother you, you may want to look into getting one of the quieter breeds. A Ragamuffin is a very quiet breed for instance.

But furthermore, if your cat has just started this behavior recently it could that there is something wrong with him. As I mentioned, a cat is either going to be predisposed to be loud or not. They will not suddenly develop or change their mannerisms in this regard. If your cat suddenly starts becoming very loud on frequent occasion  it would probably be a good idea to visit the vet and have them look into it.

Environment

Cats are like humans in some ways. They don't particularly like change. Their home is your home and they expect things to be a certain way. If something in their environment has recently changed, such as the re-positioning of furniture, the removal of another animal or some new excessive noise or irritation, your cat may simply be upset or stressed out. A little TLC will go a long way in making your cat feel more comfortable. Spend a little more time with him for a day or two petting and paying attention to him. It might help more than you think.

Reward Them

And lastly, as with nearly all behaviors with cats it is important that you reinforce positive behavior, not being so noisy in this case. And absolutely do not reward the noisy behavior. In fact it is best to completely ignore the cat or tell him firmly to knock it off. When they are quiet is when you want to reward them with treats, play time and attention.

A noisy cat can mean a lot of different things. But usually it just comes down to the animal's natural predisposition or some traumatic event (to them) that occurred recently. It's always a good idea to try and put yourself in your cat's shoes and try to see the world like they do. What is his favorite thing to do or favorite spot to lie around at. If there has been a big change in either of those recently that could be your problem right there.

And if all else fails just relax and howl along with him. He will get just as much amusement out of it as you. And hey, you might start to understand their language!

How to Deal With Some Common Cat Behavioral Issues

All cats act up on occasion and that is completely normal. But once it goes over the line, there is a problem that you will need to address.

Jumping up to Say Hello!

Cats love to jump up onto high places but certain areas like the kitchen counter-top are the last place that we want our little feline popping up. Unfortunately sometimes your kids will help ingrain this sort of activity in them by letting them up on a computer desk for instance. It is important that you instruct your children to not allow this any longer. And the behavioral training is as simple as removing the cat as soon as he does it and issuing a stern "no" to him. Usually within a few days they will start to get the hint.

Chewing on Cords

Cats especially love to chew on electrical cords. Not only is this potentially damaging to your electronics, the little kitty is in for a mighty shock if he hits pay-dirt. To prevent this sort of activity it is advised that you wrap your cords in some sort of adhesive to prevent them from chewing on them. Or better yet try your best to hide the cords behind some other equipment, under the carpet or behind furniture.  If all of this fails, you may choose to reinforce your cords with some cardboard and more adhesive to prevent any chance of them getting at the cables.

Litter Box Problems

One of the most common issues with cats is not using the litter box properly or at all. You must always remember that especially with kittens, this is not a process that just happens overnight. Just like humans, they need to be "potty trained."

But if it becomes an ongoing issue there are a couple of steps that you can take. Besides making sure to regularly clean the litter box with light materials that won't irritate the little guy you will need to use some tactics to try and change his behavior. One such way is to mop up the mess quickly and take the cat and the tissue to the litter box. This will force the cat to hopefully associate the two events and use the litter box in the future.

Some Common Cat Behavioral Problems

Getting a cat for the family can be a great idea for the kids and yourself. Cats have long been domesticated for their loving, affectionate nature. But they are not always so easy come, easy go. Some cats can be temper-mental and possibly require some corrective training. Here are a few things to look out for.

Destruction of Property

Among kittens, chewing on things, especially wires and cords is completely normal. It is best to provide plenty of toys and distractions for them that are not potentially harmful to them though. However, some cat's will simply insist on tearing apart your furniture and belongings on a regular basis to the point where it is no longer acceptable.

Hostile Towards People

Once again, in kittens some gentle play around other people is completely normal. But if your cat is much more violent in nature on a regular basis towards others, then there may be a problem. If your cat is creating scarring and tears constantly when around others, there is an issue that needs to be taken care of.

Hostile Towards Cats

Similarly if your cat is hostile around other cats, this may be a cause for alarm. Some general apprehension around cats when they first see each other is completely natural, especially if the other cat is seen to be intruding on your cat's territory. But if your cat lashes out violently against them on a regular basis, this is a cause for concern.

Inability to be Without Company

Some cats will demonstrate an inability to be left alone for long periods. They may resort to excessive meowing and howling. While this may seem normal at first, if it goes on for long periods of time and happens regularly, there is probably some cause for concern here.

Cat's sometimes have behavioral problems like us humans do. And it's important that you know that this is really quite normal. But also that you know about some of the common signs and take appropriate action and talk to your vet.

Does Your Cat Use Your Home as a Litter Box?

First off, if you have this problem, I feel your pain. Nobody likes to clean up the defecation and urine of their pet on a regular basis. That is what the litter box is supposed to be for! But this is one of the most common issues affecting cat owners.

There are several different reasons why your little kitty may be using everything but his litter box as his personal bathroom.

1) Urinary, colon, rectal infections and other assorted issues. 

Oftentimes the cat will have pain associated with doing his business especially if he has tried diligently to make it happen in the litter box before. He will come to associate the litter box with pain. It is best to visit your local vet and have them take a look at your kitty to diagnose and fix any problems of this sort.

2) Mobility issues

Many older cats especially may develop arthritis or other muscular type diseases that can limit their ability to get around. And more importantly to make it to the litter box on time.

3) Litter box cleaning issues

If you clean the littler box with heavy duty chemicals it may develop a harsh odor that your cat doesn't like. Conversely, if you don't clean the littler box often enough there may be an equally disturbing smell inside that repels your cat from using it. Make sure you clean it on a regular basis.

4) Litter box location issues

Cat's like humans like to do their business in peace. They don't want to be bothered with noise or stress. So make sure the litter box is located in a reasonably quiet area of the home and away from your children or any other animals that you may have.

Lastly, always remember that if your cat is soiling your house it does not mean that he is trying to get revenge on you or show you up. This requires a level of cognitive ability and forethought that cats simply do not have. Also, they don't view urine and defecation as a particularly unpleasant thing like we do.