Cat Behavior in Gwinnett County

Undesirable Scratching

Why it Happens — Scratching is a normal behavior. It marks territory and maintains nail health. Cats prefer to scratch in prominent areas and often scratch after waking or near windows and doors. Increased scratching can be a sign of distress.

What You Can Do

• Offer both vertical and horizontal scratching options. Provide several choices to learn your cat’s preference. Preferences may change with age.
• Use treats, toys, or human attention to entice and reward the use of scratchers through positive reinforcement.
• Provide sturdy and tall scratching posts or cat trees with sisal rope or other materials your cat likes in the locations your cat is already scratching.
• If your cat has learned to scratch the sofa or carpet, apply a carpet or furniture protector, such as plastic commercial sofa protectors adhered to the sofa. Do not use double-sided sticky tape as a deterrent, as this is a punishment.
• Keep an appropriate scratching surface near your cat’s preferred resting spot, since cats like to scratch when they wake up.
• Do not punish your cat. Punishment will increase undesirable scratching and must be avoided.

Play Biting

Why it Happens — Caregivers may find it fun and cute to wiggle their hands or feet for kittens to nip at. Unfortunately, this type of interaction teaches cats that biting hands as part of play is acceptable, and it can continue in adulthood.

What You Can Do

Instead of using your hands or toes to play, use a toy on a wand or toys you can toss. Do this a minimum of twice daily, to satisfy hunting instincts and keep hands out of reach. If nipping at feet continues, carry a dangling wand toy when you walk so you can redirect the “hunt” to the toy. Keep this play routine a minimum of twice daily at any age. Short bursts of a few minutes mimic hunting.

Biting with Petting

Why it Happens — Cats may enjoy petting for a while, then bite if petting is in an undesirable location, is too long, too quick, or too vigorous.

What You Can Do

• Cats prefer petting over the facial glands instead of other body parts. Pet over the facial glands, with you positioned at your cat’s side rather than in front.
• A safe place to start is the temporal glands between the ears and eyes, since they are furthest from the mouth.
• Keep interactions short and frequent, pet slowly, and pause to see if your cat wants more.
• Avoid petting your cat’s belly. Cats may expose it as a calm, relaxed greeting, but it is not an invitation for petting.

Biting with Intense Frustration

Why it Happens — If a cat is highly frustrated or overstimulated, they may redirect that frustration through biting. This can happen if a cat sees an outdoor cat or if there is conflict between household cats, and a caregiver tries to intervene or comfort a cat. This is a normal response to frustration, even though it is dangerous. The cat does not want to bite the person and is still aroused and feeling unsafe.

What You Can Do

• Do not approach or pick up a highly aroused cat.
• Use a visual barrier to intervene by placing a barrier, such as a large piece of cardboard, a large pillow, or opaque plastic, between the household cats in the conflict.
• Apply privacy film on windows or patio doors where outdoor cats appear (note – sometimes there are outdoor cats you might not see if they approach in the early morning or other hours when you are not in the room).

What are some possible health concerns that can cause unwanted behavior?

Health issues are the leading concern when a cat is brought to a veterinarian with behavior problems. Inappropriate elimination can be caused by a variety of medical issues, such as urinary tract infections, bladder stones, or gastrointestinal problems. Aggression can be linked to medical conditions such as hyperthyroidism, osteoarthritis, dental disease, and central nervous system problem. Nighttime activity may be a sign of an underlying health issue such as hyperthyroidism or cognitive dysfunction syndrome. Stress and anxiety can contribute to the development of health issues such as lower urinary tract disease, gastrointestinal problems, and a weakened immune system.