Behavior and Behavioral Problems in Cats

Unlike dogs, cats are a species that is much less sociable. Cats exhibit much less social behavior and are far less dependent than dogs. Because of this independence, many people consider cats to be antisocial animals, but this is, of course, nonsense. The social organization of every animal species is generally very complex. This certainly applies to cats as well. Cats’ social interactions are therefore often misunderstood and oversimplified!
For kittens, too, early experiences and impressions are of great importance for the development of their behavior in adulthood. We will discuss the socialization of kittens below.

Compared to puppies, kittens develop more quickly. Their eyes and ears mature earlier, allowing them to take in their surroundings at a younger age. A kitten’s brain reaches full capacity by five weeks of age. Although their sensory abilities develop fairly quickly, motor development takes longer. Skills such as climbing trees, catching prey, and running fast take more time to develop. Furthermore, the kitten does not yet have enough experience to survive on its own. One of the most important ways to gain this experience is by learning from its mother. The time a mother cat spends raising her kittens is long, especially compared to a female dog; therefore, kittens need plenty of time to learn from their mother. Kittens’ development depends on a constant interaction between mother and kittens, which begins around the time of birth. Many of the behavioral patterns that develop in kittens are closely linked to nursing from their mother.

Immediately after birth, the mother cat licks the kittens thoroughly. This stimulates their breathing and likely strengthens the mother-kitten bond. Nursing begins within an hour of birth. The mother cat signals when it’s time to nurse; this continues throughout the first 3 weeks. The mother “tucks” the kittens in, as it were: she lies down with them and, by moving her front paws backward and her hind paws forward, sweeps them up against her belly, where the kittens feel their way to the nipples; smell also plays a role here, as kittens quickly develop a keen sense of smell. Kittens usually nurse from the same nipple. This reduces competition among them and stimulates milk production.

Between 20 and 30 days of age, the kittens usually signal when they’re ready to be fed. Their eyes and ears are now fully functional, allowing them to leave the nest and seek out their mother. The mother cat usually cooperates by lying down immediately. After 30 days of age, the kittens always initiate feeding. The kittens follow their mother more and more often, and as they get older, the mother begins to avoid them more.

During the first few days after birth, social interactions between the kittens and their mother are strongly influenced by the kittens’ strong preference for one specific spot in the nest—namely, the spot where there was a lot of amniotic fluid and placental fluid. If the nest has been thoroughly cleaned after birth, this is of course not the case, but we are now discussing the natural course of events. Just a few hours after birth, both contact with the mother and the scents of this spot have a soothing effect on the kittens. At first, the kitten seeks out this corner using its sense of smell. If a kitten is placed outside this spot, it will crawl around until it picks up the right scent, and then crawl back to that corner. This urge to return to one specific spot keeps the litter together and prevents them from straying.

As soon as kittens start leaving the nest, we also see play behavior emerge. At first, the kittens bite and “claw” at each other. Then comes chasing and fighting. The behavior a kitten exhibits when playing with a ball or a toy is hunting play. You often see kittens jumping into the air and “catching something” that isn’t actually there, or chasing after something on the ground that isn’t there either. It’s as if they’re hallucinating. Through this type of play, the kitten learns about its surroundings. Playing with other kittens helps them develop social bonds. Play is extremely important in a kitten’s development. If kittens are deprived of this opportunity, you’ll often see behavioral problems later in life, particularly related to anxiety and normal learning ability. In addition to developing social bonds with their littermates, kittens also begin to form attachments to people. Although it is not as obvious as with puppies, there also appears to be a critical period for socialization with humans in kittens. This period lasts from four to eight weeks of age.

Regularly picking up and playing with young kittens encourages the socialization process between the kitten and humans. By cuddling a kitten a lot, you’ll end up with a cat that “listens” better (as far as cats do). Picking them up and petting them has a calming effect on the young animal and teaches it not to resist being held. It’s important for a kitten to interact with as many people as possible. This helps them be much less fearful of strangers as adult cats. During the critical period, it’s also important for them to get to know children. Adult cats that have never been around children between the ages of 5 and 9 weeks are often aggressive toward them later on and are therefore not suitable as pets in a family with children.

Socializing kittens with people before they are 5 to 9 weeks old can have undesirable side effects. Cats that are removed from their litter too early often become overly attached to people later on and frequently have problems getting along with other cats. Female cats raised in this way often lack maternal instincts when they have kittens and may even become aggressive toward their own kittens.

We see the same thing in cats that were bottle-fed from the time they were kittens. Someone who has managed to raise a kitten entirely on a bottle usually becomes very attached to that little animal. Unfortunately, these cats are often unsuitable as pets later on. They frequently become aggressive, always have trouble getting along with other cats, and are often more susceptible to all kinds of illnesses.

It is of the utmost importance to place kittens in their permanent homes at the right age. The best age is somewhere between 8 and 12 weeks. Kittens placed after 12 weeks—and who have only been socialized with other cats—often have difficulty adjusting to people and are therefore often unmanageable. People on farms often know that kittens that haven’t been handled before weaning are usually downright afraid of people. They are feral and completely unsuitable as pets. If they end up in someone’s hands, they are usually very aggressive and can even be dangerous!

Just like young puppies, young kittens also explore their new home. A young cat, too, must learn what it should and shouldn’t do. It must follow certain rules in the house; contrary to what many people think, a cat can learn—and unlearn—quite a few things, provided it has had a normal upbringing and proper socialization!

A plastic litter box is usually the simplest, cheapest, and easiest to keep clean. The rim should be low enough so the kitten can easily climb in and out. Place the litter box in a quiet spot in your home, where there isn’t much foot traffic, so the kitten has some “privacy.” Make sure the cat can always access it, even when you’re not home. Placing it near its sleeping area can be a good option. Many cats absolutely hate scented litter in the box. Odorless clay litter that clumps well is usually the best choice. If there are already multiple cats in the house, it’s recommended to set up an additional litter box.

To make sure your kitten uses the litter box every time, you’ll need to keep a close eye on it at first. When it stops playing and starts sniffing around, pick it up and take it to the litter box. Reward the kitten if it sniffs around or scratches in the box, and praise it enthusiastically when it pees or poops; you can give it a treat or some food as a reward. If you can’t keep an eye on the kitten, you can confine it to the area where the litter box is located, such as the utility room or similar space. Do this until you’re certain the kitten is using the litter box as its regular bathroom spot. Once you’ve found a type of litter and a litter box that work well, don’t make sudden changes—that’s just asking for trouble! If you want to use a new type of litter, mix it with the old litter for a week first.

It’s important for a cat to feel comfortable in its litter box. That’s why unpleasant situations should always be avoided when the cat is in the litter box. Do not give the cat medication while it’s in the litter box, and do not punish it near the litter box. Do not place the litter box in areas where sudden noises might occur, such as next to the washing machine. Make sure the dog cannot tease the cat while it is using the litter box.

It's important to know whether it's peeing or spraying!

Peeing

Possible causes
• Urinary tract problems (infection, bladder stones, tumors) and gastrointestinal problems. In the vast majority of cases, there is a physical cause!
• Older cats sometimes find the trip to the litter box too long.
• Outdoor cats may become afraid to go outside, e.g., if there’s a new neighbor’s cat, or after being hit by a car.
• Scented cat litter: the cat actually finds it unpleasant!
• A litter box that’s too dirty.
• An unpleasant experience during litter box visits: e.g., administering medication “because he’ll just sit still then,” being teased by the dog, or sudden noise during the visit.
• New attractive spots in the house, e.g., a new bath mat.
• Stress caused by a new cat, dog, or baby in the house. Even buying new furniture can cause so much stress that the animal will urinate indoors.

Treatment Options
First, try to identify and eliminate the cause. Also have the animal examined to rule out any physical causes. If the animal is healthy, the following options are available:
• Do not punish the cat if it is not caught in the act!
• Do not clean the area while the cat is present. Clean with regular cleaning products (NEVER USE AMMONIA!), but follow up with alcohol.
• Place items the cat likes in the soiled area, such as toys, food, treats, or a bed.
• Restrict the cat’s access to certain areas of the house and/or place multiple litter boxes.
• If a cat always urinates in a specific spot, place the litter box THERE.
• If the cat likes to urinate on carpet, put a small piece of carpet in the litter box and gradually add more and more litter on top of it until the litter is thick enough that the carpet can be removed.
• In some cases, medication can yield good results.

Watering

Spraying is a behavior that, while annoying, is normal among virtually all felines, including our domestic cats. Spraying is done while the animal is standing, with a stream of urine directed backward against a vertical object. Spraying occurs much less frequently on horizontal surfaces.

Possible causes
• Hormonal influences. This is normal behavior for male cats.
• A new cat in the house or cats in the yard.
• A change in the family situation or a new object in the house.

Treatment Options
• Neuter male cats/spay female cats.
• Discipline the cat (loud noise/clapping), but only if caught in the act.
• Thoroughly clean the spraying spots.
• Place the cat’s food bowl on or under the spraying spot(s) and leave it there day and night.
• Place a few upside-down mouse traps at the spraying spot so that they spring open when the cat steps on them, thereby deterring the cat.
• Change the floor surface, for example, by laying a piece of plastic or aluminum foil over the spraying spot.
• Prevent the cat from seeing other cats in the yard, for example, by covering the bottom edge of the window with translucent, matte plastic sheeting.
• Treat the spraying spot(s) with Feliway spray.
• If the cat is spraying in so many places that the above measures are not feasible, then treatment with medication is the only remaining option.

The best way to prevent scratching and biting of furniture is to provide an environment that meets your cat’s needs. Make your home “cat-proof” by creating a play area where your cat can scratch, climb, and perch. These are available in all shapes and sizes. Provide toys your cat can swat at, such as balls, as well as toys that hang from elastic strings. Make cat grass available (especially for indoor cats) to prevent them from nibbling on your plants.

If you want to keep your cat out of certain “problem areas” of the house, consider keeping doors closed or, if necessary, installing child safety locks on them. For stubborn cases, or if there are places where you simply can’t keep the cat away, you might try using a spray with a strong, unpleasant odor; alternatively, you could set a few mouse traps and place them upside down with a layer of plastic wrap over them. The moment the cat steps on them, the traps snap shut, startling the animal.