Cat Problems and Answers

Obese cats are at risk for a variety of other health problems, which is why treatment is so important. Learn more about obesity symptoms and treatments in cats with tips from a veterinarian in this free cat health video. Expert: Tracy Carreiro Bio: Tracy Carreiro is member of The Faxon Animal Rescue League. The League was founded in 1913 to help overworked and abused draft horses. Their shelter aims to adopt out 600 pets to safe homes each year. Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso

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Cat problems can be split up into two major categories: cat behavior problems and cat health problems. At home I have 6 furry felines that all have unique behaviors, but I wouldn’t associate those behaviors with feline behavior problems like spraying, excessive scratching or missing the litter box.

Here are some of my feline pals and their idiosyncrocies:

  Gracie is a spiteful tuxedo gal who likes to give off a wailing sound that sounds like a  baby crying when she wants to go outside. She loves to hunt and bring back mice. She is also an empathic gal who will automatically show attention to an animal or a person who is hurting.

  Patches is a gray and white patched cat who is my “dog” cat. He gobbles up food like a dog and will come to you when his name is called and even fetches sticks. The funny thing is that he can’t jump as high as normal cats can, thus earning his nickname “Rex”

  Alexander is a tiny tuxedo who only comes to you at feeding time, or when you are lying down on the sofa or in bed. Because of this, I call him my “horizontal” cat.

  Gordon is a large gray, green-eyed Tom, who loves wandering around outside. I found him wandering in the woods near where I lived several years ago. He has “happy paws”, that are always pushing down on soft objects like my stomach.

  Bea is a small tuxedo cat who I also found in the woods. I believe that she was partially raised by squirrels, due to her funny attention seeking habit of standing on her hind legs with her paws rubbing together and squealing. She looks just like a squirrel cracking open a nut (see photo above).

  Finally, there is Bumpers. Bumpers is a large chunky tabby, who likes to give head nuggies and sleep upside down.

I classify cat behavior into three main categories. These are normal cat behavior, funny cat behavior and destructive cat behavior. Cat behavior problems usually fall under the category of destructive or health threatening behaviors. The behaviors that I discussed in describing my feline family above, is part of the funny cat behavior category.

Normal cat behavior is common and sometimes unique only to members of the cat family, including lions, tigers, leopards etc. Only a cat will ‘knead’ when they are happy. This behavior is traced back to the infant days when she gently pushed her mothers stomach in order to draw out the milk. Cats will rub up against your leg, or a tree or the furniture to anoint the object with their special scent and mark it as their territory. Cats will arch their backs or hiss and spit because they might feel threatened. Cats are also very territorial for the same reason you live in your home or apartment. They need a safe place where they can eat, sleep and relax.

The destructive cat problems are more difficult to tackle, because they come from a feeling of anxiety or stress. House cat behavior problems are common and are usually the result of boredom or anxiety. Regular exercise and play periods will help prevent both of these. Problems around the litter box, furniture scratching, aggression, spraying etc.  are the number one reason why cat owners seek veterinary advice.

Common cat behavior problems are aggression, either owner-directed or between cats, fear-related behaviors, and compulsive behaviors that cause problems for the cat and perplex the owner.

Sometimes a cat will use the sink or bathtub or even your floor instead of the litterbox. There can be several reasons associated with this. There could be a physical problem present, but most likely the cause either has to do with hostility towards another animal in the house who occupies their territory or due to too few or unclean litterboxes. Usually the solution is in providing the cat with more choices by expanding their personal surrounding space or adding a litterbox or two. There should be one litterbox for each cat in the household. In addition, you can supply them with a new cat bed or cardboard box or even a paper bag. My Gracie loves crunching up a brand spanking new paper bag. Increasing their space or territory will result in a happier kitty.

Fighting in the household is another huge destructive cat behavior problem. The cause is usually the same as spraying or peeing on the carpet. Your feline buddy is threatened by an invasion of their grounds. Other destructive behavioral problems are scratching, biting, tearing at objects like the curtains or a paper bag, and growling at guests. Many times these problems can be solved by neutering or spaying. Other times a scratch post or a kitty ladder will helps relieve stress around your kitty household. Infrequently you will have a real delinquent on your hands, who requires more work.

Cat health problems usually fall into two major categories. They are emergencies which require immediate attention and care or chronic or acute illnesses that need to be treated with longer term care. Emergencies that require immediate treatment are burns, cold exposure, dehydration, insect stings, electric shocks, poisoning, snake bites and fight wounds.

Infectious diseases, skin problems, eye problems, ear problems, pests like fleas and ticks, upper respiratory infection, urinary tract disease and pregnancy are all health challenges that can be treated over time. The most important advice to the cat owner is to see a vet anytime your cat is behaving strangely or seems to be in pain. A checkup is usually inexpensive unless tests or surgery is involved. Even though many times it seems that cats have 9 lives, cat problems, especially when it comes to health might require immediate attention. Do not procrastinate!