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How to Make Your Cat ADORE You?

Dear Cat Lover,

First, I have to warn you: These techniques really work, so be careful what you ask for!

If you want your cat to adore you, you must first adore your cat. If Kitty falls in love with you after you learn to follow this

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Related Information

. My cat scratches on my furniture a lot. Why does she do this and what can I do to stop it?

A. Cats 'scratch' on items for two reasons. The reason we think of most often is to sharpen their claws. But scratching also serves another purpose. When scratching on items such as furniture or scratching posts, cats are also leaving scent from the sweat glands on the pads of their paws and between the pads. The scent left behind says, 'I was here, and this is my territory.' Once their scent is on an object, they often return to the object and apply their scent again.

We can use this information to our advantage when trying to get a cat to use a scratching post. If we can get a cat's scent on the post (put a little catnip on the post to get the cat to scratch), the cat will likely come back to the post to replenish his scent. Similarly, it is helpful to remove the cat's scent from objects the cat has been scratching on but we wish he wasn't.

If you have a cat that scratches carpeting and furniture, here is what we recommend:

Get a scratching post

You cannot prevent your cat from scratching, but you can train her to scratch only in certain areas. A scratching post or even furniture with scratching areas will give your cat the alternative place to scratch. Cats scratch most frequently right after waking so it is critical that the scratching post is convenient to where they spend much of their time.Try different kinds of scratching posts

Some cats prefer real wood posts and will not touch rope sisal posts. Others prefer cardboard, and still others, carpeted posts. Find out which kind your cat prefers and then spray with a catnip spray or keep a catnip toy nearby.

Clean with an enzyme odor remover

If your cat has already scratched your furniture, use an enzyme cleaner to eliminate the cat's scent which it will return to. Then spray daily with one of the products designed to keep pets away by leaving an odor they prefer not to be around (but is OK for you). Citronella sprays are a good first start.

Positive reinforcement and praise

Finally, show your cat how to use her scratching post and praise or give your kitty special treats when she is using her furniture instead of yours.

Like most training, the earlier you start, the better. Remember though, kittens younger than six months generally do not respond to catnip as well as adults do. You may need to try other incentives.

Inappropriate elimination (urinating or defecating outside of the litter box, and/or spraying) is the most common behavior problem of older cats. There are numerous causes for this behavior, many of them medical, so a cat who has inappropriate elimination should be examined by a veterinarian. Laboratory tests will need to be performed in most cases.

Contributing factors to inappropriate elimination

Medical conditions: Medical conditions which result in an increased frequency of urination or defecation may be the underlying cause for this behavior problem. These conditions include: colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism, kidney or liver disease, and feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD). Medical conditions which cause pain urinating or defecating, or make it difficult for the cat to get in and out of the litter box, may also result in inappropriate elimination. Such conditions include arthritis, FLUTD, anal sac disease, loss of vision, and some forms of colitis. Treatment of these medical conditions may help to resolve this behavioral problem. In addition, using litter boxes with lower sides, placing the litter box in the area in which the cat spends the most time, and increasing the number of litter boxes may be helpful.

Stress: Stress can be a major cause of inappropriate elimination in cats of all ages. Stressors such as moving, changes in routine, or changes in the makeup of the family can result in inappropriate elimination. Reducing these stressors or decreasing their impact on the household will benefit your cat (and probably you, too!). For instance, when moving, attempt to keep the cat in a quiet portion of the home when packing and during the actual moving day. At the new residence, confine your cat to a quiet room at first (probably a bedroom), placing her food, water, litter box and favorite sleeping material (bed, sweatshirt, etc.) in the room. Spend time with her in that room and feed her and clean the litter box at the usual time. Gradually let her become accustomed to the rest of the house.

There is a product called 'Feliway' which was designed to help reduce anxiety in cats, and thus decrease spraying or urinating inappropriately. Feliway contains pheromones from the cat's face. Pheromones are chemicals which are used to communicate with other members of the same species. You may notice your cat rubs her face and chin on vertical surfaces. She is leaving a scent there which contains these pheromones. The pheromones from the face have a calming effect on other cats. When Feliway is sprayed onto multiple vertical surfaces which your cat may spray, the cat receives this calming effect and in many cases, spraying will be reduced.

Substrate preference: Cats of all ages may develop an aversion to the litter box or substrate (material inside of the litter box). Some of the litters with a 'perfume' or 'antiseptic' smell may dissuade some cats from using them. Trying different types of litter including clumping litter, sand, newspaper, and no litter are things that could be helpful.

Box location: Some cats may not like where a box is located. It may be located too close to their food or water. It may be in a high traffic area where they cannot have privacy. It may be in an area where they can be easily ambushed by another cat. It may be on a different level of the house than where they spend most of their time. In addition to trying various substrates, also place extra boxes around the house to see if box location makes a difference. There should always be at least one more litter box than the number of cats in the household.

Sanitary conditions: Some cats are very particular. Some will not defecate in the same box in which they urinate. Others will not go in a box which has been used by another cat. Just as we do not like to use dirty bathrooms, neither do many cats. If the litter box is not cleaned regularly, they may decide to find a different bathroom.

Possible Solutions to Inappropriate Elimination

Have your cat checked by your veterinarian for a possible medical condition, and start treatment for the condition if one exists. If the cat is extremely stressed, talk to your veterinarian about some medications which may help.

If you have multiple cats and do not know which one is the culprit, your veterinarian can give you some fluorescent dye to feed one of the cats. The urine from that cat will fluoresce when exposed to a black light.

Place numerous litter boxes around the house. You do not have to use anything fancy: dishpans, large plastic containers or other items may work just as well. Try a larger litter box, some behaviorists feel litter boxes are often too small.

Use different substrates including newspaper, clumpable and nonclumpable litter, sand, sawdust (not cedar), carpet remnants, and no litter at all. Use unscented litter, since many cats do not like the scented kind. If you find the substrate that your cat prefers is not the one you do, e.g., carpet remnants, try slowly converting the cat back to litter. Place a small amount of litter on the carpet remnants the first week, and if all goes well, use more litter each week until you can finally remove the carpet remnants from the box.

Try different depths of litter. Many people put too much litter in the box. Some cats like only a small amount.

Clean any soiled areas with an enzyme cleaner designed for use on pet urine and stool. Regular detergents and other cleaners will not break down the urine or feces, and if the cat smells any urine or feces on a carpet or floor, the cat may continue to use that spot to eliminate. In some cases, the carpet or carpet padding may need to be replaced.

Clean the litter boxes at least once daily. Wash the litter box weekly. Do not clean the box with a strong smelling disinfectant, but rinse the box well after washing it.

Feed the cat where she is inappropriately eliminating. Many cats will not urinate or defecate in the area in which they are fed.

Use upside down carpet runners (the ones with the spikes on the bottom), heavy plastic, aluminum foil, double-sided tape, motion detectors, pet repellents, or scat mats to limit her access to the area where she inappropriately eliminates.

Try Feliway, as described above. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's recommendations.

Take your cat to the litter box frequently, and if she uses it, praise her, or even give her a treat.

If you catch your cat in the act of urinating or defecating outside of the box (or even using the digging motion), use a remote correction. This generally means doing something that will startle her. Tossing a pop can with a few coins inside of it and taped shut toward the cat (but not at her!) may get her to stop. Foghorns, whistles, and water pistols are other options. It is best if she does not associate you with the correction, but thinks it 'comes out of the blue.'

Do NOT punish the cat. Punishing the cat, including rubbing her nose in the soiled area will not help, and will probably increase the stress on the cat.

In some situations, it may be helpful to confine the cat to a small room with food, water, toys, bed, and litter box. Once she is using the litter box in the smaller area, gradually allow her into larger areas of the house.

Q. My cat jumps up on tables and counters all the time. Is there any way I can prevent this from happening?

A. Cats jumping up on counters in the kitchen can be a nuisance, plus very dangerous for the cat if he happens to jump on a hot stove versus a counter. Several methods have been used to prevent or change this behavior.

We generally want to use what is called 'remote correction,' meaning the cat will not know where the correction came from. This will help prevent the cat from displaying the behavior simply to get attention, or waiting until we are not around to correct him.

If we see the cat starting to jump up on the counter, we can throw a pop can filled with a few coins and taped shut, toward the cat. We do not want to hit the cat, but want to startle him so he stops what he is doing. This works fine if we are in the kitchen waiting for him, but how do we correct him when we are not around? This is where imagination comes in.

Placing cookie sheets filled with water on the counter will give the cat a very unpleasant experience the next time she tries jumping up there.

Certain noises can be used as deterrents - the sound of a popping balloon, as an example. Blow up a balloon. While your cat is watching, pop it. If this is done several times, the cat will soon start to detest balloons, at which time you can place balloons along the edges of your counter. There may be other items your particular cat does not like because of the sound they make, e.g., cans of air used to clean computer keyboards. Placing several of these on the counter within visual range of the cat, may also persuade your cat to stop jumping up. There are several devices available commercially which may be helpful. Large plastic devices which look like mousetraps can be placed on the counter, and when the cat jumps on them, the paddle will slap making a loud, scary noise.

There are also 'scat mats' which will give the cat a small electric shock (like a carpet shock) when the cat jumps on them.

Finally, why does your cat jump up on the counter? If it is food that is enticing him, keep food off of the counter and put it in cupboards unless you are in the kitchen. If 'fun things' are often on the counter - pens, paper bags, pieces of paper, etc., clear these off the counter as well. If the counter is near a window, close the curtains or pull down the shade so the cat can not use the counter as a vantage point for surveying his outside kingdom. Bottom line: if the counter is empty and boring, there will be no positive reinforcements (food, toys, view) for getting up on the counter. Simultaneously, increase the interest on ground level. Buy some new toys, but do not put them out all at once. Rotate which toys are out so they will seem more interesting and not the 'same old thing.' Set up some paper bags, cardboard boxes, etc., to allow a good game of hide and seek. Your imagination is the only limiting factor.

Because cats are nocturnal they prefer to be up at night. Because they are predators they may sleep up to 16 hours a day. One of the most common complaints we get about cats from their owners is that the cats keep them up at night. There are several things you can do to help reverse this bad habit so everyone, including the cat, gets a good night's sleep.

Provide the cat with a bed that is warm and comfortable in a location away from your bedroom.

Close your bedroom door at night to prevent your cat from coming in to play.

Keep your cat up during the day and increase daytime activity. Try playing games, giving your cat a cat tower near a window, or providing cat videos for your cat's viewing pleasure. Rotate toys every few days to reduce boredom and add interest.

Play with your cat in the evening before bedtime.

Don't feed your cat first thing in the morning. Many cats wake owners up to be fed so only feed later in the morning and then give small meals throughout the day. If you are not at home, consider using a timed feeder or put small amounts of food in food dispensing toys, or hide kibbles throughout the house. Feed the largest meal before bed.

You may want to try remote correction when your cat starts to meow during the night. This could consist of using an air can or water spray bottle, or tossing a soda can filled with a few coins. Another option is to put some type of noise making device, such as a vacuum cleaner, on a remote switch. Using one of these methods will startle your cat and get her to stop the behavior. The important thing to remember is that your cat must not realize you are the one responsible for the correction.

Another possible response is to totally ignore any of your cat's nighttime behaviors. If you show any response your cat will have succeeded in getting what he wants. One of the worst things you can do is hold out for a long time, and then finally give in. This has been shown to be one of the best ways to reinforce the bad behavior and encourage your cat to continue it.

Finally, if the problem is serious and as a last resort, consult with your veterinarian regarding the use of medications to "reprogram" your cat to a better sleep/wake cycle.

By using a combination of these options, hopefully you and your cat will sleep the night away

Q. I often notice dogs and cats licking around their tails. Why do they do that?

A.

Dogs and cats can lick under or around their tails for a variety of reasons. Some of the most common are:

Anal gland disease

Anal gland disease is one of the most common reasons a dog will lick under the tail. Dogs and cats have two anal glands (also called anal sacs) on each side of the anal opening. These can become impacted or infected. If they do, the pet will often lick the area to try to relieve the pressure in the glands. Some dogs will also 'scoot' along the floor when they have an anal gland problem.

Reproductive disease or discharges

Female animals will often lick the vulvar area when they are in heat. They will also lick the area if they have a uterine infection (pyometra). Some female animals develop vaginitis which can cause severe itching. A fourth reason a female may lick her vulva is when she is in the process of giving birth.

Fleas Fleas often bite or are found at the base of the tail - where the tail attaches to the body. Cats and dogs with fleas may lick or chew at that site.

Parasites On occasion, a pet will lick the anal area if it has intestinal worms. However, most animals with worms, do not show this behavior.

Normal Grooming

Dogs and cats may lick under or around the tail as a normal grooming process. If you see your pet is licking excessively, however, it is probably a sign of a medical problem and you should contact your veterinarian.

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