Cats behave in certain ways because it is instinctive for them to do this. They are not doing it to upset you. Cats don’t understand the concepts of revenge or spite. They just do things which they believe are ‘normal’.
Scratching Furniture
Cats love to scratch at things as they need to sharpen their claws. They will also dig their claws into the carpet or a tree when they want to stretch their muscles. We love to stretch and so do our cats. They also scratch at furniture to ‘mark’ it or leave their scent. It is their way of saying ‘I’m here, this s my spot’.
Spraying on Vertical Surfaces
When cats ‘spray’ small amounts of urine on walls, doors or other vertical surfaces, they are ‘marking’ their territory. Unneutered male and female cats are more likely to spray to mark their territory than those that have been altered. Marking can also be a way of showing sexual readiness in your cat. Multi-cat homes are more likely to have problems with spraying to mark territory.
Not Using the Litter Tray
Sometimes cats will urinate in inappropriate places such as on your bed or clothing, or on the floor somewhere. When this happens, don’t scold the cat and never rub their noses in it. Cats will urinate to mark their territory, especially in multi-cat homes. In the wild, this is how cats mark the boundaries of their territory. As another cat wanders into these marked out boundaries, they are alerted to the fact that this area ‘belongs’ to another cat. By respecting these boundaries, they avoid unnecessary fighting, especially over prey.
Faecal Marking
Cats normally bury their faecal matter. This is an ancient drive whereby the cat ‘hid its identity and location’ from predators. If your cat starts eliminating faecal matter on the floor or clothing, it is sending a very strong message that something is not right with it. This could be something medical, it could be a reaction to something the cat ate, stress or a very powerful way maine coon cat for sale of marking or reclaiming its territory.
Eating Plants
Cats will eat greens or vegetable matter for what appears to be no reason. In the wild, they will consume all parts of their prey including the stomach contents. It is thought that the partially digested vegetable matter could provide the cat with vitamins and minerals not found elsewhere. Sometimes they will eat plants so make themselves vomit up a hairball or something else they have eaten.
Excessive Meowing
Some breeds of cats are noisier than others. The Siamese, Burmese, Abyssinians and Tonkinese can be fairly vocal. Individual cats can be noisy as well. Some meow to get attention or when they are stressed. Excessive noise in a normally quiet cat could be a sign of illness or injury or be due to the fact that the cat is on heat and/or looking for a mate.
Begging for Food
Cats can beg for food if they are being underfed. It could also be a reaction to a time where the cat had to struggle for food, either as a stray or if it was the runt of the litter. This will cause a ‘high food drive’ which will trigger the begging behavior.
Biting
Some cats will bite to stop whatever it is you are doing. This will usually be a gentle nip. Sometimes, you may have tried to stroke a particularly sensitive area such as the neck or the rump. Make sure your cat has not been injured or in pain.
Aggression
As cats are by nature predatory animals, aggression is part of their natural behavior. They will be very aggressive in defending their territory from other animals. Cats are normally very gentle with humans unless they are frightened or in pain.