Cat Behavior Training

As caring cat parents, many people want to ensure their cats are happy but often question their cat's emotional state. Every cat is unique and, like humans, may express happiness differently. However, there are common signs that indicate your cat is content.

Cats are amazing, intelligent creatures. Their lifestyle reflects the predatory skills and behaviors needed to hunt food in the wild. A cat’s day includes the need to rest, stalk, chase, pounce, kill, play, eat, and groom among other things. Without opportunities to engage in these natural behaviors, cats may become bored, potentially leading to destructive behaviors, aggression, or anxiety. We all want our cats to be living their best lives!

Fear aggression is the most common type of feline aggression. A percentage of cats simply inherit the "shy gene" and act aggressively every time they become frightened. Poor socialization also results in fear aggression. Punishment by the owner can make it worse. Cats may develop "stranger danger" fear of people, places, other cats, certain noises, or even odors, and react with aggression. They can generalize one scary experience (such as a car ride to the vet) with all future car rides. A single "bad" episode with a longtime feline friend can turn the relationship sour and prompt inter-cat aggression.

Have you ever wondered if cats know their names? Unlike dogs, cats are not known for coming when called. But if your cat doesn’t move a whisker when you call its name, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it doesn’t know its name.