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| Moody Cats |
What to Do When Your Cat Has a Temper
A cat that is always anxious, nervous and even aggressive obviously has some problems. Different cats have different temperaments, just as humans have different personalities that make them unique individuals. However, as a cat owner, you don't need to worry about a grumpy cat, because there are many ways to control its annoying behavior.
Bring Your Cat to the Veterinarian
A trip to your veterinarian might help you uncover what is triggering your cat’s unruly behavior. Some diseases or health conditions can irritate or agitate the cat to a point where he can be so destructive in your house. Thyroid abnormalities can increase the cat’s metabolism making her more hyperactive and thus become more temperamental in some situations. Neurological conditions can also affect your cat’s ability to control its behavior. Other conditions can simply be a source of frustration, discomfort, or even pain on the part of your cat all of which can contribute to a very moody temperament. Read also: Cats and chocolates: Can Cats Eat Chocolate?
Restrain Yourself from Excessively Petting Your Cat
Although cats are sociable animals, they do not require your full and undivided attention. This has something to do with their need to maintain their sense of freedom and independence. You need to respect them when they don’t feel like being petted by you or any other member of your family. If you need to pet them, make sure that the petting session is not more than a few minutes; otherwise, you will just lit their already-short and thin fuse. Giving your cat a high-quality food treats after the petting session can positively reinforce his exceptional behavior. Done consistently, you can expect your cat to allow you to pet her for significantly longer periods of time.
Check Your Temper
It is senseless and utterly useless if you are going to match your cat’s temper with your own. As in approaching any animal, you need to project a calm and assertive, yet loving, personality when you deal with your cat. Resist the temptation of punishing or scolding or even physically hurting your cat because this will only reinforce her already-negative behavior. This further worsens her temper.
Learn Your Cat’s Body Language
As animals cannot talk or verbalize what they are frustrated or angry about, you need to learn to understand their behavior. You need to understand what an arched back means or a tail that is raised as well as flattened ears. You also need to differentiate the various sounds that your cat produces because, aside from the usual purring and meowing, other vocalizations such as hissing can actually signal something wrong with your cat. You need to differentiate between the tell-tale signs of bad temper from the ones that are more amiable. Read also: What is fip in cats?
Consider Neutering your Cat
Ask your veterinarian if she would recommend neutering your cat as a means of addressing its bad temper. Studies have shown that neutered or spayed cats are generally calmer than those that are not neutered or spayed.
Give Your Cat Safe and Stress-Free Environment
A safe and loving environment, coupled with a stress-free surrounding can sometimes be the only solution to a temperamental cat.Finding out about what is causing your cat to go nuts is crucial in managing its bad temper. By narrowing down on the possible sources of his bad temper, you can then devise a more specific plan to manage it.