Cats are known to be mostly docile and relaxed, but sometimes they can exhibit harmful and unpredictable behaviors as they age. These behaviors can be a result of habits that have never been corrected or a sign of a possible underlying disease/illness. Here are four ways that you can identify if there truly is a problem with your beautiful pet cat.
Record Your Cat’s Behavior
Keep track of your cat’s behaviors, especially if they’re of the sort that you’ve never seen before. Some common behavioral changes include:
- Increased stress
- Aggression
- Compulsiveness
Also consider the following:
- Your cat’s age when these behaviors began.
- How often these behaviors persist and their length.
- If these behaviors have increased in severity.
- If these behaviors began with the introduction of new living conditions or other pets.
- If these behaviors began after your cat fell ill.
Have Our Veterinarians Examine Your Cat
Our veterinarians will examine your pet and ask a series of questions to pinpoint the cause of your cat’s discomfort.
Answer the ABC’s:
- Antecedent – What happens before a strange behavior occurs? Does it occur only if a specific action occurred first?
- Behavior – Has the behavior changed as the cat matured or has it remained constant in occurrence and severity?
- Consequence – What happens after the behavior occurs?
Invest in Behavioral Therapy for Your Cat
Valley Animal Hospital offers behavioral therapy to help treat unwanted habits in your pet cat and offers ways for you both to peacefully co-exist.
Our therapy sessions:
- Re-correct negative habits in adult felines.
- Train kittens to not act negatively in a home environment.
- Determine whether a cat’s behavior is disease-related.
Maintain Your Cat’s Health After Treatment
Your cat may need multiple visits to get better if we discover a more serious underlying issue to their behavior. During and after treatment, you should provide:
- Ample time for daily play times (exercise).
- A nutritional and balanced diet.
Schedule Your Cat’s Visit with Us Today!
If you’ve noticed new and strange behaviors in your cat and are unsure of what’s causing them, then we want to help. Our pet hospital is conveniently located in Pharr, so send us a message to see how we can help!
