By Chris Nelson
La Plata County Humane Society
Dogs have owners and cats have staff. I have always liked that saying, as it perfectly describes most cats’ relationship with their owner/guardians.
Our office cat “Turbo” is no exception. She frequently jumps on my keyboard when I am in the middle of writing a report or answering an email. During our monthly board meeting, she will strut right down the table and drink from your water glass. This is what I refer to as “cattitude,” and what many of us enjoy about cats.
There are a few behaviors people don’t like about cats, and often cause cats to be surrendered to the shelter. One of the most common is spraying or scent marking. Just today, someone asked to get their cat to stop spraying on everything. This is usually an easy fix, and can be done by spaying or neutering your cat. To avoid the behavior altogether, have this procedure done at an early age, preferably before 6 months.
Another behavior owners often have issues with is not using the litter box. This can sometimes be more complicated than spraying.
The first thing to consider is, do you have more than one cat, and if so, do you have more than one litter box? While some cats will share a litter box with another cat, many will not. The rule of thumb is have one more litter box than the number of cats in your house.
If you already follow this rule, or only have one cat, then you should have your cat seen by a veterinarian. Litter-box issues can often be as a result of urinary tract infections.
Stress can also cause litter-box issues and other negative behaviors. Cats can get stressed by things that don’t seem like a big deal to us. Let’s say you change your work schedule from day shift to night. To a cat used to having their person around at the same time, this can become a problem. The arrival of a new member of the household, such as a baby, can throw a cat’s world into a spin.
New pets arriving in the house can also be a problem. Cats that have lived with other cats or dogs for years often react negatively to newcomers.
As owners, we often want our cats to have a buddy, especially if another pet has recently passed away. We tend to think our cat is lonely, and this is very often not the case at all.
The bottom line is that most behaviors of cats have a root cause and can be addressed with simple management. Call 259-2847 if you have any questions.
Chris Nelson is director of Animal Services at La Plata County Humane Society. Reach him at chris@lpchumanesoceity.org.
