Cat Behavior And Training
Do cats "talk," or communicate through sound?
We all know that cats are pretty quiet for the most part, but they can be quiet chatters, and when they make noises they make them with a purpose. If any of you have ever heard a cat when they see a bird outside they make that “AaaAaaAaa” noise, it sounds really hilarious to us, this cackle is actually a cat's way of trying desperately to convince that bird that they're actually a bird and to come over and say hi. Fortunately most birds are pretty smart, they have bird brains, and they know it's just a cat faking them out. The other thing though, cats make different meow sounds. A little kitten will make a “mew mew” when they're very hungry, or need attention, but some cats will make a “Raaaawl” noise like that when they're in pain, so you really need to listen to the vocals of your cats as well as their body language, because they're telling you something.
Can I teach my cat "tricks"?
When it comes to tricks, I'm sorry, Rover, move over. Cats can be quite the tricksters. The difference is you've got to motivate it. You've got to motivate them. You've got to convince them: "What's in it for me?" I mean, you can't heave a bunch of treats to a cat and expect them to keep doing feline agility in the house or rolling over and playing dead or giving you a paw. Cats don't need a lot of treats, little bits, but I can tell you from my own that I have cats that can walk on leashes, come to whistles, leap up on counters, give me a shake, roll over, sit, stay. I mean, they can do it all, and they can do it with such class and dignity that they can put some dogs to shame.
Is it a good idea to get my cat's claws removed?
You know, years ago it was just routine. When you went in to have your cat spayed or neutured or their vaccinations, the vet declawed your cat. We didn't think anything about it. Well, here's the reality now. We do know. It hurts them. It actually removes some of their bones in their paws, and it can cause behavior problems. You know, it's like removing your finger nails. For some cats, you know, they react very negatively to that. That said, you feel like you're in a quandary, because your cat wants to scratch, and you're doing your best, but they seem to pick your couch, so what do you do? There are alternatives. If you keep your cat's nails regularly clipped, and by taking the tips off of them, that goes a long way. Secondly, you can work with your veterinarian, or your groomer, and get kind of these things that are like fake nails, that you can put on your cat's nails that takes away any kind of sharpness. But if you do that route, you've got to make sure that you replace those fake nails on a regular basis. Because, just like our finger nails, the cat's nails are going to be growing inside those nail caps. And so you need to make sure that you regularly change them. And thirdly, you've got to show ways that your cat can scratch appropriately, by giving them scratching posts and scratching trees, and other things, to be able to work out that need to kneed, and the need to claw.
