Pet Stress and Pet Behavior Problems

Cat's Destructive Furniture Scratching

One of the most common complaints among cat owners is that their cats scratch and destroy the furniture, rugs and curtains. Cat owners certainly don’t want to give up their cats, but they also don’t want to face the expense of constant reupholstering or buying new furnishings.

My own cat’s occasional clawing of one particular love seat recently escalated to a full-fledged obsession. Soon there would be nothing left of the love seat except a wooden frame with metal springs, surrounded by piles of threads and feather stuffing. This photo doesn’t need to be enlarged to appreciate the shabby cat-distressed threads radiating in all directions. 

I think we cat owners need something more effective than giving the cat the evil eye, which hadn’t worked with my cat when he scratched the furniture. It’s always easier to outwit and correct undesirable pet behaviors if you understand the reasons for them. Cats scratch because:

·         It’s fun.

·         It works off energy and stress, and relieves boredom.

·         It stretches their bodies, feet and claws.

·         It helps them to mark their territory by leaving a scent from the scent glands on their paws as well as a visual marker.

·         It helps them remove the worn and uneven outer layer of their claws.

There is a tricky issue for cat owners to consider: does your own behavioral reaction unwittingly reward your cat for scratching the furniture? If, when your cat scratches, you encourage him to go outside, pick him up, or try to distract him with food, your cat will learn to scratch if he wants to go out, be picked up, or fed. If you yell at him or punish him, you have provided negative attention, which your cat prefers to no attention at all. Rewarding any behavior, including bad behavior, increases its frequency. You may be participating unknowingly in perpetuating or increasing the undesirable behavior.

You will undoubtedly begin to resent your cat for ruining your furniture. You now have all the makings of destroyed furniture and a dysfunctional relationship with your cat.

Our society doesn’t need more shabby sofas cluttering up landfills or more dysfunctional relationships, so tomorrow I’ll provide suggestions for what you can do to encourage your cat to scratch a more acceptable object than your precious family heirloom needlepoint cushions, upholstered furniture, curtains, etc.  

Relax with Your Pet in the New Year

The holidays are normally a joyous but stressful time for both humans and their pets. Most of us feel stress from having “too much to do and too little time.” This year, many people felt more stress as they faced personal financial challenges and dismal world-wide economic forecasts. If holiday stress and ongoing financial worries were not enough to cope with, people in the northern parts of the U.S. spent the last few weeks simultaneously digging out from recent snow and ice storms and while bracing for the next one.

People’s holiday stress has a way of affecting their pets too. Schedules for pet meals may have been disrupted or non-existent and your own moods may have been affected by eating less nutritious holiday foods or skipping meals. You and your pet’s stress levels may still be higher due to less or no time to exercise. You may not have had as much time for petting and playing with your pet.

The holiday season is winding down now. Reducing your own stress will help your pet feel more relaxed. You can reduce stress by getting some exercise, eating nutritious regular meals and taking time every day for a form of relaxation such as reading, meditating, doing deep breathing or a hobby.

Find comfort and solace in the companionship of your pet. Numerous research studies have shown the positive effects for both humans and pets from petting and spending time together. So resolve today to make time everyday to sit down for at least ten minutes and just focus on being with your pet. It will be comforting and relaxing for both of you.

PetStress.com wishes owners and their pets a peaceful and Happy New Year!