Cat Behaviour Problems - Could It Be A Communication Problem?

If you have a bad cat, which has behaviour problems; such as biting, spraying, not eating, scratching etc. It is likely that there is a communication problem between you and your cat.

Some cat behaviour problems are inherent to cats, it is what they do naturally and only through training your cat will you be able to stop the bad behaviour. However, sometimes your cat will be trying to tell you something.

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If your cat has stopped using the litter box and is instead urinating around your house, this could be a sign that something is wrong. Often however this is a way of territorial marking for male cats, and neutering the cat will stop this particular behaviour problem. However it could be something a little more serious. For example if your cat has already been neutered and starts to spray around the house it could be a sign that your cat is ill, or your cat may be unhappy about a change in the house. Try and get to the bottom of the problem and see if your cat returns to normal. If your cat continues then you should seek the advice of your vet as this may not be a cat behaviour problem it may actually be a sign of diminishing health with old age and your vet can aid your cat as much as possible.

Other cat behaviour problems that owners face, may be a simple thing such as the cat swiping at the owners legs. This could be down to an annoyance. If the owner has gone on holiday and left the cat in the care of others, often cats can get upset and they will remember this and retaliate when the owner returns. A cat swiping at the owners legs could also be a warning, if you or someone else has over stepped the cats boundaries, it will find a solution to keep you away, if swiping at your legs works then the cat will continue doing it.

Even scratching the furniture is seen as a cat behaviour problem, where as this is actually a very natural thing for cats to do. In the wild they will scratch against wood to shed the outer layers of their claws, where as a domestic cat doesn't usually have this luxury. As this is a natural thing to do you will need to train your cat to use a scratching post instead of your antique furniture!

As you can see often cat behaviour problems as not problems at all, they might be a natural behaviour or a way of trying to communicate a problem with the owner. Often these problems can be solved very easily by learning to understand your cat.

Cat Behaviour Problems - Could It Be A Communication Problem?

Written by Laura Marsh. Did you find this information on cat behaviour problems useful? You can get more information on cat behaviour problems here.

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A Dogs Communication - Could Your Dog be Trying to Tell You Something?

Is barking a form of language among dogs with precise significance, or just playful noise? Dogs exchange information among themselves less by voice than by a wide range of facial expressions, body postures and gestures, as well as by various scents. Dogs, who bark at night, are probably working off excess energy or announcing their presence, and this is undoubtedly the only message conveyed to other dogs within ear shot.

When a dog goes to his owner and deliberately barks, it is simply meant to attract attention. You must try to guess his general behavior, rather than from the circumstances and his general behavior, rather than from the particular form or pitch of bark he makes. The howling or baying of hunting dogs is an instinctive hunting cry informing the pack that the dog is on a trail. Barking at strange noises is a warning as well as a threat display.

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A lonely dog who bowls may be sending out a gathering cry to other dogs nearby. Wild dogs on the other hand, never back, they only howl. Could the barking of domesticated dogs be a form of communication more closely resembling speech? A pet dog that shares a close relationship with his owner and has been taught to understand many words obviously makes an effort, sometimes quite successfully, to give meaning to his own utterances.

A dog who wishes to assert his importance and boldness instinctively employs all of the effects that make him look bigger and more frightening, raising his back ton increase his height and holding his head high in defiance. A dog who wants to show submission does just the opposite, making himself look small by crouching down with his tail between his legs and his ears laid back flat.

A dog who wishes to assert his dominance will take a perpendicular position with his head over the other dog's shoulders, while nudging or pushing, with his neck arched, head and tail raised and tense. The conventional play invitation is a posture with the forehead crouched, the hind quarters high, a wagging tail, bright eye and a little yap. A rigid stance with a steady gaze and a high, trembling tail is hostile. A high, steady tail signifies self confidence, and held low indicates inferiority, fatigue, ill health, or a bad mood.

Pawing at the neck is an expression of affection, nose-nudging is another invitation to play. Paw-giving is a conventional canine gesture with two possible meanings. When he gives his paw to his owner while avoiding eye contact he's saying "Please forgive me" or when he wants attention, he is saying "I'm here, don't forget me." When he offers his paw to another dog, it's a sign of submission.

An owner, who takes the trouble to observe his dog and pay him the courtesy of listening to him, can establish a simple two-way communications system with his pet. Canine messages are generally very elementary, as he asks much less of us than we do of him. "I'm hungry," "I'm thirsty", "I need to go out", or "Come with me I think something is wrong" are among the messages he manages to convey very well considering his limited means. His most eloquent utterance is the emotional gurgle of barks that means to say "I've missed you!"

A Dogs Communication - Could Your Dog be Trying to Tell You Something?

Randy Jones and his partner Brent Jones have been in the pet industry for a long time. Recently they formed Joncopets.com. On the site, customers can read articles about anything pets as well as shop for the latest fancy dog collars, dog dresses, fancy dog beds,and more for their best friend. Feel free to check out the site at http://www.joncopets.com.

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Improve Your Dog Communication Skills by Understanding Your Dog's Breeding

If you want to have a closer relationship with your dog, one of the best things you can do is to improve your dog communication skills. The better you understand your dog's communications and its dog nature, the better you will be able to nurture its dog personality and create a tighter bond.

knit your dog book

Does your dog ever do something that leaves you scratching your head and wondering, "Why did he (or she) do that?" If so, you're not alone. Dogs tell us important things all the time, but sometimes we don't "get the message."

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A dog's actions often speak louder than words. The trick is to figure out what the actions mean. It can be obvious. For example, when your dog sits and begs while you're eating a piece of steak, there's no mystery in the message. But most dog communications are much more subtle than that. Sometimes you can "break the code" by paying careful attention to your dog's breeding.

Retrievers like to retrieve. Herders like to herd. Hunters like to hunt. So if you want to understand your dog's body language behavior, it's a good idea to understand what it was bred to do.

If you've ever watched the Westminster Dog Show, you've heard the announcer read those wonderful descriptions of the different breeds. You can find those descriptions at the AKC's (American Kennel Club) web site: http://www.akc.org/breeds/complete_breed_list.cfm. Example: "The working ability that has made the Golden Retriever such a useful hunting companion also makes him an ideal guide, assistance and search and rescue dog."

My Golden Retriever, Jamie, used to stop in the middle of our morning jog. She had different reasons for stopping, but one of them was to make a polite request, "May I please pick up this pine cone and carry it the rest of the way home?"

One morning, my wife and I were jogging home, with Jamie, and I was carrying several rolled up newspapers. Jamie kept looking back at me. At first, we couldn't figure out what she was trying to say. My wife said, "She wants you to pay attention to her." So I stopped and gave her a friendly ear scratch. But she kept looking back at me.

Finally, my wife said, "Maybe she wants to carry the newspapers." I gave Jamie the papers, and that was it. She held her head up high and carried the newspapers the rest of the way home. But of course, she's a retriever.

If your dog does something you don't understand, consider its breeding. It may be telling you, "Hey, I just want to do the things I was bred to do."

Improve Your Dog Communication Skills by Understanding Your Dog's Breeding

Fred M. Haney, author of "My Doggie Says... Messages from Jamie" and host of the "My Doggie Says" radio talk show on KFNX, in Phoenix, AZ. Learn how to understand the important messages your dog is sending you. Visit the "My Doggie Says..." blog and podcast. Listen to recorded interviews from the "My Doggie Says" show and learn how expert authors and trainers think about dog communication, dog intelligence, and building a stronger relationship with your dog. http://www.mydoggiesays.com The "My Doggie Says" interviews are also available on iTunes as a podcast.

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