If you've ever had a cat for a pet, you know that cats behavior can be quite mysterious. It is a common error to try to analyze cats behavior in light of ours. In most cases where there is a lack of cat control, it is due to our assuming things incorrectly with respect to a life form which differs significantly from us.

Humans, unlike cats, are not pure carnivores or predators. Cats play, eat, and behave in the fashion that they do as a result of their history as living in the wild as hunters. Many people make the mistake of seeing feline behavior in human terms resulting in conflict. It would be silly to assume an elephant would behave in the same fashion as a bird, but many cat owners fully expect their pets to behave as humans do.

Cats do not respond at all well to "negative reinforcement." With some animals it works, but not cats. A cat considers it an attack, defends against it, and becomes even more hostile and bad-tempered. "Positive reinforcement" is best, but even "No!" and removing the cat from the problem works better than trying to whack a cat.

For cats, some of the behaviors which we may consider as improper is a way of life and comes from instinctive needs. One of the ways of marking its territory is spraying its own urine around its habitat. But this practice cannot be allowed inside a human home. When a cat is going to be bred behavioral training will help in controlling this behavior. For a normal pet neutering is a good choice.

If you are concerned about your cat scratching furniture or your pants, there are several products available for your feline friend. Cats work hard to keep their claws trim and sharp and need to be trained to only use scratching boxes or posts. Your veterinarian can assist you in selecting the best scratching products and toys to aid in protecting your furniture and clothing.

Imagine that you wake up one morning, pour yourself a cup of coffee, and step outside to get the morning paper""only to find a dead animal on your doorstep. Is this a neighborhood child's prank? A scene out of The Godfather? If you have a cat, it's very likely a gift. Bringing home "meals" to the leader of their pride is a sign of respect in feline circles. Don't punish your cat for this normal behavior. There is no need to praise him either. Just recognize that stalking, killing, and bringing home prey is a sign of a normal, happy cat.

Don't expect a cat to think the way you think it should. Cats have their own behaviors so to understand them better you should do some reading on their natural instincts before automatically assuming a cat is behaving badly. There will always be present in a cat some amount of wild feline, so it is better to learn to work with their instincts rather than presume they don't exist in your cat.