Cat behavior is a fascinating subject to us feline fanatics.
After more than 20 years of owning cats, there’s still not a day goes by when my cats don’t do something funny, clever or just plain daft that I don’t expect.
Cat behaviour covers many areas – problems, facts, questions… This page gives you lots of links to other pages that cover all sorts of Kitty behavior subjects. Please enjoy!
Why do Cats..?
Why do cats meow at you when you’re on the phone? Why do they make a beeline for people who don’t like them? Why do some cats like to wash your hair? Click on the title above to find answers to these questions and more.
Other pages you may like:
Cat Problems
Do you have any specific cat behavior problems you’re struggling to deal with? Click on the title above to see questions other visitors have asked – the answer to your cat behavior question could be there.
Alternatively, use the search box below or check the links on this page – there’s a very good chance your problem will be addressed somewhere on the website.
Custom Search
Click here for help and advice on dealing with a stressed-out cat – the signs of cat stress may not be what you’d initially think – find out more here
Feliway Diffuser
A Feliway diffuser can help to reduce or eliminate cat behavior problems, with some cat owners reporting results that seem nothing short of miraculous. Click on the title above for further information.
Specific Behavior Issues
Litter Box Problems – Causes and Solutions
Kitty refusing to use his / her litter box is probably THE most annoying, frustrating and infuriating problem owners can face, and it’s definitely the issue I get asked about the most.
The key to solving this is figuring out why Kitty won’t use his box and then fixing the problem. This may sound grossly over-simplified, but if it’s approached logically, 9 times out of 10 the fix isn’t difficult; the difficulty lies in trying to work out what’s going on in your cat’s head initially. Once you’ve done this, the fix is the easier part of the process (honest!)
The link above takes you to a section of the website with a wealth of information and advice on dealing with this problem. It shows you how to approach it logically so you can work out the cause (and then apply the solution).
Excessive Cat Meowing
The second most common cat behavior issue I get asked about is excessive meowing. This can also be incredibly annoying. The link above takes you to a page that gives detailed advice on how to deal with this.
I’ve also answered a number of questions from visitors on the same cat behavior subject – if you go to the Search options page and type “cat meowing” (without the ” marks) into the search box all the relevant pages should appear in the results.
Aggression – Causes and Solutions
I get many questions about cats that are fighting and particularly problems with hissing. The link above takes you to a page with further information on these problem cat behavior topics and more. If you use the Search option and type in “cat hissing” or “cats fighting” for example, you’ll get all the relevant questions I’ve answered in the results.
Questions From Other Visitors
Click on the links below for the cat behavior questions that other people have shared – all written by visitors to this site – and read my advice/answers…
Cat Constantly Licking And Biting Skin
I am living in Spain and I have a problem with my female tortoiseshell cat called Annie who is 4 years old & 3.4Kg.I have had her from a kitten and …
Stray Kitten Becomes Almost Comatose For Brief Periods Of Time
I have a question about our new kitten. A neighbor moved out and left a three-month-old kitten behind. We took him to the vet and he was dewormed …
One of Our Cats Keeps Going Back to Our Old House
We have just moved to another house only half a mile away. It is a very rural district with only fields, woods and a river between the two houses. …
My 14 yr Old Cat Ate Chocolate and Poisoned Herself
Four days ago I came home to find my 14 yr old cat had been at the chocolates. After a few hours, she was crying in a most distressed way, jumping all …
Worried About Way Cat’s Behaving After Warm Weather
My 6yr old male cat has become a little lethargic and seems reluctant to go far from the house. This follows a recent bout of very warm weather. In all …
Odd Cat Behavior At Night
I have a cat behavior question about my cat Bella, who I obtained through a rescue shelter. We think she is between 1 and 2 years old. At night she …
Cat Messing On Bed
My cat is 9 yrs old and has started messing on my son’s bed. We were away for two weeks recently and a neighbor came in and fed her, could this be the …
How Can I Train My Cat Not To Meow, Especially Near My Baby’s Room?
I have two Burmese cats, Oscar male (6) and Lulu female (3) they are both neutered, unrelated, and I have had them from kittens. Until December 09 they …
Why Does My 4 Month Old Kitten Keep Biting?
My cat behavior question is about my 4-month old kitten – she constantly bites when she is playing. She has broken my skin on many occasions and this morning she broke…
My Kitten Does Not Use Her Litter Tray At Night My 10 week old kitten is very clean during the day, but at night she has been urinating on my bed. Her litter tray is always available, why is she doing …
How Can We Stop Our Cat Meowing Constantly In The Middle Of The Night?
We have a problem with Casper, who’s 10 years old, and she is a chinchilla breed. She meows in the middle of the night and wakes us up every night. …
One cat’s Confusing Behavior Towards Other Cats
We have a question about our 3-year-old rescue cat that we were told didn’t get on with the other cats in his previous home and therefore was rehomed. …
My 19 Month Old Cat Stamps On 10 Month Old Kitten’s Tail
I have a question about my cats… I’ve got two neutered male ragdoll cats – the older one (19 months) is more reserved than the younger ‘out there’ kitten …
Why Has My 9 Month Old Cat Started to Wee in the House?
I have 3 cats, the oldest being Archie who is 9 years old and he is a very friendly, homely cat. My other 2 cats are now 9 months old. They were re-homed …
Why Has Older Cat Suddenly Started Attacking Younger Cat?
Our two cats, a 5 year old neutered male, and a one year old neutered male got along fine in the beginning, but lately, the older one is hissing and attacking …
Cat’s Scratching Himself Too Much
My 5 year old neutered male cat scratches the back of his head and neck, to the extent that the hair is coming off. There are no signs of fleas or similar …
Old Cat Messes on Floor, Not in Litter Box
I have a 15 year old male cat who does not always use his litter box. The box is clean and he continues to mess on the floor. What is the cause of this? …
How Will a 5 Year Old Moggy Desexed Male Cat Get Along With a 3 Year Old Desexed Persian Male Cat?
I have a 5 year old desexed male, ginger medium length haired cat that only requires attention when it suits him. He is not a demanding cat, except for …
Why Won’t My Cats Come Inside When I Call Them?
I have a cat behavior problem with Bubble and Squeak, brother and sister of 6 months old. They have only recently started going outside as the dogs are …
Black Cat Being Shy / Distanced
We have a cat behavior question about our black cat. She is about 6 months old now and she has always been a little shy. She will not let anyone pick her …
Female Cat’s Eating Using Paws
I have a two and half-year-old neutered female cat who has an odd habit – she eats food from her paw. She takes food from her bowl and eats it from her …
Why does my cat lick radiators?
I have a 6 year old, black domestic short haired cat who’s been showing some odd cat behavior. He is usually well behaved, though over the past 3 months …
Why Does My 4 Year Old Neutered Cat Roll In Dog Wee?
I am stumped by some very unusual behavior! The cat and dog have been friends for a long time but recently my partner saw the cat roll in urine the dog …
Cat Will Only Drink Water From The Tap Or The Toilet
My cat is driving me crazy!!! He meows all night to have me turn on the tap or if I get up to pee, he waits for me to flush and pounces on the toilet! …
Cat Problem – Marking
My 4 year old cat Milo is giving me cause for concern – he is starting to mark the carpet in one room. He urinated on one spot and then started deficating …
Cat Won’t Sleep Where He Has Always Slept
My cat’s behavior has suddenly changed – the cat has slept on dining chair in the dining room since he was a kitten on blankets. Now he won’t sleep on them …
Why Does My Cat Bite My Legs When I Turn & Walk Away From Him?
My cat behavior question is about my male cat, Brandy. Sometimes when I give him a cuddle for a while and then put him down and walk away, he follows …
Funny Cat Behavior – Cats Tongues
Why do cats sit with the tips of their tongues hanging out from their mouths? Reply from Liz (Editor): Most cats that display this cat behavior …
My Cats are Hissing at Each Other
My cat problems started last night with my 3 cats. 2 are neuterd males that are 2 years old from the same litter the other is an unspayed 1 year old female. …
Why Does My Cat Always Dip His Paw In The Water Before Drinking From His Bowl?
My two year old un-neutered male cat – since he was a kitten – has always put his paw in his water bowl before taking a drink. I’m baffled by this behavior …
Why Does My Cat Shake His Tail?
Does my cat know that I love him? When I talk to him in a sweet voice, his tail rattles kind of like a rattlesnake! Is this a voluntary or involuntary …
How Can I Stop Our Male Cat From Beating Up One Of Our Female Cats?
We have a 7 year old male neutered cat that gets on ok with one of our recently acquired young female cats but he absolutely hates her sister and will …
Why Does My Cat Appear To Spray Indoors But No Urine Comes Out?
My question is about Saffron, our two year old female moggie. We notice her backing up to furniture etc. and perform what appears to be spraying but urine …
Why Do My Cats Hide When Visitors Come Round?
My four cats won’t stay in the house when visitors call – even when my granchildren call. There is no way you can get them inside until the visitors …
What is the Fascination with my Cat and Water?
My cat’s behavior is really strange around water… Every time she hears a tap running she’s there, all she does is get wet! She tries to drink it, and …
Attention Seeking Cat Brandy :/
We have a cat named Brandy who is now 5 years old. I have had her since birth. She lived with me before in my mother’s house, then I moved out 6 months …
Why Does Our Cat Give Little Bites to Our Heads?
When my girls or I are on the couch watching TV our cat Angel will get on the couch behind us and start giving little bites to our head. I have often …
Neutered Male Cat Acting like Female in Heat
I have had my cat since I was 3, I am now 18. He was neutered when he was very young (we are not sure exactly at what age).There are many questions …
Excessive Grooming and Fur Pulling
I have a cat behavior problem with Salem, my black short haired cat. He keeps grooming excessively and pulling chunks of fur out. It has been determined …
Took in Stray Tabby Cat – Extreme Yowling Before Neutering and Almost as Bad Three Days After!
What is the cause of this yowling cat behavior, before and almost as bad after the neutering?There are two other cats in the house, a male and female. …
Cat is Constantly Licking his Fur which is Starting to Get Bald
I have a male Bengal cat who is compulsively licking all over all the time… leaving bare spots on his fur. Is this a behavior problem or medical? …
Cat Splashes The Water Out Of Her Bowl All The Time
My kitty has always loved to splash water out of her bowl, but it’s getting worse. It’s to the point that I come home and she has no water left in the …
Why Does My Cat Carry My Bras About?
My cat likes to carry my bras about! She gets bullied sometimes by my other cats and she’s not a cuddly cat… She sometimes hisses and scratches people. …
Cystitis in Cats and Peeing in the Bath!
My 15 year old cat has just been diagnosed with cystitis. The way this was noticed was that she urinated in the bathtub, and I could see all the blood. …
My Cat Loves To Eat Plastic!!!
I have a cat problem that I don’t know how to solve – my male (3 year old) cat loves to eat plastic!! I have to hide all of those supermarket “bags …
Why Does My Cat Bring Me My Bras?!
My cat does something really weird and I would love to know why…..Every now and then he will walk in dragging clothing (usually my bra) meowing (with …
Why Does My Cat Groom my Eldest Daughter’s Hair?
My question is why my cat grooms my eldest daughter – and only her! He was a rescue cat – he was only 5 weeks old when we had him according to the vet. …
Why does my Kitten Paw the Floor before Drinking?
Rudi, my 8 month old Manx kitten, just before drinking water from his bowl, invariably paws the floor a few times (in the direction away from the bowl). …
Over time, this section of the website has grown massively, and almost every question that I can think of – or would know how to answer – has been asked and answered.
The questions I’m now getting are variations on themes that have already been asked, and for this reason, I’ve now closed the submission form.
Please do browse the site and the questions above – I’m sure there will be similar questions to yours that have already been asked and answered.