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Bad Cat BehaviorI personally can't think of anything that my cats have done that could be considered bad. If she scratches me, it's my fault. It probably happened because I was too rough with her. I went too far. If she goes to the toilet outside the litter (this has only happened twice in 15 years) it was because of cystitis and so on. I don't know what people are referring to when that say that their cat is behaving badly. They mean they don't like certain aspects of a cat's behavior and because she can't argue her case it gets  spread around
that she behaves badly sometimes. This is almost certainly wrong. We
often don't like certain aspects of the behavior of our human partners,
but don't always refer to their behavior as bad; just incompatible to
our behavior and vice-versa.Take the case of your cat sticking her claws into your legs when she is on your lap. Some people would find that unpleasant and bad behavior. If you do you will confuse your cat as she is kneeding her mother's breast when she does that. She is treating you as her mother. If you smack her or push her off she'll be badly confused. If we decide to adopt a cat and live with her, I am afraid the primary obligation to adjust falls on us to fit in with the cat's lifestyle and behavior. Although she will adapt significantly, her behavior is instinctive and we must acept it. All our actions are ultimately controllable and can be modified (to be proactive), whereas a cat's actions are instinctive and reactionary. So our actions will dictate the cat's reactions. The cat's actions therefore cannot be described as bad cat behavior.  We like to do certain things that can cause a bad reaction in the cat (to us) but a natural reaction to the cat (and cannot, therefore, be described as bad cat behavior). We agreed to live with the cat hence her domestication. We also made a world largely hostile to the domestic cat (and actually to most other animals). Do you think we are behaving well? Our roads are death traps to a cat. There are other hazards. We therefore are advised by the experts to keep our cat in the flat/apartment/house all the time. This is certainly the case for the long haired Persians and rare and expensive cats (that we bred).  Although a cat can adapt to living in a confined space and with other cats in close proximity it cannot be natural for her. We also might work long hours and leave her alone. This may cause emotional problems and resultant "bad cat behavior". Who is behaving badly? There are countless other examples. Declawing springs to mind. This is still widespread it seems in the States. I just don't understand how peope can do this. Who is behaving badly? For those of us who live with cats, lets us embrace her behavior, inconvenient that it might be sometimes. That is it the only way. Here is a thought. Domestic cats are so common in households  across the
world (and I am thinking of the western world primarily) that
maybe it
is time that house builders gave some consideration to the domestic cat
when designing a house. The occupants, after all are very often not
just human. This is something that we can do to help live in harmony
with our cats.It also helps to realize that a lot of your cat's actions turn on the fact that she sees you as mother cat. Your cat will act in the manner of a kitten. We should act in the manner of a loving mother/father. Photographs: From top to bottom: © Huro Kitty © Digitala Bönder © MissLudmilla © El Ramon Source: Me Bad cat behavior to Cat Facts
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