Your normally well-behaved cat has suddenly decided to urinate in the corner of the bedroom closet. Or perhaps the fastidious feline has become so obsessed with grooming that he or she has literally licked the fur off several places, creating bald places. Friends have begun asking if your cat has been receiving chemo treatments to cure a case of feline leukemia.

You can curb or cure your cats behavior by employing some very effective and gentle behavior modifying techniques. You should use such techniques along with praise and petting. This will ensure that your life with your furry feline easier and stress free.

There are many good cat training books available as well as magazine publications that offer advice on putting an end to undesirable cat actions. There are web sites dedicated to cats and cat psychology where one can find many articles on how to correct your cats behavior. You can find advice on all of the common misbehaviors and some uncommon one as well.

One common misbehavior is scratching on furniture and drapes. The suggested response when you see your cat scratch an object that's off limits is to squirt a little water from a water gun and give a sharp, "No!" However, scratching is instinctive and helps keep your cat's claws conditioned as well as being an enjoyable source of exercise.

A cat will scratch on appropriate objects versus your furniture if they are provided. You can buy prefabricated scratching posts. If you are feeling creative, you can also build one yourself. Cats adore catnip, so rub the post to give it that scent. The scent will wear off over time, but he will get used to using the post. He will eventually learn that he should use the post instead of your furniture when he feels the need to scratch.

Cat owners often find themselves bothered when kitty's boisterous activity keeps them up at night. Cats are nocturnal creatures, and are compelled by their instinct to think that the best time for hunting is night time. It's easy for a cat owner to believe that if they get up and play with their cat, tiring them out, that kitty will go to bed. In fact, this method doesn't work. It is only teaching the cat to wake up their owner each night for yet another round of entertainment.

Try to play with your cat as soon as possible after returning home in the evening. Hopefully, you will be able to switch his internal clock to begin play time earlier on his own, and leave you to sleep peacefully for the rest of the night.

Some people believe that a cat's behavior cannot be changed in some way like one can do for a dog. It is true that the cat will not learn to understand your commands like bringing a brewsky from the fridge. However if you devote some time, you can change your cat's naughty habits which will make your life less stressful and pleasant.

A little cat psychology can go a long ways towards understanding your cats behavior. Peeing inappropriately, compulsive licking, damaging furniture by scratching, and nighttime playfulness are a few behaviors that can cause owners to be unhappy with their pet. Many of these issues can be easily solved with some effort and creativity. Recognizing the behavior and its causes are the first steps towards solving these problems. Simple training with a squirt bottle, getting a cat scratch post, and giving your cat extra playtime can all improve your relationship with your cat.