Cat behavior: keeping you and your cat happy.

> Cats' behavior problems are often a message to their owners. But sometimes there are more serious reasons behind their actions. Knowing why your cat behaves the way it does is crucial to your pet's health.

### Scratching:

Scratching is a normal behavior in cats; in fact, it's a necessary and healthy habit. Make sure your cat has a scratching post available in a convenient location; don't make it difficult to access or hide it away. Rubbing catnip on the post will encourage your pet to use it. Also, make multiple scratching posts available in each area of your home. Placing tin foil over the area the cat is scratching will discourage it from scracthing in the area.

### Plants:

Cats are often fascinated with house plants. They may dig in the dirt or chew on leaves. For chewing, try spraying the plant with bitter orange or dusting it with cayenne pepper. Offering an alternative such as a catnip plant or grass may help. For digging or urinating, cover the dirt with aluminum foil - you'll find most cat behavior problems can be solved using tin foil.

### Furniture:

You may wish to keep your cat off of your furniture. Because cats can jump and climb, this is not really practical. But you can train your cat to stay off specific furniture by covering it with aluminum foil. In most cases leaving the foil on will keep your friends off the furniture as well.

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