Cat And Dog Behaviour

While everyone adores a well-mannered pet which is affectionate, loyal and of sound character, even the most stolid or mellow animal can sometimes go a little off the rails.

For example, getting a new playmate for your cat can be a wonderful experience. Or a complete nightmare.

Many cats really like being the only cats and having the home to themselves, so the introduction of a new cat sends them into orbit. This often results in behavioral problems like fighting, urine spraying and defecating in all the wrong places by the new cat or the existing cat, or both.

Introducing your new pet slowly and carefully is an important part of easing the transition of the existing cat into a multi-cat household. In multi-cat households, fighting between your pets is very common. Cats can be territorial and like to share neither their home nor their owner's attention.

Many dogs do not like loud noises, but their reaction usually is only mild. A phobia is an intense, exaggerated response to a situation which an animal perceives as frightening.

Often a dog noise phobia starts out as a mild dislike of sound, for example, a thunderstorm which scared the dog as a puppy. It can spread to other unrelated noises, even seemingly innocuous ones, such as a door closing!

When situations like this arise, it is up to you, the owner, to make things right for your stressed dog or cat.