What Should You Know About Pediatric Behavior Problems In Cats?

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Pediatric behavior problems in cats –this feline condition refers to the undesirable traits or behaviors shown by kittens between puberty and birth. It is so important to address this in an early stage, as the behaviors that are acquired in this range of age might be hard to alter later. The preventive measures in avoiding such behaviors are important, since the kittens are so susceptible to environmental and physiological influences. In this article, we will discuss some more interesting facts about pediatric behavior problems in cats including its causes, symptoms, prognosis, and treatment. Read on to learn about these and more!

What are Pediatric Behavior Problems in Cats?

In general, at the time in the life of a kitten, the mother cat might be teaching it suitable forms of interaction and play with its peer. In a normal play, a cat might not show its claws out and it might not bite down so hard. Kittens, which have failed in learning these manners may engage in rough kind of play, frequently attaching the owners of the other pets even without the provocation. The bad behaviors might pose a real deal to the families with small children,

Though the kitten play might be cute to look at, a lot unwanted behaviors may form in its younger stages of life. The stage of being a kitten may last from birth up to puberty. Nonetheless, a lot of behavioral developments may take place in between 8-12 weeks old. You may start to notice the cat showing excessive destructive and aggressive behaviors. Younger cats might also form a great fear to humans on this time. This isn’t good, since a fearful cat might either be isolated or it might be prone to attacks. One more undesirable behavior in young cats is the elimination or defecation outside the litter box. The kitten may destroy the flooring and furniture so quickly with the improper elimination.

Causes

A kitten might be vulnerable to developing any unwanted behaviors if it’s orphaned, removed from its mother, or abandoned at a young age. Moreover. If there are no other felines at home, it is not likely that the cat will learn proper feline manners. The contributions to bad behavior may include the following:

  • Lack of toys and some other stimuli
  • Harsh correction like chasing or smacking
  • Early trauma from attach by another animal
  • Exhilarated rough play by the owners
  • Minimal exposure to humans in the 3rd to 7th weeks
  • Insufficient socialization with some other animals
  • Feral parents
  • Genetic traits from the father cat

Symptoms

If the habits of the kitten appear to be much worse than you might have expected, the kitten might be forming some behavioral problems. Further, it is so normal for cats to have increased energy levels. What isn’t normal is for them to terrorize the inhabitants and the home. The signs that you should look out for in pediatric behavior problems in cats include:

  • Hiding
  • Fleeing
  • Hissing
  • Flattened ears
  • Piloerection
  • Dilated pupils
  • Damaging furniture
  • Intentionally knocking objects off counters of shelves
  • Intense running onto furniture, especially at night
  • Excessive chasing, pouncing, attacking, or stalking
  • Unwelcome attacks on animals or people
  • Bites, which break the skin
  • Scratching the claws out

Prognosis

pediatric behavior in cats

On one of the early checkups of the kitten, mention your worries on the behaviors of your cat that starts to appear. The veterinarian might choose to do a complete physical examination of the kitten, in order to make sure that the kitten is in the prime state both mentally and physically. From there, you’ll possibly get some books or pamphlets on training your cat, or get a referral to behavior expert professionals.

Moreover, if the kitten is eliminating in wrong places, the vet might want to verify if everything is internally normal for the animal. Blood work might be necessary, including a biochemical profile and complete blood count. Also, urinalysis might show if there are whatever rare substances, which pass into the urine of the cat. Some instances might experience pain as well while they urinate or defecate, as well as associating pain when they’re in the litter box.

Treatment for Pediatric Behavior Problems in Cats

There are many steps that you can take to curb pediatric behavior problems in cats. They include the following:

  • Declawing. In case the cat is scratching people or furniture to an extent that the owner is surrendering already, declawing can be a great choice to do.
  • Castration or spaying. Fixing the kitten might stop it from urinating in various unwanted areas. The cat might lose its desire in spraying after spaying or neutering.
  • Booby traps. Self-activated punishments might be essential in training a cat to stay off a particular surface or away from the furniture at home.
  • Diet. Proper kind of diet using premium kitten food might assist in stopping the rapid energy spikes.
  • Increase activity. Some kittens might just have increased energy with no sufficient outlets. Play some more with your cat and introduce new toys and surfaces to it.

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