Q 1- Our five year old cat has suddenly started to urinate everywhere but in his
litter box, and meowing very loudly for no reason that I can see.
Q 2- We recently got a three month old kitten a few weeks ago. The first couple
of weeks have been fine. Our older cat has adapted to her just fine. The kitten
has been using her litter tray, but the last few days she has wee'd on my
daughters bed whenever she gets the chance, although she is still using her
litter box.
Q 3- My cat has started to urinate on my rugs. Should I punish her?
Q 4- My young cat has started to poo on our bed.

A - When a cat starts to behave in a seemingly 'bad', or inappropriate way, it's
normally because they are trying to tell you something is wrong. Try to
imagine how you would behave if you were living with a loving family who
could not communicate with you. You would resort to body and sign language,
wouldn't you? That's exactly what your cat is doing. It may not be that
something is wrong with your cat, it may be something else. So be open and
try to think what you have recently done or changed just before the
inappropriate behavior started.

I'll give you an extreme example to show you what I mean. A little boy, who
lived on a farm, went to pet one of the outdoor cats. The cat hissed and swore
at him, which was unusual. The little boy went crying to his mother, who
consoled him and they went off together, looking for the cat. The cat was in
the same spot and was still unfriendly. Suddenly, he leapt into the air and
landed on a snake, killing it.

The cat couldn't tell the child to watch out, so he did the next best thing.

So check for everything that could have changed your cat's behavior. Cats are
very sensitive to chemicals, so if you have recently tried a new air freshener, a
new carpet shampoo, a new paint, a new flea treatment, maybe that's the
cause. Maybe you've recently had the house treated for insect infestation or
prevention. A new baby, pet or partner can be traumatic for cats who tend to
prefer routine. Put yourself in your cat's place and try to see life from his eyes.
And I'm sure you can now see, that you should never punish your cat for this
behavior.

Q 5- My cat has started to meow a lot. He doesn't seem to know what he wants,
has stopped eating and seems to be not at ease.

A - See the answer above for possible causes, but with this behavior, I
suspect it's more likely to be something wrong with your cat. Has she had any
medical treatment lately (see next question)? This may be the cause. Have you
changed her food? That may be the cause, especially if it's a commercial
brand. She may be reacting to something dubious in the new food. If you
eliminate all possible reasons, then it's probably best to seek professional
advice.

Q 6- I am ten years old and my cat is nearly two years old. She has started to
bite me and scratches me and hisses whenever I pick her up. She's fine with
my parents. She doesn't like one of my friends who is mean to her. Please
help!

A - I think that you may have been a bit rough with her in the past and now
she doesn't trust you. If your friend is mean to her, either try to stop her, or
don't let this friend come round. Your cat may be associating your friend with
you. Only when this meanness is stopped, will your cat start to come round.
Meanwhile, give her space and don't rush her. She will know in time, that you
are safe to be with. You have to prove to her that you have changed. That
takes time.

Q 7- I am desperate! I have had my cat and dog for seven years. I got them
together as a puppy and kitten and they have always got on together. Now my
cat seems to want to kill the dog. I have to pull the cat off the dog, getting
bitten and scratched in the process and the dog runs away howling. What's
going on?
A - Try to look back at the time this attacking started. Something has
happened to stimulate this. Was your cat attacked by another dog? Was he
injured in some way? Have you moved house, upsetting the equilibrium? Did
your cat have any medical treatment - a vaccination for instance? Try to find
what the cause was and then address that - perhaps with the help of a holistic
vet or natural animal therapist.