Cats have now surpassed dogs as the most popular pet. People are attracted to them because they are so mysterious, cuddly and fun. However, because they retain many of their wild behaviors and instincts, they can occasionally be challenging pets with cat behavior problems that you will need to understand.

While they have been domesticated for thousands of years, feline behavior is not really all that different than the behavior of a tiger or lion or other cat in the wild. Certain instinctive predator behavior still exists in our scaled down kitties, and many of what we see as cat behavior problems are really just how their brains are hard wired for a life the no longer lead.

If you have raised a kitten, or more than one kitten, you will undoubtedly notice that kittens become aggressive in their play when they are active. Doing this helps them learn skills that would help them catch prey in the wild to survive. With indoor cats, however, you should teach them to channel these aggressive instincts into acceptable forms, so they do not try to bite your fingers or toes!

Always keep your home well stocked with cat toys. Kittens like to pretend they are hunting their toys, so they will stalk, pounce, and bite their toys, often in that order. It is also cute to watch a kitten grasp a toy with their front paws and kick at it with their back paws. Younger kittens like fake mice made from realistic materials, and older kittens and even cats will enjoy catnip laced toys. Not all younger kittens react to catnip, and occasionally older cats are uninterested as well. Cats that do react to catnip love it though.

When the cat is engaging in this play, you need to set limits and teach the cat not to bite, scratch or chew humans, or anything else that is off limits. Never hit a cat, as this will cause more cat behavior problems instead of stopping them. It destroys trust between you and the pet and may make the cat more aggressive and angry. A sharp "No!" followed by removing the cat from the situation or offering something appropriate is the way to go, and always reward obedience with "Good kitty!" and sometimes treats.

Cats naturally control the growth of their claws by scratching trees and other rough surfaces, another instinct behavior. To make sure they don't treat furniture or carpet as an indoor substitute, you need to provide cat scratchers for them to use instead. Catnip or catnip sprays can help lure the cat to use these at first, but many catch on easily. You can make your own from scrap wood and carpet scraps, or even strips of cardboard crammed sideways in a box, or buy them at any pet shop. Some types hang from doorknobs as well.

Many cat behavior problems result from things humans dislike but are part of normal feline behavior. Finding substitutes for the play and activities that prepare cats for a life as a predator that they no longer live makes living with them easier. Protect furniture and flesh by providing cat scratchers made of materials that substitute for bark in the wild or your furniture indoors. Kittens need to be taught early in life to control their natural hunter's aggression to be within safe limits for humans and redirected to appropriate toys. Always stop negative behavior at once but never hit a cat. Reward all positive behavior to reinforce it.