To some cat- lovers, these behaviors can seem unpredictable, unfathomable, and even spiteful, when, in fact, they're nothing of the sort. To solve problem behavior, you must understand problem behavior. For your cat's sake and for your own, we offer alternatives to spare you both the confusion, anger, and resentment that feline behavior problems cause and to restore contentment and trust in your home - to help you reclaim the loving relationship you both deserve. In this chapter, we help you understand what's causing your cat's unwanted behavior and show you how to set up a program to turn the situation into something you both can live with. Your cat's not perfect, and neither are you, and that's something to keep in mind as you work with behavior problems.
Problems often take time to develop, and they also take time to fix.
The process takes patience and a certain degree of accommodation on your part. But most cat behavior problems can be worked out to both your satisfaction. Don't give up. The first step in solving any behavior problem is to make sure that it's not a medical problem. We can't stress this fact enough.