Catty Behavior No. 2: Clawing the Furniture
Cats claw to spread their signature scent, shed dead nail tissues and to express anxiety, says Larry Lachman, Psy.D., an animal behavior consultant in Carmel, Calif. They aren't purposely seeking out your most expensive or treasured sofa or chair to curb their urge.

"Redirection and prevention are the keys to resolving this behavior problem. If you catch your cat in the act, startle it by shouting, 'No scratch!' or by shaking a can with pennies inside," Dr. Lachman says. "Wait a couple of hours and then redirect your cat to a scratching post sprinkled with catnip. Reward your cat with treats and praise when it begins to claw. Your cat will soon figure out that it gets rewarded for working the scratching post."

During this transition, heighten your chances for success by applying double-sided tape to the targeted furniture. Cats hate feeling anything sticky on their paw pads, Dr. Milani says.

Recognize cats want and desire something they can call their own. Donate an old chair, buy a durable scratching post or give your cat a thick log with bark for sharpening claws. Place the log vertically because cats like to stretch upward when they claw, Dr. Wright says. "Forget about those dangling scratching pads because they sway too much for the cat to get a good grip," he says.

Catty Behavior No. 3: Displaced Aggression
Your two cats are suddenly acting like prizefighters as you watch helplessly from the ringside. Aggressiveness that emerges suddenly in one cat toward its housemate has many origins. It may be the result of a long simmering dislike, a traumatic event like a broomstick crashing on the floor (one cat may blame the other), a medical problem or the addition of a new pet or person to the household.

"Your indoor cat could also be displacing its aggression for an outdoor cat to the other inside cat," Dr. Wright says.

Success is never guaranteed, but you can help restore harmony in the household by feeding the feuding cats in separate locations. For intense tangles, try placing each cat in a carrier positioned far apart but still within sight of one another in the living room for 30 minutes at a time. Let them simmer down. Put treats in each carrier. Reintroduce the cats to each other gradually.

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