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Do you sometimes feel that your cat has become mean and not the sweet and loving kitty that he used to be? Sometimes when kittens get older they can be moody and mean at their worst. But even for the most annoying cat behavior problems, there is usually still a remedy for the behavior.

Below are six of the most common behavior problems found in cats and some of the solutions I’d like to share with you that seem to work best for my pets.

1. Scratching your furniture and carpets. It is natural for cats to need to sharpen their claws. Their claws never stop growing, and what they are really doing when they sharpen their claws is removing the outer layer of the claw. In most cases, I have found that people simply declaw a cat that has this type of problem. Personally, I don’t advocate this at all. In my opinion, there is always the possibility that even an indoor cat may one day end up outside by accident. And in that case, if you declaw your cat, you may be taking away his main form of defense.

Perhaps before declawing your cat, why not try getting a scratching post? If you can’t get your cat to use the scratching post, one solution I’ve found is to try hanging a dirty sock on the post. Wear a dirty sock belonging to someone in the family your cat is fond of so it smells familiar (you can take it off after a day or so). You can also sprinkle catnip on the scratching post or, this is rare but works, powdered chicken broth. The idea is to get the cat friendly enough to scratch the post and attack it.

In the meantime, make your cat’s favorite scratching areas less attractive. For example, spray fresh lemon juice on those areas. Or you can wrap or cover them with foil (nails on the board anyone?). Do whatever will clean up that area and get rid of the cat smell. If possible, another option would be to close the doors in that area so that those places are inaccessible to the cat.

2. Eliminating outside of the litter box. Could it be your fault or the cat? I have found that many cats do not use a litter box that is too dirty. If you think this might be the problem, start changing the litter box twice as often as you currently do. You can also be quick to clean up anywhere the cat goes by spraying these areas well with Lysol or a similar strong-smelling disinfectant. You can also try putting the litter box in a place that is more attractive to the cat; the bathroom, for example. If it’s not in an overly unpleasant spot, you can also put the litter box on top of where your cat has chosen to go, just to make the point. As a last resort, safely place bleach in those spots and cover the area with aluminum foil.

3. Scratching people. I have found that cats usually do this because they are afraid for some reason. If that’s the case, then you need to consider whether this is the cat’s fault or the people around it. For example, if you have a cat who is generally afraid of children, then you might try exposing him to small children until he is calmer about it. Don’t let the child get lost around the cat. Have the child sit on his lap or next to you while he feeds Kitty treats.

Not all cats are afraid. In some cases, they are just mean to certain people. The only thing you can do about it is remove the cat from the situation. When the cat starts to scratch or growl, pick him up and take him to the bathroom until your guest has left. In most cases, it is usually a guest that this happens to, often one that has pets. If it’s a family member, try cat repellent or lemon juice to keep the cat away, then acclimatize it to get used to the other person. If all else fails, you may have no choice but to declaw the cat.

4. Meows. Siamese cats do this by nature and you may not be able to get them to stop. But other cats do it because they are hungry, tired, sick or to let you know that they have done something good. Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do about it. If you think it’s a matter of hunger, then feed him more quickly and refuse to feed him when he meows. Of course, your cat won’t understand what you’re doing, but he’ll almost certainly stop when he realizes it’s not doing him any good. If he meows because he’s in heat, you have to fix her. For other meowing problems, try to ignore her and keep her as far away from you as possible.

5. Spraying. Normally, male cats do this to mark a territory, and they usually do it when they feel threatened. In most cases, it is done when threatened by dogs or small children, or when other male cats are nearby. There is little you can do about it beyond neutering your cat. Please don’t punish your cat for doing this because the cat won’t understand anything.

6. Running outdoors. Indoor cats tend to be very curious about the outside world. The first thing you should do is be more careful and not have the door open allowing your cat to escape. But you can also try to get your cat used to the outdoors by getting a cat leash and walking it, or carrying it in your arms when you go outside. Once your cat knows what’s outside, chances are he’ll be less curious and less anxious the next time he’s outside. And this is particularly true if you must ever expose your cat to snow or wet conditions.