In the case of Angel, the computer-wrecking cat, there was a medical reason for her bad behavior: a flare-up of cystitis, a bladder infection. Once she was treated, Christensen built a nice comfy platform for the cat that sits on top of her new, fully functioning monitor.

Angel is a poster cat for seeking the advice of a veterinarian when a pet’s behavior isn’t all that it should be. Pain or other physical problems can cause your dog or cat to behave abnormally in an attempt to express that something’s wrong.

When people and pets don't mix
Goldman says that many times animal-behavior problems result because people and pets aren’t a good match. Too often, pets are chosen for appearance rather than the reality of their temperament and exercise needs.

“If somebody has a couch-potato lifestyle, but they have an animal that requires a lot of activity and exercise, it’s not going to be a good match,” Goldman says.

To help, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals developed the “Meet Your Match” program, which pairs distinct canine and feline personalities with adopters whose personality and lifestyle fit them best. After completing a questionnaire about the traits they want in a pet, people are directed toward cats or dogs that meet those requirements. Responsible breeders go through much the same process when matching up puppies or kittens and people.

This can be especially helpful for pet owners with little kids.

“We get so many owner surrenders because people have small children and a rambunctious, unruly springer,” says Kate Kyer, a rescue and adoption coordinator for English Springer Rescue America in Frisco, Texas. “The dog wants to play, jumps around, knocks over the toddler and is tossed out in the backyard, where it becomes bored. A bored dog becomes destructive and obnoxious. Next thing I know, we get a 2- to 9-year-old springer that is pronounced ‘untrainable’ and ‘too active,’ all for want of attention.”

Unrealistic expectations about the amount of time needed for training contribute to the problem. Dogs and cats don’t come programmed with good house manners.

“I refer to dog training as at least 60 percent ‘people training,’” Kyer says. “The whole family must be entirely engaged in the process.”

If you’ve already discovered that your lifestyle doesn’t mesh with your dog’s activity level, be prepared to make changes to satisfy your dog’s needs, whether that’s taking it on longer or more frequent walks (good for you, too!), hiring a dog walker or lining up the kid next door to throw tennis balls for it until they’re both worn out.

As for cats, pet owners probably won't be able train their feline friends to stop scratching the carpet, but there are ways to redirect the behavior into something positive. For instance, try placing a few cardboard scratching boxes around the house and sprinkle them with catnip to entice kitty to use them. Or invest in a carpet- and rope-covered kitty tower that will attract your cat’s claws.

With some breeds, particularly toy dogs, house-training is a big issue. When a breeder tells you that, don’t assume that your dog will be the exception.

When Marsha Pugh of Hughesville, Md., brought home her first Italian greyhound puppy Expo, his first act was to jump onto her coffee table, up onto the back of her sofa and lift his leg on her curtains. It took months of praise and treats for outdoor elimination before she considered him even marginally house-trained.

Don't leave me!
Sometimes, training or the lack thereof isn’t the problem. Dogs and cats often suffer from separation anxiety, which can result in such behaviors as obsessive licking or chewing and urinating inappropriately — often on the bed.

Synthetic pheromones such as Feliway for cats and DAP for dogs are aimed at calming anxious pets and ending anxiety-related problems.

In the case of Molly, a greyhound owned by Roxanne Willems Snopek of Abbotsford, British Columbia, medication and environmental management helped.

“Molly responded beautifully to [anxiety medication] Clomicalm, and we modified our life by closing bedroom doors when we left her alone,” Snopek says. “If we ever tried to cut down her dose or forgot a few days, she let us know right away by pacing, peeing and generally looking like she was expecting a tax audit.”

Kim Campbell Thornton is an award-winning author who has written many articles and more than a dozen books about dogs and cats. She belongs to the Dog Writers Association of America and is past president of the Cat Writers Association. She shares her home in California with two Cavalier King Charles spaniels and one African ringneck parakeet.

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