Many feline behavioral problems can be resolved or significantly improved through thoughtful environmental modification rather than punishment or medication alone.
Environmental modification addresses the root causes of behavioral problems rather than merely suppressing symptoms. A cat that scratches furniture is expressing normal behavior in the wrong location — providing appropriate substrates in preferred locations is more effective than punishment, which creates fear without teaching an alternative. Pheromone products support but do not replace environmental management. The most common welfare mistake is failing to identify and resolve resource competition or social tension in multi-cat households as the underlying driver of behavioral problems.