Almost all of these sorts of behavioural issues (with the exception of the food-motivated ones) tend to disappear when you allow your cat the freedom to go outside whenever it wants. They're not well suited to confinement and it always shows in their behavior. Sometimes they just get depressed and mopey, which a lot of people interpret as their cat "not minding" its confinement. Other times they try to relieve the soul-crushing boredom of their lives by knocking things over, yelling, or actively messing with you. Sure, you can "train" your cat not to engage in these behaviors (as other commenters note, however, they're smart enough to realize you're not always watching them) or you could just allow them access to the far more compelling activities that exist outdoors. They'll even choose to do mundane stuff (lie in the sun, poop) outdoors nine times out of ten. They just prefer being out.
Reading some of the things people in this thread do to their cats made me sad, especially the people talking about techniques for preventing their cats from getting out the front door.[0] If you would never treat a human the way you treat your cat on a regular basis, that should give you pause. If it's "for their own good" you made a selfish choice in pet ownership.
[0] An airlock system where the cat is required to sit perfectly still before you open the door? Don't they do similar stuff in actual prisons?
Reading some of the things people in this thread do to their cats made me sad, especially the people talking about techniques for preventing their cats from getting out the front door.[0] If you would never treat a human the way you treat your cat on a regular basis, that should give you pause. If it's "for their own good" you made a selfish choice in pet ownership.
[0] An airlock system where the cat is required to sit perfectly still before you open the door? Don't they do similar stuff in actual prisons?