A better way to correct a cat is to have the environment do the punishing. This is known as remote correction and it is very effective because an animal's behavior is dictated by the consequences that follow. If doing a certain thing leads to an unpleasant experience, then your cat will be less likely to do it again.
The good news is that it can work in reverse, too. Cats can be trained to do the things we want them to do. Training your cat will help you prevent unwanted behaviors, and it's a great way to provide mental enrichment.
No. Here's the problem with spraying a cat with water: The only thing the cat learns is that when he sees the water bottle, it's time to run. “Run whenever you see this bottle” is not a particularly useful cue to teach, and running to escape punishment is not a positive way to interact with your cat.
A cat can be aggressive for many reasons, including pain or illness, fear, stress, or overstimulation. If your cat is lashing out, check in with your vet first, particularly if the aggression is a new behavior. The cause can be medical, so your vet will first look for a health issue.
Don't use punishment to train your cat. It could cause your cat to be stressed and to associate the punishment with you, affecting your relationship. As well, it does not teach your cat what you would instead like them to do.
Give her your hand. Reach your hand toward the cat and allow her to come to you. Keep your fist closed and below the cats head. She will sniff, rub, and decide what the next step is.
Encourage petting and gentle touch to get them used to interaction from you and others. Introduce other animals slowly – Make sure your kitten is separated from other pets until they are litter box trained and fully vaccinated. Do very slow, supervised introductions and monitor activity closely.
They protest and demonstrate by talking back whenever their needs are not met. Some cats go even further and show their revolt when a cat parent doesn't permit certain activity or behavior. When they talk back to you it usually looks like a way to protect their dignity and their sovereign position in your home.
Transforming a free-roaming cat into a safe cat can be done, but it does require planning, persistence and patience. The key is to make the change from outdoors to indoors gradually, until the new way of life becomes old hat. Many cats will adjust with minimal effort while others will be miserable and let you know it.
They don't understand why you stopped them, and they just don't want to upset you. So make sure your no is firm, consistent and relatively free of emotion. Your point will be clearer. Just saying no is not good enough for a cat.
Cat owners everywhere will attest to the simple fact in life that, whereas your cat can understand you, they also choose to completely ignore your commands.
Most cats outgrow much of their impulsive behavior and “chill out,” at least a bit. Your goal will be to continue to reinforce the behavior you want, minimize opportunities for your cat to develop bad habits, and then to stay the course until their brain catches up with their body.
Another positive aspect of neutering your cat is that neutering can result in a calmer, and sometimes cleaner, home. Without the drive to mate, your cat may be quieter and not prone to cat calls and an incessant need to seek out a mate. The neutered cat no longer feels the need to seek out and serenade females.
A simple training method involves praising and petting your kitten when it leaps onto acceptable surfaces while scolding and removing it from unacceptable surfaces. The spray bottle can help train your kitten to stay off specific surfaces.
Our team of vets agree that using water bottles to discipline cats isn't the best course of action. According to Dr. Dwight Alleyne, “Spraying cats with water can create a negative association with humans. As a result, they may become more anxious or even aggressive over time.”
Put plastic, double-sided sticky tape, sandpaper or upside-down vinyl carpet runner (knobby parts up) on furniture or on the floor where your cat would stand to scratch your furniture. Place scratching posts next to these objects, as “legal” alternatives. Clip your cat's nails regularly.
The transition to adulthood ordinarily occurs from 1 to 2 years old. At this time, and possibly after neutering, a cat may retain a lot of energy but should be notably calmer with it reaching full maturity at 2. From 3 to 10 years old, a cat is relatively calm but remains active.
Catnip can calm and soothe some cats. As an herb, catnip is easy to grow at home. If you grow it, you may find your kitty indulging in it at intervals throughout the day and maybe even chewing on it. For the most part, it's a fairly harmless indulgence.
The good news is that most kittens calm down with age. Cats develop much quicker than their hooman families so you can expect your kitten to slow down at around 9-14 months as they advance into adulthood.